The Chamber of Secrets (Hermione Granger X Male Reader Insert)

11. Mandrake Skirmish and Severing Heads

(Y/N)'s POV

The class was lined up across the two sides of a large trestle bench with about twenty different coloured pairs of ear muffs. Hermione stood to the left of (Y/N) and to the left of her was an empty space that they agreed to save for Harry.

After just a few minutes, (Y/N) saw Harry slink back into the Greenhouse and he quickly took his spot in between Hermione and Ron. Sprout stood at the the end of the bench and after doing a headcount she begun her lesson.

"We'll be repotting Mandrakes today. Now, who can tell me the properties of the Mandrake?"

To nobody's surprise, Hermione's hand was the first in the air. "Mandrake, or Mandragora, is a powerful restorative," as much as (Y/N) loved Hermione's intelligence, she sounded like she had swallowed the required textbook. "It is used to return people who have been transfigured or cursed, to their original state."

"Excellent. Ten points to Gryffindor," said Professor Sprout. "The Mandrake forms an essential part of most antidotes. It is also, however, quite dangerous. Who can tell me why?"

Hermione's hand shot up like lightning and almost hit straight into Harry's glasses. However, Sprout didn't take any notice of Hermione and looked around at the class. Deciding he might as well contribute something, (Y/N) lazily raised his hand into the air. "Ah yes (Y/N)."

"The cry of the Mandrake is fatal to anyone who hears it." As (Y/N) finished his sentence, there was a few gasps of horror from the class. Sprout went to speak but (Y/N) spoke first after he took one look at Hermione's face and saw her look of horror because she hadn't been chosen to answer.

Deciding to try and get more points to cheer her up, (Y/N) spoke, "It's only fully grown Mandrakes that can be fatal though. These ones can probably knock you out for about half a day but that's what the ear muffs are for. As long as anyone doesn't give them a megaphone, we'll all be fine."

(Y/N) got a few chuckles from the class and Sprout gave him a smile. "Precisely (Y/N), twenty points to Gryffindor. Now, as (Y/N) said, the Mandrakes we have here are still very young." Sprout pointed to a row of deep trays and it didn't take more than five seconds before everyone started to shuffle to get a better look.

The Mandrakes themselves were tufty little plants, purplish green in colour, were growing in rows and there were about a hundred of them. At first they look unremarkable but if (Y/N) remembered right, what's beneath the leaves isn't pleasant to look out.

"Everyone take a pair of earmuffs," said Professor Sprout. People were desperate to seize a pair of earmuffs that weren't pink and fluffy, it was surprise a riot didn't break out. "When I tell you to put them on, make sure your ears are completely covered," said Sprout. "When it is safe to remove them, I will give you the thumbs-up. Right — earmuffs on."

(Y/N) put the the earmuffs over his ears and after she could see everyone had their earmuffs on, Sprout put a pink fluffy pair over her ears and rolled up her sleeves. She grasped one of the tufty little plants firmly, and pulled hard.

As the Mandrake was fully revealed, (Y/N) wasn't thrilled he was right in remembering they don't look pleasant. Instead of plant roots, a small muddy and extremely ugly baby popped out of the earth. The leaves were growing out of its head. It had pale green, mottled skin, and was clearly bawling at the top of its lungs.

Professor Sprout took a large plant pot and quickly plunged the Mandrake into it, burying the baby in the dark, damp compost until the tufted leaves were the only thing visible. Sprout dusted her hands, gave the class the thumbs-up and removed her own earmuffs.