Howler and Mandrakes (Thanks to Zhatiān Gang's Patron and Liuchao Qingyu Ji for the Gifts)

The next day, Su Yu had breakfast with Slytherin in the Great Hall. On the table were wheat porridge, several dishes of pickled fish and smoked meat. Through the enchanted ceiling, the sky looked dark and overcast, with low gray clouds pressing down. A few rays of sunlight occasionally slipped through the gaps, only to be covered again moments later.

Nine-Tailed Fox crouched on the table, slapping the surface with both front paws and nearly smashing it. Her tail had puffed into a ball, and her eyes were wide. "What is all this? Wheat porridge? Pickled fish? Smoked meat? Did that old man Dumbledore embezzle our meal funds?"

Several younger Slytherin students nearby secretly glanced at her, then quickly lowered their heads in fear.

Fortunately, Egg Beater appeared in time. The food on the table changed into steaming cheesecake, pizza, sandwiches, fried eggs, roasted sausages, buttered toast, and a large platter of sliced fruit. Only then did Nine-Tailed Fox's tail slowly lower. She snorted and lowered her head to eat her cheesecake.

Su Yu felt like Nine-Tailed Fox was having that time of the month. Her temper was much worse than usual, but why was he feeling a little irritable today too? He had no idea. Could this sort of thing be contagious? But he was a boy!

Poor Su Yu could only seek a hug from Daphne. He turned around and buried his face in Daphne's arms. Daphne froze for a moment, then wrapped her arms around him, gently patting his back with one hand and stroking his hair with the other. She simply held him quietly, as though she were holding a large cat throwing a tantrum.

Astoria, sitting beside her sister, was dumbfounded by the sight. Her fork stopped halfway to her mouth, her lips parted slightly, and her eyes went round. Was this the prefect? Was this really her sister? Astoria felt that she might need to get to know her sister all over again.

Harry and Ron sat beside Hermione. Hermione had propped a thick copy of Walking with Vampires against the milk jug. Her brows were slightly furrowed, and she was clearly still very dissatisfied with what Harry and Ron had done yesterday.

Su Yu had only just started eating his pizza when hundreds of owls flew overhead. They swooped into the hall one after another, circled above the crowd, then dropped letters and packages among the students. A huge, bulging parcel struck Neville on the head with a dull thud. Neville clutched his head and cried out, "Ow!" The package bounced onto the table and rolled twice. Barely a second later, another gray unidentified object fell into Hermione's milk jug. Milk splashed everywhere, covering them in milk and feathers.

"Errol!" Ron cried, lifting the soaking wet owl out of the milk jug. The gray owl's wings drooped, its feathers plastered to its body. It looked both miserable and pitiful. Errol could not stand steadily and fell over again, unconscious, eyes rolled back and all four legs in the air. It still held a dripping wet red envelope in its beak.

"Oh, no—" Ron sucked in a sharp breath, and his face immediately went pale.

"It'll be fine. It's not dead," Hermione said, gently stroking Errol's feathers with her fingertips. Her tone was still stiff, but her movements were very gentle.

"Not it—the letter." Ron pointed at the red envelope.

Harry could not see anything special about it. The envelope was simply red, with slightly worn edges and one corner soaked by milk, but it did not look unusual. Neville, however, stared at it in terror, as if it might explode at any moment. He shrank backward so far that his chair nearly tipped over.

"What is it?" Harry asked.

"She—she sent me a Howler." Ron looked as though he were about to faint, his voice trembling.

Ron's attention was entirely fixed on the letter. Smoke began to rise from its four corners. White smoke poured from all four corners of the envelope, growing thicker and thicker.

"Open it quickly," Neville urged. "It'll be over in a few minutes!" His voice was both urgent and frightened, like he was telling someone to hurry up and pull a thorn out of their flesh.

Ron tremblingly took the letter from Errol's beak, smoothed it flat, and tore it open. Neville stuffed his fingers into his ears. In the blink of an eye, Harry understood. He thought the letter had exploded. An angry voice filled the entire hall, even shaking dust down from the ceiling.

"...stole the car, and if they expel you from school, I won't be surprised in the slightest. If I get my hands on you, you'll be sorry. I suppose you never once thought about how worried your father and I would be when we found the car missing..."

Mrs. Weasley's voice was at least a hundred times louder than usual, howling through the air. The plates and spoons on the tables bounced up and down from the vibrations, while the echoes from the stone walls were deafening. Everyone in the hall turned to see who had received a Howler. Ron slumped in his chair, wishing he could curl himself into a ball and hide his scarlet face from everyone.

"...an absolute disgrace to the family! Your father has been suspended pending investigation, and it's all your fault! If you dare take another wrong step, we'll bring you straight home!"

At last, it was over, though everyone's ears were still buzzing. The red envelope fell from Ron's hand to the floor, automatically caught fire, and burned into ashes in an instant. Black ash drifted through the air and slowly settled on the floor. Harry and Ron sat in their seats, unable to say a word for a long time. Ron's mouth hung open, his eyes fixed on the tabletop, as though he had been completely drained.

Su Yu and the others could not help laughing, and quiet murmurs soon spread through the hall.

After a while, Professor Snape came to the Slytherin table to distribute the class schedules. Expressionless, he handed them out one by one. Su Yu took his and glanced over it—this year, Slytherin clearly had far more shared classes with Gryffindor. At the very least, they would be together for the entire day.

After finishing breakfast, Su Yu quickly wrapped his arms around Daphne and rubbed his lips against hers. Pizza grease still clung to his lips and smeared onto Daphne's, making them glisten. Daphne pinched Su Yu's waist in disgust. He bared his teeth in pain but did not let go. Daphne took out a handkerchief and wiped the grease from the corner of Su Yu's mouth, then wiped her own. Nine-Tailed Fox also leaned over and raised her face, wanting Daphne to wipe hers too.

Astoria had been shocked a thousand times that morning! She felt that her sister was completely love-brained! Sitting beside them, Astoria had already put down her fork. She simply watched her sister and Su Yu, her face full of the bewildered expression of someone who did not quite understand this world.

Then, the second-year Slytherin students followed Su Yu out of the castle, crossed the vegetable plots, and arrived at the greenhouses where magical plants were grown.

Because the Slytherin students had arrived a little late, Su Yu happened to catch Lockhart boasting about himself. Lockhart wore an immaculate emerald-green robe that day, without even a crease. A golden brooch was pinned to his collar, glittering in the sunlight. His neatly trimmed golden hair shone brilliantly beneath his green wizard's hat.

He actually liked wearing green hats!

"Ah, hello, everyone!" Lockhart greeted the neatly lined-up students with a smile. His voice was bright and syrupy, as if coated in honey. "I was just demonstrating to Professor Sprout how to treat the Whomping Willow. But I wouldn't want you to think I know more about Herbology than Professor Sprout. I merely happened to encounter several rare and exotic plants during my travels..." As he spoke, one hand rested over his chest while the other gestured through the air. His exaggerated posture made him look like he was performing onstage.

"Greenhouse Three, children!" Professor Sprout was clearly displeased. She no longer sounded as cheerful as usual and strode ahead with quick, heavy steps.

Everyone chattered excitedly. They usually went to Greenhouse One, where the plants were interesting but not dangerous. The plants in Greenhouse Three were much more interesting—and much more dangerous. Professor Sprout untied a large key from her belt and opened the lock.

At once, Su Yu smelled damp earth and fertilizer, mixed with the rich fragrance of umbrella-sized flowers hanging from the ceiling. The greenhouse was darker than outside. A misty layer of moisture covered the glass above them, and droplets slid down the panes, leaving trails of water across the wooden frames.

Su Yu was about to enter when he saw Lockhart grab Harry's hand.

"Harry!" Lockhart said, pulling Harry in front of him. He placed one hand on Harry's shoulder, smiling so broadly that his back teeth showed. Then Lockhart began bragging about himself, claiming that Harry had driven to school yesterday because he wanted attention. He said Harry would have plenty of chances to become famous when he grew up, all while boasting about how remarkable he himself had been as a child.

Things like, "I could knock a troll flat with the Disarming Charm when I was eight," "I wiped out a nest of vampires by myself when I was ten," and "I had already published my first book at twelve." His tone was full of self-praise, along with the clear implication that Harry still had a long way to go.

Su Yu finally understood why he had been so irritable today. It was all Lockhart's fault! That man was simply disgusting beyond words.

Professor Sprout stood behind a tall workbench in the middle of the greenhouse. About twenty pairs of earplugs in various colors lay on the bench.

When Harry returned, Professor Sprout said, "Today, we'll be studying Mandrake plants. Now, who can tell me what Mandrakes are used for?"

As usual, Hermione was the first to raise her hand. Her arm shot straight up, and she nearly rose from her seat. Her expression screamed, I know, I know, call on me!

"Mandrakes are a very powerful restorative," she answered as fluently as if she had swallowed the entire textbook. "They are used to restore people who have been cursed or transfigured to their original state."

"Excellent. Ten points to Gryffindor." Professor Sprout nodded at Hermione. "Although Mandrakes are powerful restoratives, they are also extremely dangerous. Can anyone tell me why?"

Daphne raised her hand as well, while Hermione's hand shot up again so quickly that it nearly knocked Harry's glasses off. Harry leaned back and adjusted them.

"A Mandrake's cry is fatal," Daphne answered accurately.

"Quite right. Ten points to Slytherin as well." Professor Sprout smiled in satisfaction. "The Mandrakes we have here are still very young." She pointed at a row of flowerpots in front of her. Everyone crowded forward for a closer look. About a hundred clumps of small plants grew in a row, purple-green in color, with crumpled leaves.

"Take a pair of earplugs each," Professor Sprout said.

Everyone scrambled to grab a pair of fluffy pink earplugs, and the scene immediately became chaotic.

"Remember to put your earplugs on before I show you how to repot them," Professor Sprout said. "When it is safe to take them off, I will give you the thumbs-up. All right—put on your earplugs."

Su Yu stuffed the earplugs into his ears, and the world fell silent at once.

Professor Sprout put on a pair of fluffy pink earplugs, rolled up her sleeves, and revealed her sturdy forearms. She walked over to a Mandrake, crouched down, firmly grasped the clump of leaves with both hands, took a deep breath, and pulled.

What came out of the soil was not a root, but a short, ugly little baby covered in mud. Its skin was mottled light green, covered in wrinkles and bumps. Leaves sprouted from its head like a messy hat. Its mouth was wide open, and the violent movement of its lungs made it clear that it was cursing Professor Sprout.

Neville fainted from fright. His eyes rolled upward, his body tipped backward, and he fell to the floor with a thud, limbs spread out like an overturned turtle.

What a kid. Su Yu could not help chuckling as he watched. Malfoy and the others laughed even more wildly. Crabbe laughed so hard he bent over, while Goyle slapped the table as he laughed.

Professor Sprout took out a large pot from beneath the table, stuffed the Mandrake inside, and buried it up to its head in black, damp soil and fertilizer, leaving only the small clump of leaves exposed. She dusted the dirt from her hands, gave them a thumbs-up, and removed her earplugs.

"Since the Mandrakes here are seedlings, their cries are not yet fatal," she said calmly. "However, they will knock you unconscious in an instant. I don't suppose you want to miss the rest of your classes on the first day of term? All right, put your earplugs back in and begin working. I'll remind you when it's time to pack up."

"One flowerpot for every four students. The soil and fertilizer are in these bags. Be careful with the Mandrakes—they bite."

Even as she spoke, Malfoy got bitten. He was just too much of a pest. He thought simply pulling one out was no fun, so he had to touch it. He reached out to poke a Mandrake's leaves, and the Mandrake suddenly opened its mouth and bit his finger. But he reacted quickly, instantly releasing the Mandrake and pulling out his wand, ready to cast Incendio.

Professor Sprout rushed over in fright, snatched the wand from Malfoy's hand, pried the Mandrake off his finger, and took it away.

From Professor Sprout's mouth movements, he thought she was saying, "Ten points from Gryffindor." He grinned, and Pansy tapped him on the head with her wand, mouthing, "It should be ten points from Slytherin!"

The little Gryffindor lions thought Professor Sprout had made it look easy, but it was not easy at all in practice. Mandrakes did not like being pulled out of the soil, and they liked being stuffed back in even less. They constantly writhed, kicked and thrashed wildly, punched people with their tiny pointed fists, and cursed through gritted teeth. Several Gryffindor girls screamed in fright. One was even kicked in the chin by a Mandrake, tears welling in her eyes.

Slytherin's side was far darker. When the little snakes saw the Mandrakes daring to bare their teeth, they pressed their heads down and smashed them against the table. Some even swung them around, smashing them left and right.

Crabbe had already shoved his wand into a Mandrake's mouth. Its jaws were forced wide open, leaving it unable to make a sound except for muffled whimpers. Goyle was even more outrageous. He was threatening a Mandrake with a knife, and no one knew where he had gotten it. The blade flashed coldly beneath the lights.

Su Yu was utterly stunned. Who taught them this? And Goyle, you big idiot, what—are—you—doing! Where did you get a knife???

Professor Sprout was nearly driven mad with anger. Her face had turned red, her lips trembled, and her hands gestured frantically through the air, but with their earplugs in, nobody could hear what she was shouting. The little lions trembled as they watched the little snakes. Several Gryffindor girls hugged each other, while the boys took several steps back, their eyes full of terrified disbelief. Were these people insane?

Su Yu hurriedly buried all the Mandrakes in their hands again, though perhaps a little too deeply—he snatched the Mandrake from Crabbe, shoved its roots and leaves into the flowerpot, then grabbed the knife from Goyle and confiscated it.

At the end of class, the Slytherin students learned that they had lost another thirty points for damaging school property and nearly angering Professor Sprout into fainting. Even as she said it, Professor Sprout's voice trembled. She pointed at Crabbe and Goyle several times before finally lowering her hand.

But the little snakes still felt that the Mandrakes had been far too presumptuous. Malfoy rubbed his bitten finger and muttered, "We're not going to the Forbidden Forest tonight. We need to teach these Mandrakes a lesson." Goyle nodded beside him, his fists clenched until they cracked.

Su Yu earnestly tried to persuade them not to use violence. They were Slytherins! They were nobles; they could not do something so beneath them... Did he not feel even a little guilty saying that?