Green thumbs ran in Pedanius Pettigrew's family. Not literally green; there was no fairy blood in his line. He just loved plants more than most things. Not, however, more than his wife, and certainly not more than his son. Three-year-old Peter was his pride and joy. The boy's boldness and eagerness to learn were a constant source of delight to his father.
"Come look at this, Pete," he said, when he saw wide blue eyes peering around the greenhouse door.
The little boy hurried over, and his father swept him into his lap.
"This one is called screechsnap," he explained. "You can touch it, Pete. It won't hurt you."
Peter stuck his small hands in amongst the greenery, giggling as the fronds twined around his fingers, making plaintive squeaking sounds. "It tickles, Papa!"
Pedanius grinned. "Why don't you fetch the seedlings from the window box, and help me water them?"
Always eager to help, Peter hopped down and scampered to the window. He was just reaching for a seedling when a cry of dismay came from the doorway.
"No, Petey! Get away from there!" His mother snatched the little boy up, clasping him to her bosom. "What were you thinking, Dany? He might have fallen!"
Pedanius glanced at the soft grass, barely three feet below the windowsill, and sighed. He loved Almira dearly, but she worried about everything. She treated Peter as if he were made of glass, insisting that everything was too dangerous or difficult for him.
The little boy peered over his mother's shoulder, lip trembling.
"He was perfectly all right, Mira," Pedanius said soothingly. "I was right here, watching him."
Almira pursed her lips. "Even so, I don't like him coming in here. Some of these plants aren't safe."
"I'm teaching him which ones to be careful of," he promised. "Anything that might be dangerous, I keep well out of his reach."
"You can't expect him to understand things like that at his age," objected his wife.
"That's foolishness, Mira," Pedanius said. "Pete's a clever lad. He can manage all sorts of things, if you only show him how. Discouraging him sets a bad example. I don't want him thinking he's less capable than he is."
His wife looked away. She hated confrontation. "I just came to tell you, a new plant's arrived."
A smile of surprised delight lit Pedanius's face. "I wasn't expecting anything."
He hurried through the doorway into the main house, Almira trailing after him, still carrying Peter. Kneeling in the entryway, he gently unwrapped the strips of cloth that bound the plant's stems, protecting them during transport. The vines uncurled, stretching lazily.
"What kind is it, Papa?" asked Peter.
Pedanius frowned. "It looks like Devil's Snare, but the leaves are darker. I've never seen this strain before."
"Devil's Snare?" said Almira sharply. "That sounds dangerous."
"You just have to know how to handle it," Pedanius assured her. "Besides, this one looks too young to harm a kneazle kit. I wonder who sent -?"
A whiplike vine unfurled from the plant and wrapped itself around his throat, pulling tight.
Relax, he told himself automatically. If he relaxed, it would let go. But it didn't. Instead, it grew tighter, cutting off his air. Fire. Where was his wand? Still in the greenhouse.
Fire, he mouthed at his shrieking wife and son, yanking at the vine that bound him. It was tough and would not break. Black spots swam before his eyes and blood pounded in his ears. Almira and Peter were still screaming, but the sound seemed to come from a long way off. They looked so frightened.
Don't be afraid, he tried to tell them. I don't want you to ever be afraid ...