The children who lived, Fought, and Loved

Chapter Twenty-one

Mandrakes; Ron's Howler

(not edited)

"I still can't believe my child is having a better school year than I was."

Lily rubs her forehead, "you should be worried not upset about who had a better school year."

[The next day, the second-year Gryffindor and Hufflepuff students are in the Herbology greenhouses as Professor Sprout enters.]

"Morning, everyone." She taps the stand to get everyone's attention as she repeats herself, "Good morning, everyone."

Students: Good morning, Professor Sprout.

"Welcome to Greenhouse Three, Second Years. Today, we are going to repot Mandrakes. Who here can tell me the properties of the Mandrake root?"

Hermione raises her hand. "Yes, Miss Granger."

"Mandrake, or Mandragora, is used to return those who have been Petrified to their original state. It's also quite dangerous. The Mandrake's cry is fatal to anyone who hears it." Answered Hermione

"Excellent! Ten points to Gryffindor! Now, as our Mandrakes are still only seedlings their cries won't kill you yet. But they could knock you out for several hours, which is why I have given each of you a pair of earmuffs for auditory protection."

There was a scram­ble as ev­ery­one tried to seize a pair that wasn't pink and fluffy.

"So, could you please put them on, right away? Quickly! Flaps tight down, and watch me closely. You grasp your Mandrake firmly, you pull it sharply up out of the pot..."

All: Aah! Ooh!

"Got it? And... now you dunk it down into the other pot and pour a little sprinkling of soil to keep him warm."

Harry snapped the ear­muffs over his ears. They shut out sound com­plete­ly. Pro­fes­sor Sprout put the pink, fluffy pair over her own ears, rolled up the sleeves of her robes, grasped one of the tufty plants firm­ly, and pulled hard.

In­stead of roots, a small, mud­dy, and ex­treme­ly ug­ly ba­by popped out of the earth. The leaves were grow­ing right out of his head. He had pale green, mot­tled skin, and was clear­ly bawl­ing at the top of his lungs.

There was a thud, Neville had fallen to the ground.

Alice and franks eyes widened.

Professor Spourt sighs, "Uh, Longbottom's been neglecting his earmuffs."

Seamus finningon, shakes his head as he looks down at Neville, "No, ma'am, he's just fainted."

[the camera zooms in where Hermione, Ron, and Harry are in the great hall for lunch.]

"Say it, I'm doomed," Ron says as they sit down looking pale.

"You're doomed," Primrose says as she sneaks up behind him.

There was a sudden flash, making them jump, looking up, in front of them was a small, mousy-haired boy. He was clutch­ing what looked like an or­di­nary Mug­gle cam­era, and the mo­ment Primrose and Harry looked at him, he went bright red.
        
"Awe, look my kids have admirers,"

"Hi, Harry and Primrose!" He took another photo  "I'm Colin Creevy! I'm in Gryffindor, too!" he said breath­less­ly, tak­ing a ten­ta­tive step for­ward.