Disclaimer: Harry Potter characters and everything except the storyline – Copyright J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers.

Chapter Nine: Devil's Snare

Rose POV

Me and Albus were searching the shelves for anything that could give us any possibly information about this slime stuff that he was talking about. Honestly, I thought he was just imagining things and he just wanted something he could focus his mind on, rather than being put in Slytherin instead of Gryffindor. I knew he wanted to be in Gryffindor, as much as he tells me that it's fine that he's in Slytherin.

"Do you think there would be anything on it in the Restricted Section?" Albus asked turning to me.

"Possibly." I told him. "But we're not allowed in there and don't you dare go sneaking around in there!" I ordered. "Just because our parents went snooping around when the were here, doesn't mean we can. In case you forgot, they had an invisibility cloak. We don't have one of those." I explained.

"But-" He started.

"No buts. I'm not going in there and risking getting expelled or suspended on our first day of school." I told him. He was about to object but we heard someone calling for us, I think it was Scorpius. We went over to where we left our bags and where we left Scorpius, sitting there, not helping at all. Lazy bugger.

"Hey guys, I think I-" He started saying but Albus interrupted.

"Hey! That's my dad's textbook! What were you doing going through my stuff?" Albus asked, snatching the book out of Scorpius' grasp.

"I was just having a snoop. Anyway, I found something interesting in there." He told us, snatching it back. "Look here." He said, flipping through the pages of info and doodles. "A Streeler." He said, pointing at the page. Me and Albus looked at each other, puzzled. I looked down at the book and started to read.

"The Streeler is a giant snail that changes colour on an hourly basis..." I read. "You don't think this could be what created Albus's slime do you?" I asked.

"I think it's possible." Scorpius said, turning to me, looking me in the eye. He seemed like he was possibly scared, like if there was a Streeler in the school, it could hurt us.

"But, look here-" I said pointing to the page again. "-it said 'burns all vegetation over which is passes' so it wouldn't hurt us, would it?" I told them.

"You could be right." Scorpius said.

"We could always go and ask Hagrid about this Streeler thing. Apparently he knows all there is to know about magical creatures." Albus said.

"Good idea, we could go now?" Scorpius said.

"No, we can't. We have Herbology in about 5 minutes." I told them, no way was I missing class. "We can go afterwards." I said, picking up my bag and heading for the door to the Library. I turned round when I heard that there was no one following me. "Come on. We're not going to be late." I told them and the reluctantly picked up their bags and followed me out.

All the way to Herbology, Albus was carrying his 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them' book, reading about the Streeler repeatedly and whispering to Scorpius about if it is in the castle and if they should tell someone.

"Good Morning First Years" Professor Longbottom said to us.

"Good Morning Professor Longbottom" the class said in unison.

"Alright class, today we'll be learning all about Devil's Snare. Now, can anyone tell me what that is?" He asked and Robyn's hand shot up. I knew she'd be keen in this subject.

"Yes, Miss..." Professor Longbottom said, apparently expecting Robyn to say her name.

"Bennett, sir." She said. "Devil's snare is a tentacle-like plant that has the ability to strangle it's environment."

"Yes, very good. 5 points to Gryffindor!" He said, smiling. All of us Gryffindor's turned to Robyn and smiled and congratulated her. "Now, Devil's snare is not a plant that should be played with as it's usual use is for assassination but if you do ever somehow get tangled up in Devil's Snare what you must do is relax." He told us, putting emphasis on the word relax. "If you don't it will just kill you faster and obviously, we don't want that do we."

"If it's going to kill us then I'd hardly be relaxing." Scorpius whispered to Albus on the other side of the greenhouse.

"What's that Mr Malfoy?" Professor Longbottom asked.

"Oh nothing, sir." Scorpius said, turning politely back to face him.

"Devil's snare is a very dangerous plant but like all other things, it does have it's weaknesses. Can anyone tell me what they are?" He asked and once again, Robyn's hand shot up. "Does anyone other than Miss Bennett know?" He asked the class. "No? Okay then. Miss Bennett, could you inform your peers?" He told her.

"The weaknesses of Devil's Snare are Fire and Sunlight." She told him.

"Very good, another 5 points to Gryffindor." When he said that we all turned to Robyn again and congratulated her once again.

"Now, there is a rhyme to help you remember this and it has been taught at Hogwarts school for many years now. Why, I remember learning it when I was a first year." He told us, smiling at his memories of the 'good ol' days' as dad would normally put it. "Now I'd like you all to repeat after me." He said. "Devil's Snare, Devil's Snare, it's deadly fun but will sulk in the sun."

"Devil's Snare, Devil's Snare, it's deadly fun but will sulk in the sun." The whole class said in unison. All but one anyway. I looked over the other side of the greenhouse to see Albus, not concentrating and looking at his stupid 'Fantastic Beasts...' book.

"Very good, everyone." Professor Longbottom said. "Well, almost everyone." He walked over in Albus's direction and he still wasn't paying attention. "Is that interesting, Mr Potter?" Professor Longbottom asked sarcastically. Albus, startled, looked up from his book to see Professor Longbottom peering over his shoulder.

"Yes, very." Albus replied and loads of the Slytherin's laughed.

"Well, perhaps you want to recite the rhyme to the rest of the class." Professor Longbottom said.

"Erm..." Albus said, sounding intimidated and nervous. "Devil's Snare, Devil's Snare is fun but sulks when it's deadly and in the sun..." He said, unsure and rather stupidly.

"Hmm..." Professor Longbottom said, taking the book from Albus. "This is the perfect example of what I don't expect to see in my class. Laziness and cheek. 5 points from Slytherin." He said. I was secretly happy but at the same time, felt sorry for Albus. All the Slytherins turned to him and groaned. Professor Longbottom confiscated Albus's book for the rest of the lesson and I saw him flicking through it occasionally, obviously looking at Uncle Harry's and my mother and father's doodles in it, thinking back on his time here at Hogwarts. At least, that's what it seemed like when he kept zoning out and randomly smiling in the middle of the lesson.