On the lawn behind the castle, three young wizards bundled in thick robes stepped out into the blustery day. They ignored the rolling thunder overhead, the howling wind battering the castle walls, and the distant cracking of branches in the Forbidden Forest.
In a few hours, they'd be out in the greenhouses, wrestling with this stormy weather. But their expressions were calm, even cheerful at times. Justin did most of the talking, Sean nodded along, and Neville offered shy smiles.
Doing something tough alone could feel overwhelming, but together, those shared moments of laughter made the struggle worthwhile.
Before they even reached the greenhouse, they heard the older students' rowdy voices.
"Bruce, you absolute prat! Stay away from that Devil's Snare!"
Leon was waving his wand, busy moving other plants, when Bruce, who'd just provoked the Devil's Snare, darted behind Pister for cover.
The Devil's Snare flailed its vines angrily behind him.
Through the stained-glass window of Greenhouse Three, Sean figured Bruce must've messed with its pods. According to One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi, Devil's Snare was a vine-like plant that looked like a lumpy stump and bore grapefruit-sized pods. Try to grab one, and it'd lash out with tentacle-like vines.
Before Bruce could fully hide, Pister dodged with the ease of someone who'd done this before. The Devil's Snare's vines whipped Bruce's shoulder, making him yelp and settle down quick.
Professor Sprout watched the trio, her eyes crinkling with amusement, then strode out of Greenhouse Three. Thanks to them, Greenhouse One was in tip-top shape. Her new sprouts were almost ready.
Since the greenhouses could be dangerous, the work was always split up. Professor Sprout handled the perilous Greenhouse Seven alone—rumor had it there was even a small Whomping Willow in there, though no one knew for sure.
Bruce and the other older students worked in Greenhouse Three, while Sean, Justin, and Neville took care of the plants in Greenhouse One.
At the entrance to Greenhouse One, Sean saw Bruce, Leon, and Pister file out of Greenhouse Three, the Devil's Snare still thrashing behind them.
"Ha!" Bruce stuck out his tongue at the greenhouse.
"Idiot," Leon muttered, eyeing Bruce's muddy clothes and messy hair. The guy always found trouble.
"Oh! Look who it is—little Green!" Bruce's eyes lit up as he turned to Sean. "Bet you're pumped for Hogsmeade, right?"
He leaned in with a mischievous grin.
"…"
Truthfully, Sean hadn't given it much thought. If Bruce hadn't mentioned it, he might've forgotten entirely—Hogsmeade trips weren't really a thing for younger students.
"Uh, sure," Sean said, trying to match Bruce's enthusiasm.
"I told you, little Green, I owe you one—not just for that bet or the Howler…" Bruce raised an eyebrow, his sharp features cutting through his usual friendliness. "Here, take a look!"
He handed Sean a letter, then sauntered off, humming, dragging a choking Leon—who'd just taken a sip of pumpkin juice—and Pister, who'd just gotten seeds from Professor Sprout. Sean could still hear Bruce's wail from down the path.
…
Inside the greenhouse, Sean opened the letter. He'd been getting a lot of mail lately, more than usual.
What he didn't realize was that it might be because he didn't talk much.
No profit margin here, little Green! Surprise—here's your Hogsmeade shopping list. I'd have covered the whole group, but Leon wouldn't let me use his wallet…
Sean smirked. It'd be weirder if Leon had agreed.
Good news, though—Pister's letting me use his wallet to cover your shopping. So go wild, don't hold back!
Pister, huh? Sean pictured his kind, honest face.
Share the list with your friends—remember the Hufflepuff way: Share! Don't worry about me carrying it all; Leon and Pister's hands, shoulders, and necks won't get a break. Just don't go overboard, or Pister's neck might snap.
Here's the list:
(Dervish and Banges: magical repair tools; Honeydukes: lollipop quills, Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans… Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop: self-correcting ink, auto-answering quills, homework planners…)
Suddenly, Hogsmeade Week felt relevant. Looking at the list, Sean felt a spark of excitement. The wizarding world had so many cool things—he'd stock up on parchment and ink, for sure.
A few items caught his eye, like the homework planner, a magical notebook that tracked your study progress. Each page reminded you to finish assignments before you could do what you wanted. It'd save Sean a ton of time—no more jotting down notes, just flip and check.
Then there was everlasting ink, a special kind that never faded, infused with magic.
It was a thoughtful surprise, and Sean paused, a bit stunned.
October brought colder weather, more rain, and darker nights, but the mud, wind, and storms couldn't dampen the trio's mood as they left the greenhouse.
"Wait, Sean, you're saying the older students are gonna shop for us in Hogsmeade?" Justin asked, wide-eyed. They'd just been jealous of the upper years, and now luck was dropping in their laps?
The three trudged through the soggy grass, splashing mud with every step.
"We've gotta tell Hermione!" Justin said excitedly. "She's been reading up on Hogsmeade like crazy!"
Neville and Justin's eyes were glued to the seven sheets of parchment Sean pulled from the letter, practically sparkling with anticipation.