Chapter 36: Herbal Class

Professor Sprout is a kind-looking witch with a patched hat on her fluttering hair. She is always covered in dirt, but she is actually a herbal medicine teacher at Hogwarts.

Today, her class is with the Ravenclaw and Slytherin students, and they are going to the third greenhouse, which is more interesting and dangerous than the first one.

Most of the students are excited to learn, but Crabbe and Gore, two Slytherin students, are sleepy and sluggish.

Malfoy and Pansy, along with other Ravenclaw and Slytherin students, are waiting for Professor Sprout at the door of the greenhouse.

When she arrives, she is late and has bandages on her arms. She explains that she had to solve some problems with the beating Liu plant.

She unlocks the door and a smell of damp mud and fertilizer mixed with a rich floral fragrance fills their noses.

The greenhouse is filled with giant flowers hanging from the ceiling.

The students look around curiously, but Malfoy warns Pansy not to touch a particular plant with a charming and charming flower.

When Pansy tries to touch it, Malfoy pulls out a book and shows her a picture of a person's withered hands covered in black spots, as if rotting.

Pansy is disgusted by the picture and quickly moves away from the potted flower.

"Ok, let's start by putting on gloves," said Malfoy as he picked a suitable pair from the table.

Pansy also quickly grabbed a pair, not wanting to accidentally get her hands dirty.

Professor Sprout stood behind a bench in the middle of the greenhouse.

She clapped her hands to get everyone's attention and said, "Today, we are going to repot Mandela grass. Now, who can tell me what the characteristics of Mandela grass are?"

Several Ravenclaw students immediately raised their hands, and Professor Sprout called on a thin, tall boy.

He seemed a bit nervous as he stammered, "Mandela grass is a powerful healing agent that can restore deformed people to their original shape."

"Very good, very good, ten points for Ravenclaw," Professor Sprout said. "Mandela grass is an important part of many antidotes. But it's also dangerous. Can anyone tell me why?"

"If we hear their screams, we'll be killed instantly," Malfoy said lightly.

"The answer is correct," Professor Sprout said. "I hope you'll raise your hand and speak up next time, Draco. Slytherin ten points," She then pointed to a row of deep pots and continued, "As you can see, our Mandela grass is still very young. Their screams are not yet deadly, but they can still make people faint for a few hours. Now let's each take a pair of earmuffs."

Twenty pairs of earmuffs in different colors were placed on the stool. The students scrambled to grab a pair, with some reluctant to wear the pink earmuffs.

"Well, I have to say, those are actually quite suitable for you," Malfoy tried to restrain his laughter as Pansy reluctantly put on the pink, fluffy earmuffs because she was slower to grab a pair.

"I'll trade with you," Pansy said, annoyed and embarrassed at being ridiculed by Malfoy. She impulsively reached out to take off Malfoy's earmuffs.

"Stop," Malfoy gently opened her hand and pointed to the professor.

An ugly baby with grass on its head had been caught. Its skin was light green with spots, and the little guy was clearly yelling in its throat.

Malfoy shrugged, indicating that there was nothing he could do. Learning had already begun, and if Pansy wanted to faint for a few hours, she could try changing earmuffs.

Pansy could only take out her frustration on the Mandela grass baby. She held it tightly, using all her strength. Malfoy was sure that the expression on the Mandela grad baby in Pansy's hand was the most pained in the class.

After a while, everyone had basically completed the task of repotting the Mandela grass. Some students were sweating profusely, as if they had just fought a dark wizard. Others seemed at ease, as if they were doing a trivial task.

Suddenly, the students felt the table in front of them shaking. They looked at the teacher and realized they could remove their earplugs.

"Very good, everyone did very well," Professor Sprout said with appreciation, clearly satisfied with the students' performance.

"Professor, I have a question," Malfoy raised his hand and thought to himself, "time to start some popular science."

"Speak, boy."

"Can you tell us some specific symptoms that can be treated with Mandrake?" Malfoy said, trying to get as much attention from the other students as possible.

"That's a very good question," Professor Sprout praised him first, then continued, "people who have been hit by the Petrificus Totalus spell can use it. That's one example."

"Professor, did Neville from Gryffindor use Mandela grass last semester as well? I remember he also got hit with the Petrificus Totalus spell last semester," a brown-haired Ravenclaw girl asked.

"Yes, it is," Professor Sprout's smile became more sympathetic.

"Children, spells cast by different people are not the same. Hermione didn't mean any harm at the time, and she's still a student. If the Petrificus Totalus spell was cast by someone else..."

As she spoke, Professor Sprout's smile faded and she adopted a serious expression. "I'm sorry, I seem to have said too much. Let's move on."

She stopped immediately, noticing the tense atmosphere and the expressions of fear on the students' faces.

Malfoy broke the awkward silence and continued, "Professor, what about Medusa? Legend has it that if you look directly at her, your eyes will be petrified. Is that true? Can Mandela grass fix it?"

"Oh boy, that's just a legendary creature, don't worry," Professor Sprout paused for a moment, as if thinking of something, then continued, "but there are indeed creatures with eyes similar to those rumored to belong to Medusa."

"What is it, Professor?" Malfoy asked.

"The Basilisk."

"Basilisk? What is that?" A group of students began to whisper among themselves.

"Well..." Professor Sprout paused, seeming to search her memory, then continued, "you can actually ask your Professor of the Protection of Magical Creatures, Professor Kettleburn. He should know more about it than I do. But since some of you asked, I'll answer. Basilisk is a large green snake, up to 50 feet in length. Male snakes have a bright red feather on their head and their long teeth are extremely toxic. But its most dangerous attack is using its big yellow eyes to stare at its target. If anyone's gaze meets its gaze, they'll be killed instantly. If the gaze is indirectly lifted, the only hope is Mandela grass."

The students were in an uproar.

Realizing that she had said something alarming, Professor Sprout went on to say, "Don't worry, there hasn't been a recorded sighting of a basilisk in Britain for at least 400 years." Many students let out a sigh of relief.

"Does it have natural enemies?"

"Of course, every creature has natural enemies. The roar of a rooster is deadly to the basilisk. It seems that it was originally hatched from a hen's egg," Professor Sprout said.

Almost all of the classmates were talking while walking out of the greenhouse.

Although many of them were covered in mud and had sore backs from working, they didn't care.

The snake monsters discussed in class today had excited them. Horror stories are always more interesting when they're far removed from reality.

"Classmates, what are you all talking about, Basilisk?" Lockhart appeared behind them, leaning on a pillar. He was wearing a lavender robe today and was flashing his bright teeth in a smile.

He blinked and continued, "That's a really big guy. I remember when I first went..." Lockhart began to show off his "experience" like a performer, and a group of students quickly gathered around, curious to hear how Lockhart defeated the Basilisk.

They wondered if there was any magic besides the mandela grass that could defeat it.

"Pansy, won't you listen to his story?" Malfoy asked.

"I think your story about the White Lady is more interesting," Pansy pouted and dismissed Lockhart.

Malfoy immediately twitched at the comment.

After about a quarter of an hour, Lockhart said, "In this way, the village returned to peace. They wanted to repay me, but I refused. As a third-level medalist of the Merlin Jazz and an honorary member of the Anti-Black Magic League, this is what I should do. I shouldn't accept any compensation. Of course, a kiss from grateful girls is not included," he stopped for a moment, then blinked his charming eyes.

As soon as the words left his mouth, the students immediately burst into warm applause, screaming and staring at him like fans.

"Where did this plagiarist come from?" Malfoy could only roll his eyes in contempt at someone's shameless behavior.