บท 127: Chapter 127: The Magical Beans and the Greenhouse Encounter
In the Slytherin dormitory, Ino gently strummed the harp resting on his lap. Following the melody in his memory, he began to slowly compose a new piece.
December was fast approaching, and with the Quidditch Cup starting after the Christmas break, he didn't have much time left.
After composing for half an hour, Ino slowly put down the harp, only to see Draco's conflicted and hesitant face.
"If you have something to say, say it. If not, go to bed," Ino said, willing to initiate a conversation with Draco, unlike with Cedric.
"Ino, I feel like your story isn't finished! What happened to Leon and Annie's child? Rick can't spend his whole life on the island," Draco analyzed the story with conviction.
"Hahaha!" Ino couldn't help but laugh.
He thought it was something else, but it turned out Draco was waiting for the story's continuation. However, these improvised stories had no continuation.
Seeing the expectant look in Draco's eyes, Ino decided to satisfy him for now and started to make up more of the story:
"Later, Rick grew up and left the island secretly. Because he looked so much like his father Leon, he unknowingly met his young, beautiful, but vicious aunt Anna. The two of them had another entangled relationship."
About a minute passed.
"That's it? What happens next?" Draco asked anxiously.
"Sorry, that's all for now!" Ino spread his hands innocently.
"You..." Draco was stunned! It took him a while to recover.
He felt that he would have rather not heard it. At least the first story was complete, unlike now, leaving him hanging and more frustrated.
"Hahaha, there's really no more!" Ino laughed with satisfaction, then slowly stopped laughing. "Maybe later. I'll tell you when I think of something. Now go to bed!"
"When you think of it, you have to tell me first!" Draco reluctantly walked towards his bed.
It seemed he was truly unsatisfied because halfway there, he turned back and hesitantly said, "Why don't you write it down? I'll help you contact Mugglenet Publishers. My dad is friends with their editor. Believe me, this story will sell better than Lockhart's books!"
Hearing Draco's suggestion, Ino was also somewhat tempted.
Probably no bard would refuse to publish a book, just like the Brothers Grimm, who collected and recorded stories to publish them.
"That's a good idea, but let's wait until the summer break. I'll organize some good stories then."
Hearing they had to wait until summer, Draco was instantly disappointed and muttered to himself, "Why wait until summer? The story you just told was great! Can't we publish it as a single volume first and then publish the others during the summer?"
Why? Of course, because of reputation! A boy under 14 writing such a twisted and vulgar love story—what would that do to his reputation?
Ino knew the difference. Telling stories and publishing books were two different things. The former could be hearsay, while the latter would be an authored work!
Though he thought this, he couldn't say it to Draco.
"No single volumes. I'll think of a better story for the summer! I'll give you a signed limited edition then. How about that? I can even draw an illustration for you."
To brush him off, Ino made a heavy promise.
"It's a deal!" Hearing the promise, Draco finally walked to his bed with a smile.
...
The night passed without a word.
The darkness quietly retreated, and dawn broke.
Woken up by his alarm clock, Ino got up from his sleep and, as usual, methodically completed his morning routine.
After tidying up, he gently opened the dormitory door and walked lightly towards the castle exterior.
It was a quiet Sunday morning in the castle.
The usual hustle and bustle were absent, and the air carried a hint of leisure. Even the distant Forbidden Forest was veiled in morning mist.
After glancing at the slightly mysterious Forbidden Forest, Ino headed straight to the greenhouse.
He had no interest in exploring the Forbidden Forest now; maybe he would do it openly in the future, but not sneaking around like this.
Outside the herbology greenhouse.
Ino squatted by a pile of defective flower pots, starting a new round of selection. He needed to find new "homes" for the magical beans.
Gifted by Wilhelm Green and blessed by the Goddess of Harvest! Who wouldn't be excited for these magical beans to sprout?
However, fate seemed not to favor his efforts. After selecting over ten pots, each one had either cracks or hidden damages, making none of them usable.
Just as he was about to use Transfiguration to make an emergency pot, a gentle voice came from inside the greenhouse.
"Silly child, you won't find any usable ones here. They were all sorted out yesterday!"
Upon hearing this, Ino looked up in surprise. "Good morning, Professor Sprout!"
Pomona recognized the student before her. Although Hufflepuff had many students, she could still remember each one accurately, though she sometimes forgot their names.
But this student was particularly memorable, a lover of herbology, much like the chubby Gryffindor boy—both good kids.
"Come with me. The bouncing bulbs in Greenhouse Seven need calming. Once you're done, I'll give you a few new pots as a reward! That is, if you're willing to do this."
"Of course! It would be my honor!" Ino agreed without hesitation.
The pots were a small matter; building a good relationship with Professor Sprout was more important. He would likely need her guidance for planting the magical beans later.
More importantly, he wanted to learn Professor Sprout's plant-sensing magic, where touching the soil with a wand would reveal the plant's needs—an incredibly practical skill.
Greenhouse Seven.
Bouncing bulbs were magical plants resembling hyacinth flower balls but were very active, constantly bouncing around in their pots. If not calmed in time, they would turn the greenhouse into a mess.
Opening the greenhouse door, countless bouncing bulbs, as if on a stimulant, were jumping around nonstop, on the pots, and the ground, everywhere.
"You..." Professor Sprout hesitated.
"Ino Swinburne, just call me Ino."
Ino quickly added, avoiding any awkwardness for the professor. After all, he had noticed that Professor Sprout might not remember names well.
But he understood, given that this year's Hufflepuff first-years alone reached an astonishing 103.
"Well, Ino! Do you know how to calm them?" Professor Sprout asked.
After a brief thought, Ino recalled information about the plant and replied, "Professor, use fire to calm them! Mature bouncing bulbs need fire because they like warmth and light. For immature ones, just grab them and press them into the soil."
"Correct answer. If this were a class, I'd definitely give you points!" Professor Sprout said with a smile.
She genuinely liked students who paid attention in her class, especially in herbology.
These mischievous young wizards even ranked her herbology class as the third least useful, only ahead of History of Magic and Astronomy, making it the third least useful course at Hogwarts, even behind the Divination class!
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