Neville wiped the sweat from his brow, smearing a streak of dirt across his face as he carefully adjusted the enchanted grow-light above the experimental mandragora-vine hybrid. The thick, curling tendrils shimmered faintly under the greenhouse’s magical illumination, their pale green leaves freckled with iridescent spots. Professor Sprout had entrusted him with the crossbreeding project as an advanced Herbology assignment—something he had approached with equal parts excitement and trepidation. He hadn’t expected the plant’s sap to develop such... unusual properties.

He frowned as he inspected the swollen seedpods, now pulsing gently like tiny, contented hearts. The air around them was thick with a heady, sweet aroma that left him feeling uncomfortably lightheaded. He vaguely recalled reading about hallucinogenic effects in one of his old Herbology textbooks, but nothing quite like this. As he reached out with his wand to measure the ambient magical saturation, the vines quivered in what could only be described as lazy amusement, as though aware of his growing unease.

He started with a soft gasp as someone came in, turning to see who it was.

"Sorry, can I help with anything?"