There were so many plants on the right side of the greenhouse.
That was Sean's first thought.
And they were dense, towering and overflowing with lush growth.
That was the second.
So he stayed close behind the round, sturdy Professor Sprout—
just in case one careless step allowed the jungle of greenery to swallow her whole.
Professor Sprout walked briskly between two rows of planting racks,
tapping leaves here and there with her fingers, sniffing blossoms, humming to herself.
"This is the Bubble Pod section. Once we pass through here, we'll reach the place where you can really show your talent."
Her voice was energetic and warm—not noisy, but comforting, the kind that put someone at ease instantly.
Bubble Pods?
Sean looked up at the vines of varying thickness, and saw clusters of plump, pink pods.
Inside them were glittering, pearl-like beans.
He remembered reading about these magical plants:
once the beans touched any solid surface, they would immediately burst into bloom.
"These Bubble Pods will be ripe soon. When they are, these racks will be covered in bouncing bulb tubers."
Sprout explained cheerfully, and Sean's green eyes lit up like polished emerald.
Perhaps it was just the brightness of the greenhouse,
or perhaps the sight of a child absorbing knowledge so earnestly simply warmed the heart—
but Sprout's steps became noticeably lighter.
Wonderful… A new seedling always means new hope.
There was nothing she loved seeing more.
"Come here, child. Let's work on these daisies."
She stopped at a wide, solid wooden table—its surface stained dark with sap and soil.
Sean hurried forward just as she pulled several pots of daisies from beneath the workbench.
If one had to describe what made them different from ordinary decorative flowers, it was obvious:
Their stems were thicker, their roots stronger—
and in Diagon Alley, twenty stalks cost one whole Galleon.
Outrageously expensive.
"No drifting off! Watch carefully—yellow daisies must be cut precisely three inches below the petals…"
Professor Sprout sliced cleanly, and milky sap flowed from the stem,
collected skillfully in the glass bottle she held ready.
"This is the only time of year we can harvest this sap.
Cut too deep, and you'll damage the plant.
Too shallow, and the sap won't meet the standard needed for Shrinking Solution."
She spoke gently but thoroughly, then waved her wand—
a small knife and glass bottle landed neatly before Sean.
"Your turn, Mr. Green."
Sean nodded and lifted the tools.
"Wrong angle, Mr. Green. Tip it a little farther…"
"Too light! Be braver, child—use your strength…"
"Oh, no—stop! Wrong spot!"
Time slipped away in a blur of failed attempts.
By the fifteenth mistake, Sean was frowning, lost in thought.
Then, beside him, came a voice soft and steady:
"Discovering you lack talent, yet still choosing to pick up the spade—
that is where Herbology begins."
Sean looked up.
Professor Sprout's face was gentle as sunlight.
Deep and warm.
And so—
As the long shadows in the greenhouse gradually shifted,
Sean finally grasped the delicate balance required for daisies.
Force, angle, placement—each was critical.
If any one was even slightly off, the panel would not update.
Then—
[You processed a daisy to apprentice standard. Proficiency +1]
The notification was like music.
Once he succeeded once, his momentum exploded.
[You processed a daisy to apprentice standard. Proficiency +1]
[You processed a daisy to novice standard. Proficiency +3]
…
The sun slanted through the glass ceiling, and thirty pots of daisies were neatly stacked in rows.
Sean wiped sweat from his brow.
His eyes shone as brightly as Professor Sprout's.
"Excellent work, Mr. Green."
Sprout clapped lightly.
Few things delighted her more than watching a young seedling grow strong.
"Off you go—dinnertime has begun. Ah, and take this."
She tucked a piece of candied jackfruit into his hands.
At that moment, the deep gong of the bell echoed—dinner was starting.
At Hogwarts, meal times were fixed.
Miss them, and you went hungry.
Some students would ask friends to bring food—but Sean clearly wasn't one of them.
To go hungry at Hogwarts?
Impossible. Too terrifying to imagine.
He bowed quickly and hurried toward the Great Hall—
if his body were stronger, he'd have run.
"Next time, we'll be handling something special."
She called after him.
Sean glanced back and noticed a pile of fang-shaped objects on the dark table.
Venomous snake fangs, he guessed.
One of the key ingredients for the Boil-Cure Potion.
Exactly what he needed.
After dinner, amid steaming Hungarian goulash and pumpkin juice,
Justin was being scolded by Hermione—
because he hadn't realized he also had Herbology that afternoon, with Gryffindor.
When Hermione saw him in Greenhouse One, she had practically exploded.
"DID YOU DO THAT ON PURPOSE?!"
"I SAID I WAS SORRY—"
Sean, still fighting his bowl of stew, did not see Justin's desperate pleading for rescue.
Afterward, he checked his progress:
[Herbology Insight: 59/90 (Apprentice level unlocks Herbology Domain: Apprentice Title)]
Thirty-three points earned from daisies.
The title was within reach.
With the remaining time, he might unlock it tonight.
And the pile of fangs… unquestionably venomous snake fangs.
Perfect.
As soon as he finished eating, Sean slipped away from the table—
so quickly Justin and Hermione blinked in confusion.
"Sean!
Ah—he's gone.
I wanted to ask him to come to the library.
Maybe he could help with the assignment about identifying mature dittany.
Honestly, I have no idea how we're supposed to write this essay."
Justin slumped forward, defeated.
Magic was proving far harder than he expected.
And as Hufflepuffs, who didn't want to make Professor Sprout proud?
Hermione sighed.
"We'll figure it out.
Hogwarts Library holds tens of thousands of books—
one of them has to have the answer."
Advance Chapters available on Patreon