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When Harry returned to the greenhouse, everyone had already begun the lesson.
He slipped into the spot beside Ron and Hermione.
Hermione gave a sharp little huff.
Apparently Mrs. Weasley's Howler hadn't softened her either.
Harry wilted.
All he could do was focus on Professor Sprout's voice.
"Today we'll be repotting Mandrakes," she announced. "Now—who can tell about the properties of a Mandrake root? Darren, you—"
She stopped abruptly.
Her face fell.
She wiped her eyes before letting out a heavy sigh.
"Poor little Darren… Thank goodness he's all right." She cleared her throat. "Hermione? Go on."
"Mandrakes are a powerful restorative," Hermione recited. "They were one of the ingredients Darren used to improve the new antidote formula. Of course, there are others, but I won't list them all."
Professor Sprout bead.
"Twenty points to Gryffindor."
She turned toward the rows of Mandrakes.
"Hermione is correct. Darren's latest antidote incorporates Mandrake, though he added other ingredients to balance the toxicity. He's a real genius. If he were here today, I'd be giving Slytherin extra points."
She clapped her hands.
"Now—who can tell where the dangers of handling Mandrakes lie?"
The rest of the lesson passed quickly—dirty, chaotic, but interesting.
Their next class was Transfiguration with Professor McGonagall, which imdiately destroyed their good mood.
They were tasked with transforming beetles into buttons.
Harry's mind was a blank slate; everything he'd learned last year had apparently evaporated. Professor McGonagall reprimanded him sharply.
Ron's wand kept emitting black smoke—and actually killed a beetle.
Professor McGonagall's stare could have lted cauldrons.
They trudged to lunch with their shoulders slumped.
Harry automatically glanced toward the Slytherin table.
And froze.
Darren was back from the hospital wing.
The mont he spotted Harry and Ron entering the hall, he rushed over with a bright, relieved smile.
"Harry! I knew you'd be all right!"
Darren grinned—then imdiately looked guilty.
"I'm sorry… I think I caused you trouble."
[Ding, Father 100]
[Ding, Father 100]
[Ding, Father 100]
Clearly, half the hall was eavesdropping again.
Darren rubbed the back of his neck.
"My brother must've been punished because of … I should've controlled myself. It's my fault—I'm useless."
[Ding, Father 100]
[Ding, Father 100]
"Don't be ridiculous," Harry said imdiately. "Even without you, we'd have been punished. But I am angry you had a magical outburst just because I wasn't there. If sothing went wrong, you could've beco a Squib—or died. What would I do then?"
Darren ducked his head, face full of guilt.
"I'm sorry, brother…"
[Ding, Father 100]
[Ding, Father 100]
He looked like he was about to cry.
Harry couldn't bring himself to scold him further.
It was his fault Darren panicked.
"It's my mistake. Next ti I won't be reckless," Harry said firmly—even though he wasn't sure how long that promise would last. But he ant it.
Darren's return brightened Hermione instantly.
She even conjured heart-shaped buttons for each of them.
"Oh, Darren, you scared so much…" Hermione said, hugging him tightly. "Next ti Slytherin won't tell you what Harry's doing, just ask . I thought you were going to die!"
Darren flushed guiltily.
Hermione quickly softened.
"All right, all right—I'm not blaming you. I just don't want you hurt again."
She shot Harry and Ron a pointed glare.
Ron was too busy sulking over his broken wand to notice.
Harry, however, fixated on sothing else.
"Darren—Slytherin didn't tell you about and Ron? Snape said we made the headlines. If you'd known earlier, you wouldn't have had that magical outburst!"
Harry glared at the Slytherin table.
Those students… unbelievable.
If Darren had been sorted into Gryffindor, none of this would've happened.
But Darren shook his head.
"No… I asked Miss Kassandra first, and she really didn't know. Then I started feeling strange, and Malfoy and the others told you two were flying around the sky… I panicked. It wasn't their fault. The Slytherin students have been very kind."
[Ding, Father 50]
[Ding, Father 30]
[Ding, Father 40]
The pathetic amount of points made it clear everyone thought Darren's claim was unbelievable.
Slytherin… kind?
It sounded like a bad joke.
"They? Good? Kind?" Harry said faintly.
Ron nearly choked.
He stared at Darren like he'd grown three heads.
[Ding: Host is surrounded by a Holy-Father-worthy scene. Temporary mission issued—Ask about Ron's wand and say: 'I'll buy you a new one.']
[Reward: 1 × Scene Card. Accept?]
[Accepted.]
Another scene card.
Easy.
Darren stepped toward Ron.
"Ron… I heard from my Slytherin classmates that your wand is broken?"
Ron lifted the limp, taped-together wand.
"Yeah. Completely useless."
Darren swallowed.
"If… if you don't mind, I—I could buy you a new one."
Ron blinked.
Darren rushed on.
"Not because I look down on you! I've always thought of you as an important friend—and a brother. So… may I buy you a wand? Only if you don't mind."
[Ding! Mission complete. Scene Card ×1 obtained.]
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