Never You Mind

Herbology class this year was even worse than last year. Marie-Laure hadn't thought it possible when the holidays began but this plant was living proof. Sort of living proof since it was suffering badly. If it died she would fail the assignment. Who thought giving a class of second years a plant each to take care of would be a good idea? Was it Professor Ellis? Or had this assignment always been one for second years long before he became a professor?

Maybe she needed somewhere quiet for this plant. The Montagnard Common Room wasn't the right place for it and she wasn't quite sure if shutting it in her dorm room was doing it any good. The plant needed something more. Maybe a place where no-one meant. That in itself meant going on a expedition through the palace. An expedition which led her to a classroom she never recalled coming across before.

Marie-Laure opened the door and found a room which was long in disuse as a regular classroom. Sunlight was pouring into the room through an open window. This might be the place to revive the dying plant. Quiet. Sunlight. She could give it water from her wand. The second year moved further into the room and placed it on the window sill. Who opened the window anyway? She spun around thinking she'd heard something behind her.