Several greenhouses dotted the grounds around Hogwarts castle.
Last year, all Herbology lessons had taken place in Greenhouse One, so this was Wyzett's first time stepping into Greenhouse Three.
He pushed open the heavy oak door, and a wave of warm, humid air rolled out, thick with the scents of earth, fertilizer, and an intoxicating floral sweetness.
This greenhouse was much larger than the first, and the plants here were far more intriguing.
Beneath a soaring glass dome, cascades of enormous blossoms hung down—each flower as big as an umbrella, flooding the air with their heady fragrance.
With Hannah joining the group, their watering and fertilizing went even faster.
As Head of Hufflepuff, Professor Sprout was used to her students dropping by the greenhouses in the early morning or late evening, always eager to lend a hand.
Hannah was among the most diligent, always happy to care for magical plants of every sort.
Despite having just met, Luna and Hannah quickly found themselves chatting with the easy warmth of old friends, discovering plenty of common ground.
Meanwhile, Wyzett took the chance to ask more questions about the Water-Making Spell, and Professor Sprout was delighted to answer.
It wasn't long before they'd finished tending to Greenhouse Three.
Professor Sprout brought over several cups of warm water, each infused with Dittany honey—sweet and soothing, with a gentle, invigorating kick.
After a few sips, Professor Sprout tapped on the inner door. "Would you like to have a peek inside? There are even more delightful magical plants waiting…"
Of course, no one could refuse, and they followed her deeper into the greenhouse.
Greenhouse Three was by far the most complex, divided into several distinct sections.
Where they'd started was the teaching area, set up for lessons and demonstrations.
Now, Professor Sprout led them through the inner door into the cultivation zone, where a riot of colorful plants filled every corner—lush leaves and rare fungi alike.
Neat rows of potted plants lined the floor, all thriving, their leaves glossy and vibrant.
Wyzett's curiosity was piqued by a cluster of thick, purple-tinged green leaves. He leaned in. "Professor Sprout, are these Mandrakes?"
"Spot on! These are Mandrakes, though they're still young and have a lot of growing to do…" Professor Sprout announced proudly.
"I spent nearly half the summer figuring out exactly what they like before adding them to the curriculum. You'll meet them in your very first class."
"And, Wyzett, I have you to thank for the dragon dung you brought! It arrived just in time and helped them through their trickiest stage."
According to One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi, Mandrakes rarely survive outside the wild, and even then, greenhouse cultivation is notoriously difficult.
Yet Professor Sprout had not only kept them alive, but made them robust enough for classwork—a testament to her Herbology mastery.
Wyzett smiled. "I'm glad I could help, Professor."
He took a moment to admire the dazzling array of plants in the cultivation area.
Not far off, several vines twisted lazily—each one studded with wicked-looking thorns and gleaming a menacing emerald green, like a nest of venomous snakes.
Some of the vines ended in blossoms that looked disturbingly like mouths, their petal "lips" opening and closing, barbed inside and out—a truly fearsome sight.
"Are those Venomous Tentacula?"
Venomous Tentacula were much like Devil's Snare: both were aggressive, striking out with writhing tendrils.
But Venomous Tentacula had even fewer weaknesses, and the spikes along their vines and flowers secreted a lethal poison.
Wyzett glanced to another patch, where plump, green spheres sat in a row, looking for all the world like tender cabbages.
If he hadn't noticed them shivering ever so slightly—or caught a glimpse of the fangs at their core—he might never have guessed their true nature.
"Are those Snapping Cabbages?"
Another highly aggressive magical plant. Get too close, and a Snapping Cabbage would roll over, jaws agape, ready to chomp anything that wandered into range.
Even the more placid magical plants here often hid potent toxins or powerful hallucinogens.
There were deep purple berries—Belladonna—and tall, slender stalks topped with trumpet-shaped purple blooms—Wolfsbane.
Both were famed potion ingredients, often used to brew Witch's Flying Ointment.
Witch's Flying Ointment was infamous in the wizarding world. Every year, more than a few witches and wizards ended up at St. Mungo's after dabbling with it.
Despite the name, it didn't actually grant the power of flight. Instead, its powerful hallucinogenic effects made its users feel as if they were soaring through the air.
These days, the safest ways for a wizard to take flight were magical brooms and enchanted items—or, if luck was on your side, discovering your Animagus form happened to be a bird.
Catching Wyzett's murmured observations, Professor Sprout laughed, delighted. "So you recognize all these, do you?"
"At least the dangerous ones," Wyzett admitted.
"Well, you need to know how to get along with them…" Professor Sprout said cheerfully. "They're all lovely children, really."
Wyzett nodded, suddenly struck by how much Professor Sprout resembled Hagrid—both had a fondness for… rather formidable creatures.
Hagrid adored dragons, always dreaming of raising one to adulthood.
And Professor Sprout would often whisper secrets to her Venomous Tentacula.
…
"Scourgify!"
After leaving the greenhouse, Wyzett flicked his wand at Luna and Hannah, cleaning away the dirt clinging to their robes.
Hannah spun around, beaming. "Now I don't have to go back to the common room—I can head straight to the Great Hall!"
The three of them made their way to breakfast together. After bidding Hannah goodbye, Wyzett and Luna headed for the Ravenclaw table.
As they ate, Wyzett cast a Summoning Charm to bring over both their textbooks.
He'd also prepared a simple map. "First class is Potions. You'll go that way, then down the stairs. There aren't many classrooms in the dungeons, so it's easy to find."
"Oh, and you might want to get there a bit early… Professor Snape is strict with latecomers—his comments can be… a little biting."
"I'll be fine, honestly!" Luna tucked the map away with care. "You haven't eaten a thing—hurry up and have some breakfast!"
Suddenly remembering, Wyzett added, "Right! Potions is a double period today, so make sure you eat enough."
He spread some jam on a slice of bread and put it on Luna's plate. "Otherwise you'll get hungry."
Luna preferred her food light, so he went easy on the butter.
She, in turn, remembered Wyzett's tastes—spreading butter on a slice for him and placing it on his plate. "You should eat too, or you'll be starving later…"
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