My Multiverse Trip 49 49. Classes.

To n.o.body's surprise, Hermione's hand was first into the air."Mandrake, or Mandragora, is a powerful restorative," said Hermione, sounding as usual as though she had swallowed the textbook. "It is used to return people who have been transfigured or cursed to their original state."

"Excellent. Ten points to Gryffindor," said Professor Sprout. "The Mandrake forms an essential part of most antidotes. It is also, however, dangerous. Who can tell me why?"

This time it was Nevilles turn "The cry of the Mandrake is fatal to anyone who hears it," he said .

"Precisely. Take another ten points for gryffindor," said Professor Sprout. "Now, the Mandrakes we have here are still very young."

She pointed to a row of deep trays as she spoke, and everyone shuffled forward for a better look. A hundred or so tufty little plants, purplish green in color, were growing there in rows. They looked quite unremarkable."Everyone take a pair of earm.u.f.fs," said Professor Sprout.

There was a scramble as everyone tried to seize a pair that wasn't pink and fluffy except Ryans group who didn't care much.

"When I tell you to put them on, make sure your ears are completely covered," said Professor Sprout. "When it is safe to remove them, I will give you the thumbs up. Right—earm.u.f.fs on." Ryan snapped the earm.u.f.fs over his ears. They shut out sound completely. Professor Sprout put the pink, fluffy pair over her own ears, rolled up the sleeves of her robes, grasped one of the tufty plants firmly, and pulled hard.Instead of roots, a small, muddy, and extremely ugly baby popped out of the earth. The leaves were growing right out of his head. He had pale green, mottled skin, and was clearly bawling at the top of his lungs.

Professor Sprout took a large plant pot from under the table and plunged the Mandrake into it, burying him in dark, damp compost until only the tufted leaves were visible. Professor Sprout dusted off her hands, gave them all the thumbs up, and removed her own earm.u.f.fs. "As our Mandrakes are only seedlings, their cries won't kill yet," she said calmly as though she'd just done nothing more exciting than water a begonia. "However, they will knock you out for several hours, and as I'm sure none of you want to miss your first day back, make sure your earm.u.f.fs are securely in place while you work. I will attract your attention when it is time to pack up.

"Four to a tray—there is a large supply of pots here—compost in the sacks over there—and be careful of the Venomous Tentacula, it's teething." Ryan froze as he heard that. She gave a sharp slap to a spiky, dark red plant as she spoke, making it draw in the long feelers that had been inching sneakily over her shoulder. Yep his collector mode kicked in. and when Noone else was looking he stole some parts off the plant to grow his own. After that they didn't have much chance to talk. Their earm.u.f.fs were back on and they needed to concentrate on the Mandrakes. Professor Sprout had made it look extremely easy, but it wasn't. The Mandrakes didn't like coming out of the earth, but didn't seem to want to go back into it either. They squirmed, kicked, flailed their sharp little fists, and gnashed their teeth; one kicked Ryan in the face and much to the shock of everyone he placed it over his knee and spanked it's little plant b.u.t.t. After the other Mandrakes saw that they all calmed down pretty quick and cla.s.s went by much easier.By the end of the cla.s.s, everyone was sweaty, aching, and covered in earth. Everyone traipsed back to the castle for a quick wash and then the Gryffindors hurried off to Transfiguration.

Professor McGonagall's cla.s.ses were always hard work, He was supposed to be turning a beetle into a b.u.t.ton, but all he managed to do was give his beetle a lot of exercise as it scuttled over the desktop avoiding his wand.

Ryan was relieved to hear the lunch bell. Everyone filed out of the cla.s.sroom in a mad dash to get away from work."What've we got this afternoon?" said Ryan, hastily changing the subject.

"Defense Against the Dark Arts," said Hermione at once. "Nooooooo" came Harrys cry from across the table.They finished lunch and went outside into the overcast courtyard. Hermione sat down on a stone step and buried her nose in Voyages with Vampires again. Ryan became aware that Harry was being closely watched by his number 2 fan. Looking up, he saw the very small, mousy haired boy he'd seen trying on the Sorting Hat last night staring at Harry as though transfixed. He was clutching what looked like an ordinary Muggle camera, and the moment Harry looked at him, he went bright red.

"All right, Harry? I'm—I'm Colin Creevey," he said breathlessly, taking a tentative step forward. "I'm in Gryffindor, too. D'you think—would it be all right if—can I have a picture?" he said, raising the camera hopefully. Ryan froze. His mind grinding to a halt pieces falling into place. He jumped to his feet and pointed at the boy with a shocking word popping out of his mouth Noone knew. "YANDERE!!!!!" Now Noone knew what this word ment except Ryan but everyone looked at the tiny boy and shivered involuntarily as he just gave off a cute innocent look. What Noone but Ryan seemed to catch was the glint of a kitchen knife hidden under his shirt. but he just waved it off as a hallucination and went back to his sandwich. A picture?" Harry repeated blankly.

"So I can prove I've met you," said Colin Creevey eagerly, edging further forward. "I know all about you. Everyone's told me. About how you survived when You-Know-Who tried to kill you and how he disappeared and everything and how you've still got a lightning scar on your forehead" (his eyes raked Harry's hairline) "and a boy in my dormitory said if I develop the film in the right potion, the pictures'll move." Colin drew a great shuddering breath of excitement and said, "It's amazing here, isn't it? I never knew all the odd stuff I could do was magic till I got the letter from Hogwarts. My dad's a milkman, he couldn't believe it either. So I'm taking loads of pictures to send home to him. And it'd be really good if I had one of you"—he looked imploringly at Harry—"maybe your friend could take it and I could stand next to you? And then, could you sign it?"

"Signed photos? You're giving out signed photos, Potter?"Loud and scathing, Draco Malfoy's voice echoed around the courtyard. He had stopped right behind Colin, flanked, as he always was at Hogwarts, by his large and thuggish cronies, Crabbe and Goyle.

"Everyone line up!" Malfoy roared to the crowd. "Harry Potter's giving out signed photos!"

"No, I'm not," said Harry angrily, his fists clenching. "Shut up, Malfoy."

"You're just jealous," piped up Colin, whose entire body was about as thick as Crabbe's neck.

"Jealous?" said Malfoy, who didn't need to shout anymore: half the courtyard was listening in. "Of what? I don't want a foul scar right across my head, thanks. I don't think getting your head cut open makes you that special, myself."

Crabbe and Goyle were sn.i.g.g.e.ring stupidly. "What's all this, what's all this?" Gilderoy Lockhart was striding toward them, his turquoise robes swirling behind him. "Who's giving out signed photos?"

Harry started to speak but he was cut short as Lockhart flung an arm around his shoulders and thundered jovially, "Shouldn't have asked! We meet again, Harry!"

Pinned to Lockhart's side Harry shouted "I need an adult!" "I am an adult" Lockhart replied "Come on then, Mr. Creevey," said Lockhart, beaming at Colin. "A double portrait, can't do better than that, and we'll both sign it for you."

Colin fumbled for his camera breathing heavily with a l.u.s.tful look in his eyes and took the picture as the bell rang behind them, signaling the start of afternoon cla.s.ses.