Chapter 13: Herbology
"Professor Sprout."
Standing before the head of Hufflepuff, the usually boisterous Bruce suddenly became shy and reserved.
"Oh, Bruce Dickinson, Leon Howard, and Mr. Pister Jefferson! How wonderful of you to come and help," said Professor Sprout. She wore a patched hat, and her smile was as warm as the high summer sun. Her gaze fell on Sean. "And a new sprout! It's a pleasure to meet you, dear. What's your name?"
She set down the large shears she'd been using to prune a Bubotuber and leaned down to look at Sean. She didn't ask why he was there or who had brought him. Instead, she simply removed her dirt-caked, dragon-hide gloves, her expression as kind and welcoming as that of the old lady who used to donate to the orphanage. He had always admired that woman, even though he knew not a single penny of her donations had ever made its way to the orphans themselves.
"Sean Green, Professor," he replied, adopting a shy demeanour.
"Mr. Green, I'm so glad you've come to help as well," Professor Sprout beamed, gently patting his cheek. She then began assigning their tasks with cheerful efficiency. "Mr. Dickinson, would you please take him with you to handle the mature plants?"
"Mr. Howard, if you would be so kind as to take care of the weeds. And Mr. Jefferson, I'd like you to sort the Dittany by their various growth stages. It will be the first plant the new seedlings will be learning about."
"Yes, Professor," Sean heard Bruce mutter, rolling up his sleeves. Leon replied with a confident "No problem," while Pister Jefferson, who seemed even more reserved than Bruce, just blushed and nodded vigorously.
Professor Sprout, Sean thought, clearly holds a very high status in the hearts of the Hufflepuffs.
"I dare say you won't find a more caring professor in all of Hogwarts," Bruce said with a grin as they walked, his eyes shining. "Professor Sprout treats every student like they're her own child. She's been voted Most Popular Professor for years… Now then, let's get to these mature plants. It looks like we've got a big job ahead of us!"
Sean nodded, and the two of them began to navigate the rows of large, pumpkin-like plants, between which were scattered pots of Dittany with their distinctive purplish-red flowers.
"First, we need to collect all the mature Dittany from here," Bruce explained, handing Sean a small pair of shears as he began snipping a stalk himself. "Hm, do you know how to tell which ones are mature?"
Sean shook his head. That wasn't in the textbook.
"This is the sort of thing you can't learn from books," Bruce said. "Here, let me teach you." He leaned close to a pot of Dittany and took a sniff. With a decisive snip, he cut it at the base. "Dittany has a faint, slightly gamey smell. When it's mature, that smell becomes much stronger. Here, try it."
Sean leaned in and sniffed. He discovered that the different plants did indeed have distinct scents, and the one Bruce had just harvested was noticeably more pungent.
Bruce smiled. "Mature Dittany will increase the success rate of an Invigoration Draught. An immature stalk, on the other hand, will most likely cause the whole potion to fail. That," he said with a flourish, "is the charm of Herbology."
His words opened the very door Sean had been searching for. He nodded eagerly and immediately joined in the harvest.
The two of them moved through the plants like a pair of Nifflers searching for treasure, sniffing here and peering there. With each plant, Sean's skill at identifying the mature Dittany grew. Bruce, with his tall frame and dark skin, looked rather like a cheerful groundhog, while Sean, with his natural grace and agility, moved more like a cat stalking through the undergrowth.
"That should be enough," Bruce said eventually, holding up a sack full of Dittany and waving Sean over. "Time to process them."
Sean followed him to the edge of the greenhouse, where Bruce retrieved two small silver knives and a tool that looked like a slotted spoon from a pile of hoes and trowels.
"Cutting Dittany can be tricky," Bruce explained. "In general, we use a three-section method. Watch closely." As he spoke, he cut a stalk of Dittany into three distinct sections. He then began to process each section differently, chopping the end part much more finely than the rest, until he was practically mashing it with the slotted spoon.
"You do this because the essence of Dittany is distributed unevenly throughout the plant, so each part requires a different touch. Want to try?"
Sean nodded and took the tools.
[You have fully processed a Dittany plant to the Apprentice standard. Proficiency +1]
A smile touched Sean's lips, and he began to work with even greater fervour.
[You have fully processed a Dittany plant to the Apprentice standard. Proficiency +1]
[You have fully processed a Dittany plant to the Apprentice standard. Proficiency +1]
[You have fully processed a Dittany plant to the Apprentice standard. Proficiency +1]
The notifications from the Panel chimed in a steady rhythm in his mind, and his hands began to move so quickly they were almost a blur.
"He seems to be enjoying Herbology a little too much," Bruce muttered to himself, scratching his head with a bemused expression. "Sean! Sean, listen to me. It's time to move on to the dried nettles."
Bruce finally managed to halt Sean's great Dittany-dicing enterprise and led him, with a newfound respect for his enthusiasm, to a patch of nettles. "Dried nettles. They're a common plant, but once processed, they become a key ingredient in many potions. As for how to process them…"
Like a sponge, Sean soaked up every drop of knowledge.
[You have fully processed a nettle to the Apprentice standard. Proficiency +1]
[You have fully processed a nettle to the Apprentice standard. Proficiency +1]
Time flowed by like fine sand through his fingers.
"Gentlemen, listen up! You've done a wonderful job. Thank you for all your help for our new little sprouts."
Professor Sprout's voice finally broke through Sean's concentration. The last nettle, now dripping a pale blue liquid from a special infusion, was finished. He silently listened to the Professor's words as he opened his Panel.
[Herbology Knowledge: Locked (27/90)]
Note: 'Herbology Knowledge' proficiency is a composite skill that includes the identification, handling, and full processing of magical plants.
It was the first time Sean had seen a proficiency requirement as high as 90 points. It was like three Apprentice-level skills combined into one.
"Mr. Dickinson and Mr. Green, you've successfully removed the misleadingly mature herbs for our seedlings," Professor Sprout said, her smile as warm and bright as a hearth fire. "Mr. Howard, you've cleared away all the weeds. And Mr. Jefferson, oh, how can I praise you enough? Your sorting of the Dittany is both meticulous and perfectly accurate. Come along now, children. Come and get a hazelnut chocolate for your troubles."
Sean heard Bruce let out a little "Aha!" of delight before quickly clapping a hand over his mouth. Leon just shook his head, while Pister was still beaming, basking in the Professor's praise.
As they walked back along the narrow path, Sean could see that the greenhouse was now neat and orderly. Most of the harvesting had been completed by Bruce, with a smaller portion finished by Sean himself. The weeds were gone, and the Dittany pots were now arranged in perfect rows according to their growth stage.
When Sean reached the Professor, he had to force his eyes away from the delicious-looking hazelnut chocolate she was holding out.
"Professor Sprout," he asked, his voice hesitant and quiet. "Can I… Can I come and help at other times?"