Harry Potter: Don't Touch the Badger's Plants

On the open grounds in front of Hogwarts Castle stood the Quidditch pitch, surrounded by towering stands and tall goal hoops reaching toward the sky. This was where the school's most thrilling matches took place.

Adjacent to the field sat a weathered warehouse where discarded flying broomsticks were stored. Over the centuries, Hogwarts' retired brooms had accumulated inside, creating a forgotten graveyard of once-proud flying instruments. Usually, no one ventured here except Madam Hooch.

Today, however, Madam Hooch received a request that left her utterly bewildered.

She stared at Ciel standing before her, wondering if she'd heard correctly.

"Ciel, you're saying you want to work part-time in the abandoned warehouse? And you want to take on the job of trimming and organizing discarded flying broomsticks?"

For a moment, Madam Hooch suspected this might be some elaborate prank. But remembering that Ciel was a Hufflepuff, she dismissed the thought. Badgers weren't nearly as mischievous as those Gryffindor lions, were they?

Ciel spoke with earnest conviction, his voice carrying genuine passion.

"Yes, Madam Hooch. I absolutely adore discarded flying broomsticks. I believe every broom has a touching story behind it. Perhaps some once carried world-class Quidditch stars racing across the pitch, their bristles singing through the wind."

His eyes grew distant, as if seeing those glorious flights. "Though they're discarded now, they shouldn't be forgotten, and they certainly shouldn't be left disheveled in a warehouse. Let me help restore their dignity by trimming their twigs."

Madam Hooch felt a surge of respect wash over her. Her gaze toward Ciel now held several degrees more approval.

As the Flying instructor, nothing irritated her more than students who didn't follow rules or care for their brooms. But a student like Ciel, who cherished even discarded brooms so deeply that he wanted to tend to them personally? She had almost never encountered such dedication.

However, regarding his request, she still showed reluctance.

"Ciel, I wholeheartedly agree with your view on broomsticks. But according to Hogwarts school rules, first-year students cannot participate in any part-time activities. This violates the Young Wizard Protection Act."

She sighed. "Additionally, the Flying class budget is already stretched thin. Just maintaining our current brooms is taxing enough. I can't spare the funds to hire another warehouse manager, so..."

Before Madam Hooch could finish, Ciel smoothly interjected with practiced ease.

"No, no, no, Madam Hooch. The Young Wizard Protection Act is similar to Muggle underage labor protection laws. I know this inside and out."

He leaned forward slightly, his tone becoming more persuasive. "What constitutes part-time work? What's the definition? Only work that receives compensation counts as employment. So if I don't take any compensation, wouldn't that solve the problem entirely?"

Madam Hooch stood there, completely stunned.

"Huh? No compensation? But you're providing labor—how can you not want any payment?"

Ciel's response was immediate and confident.

"Without compensation, it becomes voluntary service. Since I'm a student, it can also be classified as extracurricular learning. Either way, it absolutely doesn't count as illegal employment of a minor."

His eyes gleamed with the wisdom of experience. "I once worked at a Muggle plantation for an extended period. Please trust me—no one understands how to navigate underage labor protection laws better than I do!"

Madam Hooch looked completely bewildered. Are today's young wizards really this noble? Voluntary labor? No compensation? It seemed almost too good to be true.

Just then, her gaze fell upon the Nimbus 2000 broomstick in Ciel's hand, and she gasped audibly, her eyes igniting with intense fascination.

"This is... a custom version of the Nimbus 2000?" she breathed. "I've seen the mass-produced models, but never a custom version. I've heard that Nimbus Company magically adjusts every single twig on the custom versions, making their performance at least thirty percent superior to standard models!"

At that moment, Ciel gracefully extended his Nimbus 2000 toward Madam Hooch.

"Professor, would you like to examine it more closely? If I could gain this precious learning opportunity in the warehouse, you could even take it for a few flights."

Madam Hooch's eyes were instantly captivated by the gleaming golden broomstick. What could possibly be wrong with letting Ciel work in the warehouse? As he said, it's learning—extracurricular education!

"Deal!"

She practically thrust a key into his hands.

As Madam Hooch carefully cradled the Nimbus 2000, her eyes drinking in every detail with fascination, Ciel unlocked the door to the abandoned broomstick warehouse.

The moment the door creaked open, a cloud of dust that had been sealed for decades rushed out to greet him. Then, what met Ciel's eyes was nothing short of a mountain of discarded broomsticks.

This wasn't hyperbole. Hundreds, perhaps thousands of years' worth of scrapped brooms had literally formed a small mountain within the warehouse!

Ciel picked up the nearest broomstick. This particular broom's history probably spanned over a century. Its tail was composed of birch twigs, most of which had withered and lost all vitality. But among them, Ciel could still faintly sense that a few twigs retained traces of magical power.

"Arbor Siccus!"

He waved his wand with practiced precision.

A beam of light from the Pruning Charm burst forth, and immediately, a twig that still held magic was neatly trimmed from the broomstick.

Ciel's expression brightened with pure joy.

Using the Pruning Charm on these magically infused twigs gave him a sensation that, while not as smooth as trimming actual magical plants, was remarkably close.

In other words, these flying broomsticks could all serve as subjects for him to practice the Pruning Charm!

With the sheer number of brooms piled in the warehouse, Ciel estimated it would provide him with at least half a year's worth of practice material.

But that wasn't all.

Ciel closed his eyes and carefully sensed the magical emanations from the broomstick before him. He needed to identify those parts that still retained magic among the clusters of scattered twigs.

This process seemed to be a form of training for his magical perception as well.

His expression immediately became fervent with excitement.

Not only can I practice the Pruning Charm, but I can also train my magical perception simultaneously?

To others, this pile of flying broomsticks might appear to be nothing more than a garbage heap. But in Ciel's current view, this was a treasure trove!

He immediately threw himself into the trimming work with passionate dedication.

Time passed minute by minute, hour by hour.

Eventually, Madam Hooch, who had been completely absorbed in admiring the Nimbus 2000, suddenly snapped back to reality. She remembered that Hufflepuff House needed to use the field for training that afternoon, and the pitch required one final inspection.

Only then did she reluctantly set down the custom Nimbus 2000 and hurry to the warehouse to notify Ciel.

"Ciel, your Hufflepuff training is about to begin. Don't you want to go prepare?"

Upon hearing this, Ciel showed a genuinely regretful expression.

"So soon? Alright, thank you for the reminder, Madam Hooch. I'll return after training."

He collected his Nimbus 2000 and walked toward the field.

After Ciel left, Madam Hooch looked with curiosity toward where he had just been working. Her expression then froze in amazement.

There sat a perfectly trimmed broomstick, restored to neat condition. Even beside it on the ground, several usable twigs that had been carefully cut from it were arranged in orderly rows.

Madam Hooch stood motionless for a long time, her eyes growing slightly misty.

"That boy, Ciel... he really does cherish broomsticks so deeply. What a wonderful child."

Then, thinking of Ciel's limited magical talent, she felt another wave of sympathy.

Meanwhile, Ciel, who had left the warehouse, wore a brilliant smile of satisfaction.

On his system panel, the words "Pruning Charm" glowed with an even more brilliant silver luster than before.

"At this rate, the Pruning Charm might become my first spell to advance to Gold Tier."

His eyes sparkled with anticipation as he stepped forward and walked into the Quidditch pitch, ready for whatever challenges awaited.

(End of Chapter)

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