Chapter Thirty-One

Half-asleep students attended lessons in the morning as most stayed up late. Especially those in the sixth and seventh year as some of the older students stayed up with the staff until midnight. The second-years entered herbology on this cold November morning with their protective gloves on. Earmuffs were lined up on each table as students took their place. Herbert Beery came out moments later as he had an excited smile on his face. He always loved introducing students to mandrakes for the first time. He was a burly man, known to love theatrics. Lucy stood between Eileen and Myrtle. The students briefly looking into the greenhouse next door as they could see house-elves tending to the vegetable patch as part of Hogwarts own victory garden.

"Welcome boys and girls...Today we are going to be looking at mandrakes. Do you all know what one is?" Herbert asked.

Most of them nervously nodded. They had heard of them indeed and the sound of a few students quickly putting on their earmuffs followed. Eileen Prince included as she gave a small gulp. Being as good as potions as she was and helping her step-mother with household and garden chores had made Eileen fully aware of the mandrakes or "screaming pests" as her father Severus calls them. She quickly said to Lucy and Myrtle...

"Put on your earmuffs or be in pain"

This made the muggle-born witches do just that. They learned to trust Eileen as she was always right in lessons. Lucy gulping too as she dreaded to think of the noise she was about to hear. Tom Riddle reluctantly put on his earmuffs and this made some Gryffindors snigger under their breaths. He glared at them which did nothing to quell their sniggering.

"I see you're all aware of their screams" Herbert continued as he looked at their faces.

Myrtle looked to the door as she was in slight panic. Lucy giving her a small pat on the shoulder to try and reassure her. She usually liked herbology too as she liked dealing with plants. Herbert carried on as he explained about the mandrakes and how a scream could knock you out or worse, kill you. The sound of a sudden wailing made the students quickly look up but it wasn't a mandrake.

"Miss Warren! I demand you stop at once...You are not in any danger, girl" Herbert Beery quickly spoke up.

Though she wouldn't stop as she put her hands over her earmuffs. Shaking like a leaf and sobbing incessantly. Herbert walked over as he put a gentle arm around the girl and led her into the greenhouse next door where the house-elves were working on the vegetable patch. He had a bit more patience with her than most other professors did as he just told her to stay in there for this lesson and help out with the patch. Which did calm her down as she breathed in.

"Moaning Myrtle strikes again" one of the Gryffindor girls spoke up.

"I think we should rename mandrakes 'Moaning Myrtles" the Gryffindor girl next to her replied.

Getting some small giggles from some of the students. Herbert returned moments later, Myrtle was now calm again as he left her in there with the vegetable patch and house-elves.

"Quiet down...quiet down. Do you remember what I said about the mandrakes? It's very important you all put on your earmuffs" Herbert paused before adding in a loud tone...

"And it's also very important to not mock our fellow students. I like to remind everyone how nervous most of you looked moments ago!"

Which made some students stop looking into the other greenhouse at once. As some of them were glaring at Myrtle still. Lucy giving a small smile to herself, she was happy to see one of the professors being understanding to the poor nervous girl. He went on to explain further about the potting and planting of the mandrakes, something Eileen heard before. He told them all to begin and soon the room was full of screaming mandrakes. Lucy giving a small crease as she quickly placed her mandrake into the potted plant.

"This is awful!" Lucy shouted at Eileen; who just gave an amused smile back.

"I know! My father calls them screaming pests!" Eileen shouted back.

Putting her own mandrake in with ease as she began to scoop up mud around it. Lucy gave a quick glance to Tom, he seemed very unamused as he shoved it in. Hitting the mandrake's head against the plant pot as he did so. Lucy covered it up with mud until the screaming stopped. Soon a dozen or so mandrakes were covered and it was quiet again. Herbert removing his earmuffs, the students followed his lead. He shouted for Myrtle which made the nervous girl return as she stood back between Eileen and Lucy.

"Alright, I will give you each a bit of homework about mandrakes. Myrtle, I want you to stay behind. You're not in trouble, alright?" Herbert asked.

She just nodded in response. He began giving each student their homework before dismissing the class. Myrtle had to stay behind, Lucy briefly saw him explain about the mandrakes as he told her they weren't deadly when she had the earmuffs on. As he gave her a small one on one lesson so she wouldn't miss out.

...

"Lucy! Get here now!" a voice shouted as the girl walked through the hallway during the break.

Lucy turned around quickly to see her friend Victoria (who was holding her own pet cat). Mr Filch ran up to her and gave a small meow as Lucy picked him up. She walked over in confusion, she generally hadn't done anything wrong. Ruth and Poppy were clearly trying not to laugh. Victoria was very serious though as she placed her cat on the floor.

"Yes?" Lucy asked with a puzzled look on her face.

"Look at Cinders...Look at her!" Victoria demanded; referring to her black cat. Lucy looked down.

Cinders' stomach was blow out of proportion. Mr Filch gave another meow in Lucy's arms before falling asleep. Lucy put the pieces together very quickly as she realized what had taken place. Her cat had made Victoria's cat expectant of kittens (so to speak). Lucy giving a nervous smile.

"Love finds a way" Lucy replied to her with a shrug.

Making her two other friends finally burst out laughing. Victoria wasn't laughing as she glared at Poppy and Ruth. It was alright for them to laugh when they didn't have an upcoming litter of kittens to contend with. Orford Umbridge stopped by as he said hello to his cousin Ruth. He then bent down as he began to stroke Cinders, making her turn on her back as she purred.

"So what are you going to do?" Victoria asked Lucy while crossing her arms.

"Me? What do you expect me to do?" Lucy questioned.

"Your cat did it, right? So surely it's your responsibility...I can't be expected to clean up Mr Filch's mess"

"Excuse me but I didn't see Cinders fighting Mr Filch away" Lucy argued back.

This made the other girls laugh again. Victoria finally cracking a smile as she looked away to avoid eye gaze with an equally amused Lucy. Orford stood back up as he suggested...

"I'll take one of the kittens"

"Yes. Orford loves cats...He will take one" Ruth chimed in as she put one arm around her cousin.

"Just put up a few notices. I'll talk to Professor Kettleburn, I'm sure if students are aware. The kittens will get new owners" Poppy spoke up.

Victoria had to agree as she picked Cinders back up. Tutting over at Mr Filch who was sleeping in Lucy's arms. Orford gave his cousin a quick pat on her shoulder before moving on. The girls all agreeing to take the cats back to the dormitory for now. Poppy telling them she would go and talk to Professor Kettleburn right now as she went in the opposite direction. The three girls all walking back together as the cats slept in their respective owner's arms.

"Look. I'm sorry about Cinders" Lucy told Victoria.

"It's fine. It's sorted out now anyway...It's not your fault that your cat's such a Casanova"

...

Lucy was about to tuck into her supper later that night when a fed up Argus slumped down besides her. She looked up at him and could see he wasn't in a good mood still. She guessed why without needing to ask him. Hogwarts hadn't allowed him a short break to visit Ballechin House. Which didn't surprise her too much as he was still a child and wasn't entitled to breaks like the adult staff members. Lucy's three friends briefly glanced in his direction, wondering what rattled his cage this time. It seemed to them that he only went to Lucy to vent as he hadn't bothered with her all day and now he suddenly wants her attention.

"Not old enough for a break! Old enough to work but not for a break!" Argus shouted.

His older brother was seen giving him a glare from the Ravenclaw table. He knew his brother's moaning voice from a mile off. Archibald thinks he just enjoys it by this point.

"I'm sorry, Argus. I'm not allowed to go places on my own that far either" Lucy tried to tell him.

"No but you get to learn magic so it's hardly the same. All I'm doing is cleaning up your lot's mess. I think I made a mistake in even telling him...I bet Headmaster Dippet just wants to send people there himself before I get there"

"I doubt that, Argus"

"When I get home, I'm going to find some more books on ghosts. The muggle book shops are full of them and you know, I even seen some books on magic. I'm going to buy some of them" Argus continued.

This made his brother walk over as he excused himself from his table. He wasn't happy at all to hear his brother spouting such rubbish. He gets it in the neck enough from his fellow students about his "squib brother's obsession with fake muggle magic". It was getting beyond a joke now but he had one trick up his sleeve to stop him. Archibald leaned in to his brother...

"Listen to me very clearly, Argus. If you carry on talking about supposed muggle magic...which is fake as you well know. It's never worked...I will write to father and tell him all about your ideas. I think he will be very interested...do you know what I mean?" Archibald asked quietly.

"What?"

"Father may send you a little message. A howler even...Now you may read your stupid muggle books but don't you dare go shouting around the school about them. I already look stupid enough with a school broomstick. Without my squib brother playing make-believe with a few stupid books"

"You do look stupid, that's right" Argus replied; not taking him very seriously at this moment in time.

"Fine. I'll write to father" Archibald told him firmly.

The squib watched him leave as he walked towards the exit. The words he just heard took a few moments to progress in his mind. Though when he did suddenly take them in, he panicked. No actually...he didn't want a howler from father! He quickly rushed after him as he shouted...

"Don't write to father!"

As he chased him out of the hallway. Lucy breathing in as she finally got to eat her supper. Archibald was very helpful in stopping some of his stupid ideas, she liked him for that. Students watching the Filch brothers have a small argument outside the great hall. Lucy was glad to be out of it as she gladly ignored it for now as she dug into her hot water pie.

"Look at the state of her" Ruth spoke up suddenly as she discreetly pointed towards the Slytherin table.

Walburga was seen laughing very loudly at something Tom Riddle just said. A lot of the Slytherin girls were all buzzing around him like bees. Poppy, Victoria and Lucy looked in her direction. She really did look pathetic and it was obvious what she was doing. Druella was always not far behind as she laughed too at something else he said. Though the boy never looked like he was enjoying this attention, he always looked as if he wanted to be left alone by them. Unless he needed them for something, he had no time for anyone. Eileen was seen rolling her eyes at them all as she ate her supper in peace.

"I would be so disturbed if Walburga liked me" one of the Hufflepuff third-year boys spoke up.

"Tom's not disturbed. I don't even think he's noticed" Ruth replied.

"He looks sweet I suppose but he's got no emotions. Nothing. I don't see why the Slytherin girls all hover around him" Victoria chimed in.

Her friends had to agree. He didn't seem to have anything there at all. Which unnerved a lot of the girls from the other houses. Lucy put her head back down as she finished the rest of her supper. She cleared her plate before excusing herself to go back to the common room. As she made her way out of the great hall and into the hallway. The Filch brothers were gone by this point as both of them seemed to have argued with one another until one of them stormed off.

...

TBC