A.N. — After poking fun at a pair of Hufflepuffs, here's the man who used teach Herbology before Sprout. Other characters considered for this spot included Lily Moon, Barnabus Cuffe and Vindictus Viridian. All three December drabbles so far have been non-book folks; that changes tomorrow.
337. Herbert Beery
Winter was a slow time when one's job involved growing plants. That allowed Herbert Beery to indulge in his other passion: plays.
Even though he was a Herbology professor, Herbert adored stagecraft in all its forms: writing, acting, directing, prop design... He'd ensure the fine arts were represented at Hogwarts, even if he went it alone!
When the plants under his care started declining in health as his hobby became his focus, Herbert had to take a hard look at which was his true priority. He decided that cultivating the minds of students was more important than his other sprouts.