"Professor Sprout."
When they reached Professor Sprout, Bruce, who had been boisterous all the way, became reserved.
"Oh, Mr. Bruce Dickinson, Leon Howard, and Pister Jefferson, I'm so glad you could come and help."
Professor Sprout wore a heavily patched hat, and her smile was like the warm sun hanging high.
"A new sprout? Child, it's good to see you. What's your name?"
She put down the large scissors she was using to process the Bubotuber and bent down to look at Sean.
She didn't ask why he was there, but instead took off her mud-stained dragonhide gloves.
She was as enthusiastic as the old lady who frequently donated to the orphanage.
Although her money never reached the orphans, it didn't stop Sean from admiring her.
"Xien Green."
Sean also became shy.
"Mr. Green, I'm glad you're here to help too. Mr. Dickinson, would you mind taking him to process the mature plants?"
Professor Sprout gently pinched Sean's cheek, then enthusiastically assigned tasks.
"Mr. Howard, I'll leave those weeds to you.
As for Mr. Jefferson, I'd like to ask you to select Dittany of different growth cycles; that will be the first plant the sprouts will learn about."
"Yes, Professor."
Sean saw Bruce roll up his sleeves and respond softly, Leon said no problem,
and Senior Pister, he seemed even more reserved than Bruce, just nodding vigorously with a red face.
Professor Sprout seemed to hold a very high position in the hearts of the Hufflepuff seniors.
Sean thought.
"I dare say you'd be hard-pressed to find a Professor more caring than Professor Sprout; every Hogwarts student is like her own child."
Bruce said with a smile, his eyes sparkling, when mentioning Professor Sprout.
"She's been voted the most popular Professor for many years in a row... Now, let's process the mature plants first; it looks like a big project!"
Sean nodded, and the two began to move among the pumpkin-shaped plants, where pots of magenta-petaled Dittany were scattered.
"First, collect the mature Dittany here. Hmm, do you know what mature Dittany looks like?"
Bruce handed Sean a small pair of scissors while pruning the Dittany.
Sean shook his head; it wasn't written in the book.
"This is something you can't learn from books. I'll teach you."
With that, Bruce leaned over a pot of Dittany and sniffed it, then "snip," he cut it off.
"Dittany has a faint smell of lamb. When it matures, this smell becomes stronger. Try to smell it."
Sean leaned in and sniffed, finding that Dittany at different stages indeed had different smells,
and the Dittany Senior Bruce picked had a stronger lamb-like smell.
Senior Bruce smiled:
"Mature Dittany will increase the success rate of the Revitalizing Potion; conversely, immature Dittany is likely to cause the potion to fail.
This is the charm of Herbology."
His words opened the door Sean was looking for.
Sean nodded and quickly joined the ranks of picking mature Dittany.
The two were like Nifflers searching for treasure, sniffing here and looking there among the pumpkin-shaped plants.
During the process, Sean's proficiency in identifying mature Dittany also gradually increased.
The difference was that Bruce, due to his tall stature and darker skin, looked more like a groundhog.
While Sean, due to his outstanding appearance, agility, and quickness, resembled a cat moving through the grass.
"That's about enough. Let's process the Dittany."
Senior Bruce held a bag of Dittany and waved to Sean.
"Mm."
Sean stopped and watched Bruce take out two small silver knives and something like a colander from the outer edge of the Greenhouse, where hoes were piled up.
"There are many difficulties in cutting Dittany. In short, it's a three-stage method. Watch carefully."
Senior Bruce said, while cutting the Dittany into three sections, and then using different degrees of cutting methods for each section.
The closer to the end, the finer it was cut, and eventually, he even used that colander-like thing to squeeze it.
"This is because the Dittany essence is not evenly distributed, so different methods must be used when processing it.
Want to try?"
Sean nodded and took the tools.
[You have fully processed a Dittany plant to an apprentice standard, proficiency +1]
Sean's mouth involuntarily curved upwards, and he worked even harder.
[You have fully processed a Dittany plant to an apprentice standard, proficiency +1]
[You have fully processed a Dittany plant to an apprentice standard, proficiency +1]
[You have fully processed a Dittany plant to an apprentice standard, proficiency +1]
...The sound of the panel increasing kept ringing, and Sean's hands moved so fast they left afterimages.
"He seems a little too fond of Herbology."
Senior Bruce scratched his head, somewhat amused and exasperated.
"Sean, Sean, listen to me, it's time to process the dried nettle."
Senior Bruce stopped Sean's great cutting endeavor and, with some admiration, led Sean to a nettle patch.
He would no longer question the other party's enthusiasm for Herbology.
"dried nettle, this is a common plant, but after processing, it can become a material for making magic potions. As for processing..."
...Sean was like a sponge, absorbing knowledge to the greatest extent.
[You have fully processed a nettle to an apprentice standard, proficiency +1]
[You have fully processed a nettle to an apprentice standard, proficiency +1]
Time flowed away like fine sand.
"Gentlemen, listen to me, you've done very well, and thank you for your help with the new sprouts."
Professor Sprout's voice interrupted Sean's movements. In his hand, the last nettle had also been processed,
and was now dripping light blue juice, having clearly undergone special soaking.
Sean quietly listened to Professor Sprout's words, then opened his panel.
[Herbology Knowledge: Unlocked (27/90)]
[Note: Herbology Knowledge proficiency includes proficiency in a series of complete processes such as herb identification and herb processing]
A proficiency unlock value of 90 points, this was the first time Sean had seen it,
it was like adding up three apprentice-level proficiencies.
"Mr. Dickinson, you and Mr. Green successfully helped the sprouts remove the confusing mature herbs;
Mr. Howard, you successfully helped the sprouts remove the weeds;
Mr. Jefferson, oh, how can I praise you, your classification of Dittany is very detailed and accurate."
Professor Sprout's smile was like the firelight in a fireplace, illuminating everyone.
"Come on, children, come to me for some hazelnut chocolate."
Sean heard Senior Bruce exclaim "Ah ha!" and then quickly cover his mouth.
Leon shook his head, and as for Senior Pister, he smiled genuinely, seemingly still immersed in Professor Sprout's praise.
Walking in a small line along the path, the Greenhouse looked much simpler and tidier.
Most of the plants that needed harvesting were handled by Senior Bruce, and a small portion was processed by Sean.
The weeds had also disappeared, and even the Dittany pots in the very center were neatly arranged according to different stages.
When Sean walked up to Professor Sprout, he forced his gaze away from the hazelnut chocolate that looked delicious.
"Professor Sprout, can I come help at other times?"
He asked somewhat awkwardly.