The Bug Collector | marauders

Tu Me Manques

Rose woke to a gentle tap on the top of her head, followed by a quiet "We're here, love."

Save for the lack of the Marauders, the return to Hogwarts went as it always had. After the welcoming feast there was not much to do expect for unpack. For Rose, however, checking up on her greenhouse was the first priority. She'd planned to ask Regulus to come along, but the lad was nowhere to be seen.

She opened the greenhouse door, allowing her leather trunk to hit the floor with a thud before lighting the nearest candle. Now, with a bit more light, she began tending to the plants.

"You're drooping again, Miss." She said to a pathetic looking magical herb before sprinkling some water onto it.

"I'll set you out in the sun in the morning." She promised the little plant as she moved on to the next.

She enjoyed to talk as she worked, made the whole ordeal more personal. Work in the greenhouses could go on for quite a while so it helped to keep yourself happy while you did it.

As she made her way around the greenhouse, she heard a soft humming, along with the sound of shoes against the floor as someone entered from the back door.

"Hello, Professor." Rose greeted as Professor Sprout joined her. Sprout had a lit stick of incense held in her hand. A thin stream of smoke followed behind her.

"Hello, dear." The woman replied in a smooth, sweet voice. Professor Sprout was a short and plump woman, with cheeks that seemed to always hold a gentle blush. She wore a dirt dusted apron and small green mary-janes that tapped lightly when she walked. Her hair was once a deep brown with grey beginning to peep out of her roots. Now, it was mostly grey.

"How was your break, Ms. Evans?" Asked the professor after taking her spot across the greenhouse.

"It was...relatively eventful." Rose replied as she tended to the lilies.

"But, I uh...I do have a question. Have you given my proposition any further thought? For next Summer? I know I could always get a muggle job, but I think I can be useful here, plus I'll be learning from you, you'll want to retire someday and I'll—"

Rose had written to her over the break, checking on a few troublesome plants and inquiring into the possibility to continue her help in the greenhouses as a permanent assistant. She'd not gotten an answer back.

"Are you insinuating I am growing to retiring age, Ms. Evans?" Sprout jested, Rose shook her head wildly.

"No! Not at all. Not for a long while. Just, for when you do, I'd love to do what you do, and I've got to think about that stuff now, the future and all." She tried to correct herself, the grey-haired woman chuckled.

"To answer you, I have in fact considered your proposal to be my assistant after your graduation. My answer will depend on how the war effort improves...or declines. I trust your ability. It's just that these are uncertain times." She explained, glancing down at Rose's luggage on the floor.

"Have you not been to your dormitory yet?" Sprout asked, Rose looked embarrassed for a moment.

"No, Professor..." she admitted, though she wished she could have made that trunk disappear.

The Professor shook her head.

"Such a hard worker, should have been a Hufflepuff." She said before taking a step closer to Rose.

"Go unpack. The herbs will be here when you return tomorrow." The older woman requested.

"Yes, Professor." Rose agreed before releasing the leaf she held between her fingers.