ENIGMATIC • 𝐓𝐎𝐌 𝐑𝐈𝐃𝐃𝐋𝐄

XXI. Howler

I stood in between Draco and Hermione as we waited for Professor sprout to show up.

"Morning, everyone." She says as basically nobody heard.

"Good morning everyone!" She repeats louder as we turn our heads towards her.

"Welcome to greenhouse three, second years! Now, gather round, everyone!" She exclaims as everyone steps closer to the table which had mandrake pots on it.

"Now, who here can tell me the properties  of the mandrake root?" She asks as she Carrys a pot over to the table infront of her.

"Yes, miss granger?" She says once hermiones hand shot up.

"Mandrake, or mandragora is used to return those who have been petrified to their original state. It's also quite dangerous. The mandrakes cry is fatal to anyone who hears it." Hermione explains as professor sprout nods happily.

"Excellent, ten points to Slytherin!" She exclaims as me and Hermione smile at each other as I give her a thumbs up.

"Now, as our mandrakes are still only seedlings, their cries won't kill you yet but they can knock you out for several hours, which is why I've given each of you a pair of earmuffs for auditory protection. So could you please put them on right away?"  She says as everyone puts their earmuffs on.

"Quickly! Flaps tight down! And watch me closely!" She says as Hermione makes sure mine and Draco earmuffs are our correctly as I grin at her and quietly tease her about being to much like a mother.

She pouts as she rolls her eyes before focusing back on Professor sprout.

"You grasp your mandrake firmly... and you sharply up out of the pot!" She exclaims as she pulls the mandrake out, causing most people to cover their ears, despite already having earmuffs on.

"Got it? And... now, you dunk it down into the other pot... and pour a little sprinkling of soil to keep him warm." She explains before suddenly longbottom passes out causing me to laugh at him.

"Ugh... longbottom been neglecting his earmuffs.." professor sprout says as Draco grins in amusement at the fainted boy.

"No ma'am, he's just fainted..." the random Gryffindor says as I glance back towards sprout.

"Yes, well, just leave him there." She says as she lazily gestures towards longbottoms passed out body as i laugh at the teachers comment.

"Right, on we go! Plenty of pots to go around! Grasp your mandrake! And pull it up!" sprout explains as every does so, the classroom filling with the horrific screams of the plants.

Malfoy grinned at the plant as he put his gloved finger near its mouth, it bites onto it as i nudge malfoy with a grin.

He rolls his eyes as Hermione chuckles quietly.

———

An owl comes barging into the dining hall as everyone stares at it.

Suddenly, it crashes into a bowl of food on the Gryffindor table as I giggle at the stupid bird, Nyx hisses happily in laughter.

"Bloody birds a menace..." Ron murmurs as suddenly all the attention is focused at him as I see him take a howler from the birds mouth.

"Oh, no..." Ron mutters as I grin at his fearful facial expressions.

"Look, everyone! Weasleys got himself a howler!" Someone from the gryffiindor table yells as some people start to laugh, mainly from the Slytherin table.

"Don't ignore it, I ignored one from my gran once... it was horrible." Neville mutters as I watch in amusement.

"Ronald Weasley!" Mrs Weasleys voice shouts as soon as he opens it, causing him to flinch back and drop the letter.

"How dare you steal that car! I am absolutely disgusted! Your fathers now facing an inquiry at work, and it's entirely your fault!" The howler shouts venomously as I cackle at the boys fearful expression.

"If you put another toe out of line, we'll bring you straight home!" He howler screeches as Ron nods fearfully.

"Oh, and, Ginny, dear, congratulations on making Gryffindor, your father and I are so proud." The voice says as a softer tone as Ginny looks away and blush's in embarrassment.

The howler sticks it tongue out at weasel boy before ripping itself to shreds.

Ron looks around fearfully as the Slytherin table was laughing at the boy.

"I knew the weasel boy was pathetic but not this pathetic!" I remark as Hermione shakes her head with a light smile as she ruffles my hair.

Nyx had fallen off my shoulders from laughing to much.