After a night of "baring their souls" and late-night chats, the four boys with very different personalities—Lynn, Edgar, William, and Ollie—had quickly built a solid "roommate friendship."
At the very least, they were decent friends now.
Early the next morning.
"Lynn, wake up~"
In his dream, Lynn was sitting comfortably on a sunny riverbank when the fishing rod in his hand suddenly jerked violently!
Overjoyed, he instinctively grabbed the rod, feeling a heavy pull from beneath the water, and began to skillfully play the fish. Judging by the strength, it was definitely a big one!
He carefully reeled it in. The "fish" drew closer to the shore, its outline becoming clearer… and then it slowly broke the surface.
Lynn looked down with great anticipation—
What emerged from the water wasn't shimmering silver scales, but a bright smiling face with a few freckles! (￣(エ)￣)
Who else could it be but Edgar!
That face kept shouting, "Lynn~ wake up~ if you don't get up soon, you'll be late!"
"My fish—! (╯°□°）╯"
Lynn let out a tragic cry and jerked awake from his dream, his heart pounding.
He blearily opened his eyes to see Edgar's face right in front of him.
"Fish? What fish?"
Edgar looked completely baffled.
"Hurry up and get ready. Our first lesson is Herbology in the Greenhouses outside the Castle. If you dawdle any longer, we really will be late!"
Lynn groaned and scrambled out of his warm bed.
He hurriedly packed his things—the textbook One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi and his laurel wood wand were essential. There didn't seem to be much else.
Looking at his messy hair and half-open eyes in the mirror, Lynn pointed his wand at himself.
"Scourgify!"
Magic really was convenient.
In an instant, he switched from "sleep mode" to "clean and presentable student" mode.
"Wow! That's awesome!"
William, who was still struggling to smooth the wrinkles in his robes, stared with shining eyes. "Lynn, do me too!"
"Me too!" Edgar hurried over.
Even Ollie, who had been quietly packing nearby, glanced over with unconcealed anticipation.
Lynn shrugged and cast "Scourgify" on his three roommates one by one.
Seeing everyone instantly become refreshed and tidy, he nodded in satisfaction. Much better.
After packing up, the four of them rushed to the Great Hall, quickly eating breakfast before beginning their daily struggle against Hogwarts' moving staircases and endless corridors.
After asking Nearly Headless Nick, three ghosts from other houses, a map that gave consistently wrong directions, and several enthusiastic—but utterly unhelpful—suits of armor, they finally reached the Greenhouses behind the Castle, panting heavily.
Lynn pushed open the greenhouse door and was immediately greeted by warm, humid air carrying the scent of soil, fertilizer, and fresh plants.
"Good morning, Professor," they greeted politely. As Hufflepuffs, they instinctively felt closer to their Head of House.
"Good morning, children," Professor Sprout replied with a warm smile. "Quickly now, find your seats. Class is about to begin."
They obediently took their places at an empty worktable.
Just as Lynn placed his textbook on the slightly damp wooden surface, the system notification rang in his mind—twice in quick succession.
[Ding! Mission Issued: Answer a question asked by Professor Sprout.
Reward: Abundance]
[Effect: Plants planted or nurtured by you will thrive, gaining partial resistance to pests and disease. Growth time is shortened, and yield is increased.]
[Congratulations! You are one step closer to becoming Hogwarts' hidden granary!]
[Ding! Mission Issued: Successfully plant Dittany with your own hands.
Reward: Blessing of Dittany]
[Effect: Upon activation, all non-fatal injuries that cannot be immediately healed by magic will enter a temporary state of "Suppression" and "Silence." Pain is nullified, but the injury itself is not healed. Duration: One hour.]
Lynn stared at the mission rewards, his grin stretching nearly from ear to ear.
This Herbology class is amazing! I have to take this seriously! What a jackpot! ( ´ ▽ ` )ﾉ
He flipped open One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi, his finger quickly scanning the index for "Dittany" while muttering under his breath.
Edgar glanced at him in confusion and nudged William. "What's wrong with him? Did he… snap?"
William adjusted his glasses thoughtfully. "Maybe… he suddenly discovered a calling in Herbology?"
At that moment, the school bell rang clearly. Everyone had arrived on time.
Professor Sprout began the lesson.
She first explained the importance of magical herbs in potion-making, healing, and everyday wizarding life.
Then she outlined the goals of the course: identifying, planting, nurturing, and harvesting magical plants safely and effectively.
Finally, her expression turned stern. "Without my explicit instruction, you are absolutely forbidden from touching any magical plant—even if it looks like an ordinary daisy!"
The warning left many first-years visibly nervous.
"Today," Professor Sprout continued, "we will be learning how to plant a very practical and relatively safe medicinal herb—Dittany."
She held up a small glass bottle filled with fine seeds.
"First," she asked, "can anyone tell me what Dittany is commonly used for?"
Lynn's hand shot up so fast it nearly smacked Edgar beside him.
Perfect timing.
Seeing a student from her own house so eager, Professor Sprout immediately called on him, smiling.
Lynn stood up straight. "Dittany is a powerful healing herb. Its essence is often used to treat wounds."
"It can rapidly heal cuts and burns, and when applied correctly, it can even prevent scarring."
"Excellent!" Professor Sprout clapped happily. "A very precise answer. Five points to Hufflepuff!"
[Ding! Mission Complete! Reward 'Abundance' has been issued!]
Lynn sat down, forcing himself to appear calm while silently celebrating.
Ollie leaned over and whispered, "So that's what he was reading…"
Professor Sprout then demonstrated the proper method of planting Dittany—soil selection, planting depth, spacing, and careful initial watering.
Since Dittany seeds were relatively safe, she allowed the students to begin hands-on practice after a single demonstration.
Lynn practically floated forward to receive his seeds.
He chose a spot with just the right balance of light and humidity, following the instructions carefully—yet guided by a subtle, instinctive sense.
He gently planted a Dittany seed into the soil and watered it precisely.
As he patted the soil smooth—
[Ding! Mission Complete! Obtained 'Blessing of Dittany'!]
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Read my other novel: Naruto: Multiverse Adventures.