The next morning the Great Hall was loud with conversation as students settled down for breakfast. Plates of eggs, toast, sausages, and porridge were passed along the tables while dozens of owls swooped through the high windows carrying letters and parcels.
Victor sat quietly at the Slytherin table, watching the usual morning chaos.
Then one owl entered far lower than the others.
It looked exhausted.
Its wings beat unevenly as it struggled across the hall before dropping heavily onto the Gryffindor table. The bird released a bright red envelope before collapsing beside a plate of toast.
Several students immediately leaned away.
Ron stared at the letter like it had fangs.
"Oh no…"
Harry looked confused. "What is it?"
Ron swallowed hard. "It's a Howler."
Seamus leaned forward eagerly. "Open it then."
Neville looked nervous. "You should probably open it quickly."
Ron's hands shook as he tore open the envelope.
The letter exploded open instantly.
"RONALD WEASLEY!"
The roar filled the entire Great Hall. Every conversation stopped as students across all four tables turned to look.
Ron shrank in his seat.
"HOW DARE YOU STEAL THAT CAR! I AM ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTED! YOUR FATHER IS NOW FACING AN INQUIRY AT WORK AND IT'S ENTIRELY YOUR FAULT!"
Hermione looked surprised by the voice.
"IF YOU PUT ANOTHER TOE OUT OF LINE, WE'LL BRING YOU STRAIGHT HOME! DO YOU HEAR ME? STRAIGHT HOME!"
Ron's ears turned bright red.
"I CANNOT BELIEVE YOU FLEW THAT CAR ALL THE WAY TO HOGWARTS! YOU COULD HAVE BEEN SEEN! YOU COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED! AND YOUR FATHER'S CAR — HIS PRIDE AND JOY — YOU CRASHED IT INTO A TREE!"
The entire Gryffindor table was now watching in stunned silence.
"YOUR FATHER AND I HAVE NEVER BEEN SO ASHAMED!"
The letter suddenly shifted slightly in Ron's trembling hands.
"GINNY DEAR!"
"CONGRATULATIONS ON GETTING INTO GRYFFINDOR! YOUR FATHER AND I ARE SO PROUD!"
Then the voice returned to its full fury.
"AND RONALD WEASLEY — IF YOU EVER DO ANYTHING LIKE THIS AGAIN, WE'LL BRING YOU STRAIGHT HOME!"
For a moment the entire hall was silent.
Then whispers began spreading through the room, followed by scattered laughter.
Ron sat frozen in his seat, his face burning red as he stared at the torn up letter on the table like he wished he could disappear into them.
From the Slytherin table, Draco leaned toward Victor with a wide grin.
"Well," he said quietly, "that was educational."
"Draco," Victor said without looking at him, "how many times must I tell you not to laugh at someone else's misfortune?"
Draco gave him a sideways look.
"Look at yourself," he replied. "You're laughing more than I am."
After breakfast, the Slytherins and Gryffindors headed out of the castle together for their first class of the day.
As usual, the two houses shared lessons.
Their first subject was Herbology with Professor Pomona Sprout.
The class gathered outside the greenhouses where the air smelled strongly of damp soil and growing plants.
Students were already dressed for the work ahead, wearing thick gardening gloves and rough work robes suited for digging and handling magical plants.
Inside the greenhouse, long wooden tables had been arranged in rows. On each table sat a pair of ear-muffs and two large clay pots filled with dark soil.
Professor Sprout bustled in behind them, her patched hat slightly crooked and her hands already covered in dirt.
"Right then, settle down everyone," she said briskly. "Today we're going to be repotting Mandrakes."
At the mention of the plant, several students leaned forward with curiosity while others looked uncertain.
Professor Sprout pointed to the pots.
"These Mandrakes are still young seedlings, so their cry won't kill you yet — but it can knock a person out for several hours."
A few nervous looks spread through the class.
"That's why," she added, holding up the ear-muffs, "you'll be wearing these."
Students quickly grabbed the ear-muffs and placed them over their heads.
Victor glanced down at the pot in front of him.
Soon the soil in that pot would reveal a small, ugly green baby-like plant with leaves growing from its head — one that screamed the moment it was pulled from the dirt.
"Watch carefully."
She pulled.
A small muddy Mandrake came out of the pot, its baby-like face scrunched in fury as it kicked its legs and opened its mouth in a silent scream.
"Now," Professor Sprout said, holding it firmly, "you must move it quickly into the new pot."
She pushed the wriggling creature into the larger pot beside it and packed soil around it until it disappeared beneath the surface.
Then she clapped her hands once.
"Your turn," Professor Sprout said loudly. "Grip the leaves firmly and pull straight up. Do not let go, whatever you do."
The class grabbed the leafy tops and pulled.
Mandrakes burst out of the soil all along the tables. Even through the thick earmuffs, their screams were horrible — a faint but sharp vibration that made the greenhouse feel like it was shaking.
Several students struggled to keep hold of the wriggling plants.
Neville's Mandrake twisted violently in his hands. He panicked, lost his grip, and a moment later he slumped backward, unconscious.
Professor Sprout hurried over at once.
Victor had his own problem.
The Mandrake he had pulled out thrashed wildly in his hands, kicking and twisting as if it wanted to escape him in particular.
Hermione glanced over.
"It seems it doesn't like you."
Victor smiled faintly.
Then he shoved the plant firmly into the new pot and packed the soil down with decisive force.
"I don't like it either."
*****
A/N : 🔥 On Patreon, the story has already been updated up to Chapter 77🔥
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