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Mr. Lind proposed they start touring from the nearest greenhouse. Even though he very much hoped to show students the botanical garden's outdoor arrangements, in this weather, perhaps the glass-sheltered greenhouse was worth seeing.
"We have over ten greenhouses. Definitely can't introduce them one by one. So we'll just walk through roughly," Mr. Lind said. Stepped aside to clear the path. "If there's anything particularly interesting, you can point it out. I'll try to explain in more detail."
Because of terrible weather, the botanical garden had very few visitors. The greenhouse floored with dry sand and gravel grew various plants living in arid regions. Enjoying artificial dry warmth in the wild wind and sudden rain.
When all drenched students walked into the greenhouse looking around ("Wow, that one's huge"), Mr. Lind faced them. "Welcome to the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, ladies and gentlemen proficient in another plant art. The botanical garden's connection with you is actually quite close. Many years ago, when we were just established, we were a medicinal plant garden. Predecessors quite knowledgeable about medicinal plants, including professors from your school, generously provided some herbs for research exchange..."
This explained why this botanical garden had so many ordinary people who knew about magic.
After introducing curious students to the giant ponytail palm, Mr. Lind announced students could browse this greenhouse on their own. Even though Professor Sprout's greenhouse was quite different from here, this group of students trained through three or four years of Hogwarts Herbology quite clearly knew greenhouse basic behavioral norms.
However, through communication with Professor Sprout, even without training, Anthony still thought everyone perhaps knew how to get along well with greenhouses. Like don't trample places outside paths. Don't randomly pick plants. Don't smash glass. In short, be a normal person.
Anthony stood beside Mr. Lind watching students scatter. Perhaps because herbs encountered at Hogwarts more or less all had some aggression, toward these unfamiliar plants, students were obviously much more cautious than the first group facing cats and dogs.
"Will it breathe fire?" a student cautiously looked at the Christmas cactus hanging to his head. Carefully retreated several steps.
"Probably not," another classmate said. Craned his neck to look closer. Raised his hand but still didn't dare touch. He looked around. Futilely tried finding dragon-hide gloves.
Other students were the same. Even though Mr. Lind already told them these plants with various postures and strange shapes grew this way mostly to survive in dry or even extreme climate conditions, they still acted as if they'd jump up and bite them anytime.
Anthony carefully counted. Among students choosing the botanical garden, Hufflepuff students occupied almost half. This house whose common room was said to be filled with plants seemed particularly fond of cacti. Gathered in twos and threes beside these plants where it was hard to distinguish stems from leaves.
"Very interesting, right?" Mr. Lind smiled. "Professor Sprout also expressed admiration for cacti when she first came."
Anthony asked puzzled, "Why?"
With his barren appreciation ability, he preferred those "ordinary" plants with emerald leaves and various colored flowers. Like a tree at the greenhouse's end blooming red flowers. Under the gloomy sky, it swayed under greenhouse lights. Immediately caught Anthony's eye.
"Probably because they grow into all sorts of shapes. And there are no wild cacti in Scotland. In fact, Europe probably has none—I don't know if you have them... over there. At least I haven't seen any," Lind said. "And Professor Sprout was particularly curious about cacti's medicinal value."
Anthony suddenly remembered his doubt when hearing the introduction. "Speaking of connections with our school... when was the botanical garden established?"
"Good question. I can't remember clearly," Mr. Lind said. "Late seventeenth century probably. Why?"
Anthony silently calculated. From the timeline, perhaps before the Statute passed, Hogwarts already had connections with this botanical garden. Therefore even after so many years, the Ministry's Statute still couldn't prohibit communication between them.
"Nothing. I'm just curious why the Statute didn't interfere with these herb exchanges," he said. Sighed.
He'd originally been considering whether to make the previous animal rescue station directly become Hogwarts' pet adoption point—after all there really were quite many cats there. If he could make Ms. Howard understand there was a boarding school where everyone could keep cats, things would become much easier.
"Oh yes, the Statute," Mr. Lind said. Hesitated. "Just curious, Professor Anthony, why did you choose Muggle Studies as your subject?"
"That's a long story." Involved some Dark Magic and illegal crimes and such. "Simply put, because I always thought I was a Muggle." Anthony finally saw students realize plants had corresponding introduction signs beside them. Were gathering together studying binomial nomenclature.
"Looks like the rain's stopping. We can go to the next greenhouse soon..." Lind looked at the sky above. Continued the previous topic. "I want to know, what's Muggle Studies' attitude toward the Statute? I can imagine it probably blocks some research exchange—like now." He pointed at students deliberately avoiding two Muggle tourists.
"Right. But the academic world's attitude toward the Statute is probably... controversial," Anthony worded carefully. "Overall, I tend to have students respect current law."
He thought of overwhelming owls and feathers swept for half a day. Anthony added, "Hope this can save them some trouble in the future."
As for changing the Statute... Professor Burbage did intend to draft several proposals. She'd mentioned it to Anthony several times already.
Amusingly, she even hoped to persuade Anthony to also sign future proposals. Anthony firmly declined her. Told her he had a little friction with the Ministry. At least while Umbridge was still in leadership, he'd better not let his name rashly appear in any documents submitted.
"Ha, that woman," Professor Burbage said disdainfully. "Doesn't do one real thing. But quite good at flattery and power-grabbing. Just wait, Henry. Sooner or later she'll fall by her own hand."
At the time, Anthony was sunk in the staff room's old leather sofa reading. Nodded. "I believe it."
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