43 The Question

Bokuboy

Harry took Hedwig to Herbology class after Charms and it was out on the grounds of the castle. It was his first foray into the world of magical plants and he was very glad to have both Hermione and Hedwig along to keep him company.

“I hope your owl knows how to behave.” Professor Sprout said when Harry entered the greenhouse with Hedwig on his shoulder.

“She's been in Professor Flitwick's Charms class.” Harry said.

Professor Sprout let out a laugh. “All right, that's good enough for me.” She said, which meant she knew what the class was like when every student waved their wand around to cast spells. “Now, today's class will be about transplanting baby Mandrakes into larger pots. The little tykes need the room to grow and we'll be re-potting them all year.” She said to the class. “Before we begin working with them, I want everyone to take a pair of earmuffs from the box as a safety measure. Don't worry about how big they are when you put them on. They resize to fit the current wearer.”

Harry grabbed a pair for Hedwig and for himself. They resized and Hedwig looked a little odd wearing tiny brown earmuffs.

“Now, can everyone still hear me?” Professor Sprout asked.

“Yes, professor.” Everyone said, surprised that they could. The earmuffs covered their ears and they could hear her as if they weren't wearing them.

“The muffs are enchanted to only block harmful sounds.” Professor Sprout said. “Now, does anyone know...”

Hermione put her hand up and the professor laughed.

“I want to tell you to wait until I ask a question before offering the answer; but, go ahead.”

“The Mandrake, or Mandragora, is a powerful restorative. It is used to turn people who have been transfigured or cursed to their original state.” Hermione said. “Also, the cry of the Mandrake can be fatal to anyone who hears it.”

“You left off that it's only the matured Mandrakes that can kill with their cry.” The professor corrected and smiled. “Your answer is still worth five points for your House.” She said with a nod. “The young can only make you feel weak and in some cases can knock you unconscious.”

Hermione produced a piece of paper from somewhere and wrote out the correction.

“Now, you need to be delicate when dealing with the young Mandrakes.” Professor Sprout said and plucked the Mandrake from the pot she had beside her and its shrieks made a lot of the students shiver. “They like nice and spacious pots as long as they have fresh soil around them.” She said and placed her Mandrake into a bigger pot, then piled fresh soil around it as she buried it.

The Mandrake quieted immediately and the students relaxed.

“You have your own Mandrakes to replant and there's fresh soil in the bags at your feet under the tables.” Professor Sprout said. “Don't be stingy with it! Make sure they are comfortable or you won't be hearing the end of it.”

“That sounds like me mum.” Seamus said to general laughter.

“Get to work.” Professor Sprout said. “Don't be shy about it. Just grab and pull.”

Harry gripped the bottom of the small tree and yanked. The baby Mandrake started screaming right away and he put it into the pot, then dumped a bunch of soil over it. It cried louder at the rough treatment and Harry sighed.

“You need to pack it in.” Hermione said and her thinly gloved hands added soil around the Mandrake and not over the top of it. “It might look like a tree root; but, it acts like a sentient being.”

“Why?” Harry asked. “Is it really alive or is it just faking it?”

“That's debatable.” Hermione said and packed in the soil. “Some claim they are just crops of plants and others think they are alive.”

“What do you think?”

“Even if they were only crops, they are still alive.” Hermione said. “They are born, eat, grow, then die. That's like a basic life cycle. They grow in the wild at different times of the year, so cultivating them as crops makes harvesting them so much easier. If they can't use the Mandrakes for their restorative powers, then why breed them?”

Harry nodded and added more soil for her and they both packed it in. The Mandrake's crying subsided as they finished covering it and Harry let out a sigh. “Thanks, Hermione.” He said and had completely missed Hermione's reaction to their hands packing the soil in and touching several times.

“You're welcome.” Hermione said.

“Hoot!” Hedwig said loudly and launched herself from Harry's shoulder. She dove over the next table and slammed to the ground. There was a little squeak and a crunching sound, then Hedwig hopped into the air, flapped her wings once and swooped over to the professor. She dropped the dead mouse on her table and landed.

“Excellent work. That little beast has been sneaking around here all week and nibbling on my precious plants.” Professor Sprout said. “Five points to Griffindor.” She said and smiled at the owl. “You can keep the mouse for yourself.”

“Nice going, Hedwig!” Harry said.

Hedwig hooted and swallowed the mouse whole, flew back over to him, and landed on the table.

“I didn't even see the mouse before you caught it.” Harry said, proudly.

Hedwig preened a little and hopped back onto his shoulder.

The Herbology class continued on and Harry leaned over close to Hermione. “I need your help with something.”

“With what?” Hermione asked.

“Last night during detention...” Harry whispered and told her all about Missus Norris and her hunting down a large sewer rat.

Hermione made the connection immediately and looked across the table at Ron. “I don't think you should tell him.” She whispered. “He'll hate you forever. He loved that rat.”

“That's not the worst part.” Harry said and told her about the rat actually being a wizard named Peter Pettegrew. Hermione gasped and covered her mouth. She was glad that there were so many baby Mandrakes still yelling and making noise, because only Harry had heard her.

“That's why you want my help.” Hermione whispered. “You want me to find out who he was.”

Harry nodded. “He supposedly died ten years ago, around the same time as my parents and Voldemort.” He said. “I've got detention for two weeks, so I can't go to the library to do it myself.”

Hermione took a deep breath and let it out. “I'll do my best after school today.”

“Thanks, Hermione. Thanks a lot.” Harry said. “I knew I could trust you with this.”

Hermione looked at his face and smiled as she nodded.

The class ended at lunchtime and they all went into the Great Hall to eat. After that was Transfiguration class and Professor McGonagall didn't mention Hedwig, either. She was apparently allowed into the school, just like Harry's acceptance letter said. Harry and Hermione were given a whole box of matches to transfigure this time and Harry wasn't nervous at all. Hermione needed the practice and she took out piles of matches and lined them up, then transfigured them.

Harry just pointed his wand at the open box and cast the spell once. All of the matches became needles, because that was what he had visualized, and he sat there petting Hedwig and giving her an occasional treat for being so good.