After successfully planting the guardian tree, Char fell into a deep, dreamless sleep. He had no idea how much time had passed until he finally opened his eyes and found himself lying in a hospital bed. Sunlight streamed through the window, warm and golden.
"Is it morning already?" he murmured, disoriented. "Did I sleep all the way through?"
Just then, Professor Sprout's tired but gentle voice drifted to him. "Char, you're finally awake. You've been sleeping for almost three days."
Char blinked in shock. "Three days?!"
He'd never slept so long in his life. With his legendary vitality, he could usually go days without rest and bounce back after just a short nap. Even though planting the guardian tree had drained him, three whole days seemed impossible.
Professor Sprout didn't answer immediately. Instead, she encouraged him to check in with himself. "How do you feel? Any better than usual?"
Char paused, tuning into his body. A wave of comfort and lightness washed over him—he felt better than he could ever remember. When he glanced at his system panel, his eyes widened. His Magic Perception Enhancement, which usually only showed a hint of gold when he used water enhancement, now glowed with gold even without it. Nearly half the bar was gold. His magical perception had taken a massive leap, as if he'd just harvested a whole crop of goldfish spider plants.
Professor Sprout smiled, seeing his reaction. "You feel it, don't you? Your perception of magic has improved. When you passed out, Severus suggested we brew you a special potion to help you sleep longer. It's good for your body—and especially for your magical perception."
She sighed, a bit regretful. "Severus really went all out this time. He used some of his most valuable ingredients."
Char felt a pang of gratitude. A potion that could boost magical perception was as precious as increasing one's magical talent. Even though he'd once helped heal Snape's wounds, this favor was enormous.
He noticed the tired lines on Professor Sprout's face and the redness in her eyes. "Aunt, how long have you been awake?"
She just smiled and shook her head. "I'm not tired. When I was younger, I'd go days without sleep working in the fields. If I could do that for plants, I can certainly do it for you, Char."
A swirl of emotion filled Char's heart. He spoke softly, "You should rest, Aunt. I feel great now. If you get sick taking care of me, I'd never forgive myself."
Professor Sprout's eyes glistened. She made him promise to call for her if anything felt wrong, then left the room, moving slowly and heavily.
At the door, she paused and looked back with a mischievous glint. "By the way, while you were asleep, your friends wanted to visit. Neville, Harry, and the others. And—" she winked, "Hannah, Susan, Hermione. You have quite the fan club, Char! Maybe there's someone you like? I can arrange for you to work together in Herbology class. Three classes a week, you know!"
Char groaned, half-laughing. "Aunt, I'm only eleven!"
She waved him off. "It's never too early to start! Maybe I'll organize a social with Ravenclaw. There's a lovely girl named Cho Chang in second year—very pretty, just a year older than you. I could arrange a dance…"
Char's cheeks burned. Cho Chang? Harry's future crush? He just wanted to plant trees, not get tangled up in school romances.
Thankfully, at that moment, Hermione's voice sounded at the door. "Professor, is Char awake? What's all this about dances and behind-the-scenes operations?"
Professor Sprout winked at Char, made a "you two chat" gesture, and left, humming a tune.
Hermione looked puzzled but quickly focused on Char, her expression bright with relief. "I was so worried when I heard you fainted. I kept wanting to find you in the Potions classroom. You've helped me so much, Char."
Char waved her concern away. "How's Gryffindor treating you now? Things better?"
Hermione beamed. "Finally, I have friends. I'm not wandering the castle alone anymore. I used to think Harry and Ron weren't trying hard enough, but it turns out they were staying up late studying. Their grades haven't improved much, but at least they're putting in the effort. We all get along now."
Char nodded. Fate had a way of bringing people together, even if it took a while.
Just then, he noticed two figures peeking in from the hallway. "Harry, Ron—stop lurking and come in."
Harry and Ron shuffled in, sheepish smiles on their faces. Char eyed the trio and sighed. "I get the feeling you three have more than just a friendly visit in mind."
Hermione spoke first, her tone serious. "We do, Char. During the Quidditch match, Harry's broom went out of control. Someone was cursing it—I saw Snape staring at Harry and muttering a spell. I'm afraid Snape's fooled Dumbledore. He could be plotting something terrible. We need your help to figure out what he's up to—but only if you're safe."
Char listened, but instead of the shock they expected, he just looked exasperated. Hermione pressed on, "I swear I saw him cursing Harry!"
Char sighed. "I don't think you're lying, but why assume Snape was trying to hurt Harry? Maybe someone else was cursing him, and Snape was trying to help."
Harry jumped in, agitated. "Impossible. Snape had wounds from the three-headed dog. He must have been trying to steal whatever it's guarding. That proves he's up to no good!"
Char shook his head. "Snape is one of the four heads of house. If something important needs guarding, they'd all be involved. It's more likely he was trying to stop the real culprit and got bitten by accident. I even helped him heal before the match."
The trio stared, stunned. Ron's face turned red with anger. "So you're on Snape's side? I thought you were one of us!"
Before he could finish, Char flicked his wand. "Hanging fuchsia!" Ron suddenly found himself dangling upside down from the ceiling.
Char's voice was cold. "Ron Weasley. And you, Harry and Hermione. I don't care about your wild theories, but don't ever insult Professor Snape in front of me. He's a teacher I respect. And remember—students here don't betray or doubt those they trust. That's not how we do things."
He released Ron, who crashed to the floor and stormed out, muttering, "I told you he wasn't like us. You shouldn't have come to him."
Harry and Hermione, looking disappointed, quickly followed.
Char watched them go, feeling no regret. They were the heroes of the original story, but he didn't need to be part of their drama. Sometimes, distance was better—for his safety and sanity.
Outside the ward, Snape stepped from the shadows, having overheard everything. He sneered at the trio's accusations—James Potter's son, just as foolish as his father—but Char's loyalty caught him off guard. He'd expected Char to spy on him, not defend him and discipline Ron for disrespect.
Snape lingered, emotions swirling—regret, shame, even a strange sense of pride. At last, he entered Char's room, his voice gruff. "Now that you're awake, don't get lazy. Potions classroom, now. I want to see if you remember what I taught you. And remember, if you don't keep up with the holy tree potion, your guardian tree will be useless against dark magic."