Hogwarts 1991

Chapter 197 Mandrakes
The little wizards followed Professor Sprout into the third greenhouse.

how to say?

McGuffin feels like coming to the Jurassic century or some magical mystery.

The entire conservatory is about the size of two indoor basketball courts... the canopy, unlike in the first two conservatories, also works that magic (similar to the hall and library ceilings) showing the weather conditions outside, -- gloomy.

And under the ceiling, there are vines weaving across the net, hanging flowers like umbrellas, in various colors.

Its color is completely a pure color, for example, black is so black that no light can see through, red is like dripping blood,... There is no mixture of other colors at all, it is so pure that it is a bit scary.

Most of these flowers are buds, tightly closed.

Occasionally, the ones that open their mouths... exude a very strong floral fragrance.

——It smells fragrant and attractive.

McGuffin tried to take a few sniffs, and sneezed a few times—it seemed that he was allergic to it.

It's better to stay far away.

Although there are other roads leading to other places in the greenhouse, they are obviously cast by magic (and these places are tied by a thin iron chain, with a yellow wooden sign hanging on it, with the word 'Danger' on it, and the iron chain is as thick as a wrist, and the red and black vines are constantly entangled, trembling slightly, as if alive).

It appears to be completely sealed off.

And it doesn't stop there, a little wizard stretched out his hand to touch it, and the two sides seemed to have dropped glass air walls out of thin air, and they couldn't reach it at all.

Depending on the situation, there is only one path in the middle that can move forward.

There are various shelves on both sides of the road, on which plants of various shapes are placed (through the gaps in the leaves of the plants on the shelves, McGuffin can see that the back is like a real botanical garden-the land is full of strange, mysterious and unusual magical plants, just like a real small forest), and at the end of the passage is a tall green tree that reaches the ceiling.

Professor Sprout was there, standing at a long table waiting for them little wizards.

There are dozens of pairs of earmuffs of different colors on the table.

Hufflepuff and Gryffindor students stood on either side of the long table.

After Sprout saw that Harry had finally been released by Lockhart, he began his lecture.

Harry sat down next to McGuffin, and on the other side was Ron. As for Hermione... She was still a little embarrassed to see McGuffin, so she simply hid in the front position closest to Professor Sprout.

The professor said: "Today we are going to repot the Mandrake. Who can tell me the properties of the Mandrake? Where in the world can I find this potion material."

Naturally, Hermione was the first to raise her hand.

"Mandrake, Mandrake root for preschool education, is a powerful restoration agent that can be used to restore people who have been deformed or who have been cursed with weight to their original state..."

"It is said that the latest wolf poison potion also contains this ingredient...it can be used to suppress werewolves to a certain extent..."

"It often grows in some shady places in the forest. Wild mandrakes are not easy to see. You can still find traces of wild mandrakes in some high mountains in Scotland, or in some forest secrets in East Asia..."

"Very good, fifteen points for the Gryffindors," said Professor Sprout.

"Mandrake is an important part of most antidotes, but it is also very dangerous, McGuffin Albert, can you tell me why?"

Suddenly she called McGuffin's name.

Probably because he saw McGuffin holding a wand and trying to cast a [Bubble Curse] on himself.

——McGuffin, he really can't stand the pollen, so why didn't he find out that he is allergic to pollen.

Now McGuffin not only sneezes again and again, but even suffers from rhinitis, and his nose is completely blocked, which is very uncomfortable.

"Ah-ah-choo-hear-ah-choo!--the cries of the mandrake can make people faint, and even kill people in serious cases."

"Ah-ah!" McGuffin quickly covered his mouth and nose.

"The answer is very good, but you have to pay attention. This class is dangerous...you are also the other little wizards. Although the mandrake cub is less dangerous, it can also cause dizziness. I don't think any little wizard wants to miss the first day of school!"

Professor Sprout clapped his hands, drawing the attention of all the young wizards to himself, then pointed to the two rows of seedlings placed under the shelves on both sides, and said, "Don't underestimate the seedlings of Mandrakes, they are deadly just like adult Mandrakes, even if an adult wizard is exposed to the continuous cries of young Mandrakes, he will lose his life."

The seedlings are nothing special, just like ordinary plants, except that they gradually change from green to purple from the root to the leaves.

"Who knows why we repot the Mandrake!"

Hermione's hand went up abruptly.

"It takes three repots for an artificially cultivated Mandrake to mature. If it is in the wild... If the Mandrake grows naturally, it must grow in the shade of a big tree in a high-altitude forest, and it must grow for more than ten years before it can get a mature plant..."

"When modern wizards cultivated, they discovered that by changing the soil three times during the specific growth stage of the Mandrake, and adding fertilizers from other magical plant rot to the soil each time, the growth of the Mandrake can be greatly promoted, so that it can mature within a year!"

"Perfect, absolutely correct, add another fifteen points to Gryffindor!" Professor Sprout applauded, "There is another reason, the mandrakes of different growth stages correspond to flower pots of different sizes. This kind of changing pots is more conducive to the growth of the roots of certain magic plants... You will often encounter this type of magic plants in the future."

"Okay, then I will show you how to repot a Mandrake seedling. Remember this is the first time this Mandrake has been repotted.—From seedling to growth stage."

"Everyone takes a pair of earmuffs, don't grab them!"

The little wizards scrambled for a while, and each took a pair of earmuffs.

"Be sure to cover your ears tightly."

The professor repeatedly told the little wizards that if the little wizards could take it off, she would give two thumbs up after the demonstration.

"Okay, put earmuffs on!"

Seeing that all the little wizards had put them on, she checked and found no mistakes. Then she took a pair of pink earmuffs, rolled up her sleeves, firmly grasped the clump of roots and leaves that leaked above, and pulled them up vigorously.

Although it had been expected, McGuffin was still stunned by the palm-sized baby.

For a while, his stuffy nose was frightened.

The skin of the thing buried in the mandrake is light green, spotted and covered with various bumps, and its mouth is opening and closing, obviously screaming.

But after wearing the earmuffs, the McGuffin couldn't hear any sound at all, and it felt like the earmuffs had been cast with a mute spell.

Professor Sprout bent down and took out a slightly larger flower pot from under the table, and stuffed a handful of Mandrake seedlings into it.

—very rough.

It's no wonder that this ugly little thing kept pulling at the edge of the flower pot, trying to get out.

In the end, the professor buried it with damp, dark brown compost soil that looked like some branches and rotting leaves, only short rhizomes, and the purple leaves were trembling.

As she gave two thumbs up to indicate, the little wizards were able to take off the earmuffs.

"Okay... now you can try it out, in groups of four, remember to wear earmuffs. If you finish one copy, there will be more..." Professor Sprout clapped the dirt on his hands and continued,

"I will count your performance in the course today into the score of this semester's final exam... Next, let's see how much you can complete"

"...Remember not to just focus on the speed. If you don't repot it correctly, the mandrake will pick up the soil, and the crying will come from it... Don't blame me for being merciless at that time."

"I'll let you guys know when get out of class is over... Next, I'm going to find some juice that can soothe the beating willow and copper flowers..."

It was obvious that Professor Sprout was still aggrieved by what Lockhart's pretender had just said.

The professor pointed out to the students where the rest of the pots were, and the dragon manure compost was in the bag over there.

Since Hermione was still a little awkward looking at the McGuffin, she formed a group with the other Gryffindors plus a Hufflepuff girl.And Neville Longbottom, who is more talented in this area, would rather be with Seamus and Dean...

(Please! Didn’t these two guys do your Mediterranean haircut, Neville? Why did you finally take your anger out on me?)
Forehead!When did my popularity get so bad?

By the time McGuffin came to his senses, he could only form a group with Ron, Harry, and a sideburned Hufflepuff.

From the bottom of the shelf behind them, they took out a small pot of Mandrakes and tried to change the pot for the first time.

The student from Hufflepuff was Justin Finlayry, a young Muggle wizard who was supposed to go to Eton School.

"I know you...you are the famous Harry Potter..."

"You're Ron Weasley... I heard about the incident last night from other students... It's amazing, it looks a bit like our new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor... that Lockhart (Ron pursed his mouth, not paying attention), your life is exciting, isn't it!"

"And of course you 'Mad Hatter' MacGuffin Albert...you're a Muggle-born too, aren't you?"

He held McGuffin's hands tightly for a long time, and he seemed warmer than Harry.

"I've heard the name from other Muggle students a long time ago! You and Harry faced the dark wizard Quilinus Quirrell last term... Inspired me, let me know that an ordinary Muggle-born wizard can also command the respect of others at Hogwarts."

Ron said a little sourly, "Hermione was also born as a Muggle."

"Of course, Hermione Granger... forever No.1, that kind of genius is too far away for us..." Justin murmured.

The next few people put on the earmuffs again, and concentrated on dealing with the mandrake.

It seems that what Professor Sprout has done is very easy, but there is an illusion in the world

— Even if you think you can do it.

In fact, if you don't knock the mandrake in your hand unconscious, it's very difficult to pull it out and put it into the flower pot.

(Of course not. Even if it grows like a baby, it is still the root of a plant. If it is slightly damaged, it will affect the growth after changing the pot and the final product.)

And it's more of a physical activity than other courses.

When pulling out, you have to work hard, once you relax a little, the mandrake will drill back into the flowerpot, making your half-day effort completely in vain.

Even if it is pulled out, it is very difficult to stuff it into another flower pot, let alone when it is covered with dragon dung compost on the head of this little thing.

——He twisted his body, kicked around, waved his fists, and kept splashing the compost...

All of a sudden, compost was splattered on the robes of nearly every student.

They sort of understood why Professor Sprout always wore that tattered, dusty robe.

In short, it was very strenuous, not to mention that the four people wearing earmuffs had no tacit understanding, could not communicate at all, and often interfered with each other.

McGuffin and the others were sweating profusely from exhaustion.

There are even some ridiculously fat mandrakes that require four people to fight together... two people squeezed and imprisoned this thing hard on both sides to prevent it from moving, one prepared the flower pot, and the other pressed down hard... It took more than ten minutes to stuff it into the flower pot and cover it with soil.

After making a few pots, their backs were sore and their arms ached. McGuffin even saw some students sitting on the ground so tired that they didn't want to move.

McGuffin's nasal congestion caused by allergies made him very uncomfortable.

And the most efficient group among them was actually Neville's group. This guy was more talented in herbalism than Hufflepuff wizards, and he was very good at dealing with this kind of plants.

After he pulled out the Mandrake, he held it up and down with both hands and shook it a little carefully. When the Mandrake got a little dizzy, he quickly stuffed it into another flowerpot, and asked the other people beside him to fill it with compost soil.

But this is not something everyone can do.

Simo Figani, who also belongs to the same group as Neville, is the proof of this.

He also pulled out a mandrake and shook it a couple of times. He didn't know whether it was because he didn't have enough time or because he acted rudely, which made the little thing angry.

While he was composting, the mandrake slammed dragon dung all over Seamus' face, even getting some into his mouth.

This made the irritable little prince very angry. He put the compost soil directly into the flower pot, and even compacted it hard.

However, immediately...

--boom! (McGuffin automatically dubbed it in his heart after seeing it!)

The flower pots 'crashed silently', dragon dung compost splashed in all directions, and some even... McGuffin looked up, those flew straight to the ceiling, and even hit the huge hanging flowers. (Neville saw that he hurriedly put the mandrake that fell on the ground into another pot and replanted it)
McGuffin held a mandrake in his hand, and looked at Simo Fegani, who was covered in dragon dung, and almost laughed out loud.

And at this time, the huge flower above his head seemed to be hit by the 'UFO' that splashed earlier, causing the flower buds to slowly begin to bloom.

The extremely rich floral fragrance began to waft.

And some colorful, shiny pollen fell from the buds like rain to the McGuffin.

"Ah-choo-ah-ah-choo!"

This made him sneeze a lot.

McGuffin waved and gestured repeatedly, wanting to hand over the mandrake in his hand to Harry.

did not expect……

"Ah!"

After a sneeze, the mandrake in his hand drew a graceful arc, waving its claws just right - and slapped Neville's face diagonally opposite.

——Looking at each other, the thing bit Neville's nose.

Frightened by this, Neville fell directly, and the poor Mandrake doll in his hand was also thrown into the air, flying around in the greenhouse.

In this way, one by one, all the little wizards were frightened, and the mandrakes in their hands began to fly around, and the greenhouse was almost a mess.

Not to mention that some little wizards were scared and fell into the crimson vines placed on the shelf next to them. There were spikes growing on them, and the poisonous tentacles kept leaving large red marks and blisters on the skin.

McGuffin couldn't care less, the smell of pollen on his body almost made him faint.He waved his wand and tried to clean himself of the pollen.

"Clean up!"

Unfortunately, because of sneezing, I couldn't recite the spell at all.

When Professor Sprout came back here with a glass of wood-copper flower juice, he saw such a scene close to 'Arkham Asylum'.

a mess.

(End of this chapter)