The next day, I sighed while getting an apron and gloves alongside everyone else in the classroom, and it wasn't long before we headed to the greenhouses again, where we would be handling the plants. I was beside Draco, both of us uneasy about why the potted plants in front of us were squirming beneath the soil. “Morning everyone!” Mrs. Sprout yelled, tapping her pot with her wand at the end of the large tables. “Good Morning Professor Sprout!” We all announced back.

“Welcome to Herbology, Second years! Now gather ‘round everyone!” She motioned her hands for us to move closer to the large tables, holding the moving plants. Draco and I were further than everyone else, Pansy noticed, and pulled me closer herself with a grin. “Now today we are going to be repotting Mandrakes! Now who here can tell me the properties of the Mandrake root?” Immediately Pansy and Hermione’s hands raised above their heads. Pansy and Hermione, who were standing beside each other, noticed the other’s hand, before each trying to move theirs higher to be more noticeable. 

“Yes, Ms.Granger?” Pansy clicked her tongue, while they both lowered their hands. “Mandrake, or Mandragora. Is used to return those who have been petrified to their original state. It’s also quite dangerous, the Mandrake’s cry is fatal to anyone who hears it.” “Excellent! 10 Points to Gryffindor!” Pansy scowled at Hermione, knowing it was just Sprout calling her from dumb luck that she got those points for her house. Draco and I both patted her shoulder, knowing that she would have said the same thing, while the Gryffindor’s silently applauded Hermione.

“Now as our Mandrakes are still only seedlings, their cry won't kill you yet, but they will knock you out for some time! That is why I have already prepared each of you earmuffs, for auditory protection.” I glanced down at my pot, to see earmuffs wrapped around the base of it. “So if you could please put them on right away! Quickly!” I grabbed my pair, and snugly placed it on, the sound of my own breathing suddenly becoming much louder than anything else I might hear. Including the instructions, so I intended to watch more carefully, and just mirror what she did.

I watched her as she spoke in mumbles. She took her hand, and gripped the Mandrake right where the soil was, and pulled it up with an explosion of soil. “AAAAHHHHH!!!” It screamed, and I held back a yell at the shrill crying, instantly grabbing at my earmuffs to hold them tighter, but the slithering under my clothes reminded me that I still had Val with me. 

I checked him with my hand, to feel him wiggling around. His tail wasn’t flapping playfully, so I could only imagine that he was in much more pain than I. However he wasn’t passed out, making me wonder if it mostly works on humans. My focus was then brought back to the front of class, still patting Val inside my clothes as some effort to comfort him through this. I watched Professor Sprout place the Mandrake inside of a new pot, and then add soil to it, she then motioned for us to do the same, before staring off the other end of the table.

I glanced over to see a missing person where Longbottom should be, most likely hearing the cry directly, and passing out. I rolled my eyes, while Pansy pulled her Mandrake out. I did as she did, and mirrored her movements as I placed the one in front of me into a new pot, and added soil to it. It was then that everyone all pulled their Mandrakes out at once. “AHHH!!!” “AHHHH!!” All of the multitude of voices pierced through my earmuffs, hurting my ears. I yelled in pain, clamoring to place my hands against my ears, a migraine forming even after I took my medicine for today.

It was then that I felt a tap on my shoulder, and I turned to see Professor Sprout pointing, directing me to follow. I did as I was silently told, and followed her lead. Everyone I passed glanced back at me to see what was happening. She then brought me to the other end of the table, and I saw Longbottom, still passed out from the screaming earlier. I understood what she was doing, and grabbed him under his arms before dragging him outside of the greenhouse with me. 

Entering the classroom, Professor Sprout closed the door behind us, the incessant screaming of the Mandrakes instantly stopped, making it seem it was just a bad dream. I watched her take off her earmuffs, and I did the same with a sigh, my headache already feeling better. “Apologies Mr. Peterson, it appears that you also are more vulnerable to Mandrakes.” I squinted at her while glancing at Longbottom, laying flat on the ground. “More vulnerable? You mean that I can hear them better?” I asked, knowing that my hearing and sight would be better while the build up of magical power in my body reached its peak, today.

She nodded with a calm smile. “Indeed. You need not worry, I won't ask for you to continue further in this lesson, only to look after Mr. Longbottom for the rest of class.” I glanced at him, then back at her, and nodded. She smiled while placing her earmuffs back on. “Good! Now you should probably do the same, unless you want to end up like Mr. Longbottom here.” I quickly placed my earmuffs back on just before Professor Sprout opened the door to the shrill shrieking on the other side. I then relaxed in my chair, and sighed, Val squirming around under my clothes, nibbling at the container of food.

“Sorry you had to go through that… I’m proud of you.” I muttered, unscrewing the cap, and letting have a reward for staying quiet through all that noise. “I’m a good Val! I can stay quiet!” He happily hissed while digging into his reward for being good throughout that. It wasn’t much longer that Longbottom woke up, and class ended. Pansy and Draco both came over to see if I was alright. “Are you ok?” Pansy asked, glancing at my chest where Val was, secretly asking if he was fine as well. “Did Longbottom get his filth on you?” Draco asked, glaring at Longbottom.

“What does that mean Malfoy!?” Ron yelled while Hermione exited the greenhouse. She looked over to see Lucas acting a bit strange as he usually did around once a month. His dimly lit jade green eyes looked on with exasperation. “It’s nothing Draco, it just appears that Longbottom and I share the same vulnerability to Mandrakes.” He said with a calming smile, getting in between Ron and Malfoy to ease tensions.

Hermione watched as Ron glanced at Lucas, and let out a sigh, his anger diminishing. However it immediately rekindled once Draco spoke again. “Well, next time he passes out, don’t bother touching him, you were lucky to still have your gloves on.” Hermione had to agree with Ron’s hatred of Malfoy, he was a blood purist through and through. “Alright class! That’s enough, please put your equipment back inside our closets!” Professor Sprout yelled, breaking up the group, and moving class along.

Ron came over to Harry and Hermione, taking off his apron with anger. “Everything Malfoy says is rubbish.” He then glanced towards Neville, still nervously avoiding the gazes of the other Slytherins. “Lucas didn’t do anything to you did he? He was acting too nice for a Slytherin.” Ron accused, glancing at Neville's body for anything that may be out of place. “N-No… I don’t think so.” Neville shook his head, quickly patting himself. After he was done, Harry scratched the back of his head with a frown. “Well, that is good I guess.” Trying to see the upside of this.

Ron sighed, closing his eyes while massaging his neck. “Yea, I guess Lucas is the only Slytherin I can at least tolerate, but you just know that he’s the same as the rest. At least he doesn’t talk about it every chance he gets like Malfoy.” Hermione frowned at Ron’s comment, not because he was wrong, but that he was most likely right. Lucas was close friends with the most known blood purist in school. Was Malfoy just voicing out Lucas’ thoughts? It wouldn’t make much sense, Lucas could just say them himself, nobody was punished for it, especially ones as high ranking as most Slytherin families. ‘He probably doesn’t…’ Hermione thought, however she didn’t know. There was no way for her to truly know how Lucas deemed half-bloods, and that worried her for some reason.