Soon, Professor Sprout had trimmed off numerous branches, though for this massive Whomping Willow, they were but a drop in the ocean.
"That should be enough for now. Our Whomping Willow is already twenty or thirty years old—trimming just these branches will do for now." Professor Sprout wiped the sweat from her brow. "Goodness, I'm getting old. Even a small job like this leaves me exhausted."
This small job?
Leonard glanced up at the towering Whomping Willow. Professor Sprout's energetic jumping around earlier hardly looked like the actions of an elderly person. At least, none of the first-years at Hogwarts could match that kind of agility. It was clear that Professor Sprout stayed fit.
"But Leonard, you seem a bit distracted today. Is something on your mind?" Professor Sprout asked, concern in her voice. "I heard... well, I just heard, that you were quite close with a young Ravenclaw girl, but suddenly stopped talking to her..."
Leonard looked at Professor Sprout helplessly. "Professor, I didn't think you'd be paying attention to such things."
"Haha, but it's about you, isn't it?" Professor Sprout smiled kindly. "I was just wondering if your behavior today has anything to do with that young lady."
Professor Sprout's smile softened. "Children, you know. Occasional arguments are normal. Just don't let a small disagreement cause you to miss out on something important."
"But Professor, that was months ago. How could I still be thinking about it?" Leonard sighed. "It's your tone, like someone who's been through it before, that makes me wonder... Did you ever miss out on someone?"
Professor Sprout burst into laughter. "You really are a clever one, aren't you?"
"Might you tell me the story? I'm quite curious about it," Leonard asked, playing the innocent.
"I'm afraid I can't. That story could bring trouble to others," Professor Sprout said with a smile. "But Leonard, what were you thinking about just now? You looked so deep in thought."
"Professor Sprout is quite clever, trying to get me to talk while avoiding saying anything herself," Leonard shrugged. "But what I was thinking isn't anything secret. I was just wondering how the Whomping Willow's weakness came to be—the thing that stops it. You mentioned earlier that wild Whomping Willows don't have this flaw."
"Ah, that's what you were thinking about," Professor Sprout said, sounding a bit surprised. "To be honest, I'm not sure either. That Whomping Willow was transplanted by Professor Dumbledore, and it already had that scar when it arrived. We've never been able to figure out how he did it."
"Dumbledore?" Leonard nodded thoughtfully.
"If you're curious, you could ask Dumbledore himself. I doubt he'd turn away an inquisitive student," Professor Sprout suggested.
She noticed how much Leonard seemed to care about this issue and wanted to offer him a way to get answers.
"Is that possible?" Leonard's interest piqued.
He had yet to speak with Dumbledore—his only interactions being a brief encounter in the Great Hall and once when Dumbledore greeted the Malfoy couple at the school gates.
"Of course. If I remember correctly, Dumbledore doesn't have any engagements today. You can go directly to his office. The password today is 'Fizzing Whizbees,'" Professor Sprout said, patting Leonard on the head.
"Thank you, Professor," Leonard nodded, though he didn't leave immediately.
"Why aren't you going? I thought you'd be in a hurry," Professor Sprout asked with a puzzled expression.
"I'm a bit in a hurry, but I don't feel the need to rush. I'll deliver these to Madam Pomfrey first," Leonard said thoughtfully.
"Haha, you're such a charming little fellow," Professor Sprout laughed heartily, handing Leonard a few willow branches. The two of them walked toward Hogwarts Castle, each carrying a bundle of branches.
After delivering the Whomping Willow branches, Professor Sprout called out to Leonard. "Oh, Leonard, starting today, you won't need to do any homework."
"No homework?" Leonard froze.
What was this? Winning the professor's favor to gain special privileges?
A privileged life... it sounded pretty sweet.
"I think your homework is just a waste of time right now. You should be spending more time exploring new knowledge," Professor Sprout said as she handed him a note. Leonard took it curiously and saw the word "Approved" written on it.
"Take this note to Madam Pince in the library. She'll give you access to the Restricted Section," Professor Sprout said seriously. "But be careful—the books in the Restricted Section are dangerous by nature. Don't open anything you aren't familiar with."
"Access to the Restricted Section?" Leonard was excited.
While he could easily sneak into the Restricted Section without it, having official permission would allow Leonard to explore its knowledge more openly.
"Yes, many books in the Restricted Section are kept from students because they're too advanced, but I think you're ready for it," Professor Sprout smiled. "However, although you no longer have homework, for the sake of fairness, I still have some tasks for you."
"Tasks? What kind of tasks?" Leonard asked.
"Learn more," Professor Sprout said thoughtfully. "I remember there's a book in the Restricted Section called European Dangerous Plants. I need you to pick one plant from it, get familiar with it, and learn about it."
"Just one?" Leonard asked, puzzled.
That didn't sound too difficult.
"Just one. I'll have more tasks for you later," Professor Sprout said, ruffling Leonard's hair.
"Alright, I won't keep you any longer. Go find Dumbledore."
"I understand. Thank you, Professor," Leonard said politely, like a child who'd just received approval, before turning and running off with a smile on his face.
Once out of Professor Sprout's sight, Leonard's innocent expression shifted to a thoughtful frown.
"Professor Sprout suddenly gave me a note for the Restricted Section... Logically, it's a reward for my attitude toward learning. That makes sense. I didn't do anything that would raise suspicion."
Leonard replayed his behavior in front of Professor Sprout, confirming he hadn't done anything wrong.
It was probably just a case of his good rapport with her reaching a new level. Nothing to worry about.
With that thought, Leonard dismissed his lingering doubts. After a moment of consideration, he decided to go find Dumbledore.
He was genuinely curious about the scar on the Whomping Willow. He wanted to know how Dumbledore had so precisely pinpointed the spot that controlled the tree's movements.
...
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