Although the five fourth-year Hufflepuffs present were all quite skilled in Herbology, even Allen—slightly ahead of the others in ability—was still a step behind these experts. His energy wasn't entirely focused on a single subject, whereas they might have specialized in Herbology since their first year.
After they quickly handled the large batch of herbs used for student experiments, they finally reached the main event—the handling of the precious crops.
Naturally, in the wild, these plants could only grow in specific regions, but with magic, these rare species could be cultivated at a high cost. After all, sometimes freshly harvested herbs had significantly stronger medicinal properties than dried ones.
Never underestimate the collection of a wizard who specializes in Herbology. Even herbs that Harry would later struggle to find, like Mimbulus Mimbletonia, Allen had seen whole living clusters in his professor's collection. Of course, exotic potion materials like African tree snake skins weren't included.
Previously, Allen and the others had assisted under the professor's guidance, but now things were different—the rarest species were not for beginners to touch. Simply observing them was already an eye-opener.
Once the herbs were processed, the Mahoutokoro professor drew her wand and tapped lightly on a sealed door. With a single leap backward, CRASH, the door slammed down at her previous position.
Allen's roommates were startled—but before they could even comment, what appeared inside drew all their attention: a collection of rare plants, half of them supported by magical tools to maintain their growth environment.
For others, it might have seemed puzzling, but the fourth-year Hufflepuffs had put in plenty of effort in Herbology under their head of house's strict "catch up if you're behind" orders. Even the most common plants here would be labeled "rare" in textbooks and sold in the market for Galleons.
So, necessary security measures existed—like the few unfamiliar, ominous-looking chili plants in the corners.
The fruits were fully ripe, yet the owner had no intention of harvesting them. The bright red chilies made Allen's mouth water—this would make an amazing hot sauce!
It seemed the others shared his thoughts. No surprise—their Hufflepuff side business relied on cooking, and they cared deeply about seasoning.
Even students attending classes from other schools were curious—they'd never seen such plants before.
Unfortunately, no professor explained anything, instead warning them not to touch the plants and leaving them to process the rest themselves. The professors only offered guidance here and there—the students did all the work.
After observing the professor's demonstration briefly, Allen was called over. The professor asked dozens of complex questions, some relating to the material Allen had recently acquired. When satisfied, she nodded, signaling that he could begin handling the plants himself.
Allen intended to follow his standardized training step by step—but before he could start, the professor leaned close and whispered subtly:
"I bet him that these five rare plants could scare him. Perform well—or your detention isn't even lifted yet."
…Professor, when did you become so cunning?
Professor Sprout had always cared deeply for her students—every Hufflepuff admitted this. Yet apparently, it didn't stop her from setting Allen up. After all, compared to others, Allen was practically her heir in learning.
She had added him to observe temporarily, giving him a reference while studying the materials. But earlier, her request to let Allen handle the rare plants had been denied—because, supposedly, he lacked the innate genius required.
Of course I do—I'm hiding it.
Although Allen's herb handling knowledge wasn't as solid as the experts, a mere flick of his fingers seemed to make the plants obey. Of course, this was an exaggeration—but truly, he could sense the medicinal properties of every part instantly, and separate them without resistance. Even the most violent mandrakes stayed quiet, and temperamental Whomping Willows behaved like obedient puppies when handled.
Why show off? He was just here to observe—seeing was enough.
Unfortunately, Allen's humility was misplaced. Professor Sprout knew his potential. A genius capable of controlling plants like him acting so casually? Impossible. So, jokingly, she raised the stakes: if Allen could show more than expected, she'd allow him to pick three herbs from her private collection.
Eventually, she upped the bet to five and issued a strict order.
Allen, trusting his instincts, approached the assigned plant and gently pressed.
Fruits, seeds, leaves, stems, roots—all separated at his touch, intact, without a speck of soil. By the time it was done, the professor hadn't even reacted…
Naturally, her mouth fell open—Allen had used a one-hit-kill technique.
Thus, the professor gained the right to choose five herbs. Initially, she even tried letting Allen pick to "cheat" a bit, but after seeing his skill, she swallowed the suggestion. Even if he couldn't recognize the rarest species, his ability alone could guide him to select the most valuable ones. It was better for Sprout to choose herself, minimizing losses while saving face.
In the end, Allen successfully left with his roommates carrying the prized chilies.
"These are defense crops she carefully guided. I picked two for you—study them well. They might help with your offensive spells."
Allen suddenly remembered the professor's sunlight-mimicking crops. Professor… we could totally play Plants vs. Zombies now.
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