Hogwarts: I Am Such a Model Wizard

Chapter 169: Fortified Pumpkin

This hectic pace continued until the eve of Halloween. That morning, Kyle woke up to the sweet, mouthwatering aroma of roasted pumpkin wafting through the hallways. Even better, Harris announced in the common room that there would be no Quidditch practice for the following week. He admitted the recent training sessions had been a bit intense, and with Kyle and the other new player’s impressive performances, he decided to give the team a breather before the official matches began.

Kyle was thrilled with this unexpected break, grateful for the chance to relax a bit. To his delight, in honor of Halloween, the school seemed filled with extra pumpkins—several new ones were scattered across the classrooms.

During Transfiguration class that morning, Professor McGonagall used pumpkins as teaching props, instructing the students to transfigure them into anything they liked, as long as the end result was no longer a pumpkin.

Kyle was, as usual, the first to complete the task, transforming his pumpkin into a miniature replica of the stone statue guarding the castle entrance. The tiny statue took two steps across his desk and then swung its oversized sword in a wide arc, unintentionally smashing Kanna’s pumpkin nearby, scattering pumpkin seeds all over her desk—and her face.

Kanna, clearly unamused, wiped the seeds off her face and shot Kyle a furious glare, her teeth clenched in frustration as if she might pounce and take a chunk out of him.

“Oops! That was an accident!” Kyle hurriedly apologized, realizing he’d forgotten the sword was merely a conjured illusion.

Professor McGonagall, whose rare smile hinted at mild amusement, said, “Hufflepuff loses one point for your ungentlemanly behavior. A bit of recklessness there, and it could’ve been dangerous.”

“Understood, Professor,” Kyle muttered sheepishly.

She nodded approvingly at his lifelike stone statue. “Very well, Hufflepuff—eleven points for excellent transfiguration.”

Since there were no specific requirements for the transfiguration, the exercise was simpler than usual, and most students completed it successfully. By the end of class, the transfiguration room had turned into a bizarre storage area, filled with everything from stakes and buckets to pillows and lamps.

Among those who partially succeeded, some students’ transformations still showed hints of their pumpkin origins. Ryan, for instance, had reshaped his pumpkin into a Quaffle, but the “Quaffle” remained bright yellow, with the unmistakable texture of pumpkin skin.

Despite this, Professor McGonagall considered him to have met the requirements. However, for the students who’d lazily carved a few holes in their pumpkins and claimed they’d made jack-o’-lanterns, she wasn’t as lenient—assigning them an extended three-foot essay instead of the standard one-foot assignment.

And those who hadn’t managed to meet even the basic requirement didn’t escape her displeasure; each faced a similarly stern punishment.

...

That afternoon, Herbology class brought an unusual surprise. Professor Sprout set a pot of unfamiliar plants—ones not usually kept in the greenhouse—on the front bench.

“Fortified Pumpkins!” Professor Sprout announced with a smile. “Can anyone tell me what they are?”

When no one raised their hand, Professor Sprout’s gaze shifted directly to Kyle.

“Fortified Pumpkins, also known as the Iron Pumpkins, is extremely hard and often used in alchemy,” Kyle explained. “The vines can also be combined with Gillyweed to make a potion that lets people breathe underwater.”

“Very good, one point to Hufflepuff!” Professor Sprout said happily. “Fortified Pumpkins are indeed rare, and because of their hardness, they grow in a very unique way—they shed their skin each time they grow.”

She pointed to the pot on her desk, where the group noticed a shed pumpkin shell resembling a gauntlet lying beside the plant.

“Now, does anyone know what this shell is used for?”

Kyle raised his hand again. “People often place these shells on delicate plants to protect them from Gnomes and other pests. That’s actually where the name ‘Fortified Pumpkins’ comes from.”

“Precisely right, ten points to Hufflepuff!” Professor Sprout beamed. “The shell of the Fortified Pumpkins provides exceptional protection for fragile plants. In fact, even an adult Dragon would have a hard time breaking through it.”

A hush fell over the greenhouse as the students stared in awe at the unassuming pumpkin shell. Dragons were known as some of the fiercest magical creatures, so learning that even they couldn’t bite through this shell underscored just how tough it was.

“Now, let’s get started,” Professor Sprout said, clapping her hands to refocus everyone’s attention. “Additionally, I’ve decided to award the pumpkin shell as a prize to the student who performs best in today’s lesson.”

Everyone glanced toward Kyle. Judging by his impressive answers so far, it seemed nearly impossible for anyone else to outperform him.

But Professor Sprout, reading their thoughts, added with a smile, “Remember, class hasn’t officially started yet. What I said was just an introduction and doesn’t count toward your performance.”

With that, she led them over to a nearby row of stakes. “Last week, we learned how to fertilize Leaping Toadstools. Today, we’ll be learning how to collect their spores. Remember, Leaping Toadstools are very sensitive to noise, so you’ll need to stay as quiet as possible.”

The students nodded, silently crouching down beside the stakes and reaching out with paintbrushes to gently collect the spores, each one careful to avoid making a sound.

By the end of class, Professor Sprout was visibly pleased. She’d never had such an easy time—no one prodded the plants, no one messed with the Venomous Tentacula, and everyone seemed serious and focused, eager to win the prize.

“Today may be the best Halloween yet!” she declared, awarding each house two extra points. As promised, she handed the shell of the Fortified Pumpkin to Kyle, who had finished half a class early by using a carefully controlled mini-cyclone to collect his spores.

As the students left the greenhouse, Kyle lingered at the door, glancing back one last time at the Fortified Pumpkin in the corner. He thought it would make a perfect companion for the Chomping Cabbage, and if possible, he’d love to take some back to add to his collection. But unfortunately, with only one pot and Professor Sprout keeping a close eye on it, he hadn’t found a suitable opportunity during class.