Any thoughts on that new story Rowling just published? I'm glad she gave us a little taste of the Wizarding World again!
"Uh, I was wondering if you could help me with something." Scott spoke up as we were walking to the greenhouse. He stopped in his tracks for a second, rifling through a few loose sheets of papers in his hands. Pulling out a diagram, he asked, "What allows the Wiggentree's potential to manifest? I know it's triggered by touching-" he gestured to an annotation he nade, "but what's the exact mechanism?"
Hmm. The Wiggentrees were often guarded by Bowtruckles, and I remembered something from One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungus about symbiotic energy, but it didn't go into detail beyond that. I gave a small shrug. "It's related to the relationship they have with Bowtruckles. I think you'll have to get your copy of Magical Beasts for more information."
Scott gave a nervous smile. "You know we'll be working on them today, right?" It probably wouldn't be a problem, though. For particularly difficult assignments, Sprout usually let us form groups of three or four. Phylis Underhill from our year, often ended up in my group: her Herbology skills were impressive.
"Don't worry about it, I'm sure we can group up with Phylis again." Scott seemed to lighten up. "We definitely should do that." We walked the remaining distance in silence, Scott occasionally stooping to pick down a loose piece of paper he'd dropped.
The greenhouse was chaotic as usual. There were about thirty students, due to it being a combined class with the Gryffindors. I was fairly sure I had spotted Bell was in the crowd, but instead opted to survey the classroom. All of us were packed around a trench in the middle of the room filled with mulch. Towards the back were about ten potted saplings. This greenhouse would be reserved for this term's project: raising Wiggentrees. The results of this project would be used later in a Potions class this year. Our grades later would depend on this project too: not that it mattered much to me, I had received an Outstanding in Potions last year.
Sprout and a fourth-year Gryffindor I didn't recognize trotted in carrying cauldrons of a frothing cerulean potion, setting down in front of us. The professor wiped her hands on her robes hurriedly, before silencing us by addressing the class.
"Welcome to another lesson of Herbology! As you all already know, we'll be starting on a new project today! We'll be raising Wiggentrees for the next eight weeks, and with the help of the growth potions Cormac and I just brought in, they'll be done right in time for Professor Snape to teach you how to brew the Wiggenweld potion." She clasped her hands excitedly, and the chatter in the room rose to a crescendo as we speculated on the difficulty of the upcoming course. The brief murmurs amongst us ceased as Sprout continued on with her introduction.
"I'd like you all to pair up now. The Wiggentree is a rather delicate species to care for, so this will not be an individual assignment." Scott cast me a glance, and I nodded. He was a reliable partner, and a good friend. He brushed past Conrad Patton, walking to my side. "Looks like we'll have to actually put in work this time," he quipped.
Sprout seemed satisfied when everyone in the room had a partner, clapping her hands together. "Now, I'll be pairing you off. For the purposes of inter-house bonding, each pair will be assigned to another pair from the other house." There were a few displeased whispers, and an audible groan from someone over at the Gryffindors. Chloe Wenlock sniggered loudly for a second.
"I'm sure you'll all learn to work with each other." Sprout's voice was even, but tinged with disapproval at our reaction. "The Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws got along just fine."
She started to wade through the throng of students, partnering up the pairs. I narrowed my eyes as Phylis Underhill and Lina Wespurt were grouped with Cormac McLaggen and Harold Homme. That was surely going to be the powerhouse for the lesson. Lucian Bole and Waryne Harvey were then paired off with Kirk Pritchard and Quentin Knight, much to Bole's displeasure. Before I had time to point out the hostilities though, Sprout was upon me.
"Scott Vaisey and Miles Bletchley!" she bubbled. "I think you'd be a great fit with..." she scanned the room, tiptoing briefly. "Leanne Dobbs-" I didn't know her that well. I reckoned her Herbology grades were average to above-average, and she seemed content to keep to herself in class. "-and Katie Bell!" Sprout beamed at us.
I walked over to join my new partners, a small smile spread across my face. It was genuine enough, I supposed. Dobbs's bored expression vanished. Eyebrows waggling, she turned to her partner. Bell herself seemed pleased to be grouped with me. She flashed me a toothy grin. With a glow still in her eyes, she appraised Scott. He fidgeted, rubbing his nose.
Dobbs was the first to break the silence. "We could have ended up with much worse partners." It was true: from behind us, I could hear the heated voices of Knight and Homme as they loudly argued something. The fact I had already known Bell and worked well with Scott was a bonus. Dobbs was mostly still a stranger, though I doubted Bell kept bad company.
"Definitely," added Scott. "I've heard some things about you from Miles, Katie." Dobbs cast her a knowing look, but if she noticed, Bell didn't say anything.
As Sprout moved on to another group, I walked towards what appeared to be the healthiest potted sapling, the rest following behind me. "This looks like it'd be the easiest to take care of. We should claim it before the other groups do." Dobbs nodded, as Bell stooped over to take a closer look at it. As she reached out to prod it, Scott nudged her hand away gently.
"Don't touch it. You might damage the sapling." Bell frowned, but stood back up.
By now, Sprout had finished assigning groups. Apart from us, and a trio in the corner, none of the students seemed happy with their grouping. It'd probably affect their grades too. Their loss.
"Are you two any good at Herbology?" Better to get to the point. It wasn't like I could change their proficiency at the subject, but it would be a small comfort if they were confident with the lesson. Dobbs narrowed her eyes, miffed at the question. Perhaps I had been too blunt.
Scott's shake of the head was nearly imperceptible, but undoubtedly directed at me. Smiling slightly at the pair, he began, "We'll all find out sooner or later. Since we'll be working together for the next five weeks or so, I hope we get to know each other." They had shown no animosity to us so far, and I hoped it would hold. Though Dobbs was hesitant in her interactions, I hoped Bell's... friendship with me would tide us through the Slytherin-Gryffindor hostilities. It would be nice to make another friend too.
A look of mild surprise crossed Dobbs's face. It seemed she wasn't expecting someone from our house to be interacting so freely with a Gryffindor. Then again, Scott's diplomacy surprised me at times too. Bell smiled kindly at him, but motioned for us to turn arond. Sprout was starting with the next part of the lesson.
"You need to plant it in deeper." Hastily, I pressed the sapling into the hole Bell had dug. "Not like that!" Dobbs shrieked. "You'll damage it!" With a sigh, I released the spade. It clattered to the floor of the greenhouse, and Dobbs shot me a scandalized look.
"We'd probably get the work done more quickly if you did it," I reasoned. She glared at me, but stooped over to resume the gardening nonetheless. Forcing myself to maintain the neutral expression on my face, I winced inwardly as Bell scowled. Tact never was my strong suit. Scott was off: to consult Sprout, he had said.
"We need to add the fertilizer to the mulch now," Scott read from the instructional parchment Sprout had provided. "Add half the vial of Stercor- that's the violet potion, Miles- drop by drop." I did as he said, shakily tipping the vial on its side. The potion trickled out quickly enough, and I recorked the potion. "Now it's your turn, Katie."
From her spot opposite me, Bell bent over to add in part of a Neutralizing Potion. I observed as she deftly uncorked the potion before gently letting the solution flow into the soil. Bell's good at Herbology, and I think Dobbs might have a certain inclination for it too. I probably could get them to teach me something...
As Bell spread the leaves of the sapling apart to administer a salve to the bark, there was a spark of...energy? Excitement? Something within her seemed to come alive whenever she handled plants: it resembled the heartfelt glow in Oliver Wood's eyes whenever someone mentioned Quidditch, but with maturity but yet youthfulness added in. I wish I could be half as passionate as her. My area of expertise was mainly in Charms and Potions, but my energy and zeal towards the subjects was never as bright. It was rare for anyone in Slytherin to be as impassioned too: Scott viewed Muggle Studies and Potions with more curiousity than passion. Quidditch was a way for Montague to connect with the other Slytherins, while Flint used it to fulfill his competitive streak and advance his career. Bell's genuine interest in a subject was refreshing.
Thanks for reading the story so far: if you've stuck around till the tenth chapter, do at least announce your presence!