The Potter Twins and the Chamber of Secrets

XII

"Excellent!" said Professor Sprout. "Another ten points to Gryffindor. Now, everyone put your earmuffs on - the mandrakes we have here are still quite young, but they'll knock you out for quite a while. Don't want any of you missing your first day."

Sprout pulled a pink fluffy pair of earmuffs over her own head, rolled up the sleeves of her robes, grasped one of the tufty mandrake plants and pulled hard. Everyone let out a gasp of surprise that no one could hear - instead of roots, a small, muddy and extremely ugly baby popped out of the earth. He had green, mottled skin, and was clearly bawling at the top of his lungs.

Professor Sprout took a large plant pot from under the table and plunged the Mandrake into it, burying him in dark, damp compost until only the leaves were visible, then removed her earmuffs and gave everyone the thumbs-up. "Four to a tray - there's a large supply of pots here - compost in the sacks over there, and be careful of the Venomous Tentacula, it's teething." She gave a sharp slap to a spiky, dark red plant as she spoke, making it draw in the long feelers that had been inching sneakily over her shoulder.

Harry fought his way over to us from his position next to the door, Hermione behind him. "There's five of us," Will pointed out.

"I'll go with you, Will," Ron said, ignoring Hermione, and they headed over to a couple of Hufflepuffs that we vaguely knew. Harry, Hermione and I were joined at our tray by a curly-haired Hufflepuff boy that I'd seen around, but had never spoken to. "Justin Finch-Fletchley," he said brightly, shaking Harry by the hand, and then me. "Know who you two are, of course, the famous Potters... and you're Hermione Granger, always top in everything." Hermione beamed as Justin shook her hand, too, and then peered over to the other side of the greenhouse. "Was that Ron Weasley? Wasn't it his flying car?"

None of us answered, and instead of taking this as a hint to pipe down, Justin continued to talk. "That Lockhart's something, isn't he?" he said happily, as we began to fill pots with the compost. "Awfully brave chap, of course. My name was down for Eton, you know, but I can't tell you how glad I am I came here instead. Of course, my mother was slightly disappointed, but I made her read Lockhart's books I think she's begun to see how useful it will be to have a wizard in the family..."

Thankfully, after that, we didn't have much time to talk - the earmuffs we're back on and we had to concentrate on the Mandrakes. I had a good laugh watching several people get bitten, but the fun abruptly dried up when one kicked dirt straight onto my eye. I spent the rest of the lesson trying to see out of my right eye while my left streamed for the next half-hour, and Hermione had to help me stuff a particular fat mandrake into a pot that was on the small side. Harry's mood didn't seem to have improved since he talked to Lockhart and he swore multiple times - luckily, Sprout couldn't hear us, as her earmuffs functioned as well as they should.

By the end of the class, we were all sweaty, aching and covered in earth. After a quick wash, the Gryffindors hurried off to Transfiguration, which was always hard work - today we were supposed to be turning beetles into buttons. Professor McGonagall seemed unimpressed that everything I'd learnt had disappeared during the summer, but I managed to get my beetle into a button by the end of the lesson. I mean, it still had legs, but I reckon that added to the style.

Ron, meanwhile, was having an absolute nightmare. He'd patched up his wand with Sellotape, but it didn't seem to be having the best of days. It kept crackling and smoking, and Ron managed to crush his beetle under his elbow while unable to see what he was doing.

Eventually, thank Merlin, the lunch bell sounded. Everyone filed out of the classroom except Ron and I, who kept whacking his wand furiously on the desk. "Oh, yeah, that'll help," I said sarcastically, as I helped him pile his books into his bag.