ch 77 Greenhouse

March 8, 1992, Sunday , 12:11 pm Great Hall

"Haaa..." I let out a sigh as I absent-mindedly swirl my soup.

Seeing me, Adeline asked, "Marshall, you've been so troubled lately. Do you want to vent out? We're willing to listen.."

With a weak smile, I just said, "Ugh... Remember that family friend who sent me the letter… the one sent by a silver wing falcon?… Because he has no descendant, he decided to name me his sole heir…"

Silence ~

Megan has an annoyed face, "I thought it's a big problem? So your issue is that you're going to be richer?!"

With another sigh, I answered, "Yes..."

Silence ~

Everyone left the topic alone as they might get more annoyed with my 'rich people problem'. The only one still thinking about what I said was Susan, who kept mulling over who is that famous 'uncle'.

Being busy with school and making the greenhouse gave me a much-needed distraction until today that it dawned on me that tomorrow is the announcement.

I'm cursing 'Past Marshall' for agreeing to the idea back then. I just hope 'Future Marshall' will make better decisions.

Ernie nudged me and asked, "Marshall, when will that greenhouse of yours be done? I've taken a peek yesterday and it looks just about finished."

"Oh? The structure itself was finished last Thursday, and I've been engraving runes for the last two days all over it for protection, air circulation, lighting, and plumbing. The last thing I just need to do is… build the interior." I began detailing my progress and threw my worries away.

Wayne noticed something, "Why the pause? What will you do to the interior?"

Taking a deep breath and scratching the back of my head, I mumbled, "ex..ing the s..ace ..ns..de."

Adeline frowned, "What did you say? Say it properly!"

While looking down at my food, I softly said,"Expanding the space inside…"

""""WHAT?!!""""

I quickly motioned for them to quiet down, "Pipe it down, guys. I'm being discreet about it."

Looking over the faculty table, I am relieved to not find Dumbledore there.

Silence ~

My friends looked at each other, and Hannah softly requested, "Can we watch?"

Naomi became giddy, "Please.. Please.. Please???"

"Uhm... You can't see the exact process, but you can wait outside until I'm finished? I'll be quick." I said after some considerations.

They already know that I'm being considerate as it involves secret techniques, so they agreed with pleasure.

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12:58 pm, Hogwarts Castle 4th floor

-Hermione's POV-

"Well, Fluffy is still in that room. Everything is alright." Ron said.

After putting the invisibility cloak away in his pouch, Harry just nodded as the two met with me in the unused classroom I've been waiting in.

For the last two weeks, we frequently visited the 3rd floor to check if the three-headed dog is still there and guarding the floor door.

Harry can't shake off his suspicion about Snape which was reinforced by the Professor's constant bullying. Added the fact that he found out that Snape has a grudge with Harry's father, which further vindicate Snape, who already giving off a villainous vibe.

The three of us proceeded to go down to the Great Hall to catch some lunch.

While walking, I said, "Now, can we stop? The homework had been piling up and exams are nearly upon us.

Ron frowned, "Exam? It's only March."

Rubbing my forehead, I said, "If you won't study now, when will you get ready for it?"

"I'm ready anytime. Ask me any question." boasted Ron with a smug face.

"Really?" I crossed my arms and asked the idiot, "What are the three most crucial ingredients in a forgetfulness potion ?"

Weasley slightly looked up, and tried to think but gave up immediately, "Eh… I forgot."

Rolling my eyes, I asked, "And what, may I ask, do you plan to do if this comes up in the final exams ?"

Immediately he answered, "Copy from you?"

"Haa... No, you won't." I shake my head and ask myself, 'Is it too late to be a loner again?'

Harry commented, "Isn't it too early to worry about the exam. Marshall doesn't seem to care about it. He's been doing other things around the castle and not studying. We rarely see him in the library these days."

I glared at Harry, "Witcherly had been top of the class, and never had trouble doing his homework, unlike you two. Other than him always sleeping during Professor Binns' class, he is a model student. I even heard that he often jokes around with Snape during potions…"

"... If not for you insisting that we don't tell Marshall about Fluffy and the stone, he might have already helped us talk to the other teachers ,or even to Dumbledore… Huff..huff.."

Not sure what came over me, maybe it's frustration over the two idiots, or the pressure I've been feeling competing with Marshall. But I know there is a better way of dealing with everything apart from three first years trying to solve it by themselves.

Ron meekly said to Harry, "Harry, she's not wrong. If you tell Marshall, he'll intervene immediately and go to Dumbledore."

"Me?... Why don't you try telling Marshall?" Harry replied.

"But you were the only one who wanted to catch Snape?" deflected Ron.

Harry pointed, "But all three of us discovered Fluffy together with Neville."

I'm getting a headache listening to the two idiots.

Good thing we're almost near the Great Hall, so they will probably take a time out with their argument.

As we moved forward, the group of Hufflepuff appeared from the corner, led by Marshall.

Witcherly waved at us, "Hey you three! You're just going to have lunch, now?"

Harry and Ron froze on the spot and kept elbowing each other.

"You tell him."

"You tell him."

"No, you tell him."

....

Seeing the two idiots making a scene, I sighed and replied to Marshall, "Don't mind them. They'll tell you when they're ready. It's not important. You guys seem busy with something, we won't take any more of your time. "

I grabbed the sleeves of the two idiots and pulled them toward the Great Hall.

The Hufflepuffs were puzzled by our action, but they proceeded to where they were going.

Marshall wants to ask but seeing his group, hesitate and lead his group somewhere.

When we entered the Great hall, I let go of the two's sleeves.

Ron asked me, "Why didn't you say something to Marshall. You're the one who kept saying we should tell him?"

I turned around and looked at the two, "First of all, I agree to tell him but not the other student which might cause a mass hysteria. Second, I'm not that close with him as you two, idiots. If someone is going to tell him, it should be you two."

Harry and Ron looked at each other and began another round of nudging each other,

"You tell him. You know him longer."said Harry.

Ron argued, "Yeah, but you spent a month on his house.."

"Grrr... idiots." I just left then and walked to our table for lunch.

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1:05 pm, Hogwarts Former vegetable patch

As the new greenhouse came into our view, my friends had different reactions.

The greenhouse has an area of 100 square meters (10 m × 10 m). With 3 meter tall walls and an additional 1-meter rooftop.

All the exposed wood parts are full of shimmering golden runes, I, personally, engraved using a special ink made from mixing The Giant Squid's ink, Troll's blood, Acromantula venom, powdered pearls, gold, silver, and a few drops of my Spring Water.

The glass panels that I made with alchemy have runes that let air pass through from one side and exit the other. By arranging the panels, half of them sucks in air while the others expels it, ensuring air circulation.

Surrounding the greenhouse is a stone fence, 2.5 ft in height. Though newly built, each stone fit perfectly atop each other, making an impression that it's a remnant ruin from a long time ago.

"Wow!" Wayne exclaimed and pointed at the greenhouse, "... and you made all that?"

Shrugging my shoulder, I confirmed, "Yeah, I utilized alchemy for each part."

Susan reacted, "Alchemy? How advance is your mastery?"

I thought for a bit, "Just so-so. If you limit your knowledge to just the magical aspect, anyone will be stumped by some processes. But, if you apply muggle science, even elementary chemistry, and add a bit of creativity… you can achieve many things."

Ernie asked, "Like turning metal in to gold?"

"Ugh… unfortunately no. Though I have seen it, it requires a special conduit. Something I don't have." I brushed the question.

Sounding regretful, Justin said, "Too bad. You could make a killing producing gold from basically scrap metals."

At this point, we already came in the new building, as they expressed earlier that they wanted to see the inside before I expanded the space.

I gave them a few minutes to look around, before insisting that they wait outside.

At the door, I yelled out, "Wigby!"

Woosh~

Wigby appeared and greeted me. I then said, "Wigby, guard outside. Until I open the doors again, make sure no one comes in."

With a snap of his fingers, Wigby called seven more elves and they formed an encirclement.

After they were in position, I closed the entrance and walked to the center of the greenhouse and distorted the space inside so that no one can see what I'm doing through the glass exterior.

With my soul mapping ability, I already know that besides Susan's group, some faculties are watching from the castle. Dumbledore is no exception.

"Avatar Long, come out…" I said, and a cloud of smoke appeared around me. The familiar scent of incense came along with it and my four contracted beast came out.

"Neighh!" "Baaa!" ..."Kuakkk!" "Gruuu!"

Grace and Gavel ran to my side, Reza and Avatar Long (in his 3 ft Mushu form) flew out and hovered above me.

Jolly came out holding a magic pouch wearing his carpenter work clothes, followed by Naji, Tania, Bunta and Uno.

"Hooo!" 🔔"Ting!"🔔 "Croaak!" "Neighh!"

"Young Master! Young master! Jolly is here for work!" My elf can't hide his enthusiasm.

"Ok..ok... I only called Long out, why did everyone come out?"I scratched my head and just let them be, "This will be our first big project. And it will be a nice practice before we create our own 'shadow realm'."

Shadow realms are dimensions created and sustained by magical means, normally the hiding places of the fallen gods and other immortals.

Nana, Nick, and Penny sometimes tell me stories about their adventures, and through them, I learned about the shadow realm. So I came up with the idea of making my own.

But the energy consumption needed to maintain them stable is immense, depending on the size. That's why most were normally built on ley line and leygates, or anchored by powerful artifacts that act as a generator.

Unlike the fallen gods and immortal, Avatar Long's space manipulation doesn't require tapping in the ley line that Hogwarts was built upon. It just needs a sturdy enclosed, permanent space.

But if I want to include a sun, moon, or weather or a cycle of night and day or other things necessary for let's say… magical creatures, then I require an immense power source.

With my own shadow realm, I can house those magical creatures. But that's just a plan I have in the future, and this greenhouse is a trial run.

With the greenhouse, I want to observe the details on containing lifeforms in an expanded space, and learn what to take in consideration when creating a harmonious ecosystem for when I create my own realm.

Unlike in my mindscape, where I'm practically a god, I don't have complete control over the faunas and floras that I will be putting in a shadow realm, even if I created it.

Though I don't intend to bring back extinct magical creatures for now, I do plan to in the future. I just don't want to put them inside my mindscape.

Not waiting for any further, I scratched Avatar Long's chin, "Long, expand the space. A hectare will do, and raise the ceiling to 25 meters."

"Gruuu!!!" Long flew around and the space ripples and the glass walls move further from our view.

While waiting for Long to finish expanding the space, me, Jolly and my other pets brainstorm on what can we improve or add to the place.

~end chapter ~