The herbalism class ended, and the students left the greenhouse with lingering enthusiasm.
Compared to regular watering, fertilizing, and transplanting, hands-on practice is clearly more popular with students.
"Vizette, isn't the next class flying lesson?" Sprout, humming a tune, looked up and asked as usual, "Is there something you want to ask me?"
"Professor Sprout, I'd like to ask... how does the Devil's Snare disguise itself as a Christmas cactus?"
"You always manage to ask some unexpected questions," Sprout said with a laugh. "When the Devil's Snare senses danger or needs to hunt, it will disguise itself."
"In fact, it can disguise itself to be smaller and more inconspicuous, such as a Virginia creeper or an ordinary vine. However, in the moment of attack, it is not as quick as disguising itself as a Christmas cactus."
"After all... they are actually the same kind of magical plant."
"Is it some kind of magical plant?" Vizette asked in surprise. "Could it be like... the relationship between a wolf and a dog?"
"A very clever metaphor. You are very perceptive to interpret it this way," Sprout praised. "The relationship between them can be seen as that of a dog and a wolf."
"In the very past, the Devil's Snare was a very threatening magical plant. Back then, wizards would usually travel in groups to look after each other if they wanted to venture into swamps or rainforests."
"It wasn't until later, when wizards created more magic, that the threat of the Devil's Snare gradually diminished. Later, some wizards tried to improve the Devil's Snare, and that's how the Christmas cactus came to be."
"It doesn't seem to make sense…" Vizette said, looking at his notebook. "How could the Devil's Snare imitate the Christmas cactus? The Devil's Snare came first, then the Christmas cactus."
"The appearance of the Christmas cactus is one of the forms of the Devil's Snare's disguise," Sprout explained. "When it's not attacking, the Devil's Snare's disguise is quite pleasing to the eye."
"The wizards of the past must have realized this, which is why they solidified this form. Don't you think the Christmas cactus is adorable!"
Vizette smiled. He felt that Professor Sprout was very similar to Hagrid, both having a deep love for magical plants or magical creatures.
Sprout took out her wand from her pocket. "Nevertheless, the danger of the Devil's Snare still exists. Next, I will show you how to disguise the Devil's Snare as a Christmas cactus."
Vizette packed up his notebook, then used his Magic Eye to say, "Professor Sprout, could you please help me?"
"It's our duty to answer students' questions." Sprout waved her hand, led Vizette to a spot five meters away, and then opened the box containing the Devil's Snare.
"First, we need to create a suitable environment so that the Devil's Snare feels safe."
She waved her wand gently, and the wand traced a path in the air that resembled a combination of a "C" and a "D".
"The air is cold and the water is freezing!"
A familiar magical energy field appeared, enveloping the Devil's Snare within it.
The magical energy field brought a chill and dampness, and the Devil's Snare within it gently swayed its vines.
Before long, the dark green color on the Devil's Snare gradually faded, and it indeed turned into the shape of a Christmas cactus.
Sprout continued casting the spell, gently pressing down on her wand and chanting in a steady tone: "Upholding the Righteous and Unwavering!"
Vizette was familiar with both spells; Snape had already taught them to him during a private lesson.
"Cold Qi and Cold Water" is the spell for moisturizing and preserving, which can create a magical energy field to keep materials fresh by using low temperature.
The moisturizing and preserving spell can be compared to a refrigerator, where the wizard can adjust the temperature and humidity according to their will;
This spell was extremely complex, and it took Vizette two whole weeks of practice before he could barely master it.
When he presented his results, Snape's cheeks twitched constantly, perhaps indicating some dissatisfaction with the pace of his learning.
"Upholding the Righteous and Unwavering" is the incantation for the Solidification Spell. This spell can temporarily solidify the state of materials, preventing the magical effects contained within from being lost.
This magic was also taught by Snape and is often used when processing rare potion ingredients.
During Sprout's spellcasting, Vizette witnessed through his magical eye the process of the Devil's Snare disguising itself as a Christmas cactus.
As he expected, the process of the disguise was very enlightening.
With the help of the Magic Eye, he saw the magic circuits of the Devil's Snare begin to shrink, the originally sharp circuits becoming smooth, gradually transforming into the magic circuits of the Christmas cactus...
He quickly picked up his notebook and wrote down the magic circuits he had seen.
Sprout glanced curiously at the notebook, which was covered with various neatly drawn patterns.
Although the design looked exquisite, she couldn't understand what Vizette was drawing.
However, in the magical world, wizards have their own understanding of magic, and it is quite normal for others not to be able to comprehend it.
After finishing his notes, Vizette asked somewhat sheepishly, "Professor Sprout, could you please restore the Devil's Snare? I'd like to take another look..."
"Of course, no problem."
Sprout agreed, and the specimen became a victim once again, torn apart by the Devil's Snare.
Vizette picked up his notebook again, revised the original pattern, and marked some minor differences.
"The air is cold and the water is freezing!" He subconsciously raised his wand, chanted a spell to help the Devil's Snare disguise itself, and picked up his pen to continue refining the pattern.
Seeing Vizette skillfully cast the spell, Professor Sprout exclaimed in surprise, "You know this magic?"
Vizette nodded. "Yes, I learned this magic from Professor Snape."
Sprout slapped her forehead. "I forgot. You go to Professor Snape's place to study on weekends. It's normal that you'll learn this magic."
Potions class and Herbology class are closely linked, and she often went to Snape to deliver materials, so she naturally knew about this.
She then asked curiously, "This spell is quite complex, requiring precise control of magic power. How long did it take you to master it?"
"Two weeks," Vizette said after a moment's thought. "That might be too slow… Professor Snape didn't look too happy when he found out about it…"
"Two weeks…" Sprout was momentarily speechless, but finally patted Vizette on the shoulder very seriously, "Don't put so much pressure on yourself, you've already done a very, very, very good job!"
"I will continue to work hard!" Vizette nodded emphatically. "After all, I've only just begun to learn magic, and there is still a lot I need to learn."
"Professor Sprout, I have to go to my flight lesson... Do you have another class later? I'd like to come back later…"
"Next class is also about the Devil's Snare, so feel free to come over!" Sprout laughed. "Headmaster Dumbledore specifically instructed that everyone should learn how to deal with the Devil's Snare."
...
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