Newt's Reward

The workbenches all around were filled with plants cultivated by former club members, most of whom had already left school.

Yet these plants had not withered because their owners were gone. Instead, they were growing exceptionally well.

Professor Sprout was clearly taking meticulous care of them.

By the time Cedric had introduced every plant, it was already nearly seven o'clock.

Not long after, Professor Sprout pushed open the door and entered, carrying a flowerpot in her arms, with five upper-year students following behind her.

"Alright, quiet down, everyone. Aren't you curious why I brought over a willow branch?"

Sprout had the students behind her spread out, then glanced at Luan in the distance.

"This is actually plant material from a new member. Let us welcome Mr. Mu En Scarlett, a First Year Gryffindor student."

"What? A First Year?"

"No way!"

The students who had just been gathered around the professor asking questions all followed Sprout's gaze toward the unfamiliar boy at the back.

"There is no need to question his age, ladies and gentlemen, because his creation is a Willow Wand."

"A wand! Professor, are you sure?"

"A First Year student made a wand? Is he Mr. Ollivanders's apprentice?"

Amid the upper-year students' doubts, Luan slowly walked over to Sprout and took out the wand, still carrying the raw dampness of fresh wood.

"My name is Bernard Vincent, a seventh-year Hufflepuff student. May I have a look at your wand?"

Luan looked at this senior who had produced adhesive from Snail Grass. He looked quite ordinary, but his attitude was very friendly.

"Of course." Luan handed the wand over.

"It really is a wand!"

"The spellcasting is very smooth too."

"Don't you think its grip, balance, and length make it incredibly effortless and smooth to swing?"

Every club member got their hands on Luan's new wand. They even used it to cast spells more than a dozen times.

"I really never expected an eleven-year-old to be able to make a wand. I was already in my fourth year when I developed Snail Grass."

Bernard Vincent looked at Luan with deep envy.

"Exactly. I never thought Cedric's record would be broken in less than three months."

The speaker was Senior Molinar, who cultivated Swallowtail Flowers.

She was referring to the record for the youngest age at which someone had joined the club. Before Luan, it had been Cedric's record of thirteen.

"Alright, now that Mr. Scarlett's qualifications for joining have been confirmed, everyone should stop bothering him. Let Cedric show him around some more."

After saying this, Sprout lowered her head to look at Luan again.

"Today, you only need to familiarize yourself with the place. If you have any questions, you can come to me."

With Sprout coming to his rescue, Luan quickly slipped out of the crowd.

It was the first time he had received praise from so many people, and it felt somewhat unreal.

After Luan stepped down from the platform, Sprout was once again surrounded by upper-year students asking all sorts of questions about herbology and Plant Magic.

Cedric led Luan to the table in the very center of the classroom. Unlike the other crowded workbenches, this tabletop was fairly empty.

There was only a single potted plant with small white flowers on it.

"This is the grand prize the club prepared this year: Moonlight Grass."

As Cedric introduced it, his eyes remained fixed on the little white flowers.

"Moonlight Grass? What can it do?"

"It is the main ingredient for brewing Moonlight Potion. This potion allows wizards to see in the dark."

Cedric looked around to make sure no one was nearby, then added in a low voice.

"This was left behind by Mr. Newt Scamander as a prize for the student who cultivates the best plant this year."

Luan knew the name Newt Scamander.

Before school began, one of the secondhand textbooks he had bought was called Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

Newt Scamander was the author of that book.

"Could he be a club member too?" Luan asked curiously.

"No. Although Mr. Newt once attended Hogwarts and was a Hufflepuff student, no one knows why he was expelled later."

There was a faint note of disappointment in Cedric's voice.

"Still, he has always kept an eye on Hogwarts. The older students say that he often comes to the club's gatherings."

Through Cedric's explanation, Luan gained a basic understanding of the club.

At the small weekly gatherings, Sprout would come and answer every student's questions.

Around Easter each spring, there would also be a large gathering in Hogsmeade. Former members who had left school would attend as well.

At this gathering, the year's best plant creations would be selected and rewarded.

At the large gathering earlier this year, Newt had left this Moonlight Grass behind as a prize for the following year.

"Then can I take part too?" Luan looked at Cedric curiously.

"Of course, but your age is a problem."

Hogwarts students were only allowed to go to Hogsmeade in their third year, and only after obtaining a guardian's signed permission.

Luan clearly did not meet those conditions.

"But you do not need to worry too much about that. After all, you will be the person in the club who gets the most time under her guidance."

Hearing the envy in Cedric's voice, Luan instinctively turned to look at Sprout, who was still surrounded by students.

This professor, who always wore patched clothes, seemed able to offer insight into any question about Plant Magic.

"The professor is incredible," Cedric added.

Luan did not deny it, but another question concerned him more.

I wonder whether the professor has studied those ancient magical plants.

In the other world, Luan could find plants and herbs from a thousand years ago, or even older.

If they could be put to use, they would be an enormous fortune and might even improve his Magical Strength.

However, the work would be extremely complicated. It would clearly be very difficult for Luan to handle it alone.

But if an experienced elder could guide him, the difficulty of the task would be reduced many times over.

With that thought, Luan silently resolved to ask for more knowledge about herbology and Plant Magic from the club.

"Do you remember those wood shavings you gave me? I have buried them all in there now."

Back at the workbench, Cedric pointed at the pot of Sleepyface Fungus, then looked at Luan.

"You want these mushrooms to absorb the magical properties in the wood shavings?"

Luan looked at the black soil in the pot. There really were faint green specks of light emanating from within.

"That's right. The professor reminded me of it, and that was when I asked to borrow those wood shavings from you."

"Have these mushrooms changed at all yet?"

Now that Luan had a wand, he was not particularly concerned about the wood shavings. He was more curious about these pitch-black mushrooms.

"Not yet. I think they will need at least another month."

"I still have Growth Potion."

"No, no. Sleepyface Fungus does not have the powerful absorption ability of Magical Trees, and your potion is far too valuable. I cannot afford it."

Hearing that Luan wanted to use Growth Potion on the Sleepyface Fungus, Cedric hurriedly stopped him.

"Alright. If you need any, you can tell me. I still have some potion left."

After using the Growth Potion Professor Sprout had rewarded him with on the three large trees, Luan still had six drops left. They had been locked in the suitcase beneath his bed ever since.

"You should keep it safely for now. One Sleepyface Fungus is enough for me to study for four years. You should also start thinking about your next research direction."

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