Fertilizing the Devil’s Snare was nearly the toughest part of first-year Herbology. Kyle, however, found it manageable, simply because he had prior experience. After all, he’d been tending to Chomping Cabbages for months. The Chomping Cabbage, especially after its teeth sprouted, was far more dangerous than the Devil’s Snare, which only tried to bind you. One wrong move with the cabbage, and Kyle might have ended up in the Hospital Wing with a glass of Skele-Gro... or some other healing potion.
After surviving those high-stakes encounters, returning to something as straightforward as Devil’s Snare felt almost relaxing to him.
For the others, though, it was a different story. Coming into contact with the Devil’s Snare for the first time left them shrieking as the tendrils coiled around them in tight binds. Some panicked the moment they were entangled, instantly forgetting Professor Sprout’s instructions and thrashing instinctively. If not for Professor Sprout’s watchful eye, they might have ended up as tightly wrapped as dumplings.
Kyle, meanwhile, stayed busy. When Professor Sprout was occupied, he took the initiative to help his classmates untangle themselves from the Devil’s Snare. His assistance earned Hufflepuff another ten points, courtesy of Professor Sprout.
“Thanks, Kyle,” said Ryan, rubbing his arm, which was still sore from the strangling tendrils. “When I watched you do it earlier, it looked easy. I had no idea it would be so tough… I can’t even get close to the roots.”
“Don’t be discouraged,” Kyle replied, giving him a reassuring pat on the shoulder. “Just focus and avoid the tendrils. You’ll be fine.”
“I’ll give it my best shot,” Ryan sighed, adding, “but it would’ve been way easier if Professor Sprout let us use the Lighting Charm.”
“You’re overthinking it,” Kyle said with a shake of his head. Using the Lighting Charm would make the Devil’s Snare bloom immediately, defeating the purpose of the lesson. If all they had to do was dig a hole and add fertilizer, even a toddler could manage it, so why dedicate an entire lesson?
“Just wishful thinking,” Ryan muttered before making another cautious attempt.
The rest of the class’s efforts mirrored Ryan’s, with a few notable exceptions. Kanna managed to successfully complete the task, becoming the second student to fertilize the Devil’s Snare. Her movements weren’t as fluid as Kyle’s, and she paused often, but overall, she passed on her first try.
Then there was Cormac McLaggen from Gryffindor. He was slower and only managed to finish halfway through the lesson. By then, the Devil’s Snare was clearly fatigued, moving its tendrils sluggishly, which gave the other students more chances to succeed.
By the end of class, more than half of the students had managed to fertilize the Devil’s Snare, though they were exhausted and drenched in sweat, eager to get back to the castle for a shower. Professor Sprout instructed them to line up in two rows. Once everyone was in place, she opened the greenhouse door slowly.
Sunlight flooded the greenhouse instantly, and the Devil’s Snare in the center, seemingly overwhelmed by the brightness, froze completely.
Kyle, who had intentionally lined up at the back of the crowd, seized the opportunity. While Professor Sprout was preoccupied, he quickly pulled out a small pocket knife he had prepared beforehand. In one swift motion, he cut off a tiny piece of the Devil’s Snare root and tucked it into his pocket.
The sunlight had rendered the Devil’s Snare immobile, and even when cut, it remained perfectly still.
Kyle left the greenhouse with the rest of the students as if nothing unusual had happened, even giving Professor Sprout a casual wave as he passed by.
“Goodbye, Professor.”
“Goodbye, Kyle,” she replied, smiling and waving back. “I remember you have a fondness for plants. How would you like to care for a Puffapod? You could take a cutting when you return to class.”
“I’d love that, Professor,” Kyle replied, surprised but delighted by the unexpected bonus.
After saying his goodbyes, Kyle made his way quickly toward the castle. While he was interested in the Puffapod, his priority was to get the Devil’s Snare cutting to the Room of Requirement on the eighth floor. With prompt planting, the resilient vine segment would soon grow into a full Devil’s Snare.
As he hurried along, a commotion caught his attention. Looking up, he saw a crowd forming near Hagrid’s cabin, including many students who had just been in Herbology with him.
“What’s going on? Has Hagrid been found out for keeping the Three-Headed Dog?” Kyle muttered to himself, frowning as he decided to head over to investigate.
Sure enough, it was just as he had suspected. Hagrid had indeed been discovered keeping the creature, and three Ministry of Magic officers, looking very much like hit wizards, were standing at his doorstep, wands pointed at him with clear hostility.
“We received a report that you acquired a Magical Creature of unknown origin in September,” said one of the officers firmly. “Hand it over and come back to the Ministry with us.”
“I didn’t!” Hagrid replied, his face flushed red. “The only thing I bought then was some potion to deal with the Flesh-Eating Slugs!”
But the officer didn’t relent. “Yet witnesses saw you dealing in Magical Creatures.”
“That’s just rubbish!” Hagrid protested, now visibly flustered. “And you’ve already searched my place! There’s nothing here but Fang and me!”
“You’re not the judge of that,” the officer sneered. “We’re not obligated to just take your word for it. If you’re truly innocent, the Ministry will clear you. So, what are you afraid of? Or is there something you’re hiding?”
The officer’s accusatory tone stirred anger among the students gathered around. Although they didn’t know Hagrid very well, many remembered him as the kind giant who had guided them from the train station to the castle on their first day. To them, Hagrid was a part of Hogwarts, and they naturally sided with him.
A chorus of boos and shouts filled the air as the students called for the officers to leave. A few clever first-years, realizing they couldn’t confront the Ministry enforcers directly, sprinted towards the castle to seek help.
The Ministry wizards glanced at one another, noting the unrest around them, and raised their wands simultaneously, as if ready to forcefully remove Hagrid. Just as Kyle was preparing to intervene, another figure stepped forward.
“Don't be so glib,” came a calm voice from behind the three enforcers. It was Professor Oren, who had quietly arrived on the scene. “Are you really basing your actions here solely on someone’s one-sided accusation?”