Chapter 111: Hogsmeade Weekend
On the lawn behind the castle, three small figures in thick cloaks once again braved the elements. They paid no heed to the rumble of thunder overhead, the howl of the wind battering the castle walls, or the sharp crack of branches snapping in the Forbidden Forest. In a few hours, they would be inside the greenhouses, safe from the storm, but for now, they pressed on.
Their spirits were high. They walked with purpose, chatting and laughing. Well, mostly Justin chatted, Sean nodded, and Neville smiled shyly. Facing a difficult task alone was often miserable, but when shared, the small moments of camaraderie outweighed the hardship.
Before they even reached the greenhouses, they heard shouting.
"Bruce, you bloody idiot! Get away from that Venomous Tentacula!"
Leon was yelling, busy levitating other plants to safety, when Bruce, having apparently provoked the Tentacula, darted behind Pister for cover. The plant's vines whipped furiously through the air. Peering through the glass of Greenhouse Three, Sean guessed Bruce had tried to snatch one of its seed pods. One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi clearly stated the plant would attack anyone who got near its pods.
Bruce didn't quite make it behind Pister, who, as if he had eyes in the back of his head, expertly sidestepped. The Tentacula's vines lashed across Bruce's shoulders, drawing a yelp of pain and making him instantly more subdued.
Professor Sprout watched the trio from the doorway, her eyes crinkling with amusement, before she bustled out of Greenhouse Three to greet the newcomers. Ah, my new sprouts. Thanks to them, Greenhouse One was in perfect order.
The division of labor was clear: Professor Sprout, being the most experienced, handled the most dangerous plants in Greenhouse Seven (rumored to house a juvenile Whomping Willow). Bruce, Leon, and Pister, as older students, managed the temperamental flora in Greenhouse Three. And Sean, Justin, and Neville were responsible for the relatively safe confines of Greenhouse One.
As the older Hufflepuffs emerged, the Tentacula's vines still waving angrily behind them, Bruce grinned and made a face at the plant through the glass.
"Fool," Leon muttered, looking at Bruce's mud-caked, disheveled state. "You just had to poke it, didn't you?"
"Oh! Look who it is! Little Green!" Bruce's expression brightened instantly as he spotted Sean. He sidled over, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "I bet you're excited for Hogsmeade weekend, aren't you?"
"..." Not really. If Bruce hadn't mentioned it, Sean would have forgotten. It had nothing to do with first-years.
"Yes," Sean replied politely, seeing the older boy's eager expression.
"Oh, I told you I'd pay you back, little Green. Not just for the bet, or the Howler…" Bruce's eyebrows raised, a sharp, mischievous glint in his eyes that was quite different from his usual easy-going nature. "Take this, and choose carefully!"
He shoved a thick parchment envelope into Sean's hands, then, humming tunelessly, grabbed a water-drinking Leon and a seed-holding Pister, dragging them away. Sean could hear Leon choking on his pumpkin juice, followed immediately by Bruce's yelp of pain.
As Sean walked towards Greenhouse One, he opened the envelope. He'd been receiving a surprising amount of mail lately.
No mark-up, not one Knut! Surprised, little Green? Here's a Hogsmeade order form.
I'd gladly pay for all of you, but Leon wouldn't let me use his wallet...
I should think not, Sean mused.
But the good news is, Pister AGREED to let me use his wallet to cover your personal order! So go wild! Don't worry about the cost!
Pister? Sean recalled the kind, gentle face of the stout Hufflepuff.
Feel free to share the extra forms with your friends. Remember? Hufflepuff motto: SHARING IS CARING!
Don't worry about how much we have to carry. I won't let Leon's or Pister's hands, shoulders, or necks go idle. (But maybe don't go too overboard. Pister's neck isn't that strong.)
Attached List:
(Dervish and Banges: Magical Equipment Repair Kits...
Honeydukes: Sugar Quills, Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans...
Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop: Auto-Correcting Ink, Self-Answering Quills, Homework Planners...)
Suddenly, Hogsmeade weekend did have something to do with him. He scanned the list, his interest piqued. The wizarding world was full of wonders. He definitely needed more parchment and ink. And a Homework Planner – a magical notebook that tracked assignments and only unlocked for "free time" once all work was completed – sounded incredibly useful. An Everlasting Inkpot also caught his eye.
It was an unexpected, thoughtful gift.
The storm, the mud, and the wind couldn't dampen the trio's spirits as they left the greenhouse later.
"Did you say... the older students will buy things for us in Hogsmeade?" Justin asked, his voice full of disbelief. They had just been envying the upper years, and now this?
They squelched through the muddy grounds, splashing through puddles.
"Merlin's beard! We have to tell Hermione! She's already read the entire chapter on Hogsmeade in Hogwarts: A History!" Justin exclaimed.
He and Neville stared, wide-eyed, as Sean pulled seven extra, blank order forms from the envelope.
(End of Chapter)
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