Porgie Chalman's face shifted between green and pale. He was about to retort sharply to Professor Sprout, but before the words could leave his lips, he suddenly felt a cold gaze pressing down from above.
Turning his head, he saw Robert looking directly at him. In Robert's hand, the bat seemed poised and ready to strike at any moment.
Immediately, Porgie's mind replayed the scene from the previous Quidditch match—this little monster from the Sprout family had been capable of smashing even a goalpost. If Robert were to attack him now, without armor protection, wouldn't he be beaten into a pulp?
That thought alone forced the words back down his throat, leaving only suppressed anger in their place.
At that moment, Dumbledore, instead of showing any concern, began clapping with a look of genuine emotion on his face.
"What a wonderful match," the headmaster said warmly.
"I never expected to witness such a history-making game today. They all played excellently, wouldn't you agree?"
But the members of the school board looked grim. It was as if they had just arrived at Hogwarts only to be met with a most unpleasant reception. They were eager to regain control of the situation.
One of the board members said coldly:
"Such a wonderful match we have indeed watched. And I think we've already felt Hogwarts' 'warm welcoming atmosphere.' However, Headmaster Dumbledore, we are not here to watch games. We are here to evaluate Hogwarts' academic standing. It's time we get down to business, isn't it?"
Dumbledore smiled faintly and nodded.
"Of course. Where would you like to begin?"
Porgie Chalman spoke in a sinister tone.
"That Robert Sprout is indeed a remarkable young wizard. Not only is he outstanding at Quidditch, but I've also heard that he is unique in Herbology. I even heard that the Little Greenhouse, which symbolizes Hogwarts' Herbology honor, is currently used by him. So—shall we open our eyes and see it?"
As soon as those words left his mouth, Dumbledore cast an inquiring glance at Professor Sprout.
To everyone's relief, however, Sprout did not flare up in anger. Instead, she sneered disdainfully.
"Then allow me to open your eyes. Let's see how a true Herbology Master performs."
The expressions of the onlookers grew amused. Everyone knew that words like "Herbology Master" were a perpetual sore spot for Porgie Chalman. If he had possessed any real talent in Herbology back in his youth, perhaps he could have become a true Herbologist rather than a petty critic who wrote malicious commentaries against genuine practitioners.
Sprout's words had clearly struck a raw nerve. Porgie's face turned ashen, his breathing shallow and uneven. Finally, through clenched teeth, he forced out:
"Then I'll be waiting to see it."
He stormed off toward the Little Greenhouse, eager to prove himself.
Dumbledore shook his head slightly, then turned to Robert. With a casual wave of his wand, glowing lines of text appeared in the air before the boy's eyes:
"Robert, you already know about the review board. Please come to the Little Greenhouse."
Robert frowned, his eyes narrowing as a cold light flickered within them.
Cedric and the other Hufflepuffs, still in the middle of celebrating their exhilarating victory, noticed the text as well. Cedric looked at Robert in surprise.
"Robert? What's going on with this review board?"
After Robert briefly explained, the joy on their faces vanished, replaced by indignation and anger.
"What? This is outrageous!"
"First a hearing, now a review board? Do they think our house is so easy to bully?"
Cedric clapped Robert on the shoulder firmly.
"Don't be afraid, Robert. Hufflepuff never lets a companion fight alone. I'll go gather everyone right away."
Robert was touched but quickly shook his head.
"Thank you, Cedric, but there's no need to make such a big fuss. We already stirred up a storm during the previous hearing. If we do it again, the consequences won't be good. And besides…"
He teased with a smile:
"Our captain will definitely be a prefect and student body president in the future. After graduation, you'll surely enter the Ministry of Magic, just as your father expects of you. If you lead another uprising now, people will label you a troublemaker. It could harm your future career."
Cedric looked anxious. He was about to insist that none of that mattered, but Robert waved him off with quiet confidence.
"Don't worry. This is Hogwarts. With Dumbledore in charge, no review board can twist black into white. They simply don't have that power."
Hearing Robert's confident words, Cedric finally relented, though uneasily. Based on his understanding of Robert, the boy was low-key, focused on his plants, and rarely spoke up about school politics. But whenever Robert did speak, his words carried weight. If he promised something, it meant he was certain of success.
"Alright then. But if anything happens, you can count on us."
Robert smiled, waved, and hurried toward the Little Greenhouse.
By the time he arrived, the review board members were already at the entrance. Professor Sprout stood before them, her expression serious. Despite her disdain for these so-called reviewers, she treated academic introductions with rigor, setting her emotions aside.
"This, as you can see, is the Little Greenhouse, which has been repaired, maintained, and reopened. The previous greenhouse had been closed for years due to lack of funding, worsened by that turbulent era. This time, we enriched the soil, mixed in perlite, and restored the conditions as closely as possible to the original level—"
But before she could finish, Porgie Chalman interrupted excitedly, seizing what he thought was a weakness.
"Why use perlite? In terms of nutrient restoration, perlite isn't much stronger than diatomaceous earth, is it? Yet in terms of price, perlite costs ten times as much! Why not just use more diatomaceous earth instead?"
Professor Sprout looked at him as though he were a fool.
"The soil in the Little Greenhouse has always used perlite. Magic spreads more evenly within it. Substituting with diatomaceous earth could lead to discontinuity of magical flow and cause permanent damage to the greenhouse soil."
But Porgie only grinned smugly.
"I found a secret recipe in a book. By mixing a special potion into diatomaceous earth, you can create soil more potent than perlite. Even with the potion cost, it's still only a third the price. Professor Sprout, surely you don't mean to say you don't even know this?"
Sprout's face darkened.
"That so-called Fusion Potion is theoretically feasible but practically discarded. It has fatal flaws—"
He cut her off again.
"If it's theoretically feasible, there must be a way to make it work. Shouldn't you at least try? And by the way, I know several other secret recipes too…"
He rambled on endlessly. At first Sprout tried to explain, but most of the "secret recipes" he mentioned were old wives' tales, riddled with obvious flaws. Soon, she realized speaking to him was utterly pointless. To even acknowledge him was to lower herself.
But Porgie mistook her silence as victory. He scribbled notes with his quill and smirked.
"It's fine if you don't understand. I'll teach you. These are the books I usually read—study more! Oh, and I heard you've been working on the Whomping Willow project for years without results? I also have research in that field. I can guide you."
That was the final straw. The Whomping Willow project and the Little Greenhouse were Professor Sprout's life's work. She trembled with anger, nearly collapsing—until a strong arm supported her.
She turned, startled, and saw Robert at her side, steadying her.
Robert's eyes, however, were locked on Porgie Chalman, his gaze as sharp as blades. Rage burned in his chest. This man had bullied his Aunt Sprout—again and again. Did he think he could get away with it?
Robert moved Sprout gently aside.
"Auntie, you are a Herbology Master, renowned across the magical world. To argue with a pretender—one praised only by gullible readers—is beneath you. It's like a Transfiguration Master debating with a first-year student. The child claims, 'Old Transfiguration methods are useless. I read in the Daily Prophet's joke column that using a quill works better than a wand. A wand turns a match into a needle, but a quill turns a clown into a Master.'"
The words struck like lightning. For a moment, everyone was stunned. Then, realizing the implication, even Lucius Malfoy burst into laughter.
Professor Sprout's face relaxed, her anger fading. But Porgie was livid.
"What did you say? Who's the clown?!"
Robert shrugged.
"Whoever reacts that strongly. A real Master wouldn't care. Only a clown would."
"You—!" Porgie turned to Dumbledore, furious. "Headmaster, are these the kind of students Hogwarts is producing? They don't even respect their elders! Will you not discipline him? How can you call yourself headmaster?"
Dumbledore's eyes narrowed.
"Hmm? Chalman, are you instructing me on how to run Hogwarts?"
Cold sweat broke out on Porgie's back. He stammered, "No, no, that's not what I meant—I mean the student's character is questionable—"
"I don't see it that way," Dumbledore cut in. "In fact, Robert has one of the noblest characters I've seen. If there is a problem here, it certainly isn't his. Now, aren't you here to evaluate? Then get on with it."
Porgie chuckled nervously but clenched his fists in frustration. He resolved that once he left Hogwarts, he would publish a scathing article, finding a hundred faults in the Little Greenhouse and making sure Robert lost it.
But just as they were about to enter, Robert stopped them. His eyes gleamed coldly.
"Since Master Bogie claims to have such profound insight into Herbology, wouldn't too many onlookers disturb his thoughts? Better to let the Master enter alone, dig as deep as he likes, and freely investigate."
Bogie's heart leapt. If he were alone, he could write whatever he wanted, tearing Sprout and Robert apart. But suspicion lingered—what if dangerous plants were hidden inside?
Then Robert swung the door open, letting everyone see.
"The greenhouse has just reopened. My Herbology skills are limited, so I've only planted some Guardian Trees, a few Devil's Snares, and some Shadow Thorns. Surely Master Bogie can handle those with ease?"
Seeing this, Bogie's confidence surged. Guardian Trees were harmless. Devil's Snare had well-known weaknesses. Shadow Thorns were aggressive, yes—but freshly planted, they posed little threat. What was there to fear?
So, before Robert could change his mind, Bogie eagerly stepped inside.
Robert, however, gestured toward the Shadow Thorns and whispered coldly:
"Hang him up and beat him. Beat him to death."
The greenhouse door slammed shut.
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