The next day, I sighed while putting on an apron and gloves alongside everyone else in the classroom. It wasn't long before we headed to the greenhouses again, where we would be handling the plants. I stood beside Draco, both of us uneasy about why the potted plants in front of us were squirming beneath the soil.
"Morning, everyone!" Professor Sprout called out, tapping her pot with her wand at the end of the large table.
"Good morning, Professor Sprout!" we all replied in unison.
"Welcome to Herbology, second years! Now, gather 'round, everyone!" She motioned for us to move closer to the large tables holding the moving plants. Draco and I lingered toward the back, further than everyone else. Pansy noticed and, with a grin, grabbed my arm and pulled me closer.
"Now, today we are going to be repotting Mandrakes! Who here can tell me the properties of the Mandrake root?"
Immediately, Pansy and Hermione's hands shot into the air. Standing beside each other, they glanced at one another before subtly trying to lift their hands higher, each determined to be the one chosen.
"Yes, Ms. Granger?"
Pansy clicked her tongue as they both lowered their hands.
"Mandrake, or Mandragora, is used to restore those who have been petrified to their original state. It's also quite dangerous—the Mandrake's cry is fatal to anyone who hears it."
"Excellent! Ten points to Gryffindor!"
Pansy scowled at Hermione, irritated that her rival had earned points by pure dumb luck of being called on first. Draco and I patted her shoulder in silent commiseration, knowing she would have said the same thing. Meanwhile, the Gryffindors quietly applauded Hermione.
"Now, as our Mandrakes are still only seedlings, their cry won't kill you yet, but it will knock you out for some time! That is why I've already prepared earmuffs for each of you, for auditory protection."
I glanced down at my pot and spotted a pair of earmuffs wrapped around its base.
"So, if you could please put them on right away! Quickly!"
I grabbed my earmuffs and snugly placed them over my ears. The sound of my own breathing suddenly became much louder than anything else. With the outside noise dulled, I relied on watching Professor Sprout's demonstration carefully, ready to mirror her actions.
I observed as she spoke in muffled tones. She gripped the Mandrake firmly at the base and yanked it free from the soil with an explosion of dirt.
"AAAAHHHHH!!!"
It screamed.
I nearly flinched at the shrill cry, instantly clutching my earmuffs tighter. Then, I felt a squirming beneath my robes—Val. My heart clenched in concern. I quickly checked him with my hand and felt him wriggling around. His tail wasn't flapping playfully, which meant he was in distress. However, he wasn't unconscious, making me wonder if the Mandrake's effects were weaker on serpents or if they only worked on humans.
My focus returned to the front of the class, still patting Val under my clothes in a weak attempt to comfort him. I watched as Professor Sprout lowered the Mandrake into a new pot and packed soil around it. She then gestured for us to begin the task ourselves.
As I glanced down the table, I noticed someone was missing—Longbottom. I rolled my eyes, quickly realizing he must have fainted from the Mandrake's cry. Pansy, undeterred, yanked her Mandrake free. I mirrored her movements, pulling mine out and carefully transferring it to a new pot before adding fresh soil.
Then, everyone around me pulled their Mandrakes out at once.
"AHHH!!!"
"AHHHH!!"
The multitude of piercing screams overwhelmed me. Even through the earmuffs, the noise sent stabbing pain through my ears. I groaned, clamping my hands over the muffs to further muffle the sound. A sharp migraine bloomed behind my temples, despite having already taken my medicine.
Suddenly, I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned to see Professor Sprout pointing, silently instructing me to follow her. Confused, I complied, feeling the eyes of my classmates on me as I passed.
She led me to the far end of the table, where Longbottom lay unconscious. I quickly understood her intention and grabbed him under the arms, dragging him outside the greenhouse with me.
Once inside the classroom, Professor Sprout closed the door behind us, mercifully sealing out the shrieking Mandrakes. The sudden silence was blissful, making the ordeal feel like a bad dream. I removed my earmuffs with a relieved sigh, my headache already easing.
"Apologies, Mr. Peterson. It appears you are also more vulnerable to Mandrakes," she explained with a calm smile.
I squinted at her, then glanced at Longbottom, still sprawled on the ground.
"More vulnerable? You mean I can hear them better?"
She nodded gently.
"Indeed. You needn't worry—I won't ask you to continue further in this lesson. Just look after Mr. Longbottom for the rest of the class."
I glanced at the unconscious boy, then back at her, and nodded. She smiled reassuringly before placing her earmuffs back on.
"Good! Now, you should probably do the same unless you want to end up like Mr. Longbottom here."
I quickly slipped my earmuffs back on just before she opened the door to the greenhouse, the shrill cries immediately flooding the room. I settled into a chair with a sigh, Val squirming under my robes. I felt him nibbling at the container of food tucked away inside my pocket.
"Sorry you had to go through that… I'm proud of you," I muttered softly, unscrewing the cap and letting him have a reward for his bravery.
"I'm a good Val! I can stay quiet!" he hissed proudly, happily digging into his treat.
Before long, Longbottom stirred, blinking groggily as he woke. The class soon ended, and Pansy and Draco approached me.
"Are you okay?" Pansy asked, her eyes briefly flicking to my chest, silently inquiring about Val's condition.
"Did Longbottom get his filth on you?" Draco sneered, glaring at the Gryffindor.
"What does that mean, Malfoy?!" Ron snapped as he stormed over, Hermione following close behind.
She glanced at me, noticing how pale and tired I looked—my dimly lit jade-green eyes betraying my exhaustion.
"It's nothing, Draco. It just appears that Longbottom and I share the same vulnerability to Mandrakes," I explained with a calm smile, subtly stepping between Ron and Draco to ease the rising tension.
Ron scowled at Malfoy but relented with a sigh, his anger diminishing. However, Draco's voice quickly rekindled his irritation.
"Well, next time he passes out, don't bother touching him. You were lucky to still have your gloves on."
Ron's face turned red with fury, but before he could retort, Professor Sprout's voice rang out.
"Alright, class! That's enough. Please put your equipment back inside the closets!"
The group dispersed, the brewing confrontation fizzling out.
Ron stalked over to Harry and Hermione, removing his apron with a huff.
"Everything Malfoy says is rubbish," he muttered before glancing toward Neville, who was still nervously avoiding the Slytherins' gazes.
"Lucas didn't do anything to you, did he? He was acting too nice for a Slytherin," Ron asked, suspiciously eyeing Neville for any sign of harm.
"N-No… I don't think so," Neville stammered, quickly patting himself down.
Harry ran a hand through his hair with a relieved sigh.
"Well, that's good, I guess," he offered weakly.
Ron shook his head, still suspicious.
"Yeah, I guess Lucas is the only Slytherin I can at least tolerate, but you just know he's the same as the rest. At least he doesn't talk about it every chance he gets like Malfoy."
Hermione frowned at Ron's words. She knew he was probably right, but a small part of her hoped he wasn't. Despite her doubts, she couldn't help but wonder if Lucas was simply more subtle
about his views—a quiet purist, unlike Draco. And for some reason, that uncertainty made her uneasy.