Char's eyes widened in awe as he stared at the guardian tree seed in his palm. His heart trembled with excitement. The reward for planting this magical tree was far beyond what he'd expected. Just successfully planting the seed would grant him a bronze-level boost to his magical perception—and if he could nurture the guardian tree to full maturity, the reward would rise to silver level!
It was hard not to be dazzled by the prospect. Char knew that the legendary abilities he'd accumulated so far—like his incredible heat resistance—had come only after years of relentless effort, planting field after field of cotton, stacking up countless small rewards until finally, with Professor Sprout's guidance, he'd reached legendary status. The effort, the sweat, the patience—only Char truly understood what it had cost him.
But the guardian tree was different. If he could grow it to maturity, he'd leap ahead in power. It was like the difference between slowly earning a fortune by selling pancakes and inheriting a family business—one path was grueling, the other a windfall.
And the rewards were exactly what he needed: insight into Defense Against the Dark Arts, and resistance to dark magic. If he could ever raise both to legendary level, Char thought, he might become a true nemesis to dark wizards. Antonin Dolohov? Even Voldemort himself might have to watch out!
After a moment, Char's excitement settled into determination. The rewards were great, but so was the challenge. Professor Sprout had said most herbalists couldn't manage to grow a guardian tree until their third year. Even with his planting system, Char knew this wasn't going to be easy or quick.
But the sooner he started, the sooner he'd learn.
He took a deep breath. "Aunt, I want to try. I'm determined to walk the path of a true Herbologist. I want to honor the Sprout family."
Professor Sprout's eyes shone with pride. She led Char out to the greenhouse behind Hogwarts, to a small, empty plot set aside just for him. "This is your experimental field, Char. You can try any ideas you have here."
Char gazed around, feeling a surge of gratitude. He knew how precious this opportunity was. The Hogwarts greenhouse was legendary, built by Helga Hufflepuff herself, enriched by centuries of magic and care. Even the soil was coveted by Herbologists across Britain. Here, plants grew faster, healthier, and sometimes even developed unique, powerful traits.
He turned to say something, but Professor Sprout smiled gently. "Child, we are the last of the Sprout line. You are my dearest family. All my resources are yours. It's just a patch of greenhouse—don't think much about it."
Char nodded, his resolve hardening. He listened closely as Professor Sprout explained the guardian tree's secrets.
"The guardian tree is incredibly sensitive to magic," she said. "From the moment you plant the seed, you must regulate your magic carefully. Even your emotions matter. There was once a wizard who tried to plant a guardian tree after casting a dark curse the day before. The seed absorbed his tainted magic and grew into a cursed plant—and the poor man died as a result."
She rested a hand on Char's shoulder. "Don't rush. You have all the time you need."
Char nodded, accepting the challenge. He knew that failure was part of any true research. Even the greatest scientists and wizards learned through trial and error. He picked up a guardian tree seed, focusing on happy, positive thoughts as he tapped it with his wand. He soaked the seed in a potion, tapped the bottle three times, and traced three circles in the air.
"Protego-Arboris!" he intoned.
For a moment, the potion glowed green. But then it darkened to a muddy gray, and the seed lost its luster. Char let out a slow breath. He'd failed.
Professor Sprout was quick to reassure him. "Don't worry, Char. Only a handful of wizards in history have succeeded on their first try. Even I can't compare to them. Take your time."
Char smiled back, undaunted. "I understand, Aunt. I'm ready for the long haul."
She handed him two more sets of seeds and reagents, but Char shook his head. He could tell that his magical perception still wasn't sharp enough for this challenge. It would be wasteful to keep trying now. He'd wait until his perception improved—hopefully after his next harvest of Goldfish Vine.
He explained his plan to Professor Sprout, who nodded approvingly. "That's wise, Char. In the meantime, try some other magical plants. Here are some jumping root seeds, and some bubble stem seeds. They're harder than Goldfish Vine, but much easier than guardian trees."
Char used his system to check the rewards. Jumping root would slightly improve his jumping ability (Black Iron level), while bubble stem would help him comprehend the Bubble-Head Charm (Black Iron level). Char wasn't thrilled—jumping higher wasn't very useful, and the Bubble-Head Charm was rarely needed. Still, improving his spell comprehension was better than nothing.
Just as he was about to start, something caught his eye—a cluster of glowing mushrooms on the greenhouse ceiling, casting a gentle light.
"Aunt, what are those mushrooms?" he asked.
Professor Sprout followed his gaze and smiled. "Those are glow mushrooms. They're mostly decorative—people use them for lanterns or greenhouse lighting. Some Herbologists have bred variants that shine even brighter, but they don't have much value otherwise."
Char's system, however, showed him something different:
[Variant Glowing Mushroom]
[Successful planting can slightly improve night vision (Black Iron Level)]
[When the glow mushroom matures, the reward will be upgraded to: Night vision slightly improved (Black Iron level), very small amount of Fluorescent Spell comprehension (Black Iron level)]
Char's eyes sparkled. Night vision and spell comprehension—now those were rewards worth cultivating!
With renewed enthusiasm, Char set about planning his next magical experiments, determined to keep growing, learning, and inching ever closer to the legendary heights he dreamed of.
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