"Sean! Sean!"
A familiar voice made him stop mid-step.
In the corridor outside the greenhouse, the last streaks of sunset spilled through the Gothic stained glass, glinting off the handsome features of the wizard standing beneath it.
"Senior Bruce."
Sean nodded in greeting, already turning to head toward the greenhouse again.
"You're going to look for Professor Sprout, aren't you?
I'd turn back if I were you.
She's headed to Greenhouse Three, and first-years are strictly forbidden to enter that area."
Bruce spoke lightly, as if simply mentioning a weather change, then waited for Sean's response, arms loosely folded with a book tucked under one elbow.
"…Thanks for telling me."
Sean halted, uncertainty dimming the brightness in his eyes.
If Professor Sprout wasn't there, then with his current Herbology skills he wouldn't even correctly identify most ingredients—much less handle them.
And he had no idea what tasks to attempt without her guidance.
"You really are obsessed with magical plants…"
Seeing the excitement drain from Sean's expression, Bruce suddenly felt like he'd just committed some unforgivable sin.
He closed his book with a sigh.
"Don't worry too much. She won't stay in Greenhouse Three for long.
You should be able to find her in Greenhouse One after class tomorrow."
The moment he said it, Sean's eyes lit up again.
"Thank you."
"Don't mention it. Oh, here—this is for you."
Before Sean could react, something small flashed through the air and landed in his palm—a square of pale cream-colored cheese.
"Dragon-milk cheese.
They've revised the recipe in the newest edition of 'Enchant Your Cheese',
but I still say the original tastes better. A lot of us do."
Bruce grinned broadly as he spoke.
"Snack swapping is a Hufflepuff tradition. And who cares if you're Ravenclaw?"
Before Sean could reply, Bruce spun on his heel and strode off.
Sean heard voices drifting from the end of the corridor:
"I think the new version tastes better."
"Agreed."
"Pistè, Leon—you heretics!
Don't ruin my cool exit right after I looked impressive!"
"He really thinks he looked impressive…"
"Actually, Leon… this time he sort of did."
"All right, Pistè, you win.
Well done. Very Hufflepuff.
Bruce, you're a legend."
…
Original vs. revised recipes?
Sean guessed it was probably like the endless argument between sweet tofu and salty tofu from his past life.
Fortunately, he liked spicy food—so he remained neutral.
Checking the time, Sean decided to complete something he'd been meaning to do for days:
Visit the Hogwarts Library.
Thousands upon thousands of books—and free.
That alone was enough to make someone who bled Galleons buying books salivate.
And he could finish homework there, too.
Good assignments had to count toward Dumbledore's evaluation criteria for scholarship candidates.
Hogwarts Library — Second Floor
The library stretched vast and silent, with towering shelves arranged like a forest.
Rows of books reached so high that in some places one needed a moving ladder—creaking, swaying—to reach the upper levels.
Crystal-lit study tables dotted the central area, where students hunched over parchment, ink quills scratching like beetles on wood.
There were three sections:
The General Collection, where he stood now—endless bookshelves disappearing into shadow.
The Restricted Section, hidden somewhere deep within,
the very place where Voldemort once found Secrets of the Darkest Arts and turned himself into a lunatic without a brain.
And where the golden trio brewed Polyjuice Potion.
A treasure vault for lunatics.
And The Invisibility Section, filled with works on concealment charms and vanishing magic—if one could even figure out how to find it.
Sean adjusted his satchel, ready to choose a seat—when he spotted Justin mouthing words at him silently across the room:
"Sean! Over here!"
Sean quickly crossed to where Justin and Hermione sat.
"Where did you disappear to? You vanish after every meal."
Hermione's tone was sharp, though clearly fueled more by concern than anger.
"Greenhouse."
Sean answered plainly.
"Oh—well… I mean—right. So… do you know how to tell when Dittany is mature?"
She awkwardly tried to soften her voice, then blurted the question without thinking.
"Dittany has a faint goat-milk smell.
When it matures, the scent becomes stronger."
Sean repeated what Bruce had taught him, feeling something like the gentle passing of a torch.
"You know it?!"
Hermione clapped both hands over her mouth, stunned.
"That's what you learned in the greenhouse?"
Sean nodded.
"I knew it!"
Justin puffed up with pride as if he'd been the one who discovered the secret.
Hermione flushed slightly.
"But I memorized the entire first-year textbook, and it wasn't in there at all."
Sean agreed immediately.
"I memorized it too. It definitely isn't."
"You memorized it too?!"
Hermione squeaked, peeking around the top of her books to check whether Madam Pince had overheard.
Seeing the librarian chewing out another student, she exhaled.
"Then how—?"
"Senior Hufflepuff told me when I was helping Professor Sprout process herbs."
Sean pulled out A History of Magic and a sheet of parchment, preparing to start his assignment.
Hermione and Justin exchanged looks.
Oh.
If only Professor Binns hadn't confused inches with feet when assigning homework, the essay wouldn't have been so monstrous—
but he had, so they were stuck writing a full three-foot scroll.
As Sean headed for the stacks, he heard Michael howling across the room:
"THREE FEET?! Even if I space every line I'll never finish!"
The entire library stared at him pitifully.
Madam Pince stormed toward him as her heels struck the stone like hammer blows.
Sean quietly raised a book to shield his face and offered a silent moment of sympathy.
Time to work.
He plucked thick, expensive volumes from the shelves at random:
Modern Magical History — 3 Galleons
Major Magical Events of the 20th Century — 4 Galleons
Directory of Notable Magical Figures — 5 Galleons
Expensive books weren't always the best.
But they were definitely expensive.
Once, he could never have afforded them.
Now?
Here, they were free.
Advance Chapters available on Patreon