The right side of the greenhouse was bursting with plants.
That was Sheen's first thought.
They were dense and thriving.
That was his second.
So, he stuck close behind the stout professor, half-worried she'd vanish into the lush greenery if he didn't keep up.
Professor Sprout, shovel in hand, led Sheen briskly between two rows of plant racks, occasionally pinching a leaf or sniffing a petal.
"This is the Puffapod section. Once we get past here, we'll reach the spot where you can really shine," she said. Her voice was loud but not jarring—comforting, even.
Puffapods?
Sheen peered at the vines, some thick, some thin, adorned with plump, pink pods filled with shiny beans. He'd read about these magical plants in his textbook. Apparently, the beans would burst into bloom the moment they touched a solid surface.
"These Puffapods will be ripe soon. When they are, these racks will be covered with Bouncing Bulbs," Professor Sprout explained with enthusiasm.
Sheen's green eyes sparkled, maybe from the bright greenhouse light or perhaps because his eager curiosity was just so endearing. Professor Sprout's steps grew even lighter.
New sprouts always bring new hope, she thought. It was her favorite part of teaching.
"Come here, dear. Let's tend to these daisies," she said, stopping at a wide, sturdy wooden table, its surface darkened by years of plant sap and soil.
Sheen hurried over as Professor Sprout pulled out several pots of daisies from under the table. These weren't your average ornamental flowers—their stems were thicker, sturdier. And if you bought them in Diagon Alley, twenty stems would set you back a whole Galleon.
Pricey stuff.
"Don't get distracted now. Watch closely. For yellow daisies, you cut three inches below the petals…" Professor Sprout deftly sliced a stem, collecting the milky sap that oozed out into a glass vial. "You can only harvest daisy sap this time of year. Cut too deep, and you'll harm the plant's future growth. Too shallow, and the sap won't be potent enough for Shrinking Solution."
She explained carefully, then waved her wand. A small knife and a glass vial landed on the table in front of Sheen. "Give it a try, Mr. Greene."
Sheen nodded and picked up the tools.
"Wrong angle, Mr. Greene. Tilt it a bit more…"
"Too light, Mr. Greene. Be bolder…"
"Oh, Mr. Greene, don't cut! Wrong spot…"
Time slipped away with Sheen's mistakes.
He quickly realized Herbology wasn't his natural talent either.
After his fifteenth failed attempt, he frowned, deep in thought, when a gentle voice broke through.
"Realizing you lack a knack for something but still picking up the trowel—that's where Herbology begins."
Sheen looked up. Professor Sprout's face was as warm and wise as the sun.
And so, as her shadow stretched long across the greenhouse, Sheen gradually got the hang of it. Force, angle, position—everything had to be just right, or his skill panel wouldn't budge.
[You've successfully processed a daisy to apprentice standards. Proficiency +1]
The panel's notification was music to his ears. Once he nailed the technique, Sheen's enthusiasm was unstoppable.
[You've successfully processed a daisy to apprentice standards. Proficiency +1]
[You've successfully processed a daisy to beginner standards. Proficiency +3]
…
As the sunlight slanted through the greenhouse, thirty pots of daisies were neatly stacked. Sheen wiped the sweat from his brow, his eyes as bright as Professor Sprout's.
"Well done, Mr. Greene," she said, clapping softly. Nothing made her happier than watching a young sprout thrive. "Now, off to dinner. Oh, and take this."
She pressed a piece of candied pineapple into his hands just as the distant clang of the dinner bell echoed. Hogwarts' mealtimes were strict—miss them, and you'd go hungry. Some students asked friends to save food, but Sheen hadn't planned ahead.
Going hungry at Hogwarts? Unthinkable.
With that, Sheen bid Professor Sprout a quick goodbye and hurried to the Great Hall. If he were fitter, he'd have sprinted.
"Next time, we'll work with some special materials," Professor Sprout called after him.
Sheen glanced back and noticed what looked like teeth piled on the dark wooden table. Were those what she meant?
…
In the Great Hall, amid a dazzling spread of food, Justin was getting an earful from Hermione. Apparently, he hadn't realized he also had Herbology that afternoon—with Gryffindor, no less. When Hermione spotted him in Greenhouse One, she'd practically exploded.
"Were you doing that on purpose?" she demanded.
"I messed up, okay?" Justin mumbled.
Sheen, busy wrestling with a plate of Hungarian beef stew, missed Justin's pleading look for backup.
Soon, he was sipping pumpkin juice and checking his progress.
[Herbology Knowledge: Unlocked (59/90)]
Processing those daisies had earned him a whopping 33 proficiency points.
[Apprentice-level Herbology Knowledge can unlock the Apprentice Herbologist title.]
The title was within reach. If he used his time wisely, he might even unlock it today.
As for those teeth-like things, Sheen realized they were likely venomous snake fangs. He wasn't sure why Professor Sprout needed to process them, but they were perfect for him—one of the ingredients for a Boil-Cure Potion.
Fresh from his "battle" with dinner, Sheen left the Great Hall, leaving Justin and Hermione a bit stunned.
"Sheen!" Justin called. "Man, he's fast. I was going to ask him to come to the library. He might've helped with that dittany identification problem. Honestly, I have no idea how to write this Herbology essay."
Justin slumped, finding magic trickier than he'd expected. Professor Sprout had told them to do their best, but as a Hufflepuff, who didn't want to impress their professor?
"I wouldn't count on it," Hermione said, shaking her head but brimming with confidence. "The Hogwarts library has thousands of books. We'll find the answers."