Part Seven

The next morning they were in Herbology dressed in gardening cloaks and standing around a table with plants on it. They were all talking and joking around until Professor Sprout came in. "Good morning, second years, welcome to Greenhouse Three. This year we will begin by studying Mandrakes. Can anyone tell me what a Mandrake is?" Erin and Hermione raised their hands. "Yes, Miss Granger?"

Hermione smiled. "Mandrake or Mandragora is a powerful restorative, it is used to return those that have been petrified to their original state."

"Excellent!" Sprout nodded. "Take ten points to Gryffindor." The Gryffindors were happy. "The mandrake is also quite dangerous, can anyone tell me why?"

Again Erin and Hermione raised their hands. "Yes, Miss Lyancomp?"

"Because the cry of a fully mature Mandrake is fatal to anyone who hears it."

"Precisely, take another ten points for Gryffindor." Again Gryffindor cheering, "Now, Miss Lyancomp made an important point, only the cry of a mature Mandrake will kill, these are only seedlings, so their cry won't kill, yet, yet, but it will knock you out for several hours. So everyone put their earmuffs on, you will be able to hear me because of the charm, but not the Mandrake." Everyone put on his or her earmuffs. "Now, you want to take a firm grasp and pull it out." And extremely ugly thing resembling a baby appeared; the cry was still heard a little. "Now just plop him back into a larger pot and put some dirt around him. All there is too it." Neville fainted. "Longbottom has been neglecting his earmuffs."

"No, Ma'am." Seamus said. "He's just fainted."

"Yes, well, leave him there." There was some giggling. Everyone knew Herbology was Neville's best subject and Professor Sprout didn't mind. "Ok, take your Mandrake firmly…" They all did. "And pull it up." Everyone did and came face to face with another extremely ugly baby-thing. Malfoy seemed to think they were cute and he tickled his only to be bitten. Erin laughed at him and he got mad squashing the thing into the bigger pot.

Everyone was bruised and battered by the time they were finally done and Neville was roused from the floor. It was lunchtime and he decided to stay to help out with the rest. He thought he would be ok for it. The rest of them trouped back inside to clean up.

Erin and Hermione appeared at lunch after taking a shower and washing the dirt from their hair. Harry and Ron had just cleaned up, when Erin saw them she sighed. "Scourgify!"

"We were clean enough!" Ron said indignantly.

"Not quite." Hermione said as they sat down across from the two boys.

Erin grabbed some potato chips and ate them as she started on an outline for their Herbology essay. Harry was reading it upside down. "You already know all about Mandrakes?" He asked.

"Yup." Erin said. "I read."

Harry was about to say something with Dean suddenly asked, "Hey, Ron, isn't that your owl?"

They looked up to see Hermes flying toward them. He hit the table…well he hit the bowl of potato chips and rolled over onto his back perfectly still. "Oh, no!" Ron said.

Hermione poked it. "He's alive."

"It's not that." Erin said. "It's that." She said pointing to the red envelope in the owl's beak. "That is a—"

"Hey, look, Weasley's got himself a Howler!" Seamus said laughing in mirth.

Erin glared at him and he quickly looked away. Neville shook his head. "I got one from my Gran once…it was horrible."

"Open it." Erin urged. "It will all be over in a moment."

Ron nodded as he took it and broke the seal. The envelope came to life. "RONALD WEASLEY! HOW DARE YOU STEAL THAT CAR! I AM ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTED! YOUR FATHER IS NOW FACING AN INQUIRY AT WORK AND IT'S ENTIRELY YOUR FAULT! WE DIDN'T BRING YOU UP TO BEHAVE LIKE THIS! JUST WAIT UNTIL I GET A HOLD OF YOU! IF YOU PUT ANOTHER TOE OUT OF LINE WE'LL BRING YOU STRAIGHT HOME! DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR, YOUNG MAN?" Ron nodded at the envelope and then it stuck its 'tongue' out at him and tore itself apart. Ron was breathing heavily and looking around in fright. Even Fred and George looked terrified. Seamus laughed, but got such a look from Fred and George that he desisted instantly.

"Well, that could have gone better." Erin said as she picked Errol up and dusted him off. "Go get some rest." She told him. He took a drink out of her goblet staying well clear of Ron and then flew off.

"How come that bloody bird likes you?" Ron asked.

"Because I'm nice to him." Erin rolled her eyes and brushed the chip crumbs and feathers off of her parchment.

"Well, la-di-da." Ron grumbled. Erin smirked.

"So, Erin, what have you got for the essay?" Harry asked.