This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Word Count: 532
Title: Getting Your Hands Dirty
Note:
Warnings:
Beta: DarylDixon'sgirl1985
Hogwarts
Assignment 4: Public Services: Preservation of Art & Culture: Task #3 - Educator: Educators inform visitors through tours and events. Write about a hands-on learning experience.
Yearly:
Prompt 597 [Emotion] Adoration
366: [201] Married
Rowena's eyes lit up watching her toddler, Helena, playing in the garden with Helga. She had always loved the way Helga was around plants, and also believed she would have been a great mother. She had the instincts that Rowena believed she lacked. Helga could have been a mother, and a wife. Although Rowena never married, and didn't put much stock in the fact that women were merely supposed to serve their husbands.
"So, this is the one that's used for returning those that have been petrified to their original state," Rowena asked, moving closer to Helga. Helga nodded in response. She seemed to be focused on what she was doing.
It had become clear to Rowena that no matter what she asked, Helga would never say a bad word against her, even if it was clear that Rowena already knew the answer.
"Come on then, let's get those delicate hands dirty," Helga joked, touching the back of Rowena's right hand fleetingly. She made sure the House-Elf was watching her daughter, before nodding and turning her attention back to the Mandrakes.
"Ready," Rowena said, shivering slightly, she had heard a grown mandrake can kill a person.
"Here," Helga said, handing her some fluffy lime green ear mittens. Rowena placed them carefully over her ears.
When Helga gestured to pull up, they each pulled a baby shrieking Mandrake from the soil, and put it into a larger pot with a bit of potting soil, then filling it up. Once her Mandrake was successfully covered, she removed her ear muffs, rather pleased at her handiwork.
"Good, Ro," Helga smiled. "You can almost pass for a Herbologist."
Rowena laughed good naturedly. She knew she was nowhere near as careful as Helga was, and had her Mandrake bite her before she managed to get him covered in soil.
"Ro, you're hurt," Helga said, her expression changing suddenly.
"I'm fine, Mandrakes don't have teeth," she smiled through a grimace.
"Yes, but they are dirty little plants, we should go wash your hands with soap."
Her lime green ear muffs fell to the ground and the two of them rushed off, but Rowena called to the House Elf, Trixie, to make sure Helena got to bed for her nap.
Rowena smiled as she watched her toddler crawling around her bedroom quarters. "I would do it all again, for you," she spoke, and Helena turned her attention to her mother. Helena was wearing lime green toddler robes that went to their knees for them to move around more comfortably.
"Yes, I love you," she added. Helena's childish giggle echoed through her room.
Helena sat down, and she stuck her chubby fingers into her mouth, Rowena simply laughed at her antics.
"Come to mummy, Helena," Rowena said, watching her.
Rowena's eyes went wide when the little one rose to her feet, taking one uneasy step towards her. Rowena practically leapt to her feet, holding out her hands to Helena. "Another step," she tried, and watched her daughter take a few more hesitant steps, before toppling, but Rowena was close enough to catch her.
"My big girl! I'm so proud of you," Rowena grinned, picking Helena up and kissing her cheeks.