Mandrake

"So? What's this thing for?" Harry asked with a frown.

"Well, it probably isn't much use to you, but I can use it to make some useful things. Most importantly, being near it makes me learn faster, though I don't know why." As Kane spoke, he pressed the round valve on the Alchemy Engine.

The construction knowledge contained within the Alchemy Engine flowed into Kane's left ear like water, then flowed right out through his right ear.

If he wanted to retain that knowledge in his head, he first needed to put it into practice.

Unfortunately, the things Kane needed most—such as the Spirit Particle Disintegrator, which would let him gain preliminary control over the magic within the Eternal Realm—couldn't be made due to a lack of raw materials.

Even the things he needed somewhat less, such as a tent that would free him from the wreath and restore his sanity efficiently, still couldn't be made because he lacked materials.

For the first time, Kane felt truly poor.

Kane picked up the remaining two books. He decided not to sleep tonight. He would finish the books Professor McGonagall had recommended, then find an easy class or some free time tomorrow to thoroughly master the detailed explanation of the Summoning Charm.

Then he could head straight into the Forbidden Forest. His time surviving at Hogwarts had taught him about the so-called dangers of the Forbidden Forest.

But in Kane's eyes, those dangers were like an untouched virgin land. Wasn't it all just resources?

Apparently, there were giant spiders in the Forbidden Forest too. Perfect. Both the Spirit Particle Disintegrator and the tent required a great deal of spider silk. He would make sure none of them survived!

Late at night, perhaps because Ron had drunk too much water that day, he groggily got up to use the toilet. Then he noticed a bright spot in the corner of the room. When he went closer, he saw Kane leaning against the Alchemy Engine, reading by the campfire.

He still wore the wreath on his head, looking as bizarre as could be.

For a moment, Ron felt that he could hold it in a little longer. After all, Kane's current appearance was downright sinister, even in the magical Wizarding World.

It was hard not to think of some strange curse. Or perhaps... someone had buried him in the wrong grave?

"Merciful Merlin, please don't let that terrifying evil spirit that rules over staying up late and grinding in the Wizarding World latch onto me... socks!"

Ron drifted back to sleep, half-dreaming, half-holding it in. It wasn't until the next day that he hurried to the toilet.

As for Kane...

"Um... you give off the impression that you're afraid of sunlight now," Harry remarked as he looked at Kane's even darker eye circles.

"I merely used the time you spent sleeping to improve myself." Kane yawned as he spoke. With a whole night and the Alchemy Engine's assistance, he had finally thoroughly mastered the other two books.

The difficulty of these two books was in no way comparable to that previous one he had been able to finish and understand while chatting casually in the common room.

Their weight and thickness alone made that perfectly clear.

"What's our first class today?" Ron asked in relief after finally emerging from the bathroom.

"Herbology, in the greenhouse." Kane had already put on his shoes and was constantly urging the dawdling Harry and Ron along.

For a moment, he even suspected the two of them were not actually slow, but were deliberately trying to delay until breakfast was over so they could eat his handmade meatballs.

Fortunately, they did not miss breakfast in the end. After eating and drinking their fill, they leisurely headed toward the greenhouse.

Inside the greenhouse, Kane found a small, backless stool that liked to spin and sat down on it. He was just about to figure out where to place his center of gravity so he could fall asleep while sitting on the little stool.

Just as he was about to succeed, a single sentence from Professor Sprout, Hufflepuff's Head of House and the Herbology professor, yanked him violently out of his groggy state.

"Today, we will be studying Mandrakes."

Harry and Ron, who had been standing to Kane's front-left and directly in front of him, suddenly felt something behind them come alive. Then, with a pop, Kane squeezed out from between them.

"What was that? What are we studying in this class?" Kane hurriedly asked.

"Mandrakes. How are you awake? Weren't you looking like you were about to die just now?" Harry stared at Kane in surprise. His dark circles could rival a panda's, and his bloodshot eyes made him look as though someone had put a curse on him.

Honestly, if Harry had been the professor, he would not have dared wake Kane up. What if he died during class?

"This class is about Mandrakes? Then I'm definitely learning this." Kane rubbed his face hard, squeezed out a spot between Harry and Ron, and once again looked like a model student.

After all, this thing was far too important. Whether it tasted good or not aside, Mandrakes could be used to make a set of Panpipes that would put anyone who heard them to sleep. Although he needed the Spirit Particle Disintegrator to make them, getting the raw materials early was still a good thing.

"You don't have some kind of plan for this thing, do you?" Seeing Kane's unusual behavior, Ron instinctively looked at the Mandrake in the flowerpot before them.

After hesitating, he lowered his voice and warned, "I advise you not to get any ideas about that plant. I once saw someone get shaken to death by its cries. He was a relative of mine. When I saw his body at St Mungo's Hospital, it was awful."

Kane gave him a reassuring look. "Don't worry about that. I have my own plan."

After saying that, he quietly moved over to Neville's spot nearby and patted him on the shoulder.

"Neville, I need your help with something," Kane said quietly.

"What? I mean, I'll definitely help if I can," Neville quickly replied.

"During class later, ask Professor Sprout whether you can take a Mandrake away."

The moment Neville heard Kane's request, his face went pale. "That's impossible. This plant is too dangerous. The professor would never agree."

"I know. I just need you to draw her attention."

"If it's just drawing attention... you want to steal a Mandrake?"

"It has some uses." Kane nodded.

Neville stood there in silence for a while. "All right, but be careful. And I don't think your chances of succeeding are very high. If a flowerpot is obviously missing one, it'll be too noticeable."

"Don't worry." Kane gave Neville a calming look, then returned to Harry and Ron.

"How are you planning to steal a Mandrake without Professor Sprout noticing?" Harry asked curiously.

"Pull it out, stuff it into my clothes, then find a replacement that will make Professor Sprout overlook it for the moment."

Kane looked around the greenhouse. Sure enough, beneath one of the long tables, he found half of a leftover white radish that someone had eaten.

And the leaves of the white radish looked almost exactly like Mandrake leaves.

"Little wizards!"

Kane had just used magic to summon over the half radish when he heard a warm, kindly voice.

Not far away, Professor Sprout entered the greenhouse with a beaming smile, like Aunt Susan next door who loved baking apple pies.