Chapter 57. Chinese Chomping Cabbages
The next day, in the afternoon, the sun was bright.
It was Sunday. Apart from a few diligent little witches and wizards still toiling in the library, most students chose to rest at this hour.
Adrian Wesson carried a suitcase and made his way to the lawn by the Black Lake.
Finding a patch of open ground, Wesson opened the case and tipped out the contents.
Before long, one round, plump, fresh vegetable after another tumbled out and landed on the grass.
They were all Chinese Chomping Cabbages.
Wesson had gathered every Chinese Chomping Cabbage from his plantation.
The moment they touched the ground, they grew unruly, rolling about and baring sharp teeth that left bite marks in the soil.
"All right, you lot, line up."
Wesson blew the whistle in his hand. At once, all the Chinese Chomping Cabbages halted, returned to his side, and formed a row before him.
This was the obstacle he had prepared to protect the Philosopher's Stone—seven Chinese Chomping Cabbages in all.
Of course, these were ordinary cabbages, not like the one in Harry's hands, which possessed a peculiar ability.
Even so, the power of these Chinese Chomping Cabbages was not to be underestimated.
Wesson reckoned that, if he didn't restrain them, they could even bite through a thick-skinned adult troll.
To better control them, Wesson had specially crafted a whistle—the very one he had just blown.
With this whistle, he could issue simple commands to the Chinese Chomping Cabbages by intent alone.
"All right then, let's begin the test."
Wesson took a fist-sized mannequin from his pocket and tossed it onto the ground, then waved his wand at it.
With a single Engorgio, the dummy swiftly grew until it was nearly Wesson's height.
Seeing the training dummy ready, Wesson blew the whistle without hesitation.
At the sound, the Chinese Chomping Cabbages opened their mouths in unison, exposing sharp teeth, and rolled rapidly towards the dummy.
Though their movements looked a bit daft, their speed was startling—almost in an instant they had surrounded the dummy.
"Crunch! Crunch!"
The Chinese Chomping Cabbages bit mercilessly into the dummy's legs, arms, and torso, filling the air with tooth-aching chewing sounds.
The next second, the dummy had been gnawed to pieces, fragments scattered everywhere.
Satisfied, Wesson nodded and blew the whistle.
Bear in mind, these dummies were specially reinforced; damaging them was no easy task.
At the whistle, the Chinese Chomping Cabbages immediately stopped, returned to Wesson, and lined up again, neat as anything.
"Nicely done, you lot."
At the same time, footsteps sounded in the distance, drawing Wesson's attention.
He looked up to find Professor Flitwick hurrying over with a jaunty sway.
"What's the matter?" Professor Flitwick strode up to Wesson, took in the mess all over the ground, and asked, "Wesson, what happened here?"
"I'm training some little fellows," Wesson said, pointing at the cute round things.
After squinting at the rotund Chinese Chomping Cabbages from afar, Professor Flitwick's eyes flashed with surprise. "I heard a whistle and thought something had happened. Ah, these little fellows look positively healthy."
As he spoke, Professor Flitwick extended a finger, intending to tease the nearest Chinese Chomping Cabbage.
The cabbage, however, was having none of it and snapped down at once.
Fortunately, Professor Flitwick reacted quickly. With a twist of the wrist and a flick of the hand, a charm shot out and struck the biting cabbage cleanly.
The cabbage's body rose straight into the air, jaws clamped on nothing.
Plainly, it was the Levitation Charm.
"That was… I nearly lost a finger there, Professor Wesson," Professor Flitwick said with a laugh, wiping sweat from his brow.
"Impressive silent, wandless casting, Professor," Wesson couldn't help praising. He truly lived up to being a Charms Master.
Professor Flitwick waved a hand modestly. "A mere parlour trick."
Wesson drew his wand and cast a spell at the still-floating cabbage, guiding it gently back into the line.
Then Wesson blew the whistle again.
"Back you go."
No sooner had he spoken than the Chinese Chomping Cabbages began to roll in perfect order, boing-boing, hopping one by one back into the case.
"You've trained them well," Professor Flitwick said from the side, offering praise.
Wesson nodded. Naturally—these Chinese Chomping Cabbages were influenced by his magic, so they would heed his commands.
He picked up the case, then asked, "By the way, Professor, what brings you here?"
Professor Flitwick smoothed his moustache. "Oh, Professor Wesson, I was just about to pop over to the Three Broomsticks for a drink, a little relaxation. Care to join me?"
"With pleasure."
Wesson had nothing pressing today, so he accepted Professor Flitwick's invitation.
Along the way, Professor Flitwick chatted about what he liked to do at weekends.
"I often go to the Three Broomsticks with friends for a tipple," he said. "Especially when there's not much work on—you know how it is; sometimes I have to spend my rare time off on those students' homework…"
For all his height, Professor Flitwick didn't walk slowly—in fact, he was faster than Wesson.
His steps were very steady.
Wesson guessed this was because Professor Flitwick had deliberately trained his gait.
After all, for a duelling master, that was as basic as it gets.
Soon, they arrived at the Three Broomsticks.
With practised ease, Professor Flitwick ordered a glass of "sherry juice soda with ice and an umbrella-snail," then found a spot in the corner to sit down.
That habit suited Wesson as well; he, too, preferred the corners to the middle of the hall.
The view was broader here, and one could see most of the people in the pub.
"Everyone's busy today; I couldn't get anyone to come for a drink," Professor Flitwick said after a sip. "Lucky I ran into you."
Wesson nodded, then brought up what had happened last night. "The professors are probably all busy with the task Dumbledore assigned us."
At that, a trace of pride crossed Professor Flitwick's face. He lowered his voice and said, "Oh, Wesson, last night I spent the whole evening charming all the keys. Now only one correct key will open the door—and they'll be flying about. It won't be so easy for an intruder to catch it."
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