In the bustling auditorium, Ryan found that breakfast at Hogwarts was as hearty as ever. Platters piled high with eggs, bacon, toast, and other delights filled the long tables. Due to the unusual way they arrived at school the previous day, Ron and Harry were surrounded by curious students eager to hear the details of their adventure.
As Ryan took his seat, the Weasley twins approached from behind, grinning widely. Fred patted him on the shoulder. "Thanks, Ryan. Your idea saved our family a lot of money on textbooks this year."
Ryan smiled. "No need to thank me. If it weren't for your many brothers and sisters, I wouldn't have thought of that idea. By the way, can you tell me what you're planning to do with the things you bought from me before?"
Fred winked. "Not just yet—trade secret. But once we've got something ready, you'll be the first to see it."
With that, the twins joined Lee Jordan at the other end of the table. Ryan shrugged and turned his attention to his breakfast, realizing his appetite was unusually large—probably from all the excitement and exercise the day before. Even Hermione, typically a light eater, was helping herself to an extra serving of scrambled eggs.
As the students continued to eat, a flurry of owls swept into the hall, soaring above the tables. The start of the school year always brought an increase in owl deliveries, as students inevitably forgot to pack some essentials, from potion ingredients to unpurchased textbooks.
Some packages were quite extravagant. Neville, for example, received a parcel so large it nearly knocked over his goblet when it landed. Remembering the Remembrall his grandmother sent him last year, Ryan thought it suited Neville perfectly, even though it only reminded you that you'd forgotten something—without specifying what it was.
Amidst the chaos, Ryan noticed a gray blur plummeting toward the table. He quickly pulled the milk jug out of the way with his left hand and caught the falling object with his right.
"It looks like Ron's owl," Hermione observed, her eyes wide from the sudden commotion.
Ryan inspected the limp bird in his hand and recognized Errol, the ancient family owl from the Weasleys, with a letter still clutched in his beak. Ryan carried the unconscious bird over to Ron. "Your family really needs a new owl. This one's too old to keep up with deliveries."
Ron opened the letter with a resigned sigh. "If it weren't for Lockhart's expensive books, we might have been able to afford one this year."
He read the letter, then looked up at Ryan and Harry. "The Ministry of Magic doesn't want us to spread rumors about the incident at the wall, so they're giving us each ten Galleons. Dad will pass the money to you when Mum goes to the post office in a couple of days. Errol's too old to carry thirty Galleons at once."
"No rush," Ryan and Harry said together.
"Well, at least it's some extra pocket money," Ryan said, trying to sound cheerful.
Ron scowled. "My mum's already taken mine for the books."
Ryan and Harry exchanged a look, silently sympathizing with Ron's situation.
When breakfast was nearly over, Professor McGonagall made her way down the table, handing out class schedules. Their first class of the day was Herbology, shared with the Hufflepuffs.
Professor Sprout, the Herbology teacher, was known for her cheerful demeanor and round figure. But today, she stood at the greenhouse door looking unusually upset, her robes damp with dew from the plants. It wasn't hard to see why—Lockhart stood beside her, immaculate in turquoise robes with gold trim, his golden hair gleaming.
As the students approached, Lockhart flashed a dazzling smile and launched into a boastful monologue about his expertise in Herbology. But before he could finish, Professor Sprout interrupted with unusual sharpness. "We're working in Greenhouse Three today!"
This announcement caused a ripple of excitement. Last year, they had only been in Greenhouse One, where the plants were relatively harmless. Greenhouse Three, however, was rumored to contain real magical plants, some of which were dangerous if mishandled.
A pungent aroma of fertilizer and blooming flowers hit them as the greenhouse doors swung open. Inside, strange plants swayed as if they were alive, some blossoming with enormous, colorful petals.
As they were about to enter, Lockhart pulled Harry aside, chattering about fame and public image. Hermione frowned. "He's a professor—shouldn't he be focused on teaching? This is a school, not a publicity tour."
Ryan stifled a laugh, remembering how Hermione had been starstruck by Lockhart just yesterday. The contrast was amusing, but he quickly composed himself when Hermione glared at him. "Maybe he's just not used to being a teacher yet. Give him some time to adjust."
Ron snorted. "You always see the best in people, Ryan. Like last year when you defended Snape. But I'm telling you, Lockhart's full of himself. He was bragging about his Herbology skills right in front of Professor Sprout."
Inside the greenhouse, each student found a pair of earmuffs waiting on their stool. Professor Sprout explained that they would be repotting Mandrakes today. Hermione immediately answered the professor's question about Mandrakes, earning Gryffindor ten points.
Mandrakes were infamous for their deadly screams. Even young Mandrakes' cries could knock you out cold if unprotected, so the earmuffs were essential safety gear. Once everyone had theirs on, Professor Sprout demonstrated by pulling a Mandrake out of its pot. It looked like a wrinkly baby, flailing its limbs and screaming noiselessly under the muffling spell.
Watching the Mandrake's grotesque movements, Ryan thought it looked oddly like a ginseng doll, although far less appealing. Then his mind wandered to the idea of brewing Mandrake wine, imagining it might have some medicinal benefits, like activating blood circulation or relieving pain.
His daydream was interrupted by Hermione's elbow nudging him back to attention. Fortunately, he hadn't missed much of the demonstration, so he managed to repot his Mandrake without any major mishaps.
When class ended, they left the greenhouse, still rubbing dirt off their hands. As they headed to their next lesson, Lockhart's voice floated over from a distance, still talking about his many achievements.
Ron shook his head in disbelief. "How does he find the time to brag so much? Does he even know how to teach?"
Hermione huffed but didn't argue, perhaps finally seeing Lockhart for who he really was. Ryan merely chuckled, already looking forward to what other surprises the day would bring.
End of Chapter 76