Chapter 25

Since it was the new students' first class, Professor Sprout did not have them perform any hands-on work. They began by studying the theory.

Professor Sprout was very gentle. Perhaps all Herbology professors at Hogwarts were this gentle. When Neville could not answer a question, Professor Sprout softly encouraged and guided him to recall the answer.

Seamus secretly practiced Transfiguration during class and actually succeeded. But during a later attempt, he accidentally blew up a pot of Bubotubers. Fortunately, Harry reacted quickly enough to turn Seamus's scarf into an umbrella, shielding them from the spurting pus.

"An excellent Transfiguration Spell! Five points to Gryffindor!" Professor Sprout announced loudly, before severely reprimanding Seamus.

Just as Seamus lowered his head in dejection, Professor Sprout somehow produced a small cake and handed it to him.

With his head bowed, Seamus solemnly promised Professor Sprout that he would never cause trouble in Herbology class again.

Professor Sprout forgave him and deducted one point from Gryffindor as punishment.

When class ended, Harry did not hurry away, instead remaining in the Greenhouse.

"Mr. Potter?" Professor Sprout noticed that Harry had not left. "Is there something you need?"

"It's like this, Professor." Harry gathered his thoughts before saying, "I read about Chinese Chomping Cabbage in a book and found the plant quite interesting, so I wanted to ask whether you have any mature chomping cabbages here."

"Chinese Chomping Cabbage is a very dangerous plant." Professor Sprout did not refuse Harry outright, instead saying tactfully, "I don't think a young wizard your age is suited to cultivating such a dangerous plant. You should see a real chomping cabbage first. Perhaps you'll change your mind. Come with me."

Ron and Neville exchanged a glance, intending to follow along and take a look. Hermione did the same.

Seamus went back first with his little cake. He was somewhat embarrassed to face Professor Sprout again—after all, he had blown up a Bubotuber.

The four followed Professor Sprout to the second floor of the Greenhouse. They went around a cluster of trees and arrived before a workbench.

On the workbench sat six chomping cabbages, their mouths wide open as their bodies constantly wriggled.

"Look, these are chomping cabbages." Professor Sprout introduced them to the four. "The cabbages in One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi are nowhere near as frightening as the real thing."

As she spoke, Professor Sprout picked up a twig and held it in front of one of the cabbages.

The cabbage twisted its plump round body, then chomped down hard on the twig.

The twig gave a crisp, mournful crack as the cabbage bit it cleanly in two.

"That temper is far too vicious." Hermione frowned. "Harry, I don't think this is something we can cultivate yet—"

Before she finished speaking, she saw Harry extend his wand and swiftly tap the cabbage from behind.

Then Harry reached his hand toward it.

"Harry!" she and Ron shouted together. "Pull your hand back!"

Yet, to their surprise, when Harry touched the cabbage, it rubbed against his hand like a puppy.

"I think it actually has quite a good temper. Do you want to try?" Harry asked with a raised brow.

Ron clearly looked tempted and reached out as well, only for the cabbage to turn toward him with a menacing grin.

"Never mind." Ron hurriedly pulled his hand back.

Cabbage...

Harry patted the cabbage's body, suddenly missing Professor Hoot's Chinese dish called "Explosive Cabbage."

"How marvelous." Professor Sprout wore the expression of someone discovering a new continent. "I never expected a young wizard your age to know so much about plants. If this were class, I would certainly give Gryffindor five points."

At last, Professor Sprout added, "If you like it, I'll give you a smaller one, one that isn't so harmful—just don't throw it at your classmates' faces, understand?"

"Thank you, Professor. I won't do that," Harry replied obediently.

Professor Sprout met those green eyes and smiled.

This child... really does resemble Lily.

Holding a pot containing a small-mouthed cabbage, Harry left the Greenhouse in high spirits beneath Hermione's worried gaze.

"I hope it doesn't bite Scabbers," Ron muttered, deciding that both he and Scabbers needed to stay far away from this cabbage.

Neville, on the other hand, was quite attentive to the cabbage. Whenever he had time, he would fertilize and water it, while asking Harry for advice on Herbology.

Harry patiently answered every question. They were roommates in the same Dormitory, so there was no need to keep secrets from him.

Of all Hogwarts's classes, the one Harry found most familiar was Professor Binns's History of Magic.

Professor Binns was a ghost. It was said that he had fallen asleep beside the fireplace in the staff room, and when he went to teach the next morning, he had forgotten to bring his body with him—yes, that was how he had absentmindedly become a ghost.

During class, Professor Binns droned on in a monotonous, tedious voice, and Harry could not stop drowsiness from washing over him.

It was so familiar. This was exactly the feeling.

Harry's eyes grew moist.

The teacher of Charms was an extraordinarily small wizard named Flitwick. During class, he had to stand on a stack of books just to reach the lectern.

At the start of the first lesson, he took out the roll and began calling names. When he read Harry's name, he gave an excited shriek, toppled backward, and vanished from the classmates' sight.

In the first lesson, Professor Flitwick taught only Lumos. Most of the classmates could successfully cast this simple spell, but because Harry's Lumos was like a searchlight, Professor Flitwick gladly awarded Gryffindor five points.

What truly disappointed Harry was Defense Against the Dark Arts Class.

Or rather, the class disappointed every student, because Professor Quirrell could only stammer through accounts of his dreadful adventures. Not to mention that the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom was filled with a strong garlic smell.

According to Professor Quirrell, the garlic was meant to keep vampires from pestering him. However, the classmates had different opinions. Silver might have worked far better than garlic.

To prevent the classmates from questioning him further, Professor Quirrell chose to teach them a small jinx—Leg-Locker Curse.

That indeed caught the classmates' attention. No longer did they dwell on why Professor Quirrell gave off such a powerful garlic smell; instead, they worked hard to learn the little jinx.