The second week of October brought howling winds that chased the stones outside Hogwarts Castle, sending them tumbling.
Before long, a bolt of lightning sliced through the sky where fallen leaves danced, followed by a rumbling thunderclap. Neville said his desk was shaking.
Going outside the castle right now clearly wasn't the best idea, but three small figures, bundled in thick robes and raincoats, appeared behind the castle.
"Alright, Neville, you can hide behind me for now, but you're on your own later," Justin said.
Justin walked on Sean's left, pulling a small, smooth bag from his pack. It looked like it was made from some kind of animal hide.
Neville had already shuffled from Sean's right to hide behind Justin. Every time lightning struck, Neville's head ducked lower.
Back in the classroom, Hermione had snapped, "Neville, if you're so scared of thunder, just stay inside."
Neville didn't dare argue. He just shook his head, stammering, "O-okay…"
Hermione, seeing him contradict himself, rolled her eyes and shoved a pair of earplugs into his hands, clearly exasperated.
Now, outside the castle, Neville wore the earplugs but was still trembling.
Luckily, Justin's bag caught his attention, and Neville stared at it with wide eyes.
Justin handed the bag to Sean, who turned his focus to it.
"A mokeskin pouch," Justin said with a gentle smile. "Perfect for storing seeds or small shovels."
"Thanks," Sean replied.
Sean's slender hand reached out from the thick, rainproof robe Professor Sprout had given him. Curious, he slipped some parchment into the bag.
With a big rain coming, he didn't want the parchment getting soaked.
Unlike leather, parchment wasn't tanned and was sensitive to moisture—definitely not waterproof.
Sean had been debating for days whether to bring his parchment to the greenhouse. Now, thanks to Justin's pouch, the problem was solved.
Sean had read about mokeskin pouches in a book. They were small bags that only the owner could retrieve items from.
They looked tiny but could hold a surprising amount. In July 1996, Hagrid gave Harry one as a seventeenth birthday gift. During the Horcrux hunt, Harry wore it around his neck, storing his most precious items: the Marauder's Map, a shard of the two-way mirror, the fake Horcrux locket, the Golden Snitch with the Resurrection Stone, a letter from Lily to Sirius, half a photo, and his broken wand.
Justin watched Sean tuck the parchment into the pouch and sighed, "Yeah, I figured you'd do that… Oh, Neville, here's yours."
Neville's throat bobbed as he stared at the bag Justin held out. Shivering, he stammered, "B-but what about you…?"
Justin grinned and showed off his own Undetectable Extension Charm bag. Neville's eyes widened with quiet envy.
"Well… okay… thanks…" Neville mumbled.
---
Since October began, Sean had been spending three days a week helping in the greenhouses for three hours, handling materials. As the weather worsened, he stayed even longer.
To brace for the autumn storms, Hogwarts' greenhouses were well-prepared. The most crucial measure was powerful magical protection:
Permanent fortifying charms, like those on the castle itself, shielded the structures from most harsh weather. Inside, constant-temperature charms, humidity-control charms, and silencing charms created a stable microclimate, minimizing the impact of the elements.
But the greenhouses weren't completely secure. Leaks, drainage issues, and relocating plants that needed sunlight outside the glass walls were constant challenges.
This made manpower tight.
Thankfully, Sean, Neville, Justin, and a senior named Bruce took turns helping out.
Outside the greenhouse, dark clouds loomed over the domed structure. Three figures in thick rainproof robes and black-and-yellow scarves spotted the three younger witches and wizards—much shorter than them—and hurried over.
"Hey, Sean, perfect timing. It's all yours now," Bruce said.
Bruce glanced at the ominous clouds, then handed Sean a red letter.
"Came this afternoon. Help us out, yeah?"
Sean took the letter with a sigh. As soon as Bruce opened it, he bolted, shouting over his shoulder, "Run for it, Leon, Pister… and you guys too!"
Sean slipped on the earmuffs Hermione had given him. The red letter let out a howl that made his black hair whip back:
"BRUCE! WHERE DID YOU THROW YOUR BROTHER CHARLIE'S WAND?"
As Sean covered his ears, Bruce, now far off, hummed a tune and muttered to himself, "Yup, wand trouble. That thing's practically an antique, still in use… Heh, Mrs. Reece, now you'll have to use the money I sent…"
When the howling stopped, Bruce sidled back up to Sean, slipping a Fizzing Whizbee into his hand.
"I owe you one, little Green… Soon, alright? But since I didn't hear anything, I can't do anything. Blame the owl for delivering it to the wrong guy."
Before Bruce could slip away, Leon grabbed his collar and yanked him back.
"Sorry, little Green," Leon said sincerely, looking exasperated. "I won't let this guy off easy."
"Leon, Green's cool with it, why're you—"
"Shut it, you jerk!" Leon snapped.
The three seniors bickered as they trudged across the soggy lawn, their voices fading.
Soon, Professor Sprout appeared, her eyes warm with gratitude. "Thank you, young gentlemen. The plants really need your help."
"We're happy to volunteer, Professor," Justin said enthusiastically, hoisting two potted plants outside the glass walls. "If we can help, that's all the better."
"Y-yeah… Professor…" Neville added, grabbing a shovel to clear a drainage hole clogged with blackroot grass.
"Mm," Sean said quietly, but his efficiency spoke volumes. His silent Levitation Charm cleared a patch in seconds.
Soon, thunder roared.
Winds howled, rain poured, the ground grew slick, visibility dimmed, and strange plants surrounded them…
Three small figures worked diligently under the guidance of a stout witch.
Over the weeks, Sean gained more than just knowledge of a dozen plants and their care. He also earned a collection of seeds from Professor Sprout.