Nothing special to say here, today. This one's pretty much all mine, except for Jo's question, that's from RM. As usual, we do not own HP. Enjoy.
Magic and Mandrakes
March 15th - 28th 1993
Fourth Year
Leili and Jo stood around the tables in green house three, they were helping with the mandrakes, along with the rest of their house. "Earmuffs on! Flaps down tight!" Professor Sprout said, patting her earmuffs tight around her ears.
"Professor Sprout? Wouldn't it be easier on our ears if we used a silencing charm?" Leili asked.
Professor Sprout smiled at her, "I need you to be able to hear me, which you won't if I use a silencing charm. Now-"
"What if we dug them up gently? Instead of yanking them out of the ground by their branches?" Jo asked.
"Now," Professor Sprout said to cut off any more interruptions, "earmuffs on and flaps down tight! Ready? Remember: Grasp them tight and pull straight up. 1, 2, 3," Yank. Mandrakes were quickly removed from their pots and examined before being deposited into bigger pots and covered in fresh, warm dirt.
No one had been petrified since before winter break, but everyone was still at a loss as to what was causing it. For now, the Mandrakes were coming along nicely; they had recently thrown a party in the green house, their acne was clearing up and they would be ready for harvesting once they began to move into each other's pots.
To appease Leili's parents, Jo and Leilani went home for Easter break; they celebrated Leili's 15th birthday, Jo gave her a silver charm bracelet, her parents gave her a bookbag-patterned with white lightning striking across a purple sky-and Kanani had filled it with books, because what book bag would be complete without half a dozen good (heavy) books?
It was a nice break, save for Leili's parents worried nagging over the state of things at the school. At night the girls gossiped about boys. Jo refused to admit to anything between her and Marcus Flint and Leili swore there was nobody she had her eye on.
In the back of her mind Jo thought about telling Leili her suspicions, that there was a boy who liked her. She had no proof, just what she'd seen. She'd noticed it last year. The hints were subtle but they were there. Leili hadn't picked up on them though. Jo considered saying something; maybe if she said something, it would move things along faster.
But, if she said something then Leili would fret over it; a boy liked her, but what if she didn't feel the same way? She'd worry about how he'd take the rejection. In the end, Jo decided not to tell her. If Leili was happy not knowing, then she was happy and in the end that's all Jo really cared about.
Though she did wish the boy would hurry up about it, you'd think that being in Gryffindor he'd have the nerve to say something by now.