Change - James F. Potter

Chapter 12: Mandrakes, Dainty Lions, and Vitamins

Song: anything you can do, I can do better

Cassie's POV:

As time dragged on, I began to believe that the professor's first name was Bean Sprout. It seemed logical enough. I was snapped out of my thoughts when said Professor asked a question in a stern voice that made me jump.

"Has anyone ever heard of Devil's Snare?" Professor Bean Sprout asked the class from her desk at the front of the room.

James's hand shot up causing me to jump. I had chosen a seat in between James and Sirius seeing as they were the only two I knew in the greenhouse aside from a few students I had seen in passing.

"Yes, Mr. Potter?" Professor Sprout asked.

"Devil's Snare is a relatively rare plant that will suffocate anything or anyone who touches it." His arrogant smirk came up again and I raised my hand, almost desperate to one-up him.

"Very well Mr. Potter, did you have something to add Miss Black?" Professor Bean looked at me in question.

"Well Professor, the Devil's Snare plant also despises light, it's tentacle-like appendages will shrivel up and the plant could potentially die." I gave my best 'I am smart too' look toward James who just gapes at me. "What's wrong Jamsie Poo? Someone finally giving you a run for your money?" I stick my tongue out at him and he sticks his right back. Boys and their crazy egos.

We are in the middle of a battle of who was smarter when the Professor cleared her throat and threatened detention. Dam the teachers did not seem to find me as funny as the rest of the students did. They always seemed to giggle at my interruptions which made me smile. It made me feel seen, even if I was in a crowd of thousands, they noticed me. For most of my life, I had been invisible or ignored, but at Hogwarts, I had the chance to be known, a chance to be noticed. The thought makes me smile. Looks like it is no more hiding in the dark for Cassiopeia Lyra Black.

Professor Bean Sprout was busy talking to a student from my house about different ways to drive the plant away. One of the many ways included the use of Blue-Bell Flames. The name of the flames reminds me of bluebell flowers. In Scottland, they are simply known as harebells, but I think bluebell fits them better. They are some of my favorites, but my mother never allows me to get them. She claims they are 'too sappy and not nearly elegant enough'. I however think they are just right. The vibrancy of the blue brings life and happiness to such a simple flower.

I am shaken out of my thoughts when James waves his arm in front of my face as well as Sirius's. We both turn to look at him and see him with a strange colored leaf across his upper lip, mimicking a mustache. He wiggles his eyebrows up and down as if it is the best thing to ever happen. My posture immediately falls and my eyes go wide. My face looks as if I am laughing, but no noise comes out. He used a Mandrake to make his 'mustache' and from the looks of it, he does not seem to notice the sleeping baby-like root hanging from the edge of his lip.

I try to speak, but no words come out. My mouth remains agape while Sirius laughs his head off. He is clutching his sides and I have yet to make a noise.

"Aw" James begins attempting to look serious, "Little Cassie lassie can't even fathom how handsome I look right now. I am the top tier of sexy, even sexier than Shrek I'd say."

Sirius lets out a bark of laughter resembling that of a dog and I close my mouth but open it right after to respond to his remark, "Well if you must know oh sexy Jamsie poo, that just happens to be a mandrake hanging off of your lip and it looks like you've awoken the root."

His face scrunched up in confusion, but he looks down at his lip none the less. He lets out a high pitched shriek when he sees the baby-like root that has begun crying on his lip. The Mandrake flings across the room and lands in a young girl's hair. She looks similar to the girl James crashed his broom into earlier. It is only when she turns around that I realize it is in fact Jennifer Mules. The poor girl couldn't seem to catch a break.