When Char shared his plan, Professor Sprout's eyes, which had been clouded with anger and worry, suddenly lit up with hope and curiosity.
"Char, do you have an idea?" she asked eagerly.
Char nodded, recalling a famous incident from the original story. During a flying lesson shared by Gryffindor and Slytherin, Neville had lost control of his broom, fallen, and broken several bones. Malfoy had found Neville's dropped Remembrall and taunted him, only for Harry to swoop in, challenge Malfoy, and retrieve the ball in a daring aerial chase. That event had led to Harry joining the Quidditch team as the youngest Seeker in a century.
But Char's focus wasn't on Harry's heroics. He was thinking about Malfoy's pattern of behavior: whenever he failed to get his way or was humiliated, he lashed out at others—especially those close to Char. With flying lessons coming up again on Thursday, Char suspected Malfoy would target Neville, hoping to get revenge for his own recent embarrassment.
He turned to Professor Sprout, his voice thoughtful. "Aunt, is there a magical plant that could be hidden inside a Remembrall?"
Professor Sprout paused, considering. "You mean a plant that could disguise itself as a Remembrall?" She thought for a moment, then nodded. "There's mirror grass. It can mimic anything it touches—very rare, and often mixed in with other herbs. Only an experienced Herbologist can spot it."
Char grinned, catching on immediately. "So, if we make a fake Remembrall out of mirror grass, Malfoy will grab it—thinking he's being clever—and get a little surprise?"
Professor Sprout's eyes sparkled with mischief. "Exactly! And if we add something inside to give him a shock… Well, that would leave Severus speechless. Malfoy would have no one to blame but himself."
She grew thoughtful. "How about a bit of biting cabbage? Once Malfoy grabs the Remembrall, the cabbage will wake up and give his hand a good nip!"
Char shivered, half-amused, half-appalled. "Biting cabbage might be a bit much, Aunt. It's on the Ministry's list of controlled plants! Maybe something less dangerous, but still enough to teach him a lesson?"
Professor Sprout looked a little disappointed but quickly brightened. "I have just the thing. It won't really hurt Malfoy, but it'll let him know that Hufflepuff isn't to be trifled with."
Meanwhile, in the Slytherin common room, Snape was giving Malfoy a stern lecture.
"You absolute fool," Snape hissed. "If you're going to pull a stunt, don't let anyone see you. If anyone finds out you harmed a classmate during flying lessons—especially if Hannah Abbott had been seriously hurt—not even your father could protect you. You'd be expelled!"
Malfoy was pale and shaken. When Snape finally stalked away, he let out a shaky breath, then clenched his fists.
"Char Sprout… It's all your fault!" he muttered. "You keep making me look bad! I'm not done with you yet."
But even as he plotted, Malfoy couldn't help but remember Char's strength and resilience. He'd heard rumors that Char could fall from a broomstick and walk away without a scratch. Malfoy had no intention of facing him directly again—at least, not until he'd mastered some powerful spells.
Instead, his thoughts turned to Thursday's flying lesson. Neville was Char's cousin and a known friend. Malfoy smirked. "If I can't get to Char, I'll go after Neville. He's easy to bully—and it'll still hurt Char."
Back in Hufflepuff, Char was laying out his plan to Neville.
"Neville, I'll need your help," he explained. "The whole of Hufflepuff will be behind you these next few days."
Neville's eyes widened with nervous excitement. He stammered, "M-me? But… I—I'll try my best!"
Char smiled, giving Neville's shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "I believe in you, Neville. You have so much potential—more than you know."
Neville flushed with pride. No one had ever shown him this kind of faith—not even his own family. Char's trust filled him with determination.
"I won't let you down, Char," Neville said, his voice steady.
Later, Char visited the infirmary to check on Hannah. She was sitting up in bed, carefully tending her goldfish spider plants. The pots were nearly orange, just a step away from full maturity.
Char's heart swelled with satisfaction. Hannah was truly the second-best caretaker of the goldfish spider plants after Neville. Soon, another batch of rewards would be ready to harvest.
Hannah looked up and smiled, her eyes shining with gratitude. "Char, I still can't believe you saved me. I don't even know how to thank you."
Char waved her off with a gentle grin. "We're all Hufflepuffs. We look out for each other. Besides, you've taken such good care of those plants—that's thanks enough for me."
He paused, then added, "You've got a couple more days before you're allowed back in class, right?"
Hannah's face twisted in mock agony, but there was a hint of a smile. "Yes, it's terrible… I mean, it's wonderful… Oh, I mean, it's awful!"
Char chuckled. "It must be tough missing lessons. Don't worry—I brought you today's notes so you can keep up."
He handed her a stack of parchment. Hannah groaned, but she dutifully opened the notes and started to read.
"The basic principles of spells… The basics of Transfiguration… Common Herbology classifications…"
Within minutes, she was rubbing her temples. "Char, my head hurts. I think I need a break."
Char glanced at her goldfish spider plant, now fully orange. He smiled. "You deserve a rest. I won't bother you anymore."
As he left the infirmary, Char felt the familiar tingle of magic as three reward orbs floated toward him and merged into his body.
[The goldfish spider plant you planted has matured]
[You get a reward – a slight increase in magic perception]
[...]
Char's plan was in motion, and with every harvest, he felt himself growing stronger—ready for whatever Malfoy might try next.
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