"You've already done very well." Shawn shared his Yorkshire pudding with Justin. He thought sweets would make the other feel better. "Professor Snape is a fool." He said softly.
"Don't be sad, Hermione. Want some pudding?" Shawn really liked Yorkshire pudding. This came from that old lady who liked to donate supplies to the orphanage. She always brought lots of pudding. That was the best food Shawn had eaten at the time. So he always sat in positions with the most pudding.
"Yes." Hermione rarely refused.
So the three's criticism of Professor Snape turned into a fierce attack on pudding. Professors weren't always fair, Shawn thought. This depended on whether Harry Potter existed beside him.
After they finished the pudding, Justin started talking about some of Professor Snape's so-called 'glorious' deeds. He mentioned how Snape would pretend not to patrol at night but secretly use a Disillusionment Charm to catch five Gryffindors wandering after hours. He also talked about how Snape stayed at school even during Christmas and managed to catch two couples. Then there was the time in class when Harry didn't tell Neville the right way to brew a potion. Harry actually had no idea what to do, but Snape still took another point from Gryffindor.
"Oh, Hermione, I cite these examples to tell you, if anyone's at fault in this matter, it's definitely not you. We all know Professor Snape is strict, bad-tempered, and sometimes he's even unreasonable." Justin said softly.
Shawn nodded silently beside him.
"If you doubt yourself, deny yourself, and make yourself miserable because of cruel people, wouldn't that be foolish? Even if that person is a professor," Justin added.
Shawn nodded again.
"What do you say, Shawn?" Justin looked at Shawn expectantly.
Shawn thought about it. "Yes."
"All right." Justin nodded with resignation.
At this moment, Shawn noticed Hermione trembling slightly. He pulled Justin over. The two stood up, blocking Hermione from view, pretending to chat casually, shielding the little witch's quiet sobbing.
"Hermione never makes a sound when she's hurt. I think I need to watch out for her more often. She always pretends not to care. Those who bully her never know how much pain she's in," Shawn heard Justin say quietly. "Also, how can I let her know that she doesn't need to pretend to be strong in front of friends?"
Shawn looked at Justin, struck by his words. He recalled that Hermione indeed had no friends. Gryffindor ostracized her. Ron even gave her nicknames and mocked her, driving her to hide in the bathroom, crying. At least before Halloween, Hermione was alone.
Soon, Shawn breathed a sigh of relief. At least now, she had two friends.
Ravenclaw's only class today was afternoon Herbology. Shawn had already arrived early at the domed building. Greenhouse One was filled with the scent of damp, warm soil. The glass dome filtered the afternoon sunlight into a hazy gold-green.
Professor Sprout rolled up her sleeves, her dragonhide gloves covered in humus, carefully handling a plant resembling a spider's nest. Three Hufflepuff students gathered around a deep trough planted with pumpkin-shaped plants, scarved heads huddled together, gesturing and discussing what this was.
"Clever students should remember, this plant is called the Spider Plant. Although it looks like spider eggs, those are actually double-sided green berries. Don't be scared when you see its rhizome—that's not a real spider, but its roots. Can anyone tell me how often the Spider Plant can be harvested?"
The plump professor's words stumped the Hufflepuffs. Neville seemed to think of something, but stuttered and couldn't speak. As for Ernie and that short, chubby boy, their eyes were full of confusion.
"The book describes it as a perennial plant. The harvest count is specifically three to four times. If cultivated well, it might increase. A wizard once cultivated a Spider Plant with five harvests." A voice floated over clearly. Professor Sprout smiled enthusiastically.
"Very good answer, Mr. Green... Child, so glad to see you." As she spoke, she directed Neville and others to pick Christmas cactus.
"Ah, warm sun, warm summer—there are always new students taking root. Sometimes I wonder if my energy is insufficient. Otherwise, how could I find it difficult to guide several young wizards simultaneously... Mr. Longbottom, watch your leg! Wingardium Leviosa—"
Neville almost spilled dragon dung fertilizer on his shoes, but was saved by Professor Sprout's timely Levitation Charm, holding up the bucket.
"Oh! Mr. Macmillan!" Professor Sprout exclaimed and went to handle Ernie, surrounded by Bouncing Bulbs.
At this moment, the door opened. A tall figure walked into the greenhouse. "Not all first-year students are named Shawn Green, right?" Bruce leaned against a plant rack, his eyes sparkling with teasing light.
After Herbology, Shawn thought he probably shouldn't come to the greenhouse much in the near future. The plump professor was already sweating profusely. Especially after three more Hufflepuffs stayed after Herbology class, she was even more rushed off her feet.
A gentle breeze drifted through the greenhouse corridor. Bruce stood there, looking almost like a statue. Shawn thought Bruce could easily be a model, especially since two older witches nearby had already glanced at him at least ten times.
"Fizzing Whizzbee—" Bruce placed a candy that looked very sweet in Shawn's hand. "Try it now?"
Shawn curiously ate this sherbet ball, then heard a loud shout. "Green, don't eat it! Damn it, Bruce, you—"
Leon's blonde hair glowed in the warm sun, but even though he strode over quickly, he didn't make it in time to stop Bruce. Shawn confusedly felt a surge of magic, then floated up. Floating up with him was Bruce.
"Isn't it wonderful?!" He said excitedly.
"Wonderful, my Merlin's pants!" Leon grabbed Shawn and Bruce with both hands, one left and one right. "I should let you fly away!" Leon glared fiercely at Bruce.
"Sorry, Green. That's just how Bruce treats his friends. Pist and I have been pranked by him plenty of times. Let me explain. Fizzing Whizzbees are sherbet balls that make people float in the air. One of their ingredients is Billywig. If someone gets stung by this bug, they feel dizzy and then start to float." When Leon looked at Shawn, his anger faded and his voice became gentle.
"Oh, come on! Leon! You can't bear to!" At this moment, Bruce seemed to still be laughing loudly. Then Shawn saw Leon let go.
"Leon! Don't! Don't! I was wrong!" Bruce yelled in alarm as Shawn saw Leon give his wrist a smug shake. At some point, Leon had tied a rope between himself and Bruce.
"For dealing with dishonest guys, I always have dishonest methods." Shawn heard him say.