Whelp II The Wrath of Snape

Apples shook its head. 'It's all right, child. I've gotten used to it.'

'I'm Harry. You could call me that.'

'I shall then, Harry.' Apples inclined his head slightly, almost a bow, and Harry felt his face heat. 'Do you need more information, or will that do?'

'That's all, 'cept for another three plants,' Harry murmured.

'Very well, let us find another, then.'

'Yes, si . . . I mean, Apples.'

'Thank you, Harry. Now along this tree, you can see a climber known as European Honeysuckle, otherwise known as Woodbine . . .'

---

The sun was higher in the sky, and the Weasley children were sitting in their places, chatting, and waiting for him when Harry finally turned around to face them, with the plush Apples in his lap. Treacle jumped into his lap a moment later, and he scritched her ears just how she liked it. In addition to showing him plants, Apples had told Harry he was actually a Baku, an ancient being from Japanese folklore which traditionally ate nightmares. Harry wished he could take the soft creature to his own bed, so his nightmares could be eaten.

'Hello, Harry. All done dear?' Mrs. Weasley asked.

'Yes, ma'am,' he said. He looked at the other children. 'Sorry. I din't mean to take so long.'

Mrs. Weasley smiled kindly. 'That's quite all right. The objects sometimes take a bit of getting used to, but you can always take as long as you need. Did you get along well with Apples?'

Harry nodded. 'Yes, ma'am.' He didn't tell her the Baku would have liked a different name, since he knew that would be rude. 'He's nice.'

Her smile deepened. 'Indeed.' She looked at Ginny. 'Ginny, dear, why don't you tell us what plants you learned about.'

'Yes, Mum.' Ginny closed her eyes and her brow furrowed for a moment before she said, 'Shrivelfigs are used in Shrinking Solution, fluxweed is used in Polyjuice Potion, lovage is used in Confuddlement draughts, and so is sneezewort.'

'Excellent, Ginny. Thank you.' Ginny turned bright red with her mother's praise, and Harry grinned at her, glad she had done well. 'Harry? Would you like to go next?'

The bottom dropped out of Harry's stomach, and he chewed on his lower lip as he nodded. It wasn't like he had a choice. But now they would all know he was stupid and shouldn't be 'lowed to go to school with them. 'Yes, ma'am,' he said, barely a whisper.

'Go ahead then, dear.'

Harry stared at her, and couldn't think of a thing to say. His stomach turned over, and he was sure he was going to throw up his breakfast. His palms were all sweaty, too. Why couldn't he remember?

'Harry,' Ron whispered beside him. 'Just think about one plant, a'right? That way it's not so big a deal. Where did you go? Was it the woods? Did you see any trees?'

'Um, yeah, I mean, a shrub?'

'What did it look like?'

Harry described the Devils' Walkingstick to Ron, and by the time he got to what the berries and bark were used for, he had forgotten how nervous he was supposed to be. It helped that he had both Apples and Treacle in his lap, giving his hands something to touch and play with while he described his findings.

'Excellent, Harry dear!' Mrs. Weasley exclaimed when he had finished going over his plants.