Narcissa Malfoy [HARRY POTTER AFTERLIFE FANFICTION]

Chapter 6

Issa was headed along with the other Slytherins over to the Herbology farms. It was the greenhouse farthest to the left, near the edge of the hill dedicated to the Fifth years. It was also a greenhouse reserved for plants rated as XXX: Competent wizards should cope. 

The Slytherins shared their class with the Hufflepuffs, who were already settled inside. Professor Longbottom greeted them as they shuffled inside. The students struggled to move through the rows without getting their hair tangled in the roots that were hanging overhead to dry or getting their robes caught in the teeth of some hungry plants. 

"Hello class, come in quickly! Don't let the cold air get inside." Longbottom ushered them. Many of the seats nearest to him were already taken by the Hufflepuff girls, who loved visiting the young professor. 

"Okay, everyone take a seat. I want to tell you about what we will be handling today." He said while he slipped on his dragon skin gloves.  A few students groaned. A Slytherin besides her rubbed his cheek where some insects they had had to remove from a plant last class had bitten him. 

"This plant before you is called a Bullitus Plant. Right now they are classified XXX since they have been recently planted but when they are fully grown they can live up to be XXXX. So let me show you now what we will do, put on your dragon skin gloves, please." Issa inspected the plant as she and everyone else pulled their gloves through their fingers. The plant was a purple bulb, no stem but big leaves wrapped the pot like a birthday present. The tip of the Bullitus plant was tied with a piece of cord like an upside down balloon. 

"Once you remove the string from the bulb, it will release bubbles as a defense mechanism. Does anyone like bubbles?" Longbottom asked. A few students began to lift their arms, but the professor shook his head. "You will not like these bubbles, I assure you. The liquid they are made out of is poisonous and it will burn your skin. These bubbles also do not pop easily. They will stick to your skin, so be very careful." More students began to grown. A few stepped back away from the table. "I will show you what it looks like to be touched by them, just so you know how careful you should be." Longbottom pulled the sleeve of his robes up to his elbow and raised his forearm. A few students gasped as they stared at the white tennis ball-sized marks on his skin. There were two of them, one was inflated and seemed to be about to burst with some liquid, the other seemed to have burst already and a thin skin clung from where it used to be. 

"What we have to do today is capture some bubbles in these jars right here to preserve their liquid. Professor Slughorn has been asking me for weeks for a few bottles of this so I'm hoping we can get enough for him. According to the Professor,  the liquid is used as an ingredient for many different potions so I'm guessing today won't be the last day you get to deal with these plants.

"Now put on your protective goggles. I'll demonstrate to you the most effective method to capture these and then we'll all do it together!"

An hour later, the class was finished and only two students had to accompany Professor Longbottom to the infirmary. As everyone headed back to the castle for lunch, Issa searched for Heather. She hooked her arm around hers as they often did. 

"Oh Issa! Did you get burnt by any of the bubbles?" Heather asked her. She reclined her head on Issa's arm. The top of Heather's head only reached up to a few inches below Issa's shoulder. Issa had a long and slender body. She was tall for most of the girls, but not taller than the majority of the boys. Albus was probably only some inches above her though his tousled hair gave him a few extra inches more.

"No, thankfully. My bubbles seemed to target McKorney beside me." She chuckled. "Did you?"

"No, but a venus plant kept biting my ankles all class." She lifted a foot, her socks were painted with blood.