In a quiet, flower-filled valley, the Sprout family manor stood nestled among the blooms. Vines and ivy crept up the old stone walls, blending the house seamlessly into the landscape—a living testament to generations of Herbologists.
Ciel gazed up at the manor, admiration in his eyes.
"A wonderful manor," he breathed.
Professor Sprout's face softened with pride, but a shadow of sadness flickered across her features.
"Your father and I grew up in this house," she said quietly. "After he was gone, I was the only one left. I rarely returned."
Ciel hesitated, then asked, "Aunt, how did my parents die?"
Professor Sprout's hand clenched. A deep, bitter hatred darkened her eyes.
"Antonin Dolohov," she said, her voice trembling. "A cold-blooded executioner. During the war, he killed countless wizards who dared to resist Voldemort and the Death Eaters. The Prewett brothers—brave, upright men—were killed by Dolohov's Killing Curse. The Longbottoms, so resilient, were tortured into madness by him and his followers. And your parents… they died under his spells as well." Tears welled up in her eyes. "He should suffer in Azkaban forever."
Ciel silently memorized the name. Dolohov… In the original Harry Potter, there was a mass Death Eater breakout. By then, Dolohov should have escaped. Maybe, when that time comes, I can do something. But first—plant more trees!
Professor Sprout wiped her eyes, collecting herself.
"Let's not dwell on these sad things. Ciel, it's your first day back in the Sprout family. Let me show you around. Where would you like to start?"
She paused, then chuckled.
"Knowing you, you must be most interested in the greenhouse. Let's start there."
She led Ciel through the ancient hallways, sunlight dappling through vine-draped corridors, and finally opened a heavy door. Before them stretched a vast greenhouse, lush and vibrant.
"This is the greenhouse the Sprout family has maintained for generations," Professor Sprout said, her voice tinged with nostalgia. "Herbology is our tradition. The greenhouse and our knowledge are the family's most precious inheritance." She turned to him. "Now, this greenhouse belongs to you."
Ciel was stunned. Even in the Muggle world, a greenhouse would be priceless—here, its value was beyond imagining. Before he could protest, Professor Sprout continued,
"I already have a greenhouse at Hogwarts—the best in the wizarding world, if I may say so. I haven't looked after this one in a long time. Leaving it empty would be a waste. You're the only Sprout left besides me. Who else should inherit it?"
Ciel considered, then nodded. He truly needed this greenhouse now.
Professor Sprout smiled, gratified.
"Let me show you around."
She explained the greenhouse's features.
"There's an Undetectable Extension Charm, so it's ten times larger inside than it looks. We can control temperature and humidity in different sections—it can be freezing at one end and sweltering at the other. The soil is the key: generations of fertilizing potions have made it rich with magic. Magical herbs thrive here, mature faster, and are more potent."
Ciel's eyes shone. For a Herbologist, this is like a top-tier laboratory. If I'd had this earlier, maybe my Legendary-level abilities could have reached Mythical!
He straightened, serious.
"Aunt, I'll make good use of this greenhouse. I won't tarnish the Sprout name."
Professor Sprout's joy deepened.
"I believe you will. Now, let me teach you how to use it."
The controls were simple—just a wand and the Sprout family bloodline. For Ciel, who'd handled complex lab equipment in his previous life, it was child's play. He mastered the system after a single demonstration.
Professor Sprout's eyes glimmered with pride.
"Ciel, are you tired? Want to eat and rest?"
But Ciel, newly gifted with this "big toy," couldn't bear to leave. Professor Sprout smiled knowingly.
"Alright, you can't wait. Let's start with your first magical herb. Any preference?"
Ciel's gaze fell on the three Marguerite plants he'd brought. The reward from these is what triggered my magic and brought me here. My magic is still too weak. If I keep cultivating Marguerites, I can grow stronger. Besides, I'm curious about their cultivation requirements.
"Aunt, I want to plant Marguerites first."
Professor Sprout nodded.
"Marguerites are magical herbs, but not too difficult to grow. No special potions needed. The only tricky part is their love for high heat and stuffiness—and they need to sense positive emotions. To cultivate them, you have to endure the heat and keep them company in a happy mood. The stuffier it is and the happier they feel, the faster they mature."
Ciel's eyes widened in realization. No wonder they didn't grow in cold, gloomy London. Only when it got hot and stuffy did they survive. And I was always happy in the planting garden—that must have helped, too.
He felt even more determined. His heat resistance was now Legendary, drought resistance Legendary. What others found unbearable, he barely noticed. With these conditions, growing Marguerites will be a breeze. There's still time before school starts—let's fill the greenhouse! When this batch matures, my magic will be much stronger.
Soon, Professor Sprout produced a large bag of Marguerite seeds and demonstrated the key steps. Under her guidance, Ciel planted his first Marguerite in the greenhouse.
A system prompt flashed before his eyes:
[You have successfully planted a Marguerite.]
[Reward available: Extremely weak increase in magic (in gestation)]
[After the Marguerite matures, the reward will be upgraded to: Weak increase in magic.]
He noticed the reward orb above this new Marguerite was noticeably larger than before. The system's description hadn't changed, but he could tell the actual reward would be at least 30% greater.
Just then, the sound of owl wings flapping came from outside. Professor Sprout received a letter.
"A letter from Dumbledore? He says he has something important to discuss with me."
"Aunt, go ahead. I'll stay here at the manor—I won't go out. If I delayed your work, I'd feel uneasy."
Professor Sprout hugged him and, after a few reminders not to overwork himself, left the manor.
Alone, Ciel took a deep breath. The greenhouse was already as stuffy as the old planting garden, but for Marguerites, this was just the minimum. For him, with Legendary heat resistance, it felt like a cool autumn day.
He'd wanted to raise the temperature earlier, but Professor Sprout had worried for him and refused. Now, he could finally try.
Ciel slowly waved his wand. The temperature dial crept higher. The air grew thick and oppressive—enough to give a normal person heatstroke. But for Ciel, it was nothing.
He glanced at the reward orb above the Marguerite, watching it expand.
He grinned, took a deep breath, and waved his wand again.
"Temperature, full blast!"
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