The Third Greenhouse housed far more plants than Brian had imagined. It stayed springlike all year round without electricity-a magical array that controlled temperature and humidity had been quietly keeping conditions stable ever since Hogwarts was founded.
Green nearly filled Brian's vision. Lush magical plants in all manner of bizarre shapes lined the greenhouse from the ceiling to the corner nearest the window. Several bags on the seed cabinet to his left were twitching, catching his attention.
"Those seeds look like they can't wait to be planted." Brian took off his coat and pointed at the bags as he asked Professor Sprout, "Are they alive-I mean, do they have some degree of intelligence?"
"Not intelligence, just biological instinct. Those are Venomous Tentacula seeds. They're excessively lively, among the most restless of the lot. Look over there, those pots all contain Venomous Tentacula. You can try getting close and see how they react, but be very careful not to get caught, or I'll have to send you to the Hospital Wing. I'm still counting on you to help me harvest some Biting Cabbages."
As Professor Sprout spoke, she picked up a pot containing a strange, cabbage-like plant with teeth and said enthusiastically,
"Look how plump this Biting Cabbage is! Its teeth are neat, and it has exactly the right number. I'd wager this whole batch could easily bite through Troll bones. It's a shame these little fellows so often fail to distinguish friend from foe, or I'd honestly recommend that every student keep one to defend themselves in a pinch."
"Ah... just a moment. I'll be right over to brush their teeth." Brian decided to take things one step at a time. First, he wanted to test the Venomous Tentacula.
He began very cautiously reaching toward one of the thorny green plants behind a small fence, much as he might approach a bad-tempered stray cat prone to scratching people. The Venomous Tentacula sensed a living creature drawing near and immediately stirred. Its vines naturally became whips, lashing at Brian in displeasure.
Brian immediately dodged and reached toward it from another direction. Without a moment's hesitation, the Venomous Tentacula swiftly and precisely redirected its vines to follow. Brian reacted quickly and dodged again-the vines actually changed course in real time to follow his movements!
"You react that fast?" Brian's competitive streak had been roused, and he continued teasing the Venomous Tentacula. "I've already found your weakness. Don't accuse me of bullying you."
Yes, the Venomous Tentacula was a magical plant, but magical plants were still plants, and the weakness of plants was obvious-
Brian raised his hand high, holding it at just the right distance, neither too close nor too far away. With precise, elegant stillness, he began smiling at the Venomous Tentacula. The plant frantically tried to jab this hateful intruder with its poisonous thorns, but no matter what it did, it couldn't reach him.
That sad limitation peculiar to plants-the inability to move.
"It's almost as if it has eyes and can see where I am. I hope it doesn't suddenly grow a pair of legs one day, jump out of the soil, and chase people around whipping them... plants might rule the world then." Brian joked with Professor Sprout.
Professor Sprout watched Brian's interaction with the Venomous Tentacula with interest and said with a chuckle,
"Actually, some plants can already jump out of the soil. Biting Cabbages use their roots as legs, and they're quite fast, too. They generally don't like doing it, though, because they can't bury themselves again."
"Wouldn't that make them very dangerous?" Brian was rather startled. "Do students handle these plants in class?"
"Of course. They grow them, too. The Venomous Tentacula you were teasing just now was grown by an upper-year Hufflepuff student."
Professor Sprout nodded and said with a smile,
"Only the upper years handle relatively dangerous plants. With the younger years, the most I have them deal with is Mandrakes. Don't worry too much. Once you find a way to handle these plants, they aren't so dangerous."
"What way?" Brian asked eagerly. "Are there special spells?"
"No, Brian." Professor Sprout mysteriously produced a box. "Muggle ingenuity."
Over the next hour, Brian first fitted each Biting Cabbage with a suitable mouth guard, then carefully pulled them out of the mud and dropped them into a sack. Once their teeth were restrained, their legs went weak as well.
Next, at Sprout's insistence, he put on a pair of fluffy earmuffs and changed the Mandrakes' soil. His hearing was so good that even with the earmuffs on, their screams still left him a little dizzy.
Finally, he put thick leather guards on both forearms and generously let the Venomous Tentacula lash away to its heart's content. Once it had vented its anger, the plant sullenly withdrew its vines. Even when Brian took off the guards and teased it again, it couldn't be bothered to move.
Just as Brian was thoroughly enjoying himself, the greenhouse door opened, and an unusual-looking elderly gentleman walked in with a cane. Several alarming scars marked his face, though Brian couldn't tell what animal had scratched him.
"Silvanus, your timing is perfect. We've just finished." Sprout took off her thick gloves as she spoke.
"I certainly don't want the new prosthetic limbs I paid a fortune for ruined by Biting Cabbages only days after getting them."
Professor Kettleburn certainly walked no slower than an ordinary person. He strode briskly up to Brian and nodded to him.
"Hello, Brian. It's a pleasure to meet you. If you have time, you're welcome to visit my private zoo whenever you like!"
Then he continued cheerfully to Professor Sprout,
"Pomona, I've left the fertilizer you wanted in the box by the door. This batch is my own special blend, containing a month's worth of the essence of my beloved little Chimera. It's definitely every bit as effective as dragon dung!"
Brian would have wagered that the white-haired old man's wooden prosthetic limbs were enchanted. He looked no less vigorous than Dumbledore, even though only one arm and half a leg remained of his original limbs.
"Thank you, Silvanus."
Professor Sprout conjured two cups of black tea from somewhere and handed one each to Professor Kettleburn and Brian.
"I'll let you know as soon as the next batch of puffapods ripens. Oh, do you need any of this batch of Biting Cabbages?"
"No, I have no use for them. They're mostly used to make Skele-Gro, aren't they?"
Professor Kettleburn waved his wooden arm as he declined.
"That stuff only grows bones. It can't replace the flesh and blood I've lost. I certainly don't want an extra length of bone appearing out of nowhere-Halloween ended several days ago. Besides, Madam Pomfrey often gives me massages to improve my circulation. I wouldn't dare take anything she's already reserved..."
"We've harvested far too many this time. Perhaps your Chimera could use a little green plant energy?"
Professor Sprout made the suggestion with the air of someone burdened by a happy problem.
"Didn't you complain last time that it doesn't like eating greens?"
"...Pomona, you have a point. In that case, I won't say no."
Professor Kettleburn picked up a Biting Cabbage, lifted one corner of its mouth guard, and poked its teeth.
"I hope they'll give my Chimera a bit of fun."
"A Chimera? Professor Kettleburn, you keep a Chimera? At Hogwarts?" Brian couldn't help asking.
He knew about Chimeras. The Ministry of Magic gave these dangerous fantastic beasts a danger rating of five Xs, and their eggs were Class A Non-Tradeable Goods, just like dragon eggs. Yet Professor Kettleburn could keep one as a pet...
Brian had a hunch that Professor Kettleburn and Hagrid must get along well. That was good news.
It was worth mentioning that Chimeras also had bright yellow eyes-
But the monster at Hogwarts definitely wasn't one. No creature killed by a Chimera ever left an intact body-
And according to Moaning Myrtle, on the day she died, aside from an emotionally wounded heart and a burst pimple, she hadn't had a single other injury.
"Yes. Interested?"
Professor Kettleburn said delightedly,
"Want to come and take a look right now? I've got Bowtruckles and Occamies, too. Oh, yes! Let me give you a piece of Occamy eggshell as a meeting gift!"
As he spoke, he took a small fragment of silver eggshell from his pocket and pressed it into Brian's hand.
Before you continue