Flowers

Seeing Hermione finally decide to stay, Blake breathed a quiet sigh of relief. He glanced at Cassandra, sitting beside him, who didn't look particularly pleased. A sense of crisis stirred in his chest. It seemed like delaying the latest version of his PUA scheme any further might have dire consequences. Blake couldn't shake the feeling that Cassandra might stab him if he wasn't careful.

Hermione, seemingly oblivious to Cassandra's presence, took a seat across from Blake and placed her schoolbag to the side.

"So, do you have any questions for me?" Hermione asked, her tone sharp as she emphasized the word "please." It was clear she didn't believe Blake's earlier excuse.

Blake felt a twinge of irritation. Was she really pretending to challenge him? With an air of solemnity, he pulled a large roll of parchment from his pocket. Hermione's eyes widened slightly in surprise at the sight of the substantial document. Did he actually mean business?

Cassandra, clearly annoyed, interjected, "Why didn't you ask me first? She's not the only one who understands this stuff; I know it too!"

Blake looked genuinely surprised. "Well, aren't you not very good at Potions?"

Cassandra's eyes narrowed in fury. "Not good at Potions? Who told you that?"

"Didn't you mess up a question during last year's final exam?" Blake asked, scratching his head.

"Getting one question wrong doesn't mean I'm bad at it!" Cassandra retorted, her voice rising with frustration.

"But it was such a simple question," Blake muttered under his breath, which only fueled Cassandra's anger.

[Ding! Angry emotion detected!] [Ding! Congratulations to the host for getting a silver treasure chest!]

Cassandra turned her ire towards Hermione, pointing accusingly. "Why do you think she's better at Potions than I am?"

Hermione, who had been watching with a bemused expression, answered calmly, "I scored perfect marks on the Potions written test last semester."

Cassandra's cheeks flushed red with suppressed rage. One small error, and now she was being dismissed as inferior? Before she could draw her wand in frustration, Blake grabbed her hand. She struggled briefly, but his grip was firm. Reluctantly, she gave up, her face tinged with both anger and embarrassment. Despite herself, she didn't demand he let go.

Across the table, Hermione pursed her lips as she watched Blake's gesture.

Blake coughed awkwardly. "Cassandra, I'm not saying you're bad at Potions. It's just that I only have one copy of these notes. After Hermione looks at them, you can have a go. Deal?"

Cassandra gave him a skeptical look but didn't object. Blake spread out the parchment and pointed at a complex series of potion formulas.

"There's something odd about this recipe," he explained. "Adding these ingredients seems to stabilize the potion, but not adding them causes side effects. I'm trying to figure out a way to improve it. What do you think?"

Hermione stared at the formulas, her confidence wavering. The sheer complexity of Blake's notes overwhelmed her. While she was a top student, she was still in her second year. Brewing the potion might have been doable, but analyzing and improving its formula was a different challenge entirely.

Blake's research, though casually presented, was groundbreaking—even advanced for a Potions Master. Hermione stalled for time, pretending to study the parchment closely. She couldn't admit she didn't understand, especially with Cassandra watching her every move.

Five minutes passed in tense silence. Cassandra, growing impatient, finally broke it. "Granger, have you figured it out yet? Or can I have my turn?"

"I'm just reading carefully," Hermione shot back. "His handwriting is atrocious!"

Blake raised an eyebrow. "My handwriting…"

Hermione glared at him, silencing his protest. Beads of sweat began to form on her brow as she struggled to maintain her composure. Blake's amused smirk made it clear he knew she was out of her depth. He decided to step in before things escalated.

"Cassandra," Blake said, feigning sudden recollection, "I just remembered—I got a new plant recently. Want to see it?"

Cassandra's curiosity was piqued. "What kind of plant?"

Reaching into his bag, Blake retrieved a pot of sunflowers. But these weren't ordinary sunflowers. Each petal glowed softly, emitting a warm, soothing light. The air in the carriage grew noticeably warmer, and a subtle, pleasant fragrance spread. Both Cassandra and Hermione stared at the plant in awe.

"It's beautiful," Cassandra murmured, mesmerized.

The sunflower's glow seemed to lift everyone's spirits. Hermione's earlier tension melted away, replaced by a calm sense of well-being. She set the parchment aside, feeling that admitting her lack of understanding might not be such a big deal after all.

[Ding! Two emotions of joy detected!] [Ding! Congratulations to the host for getting two silver treasure chests!]

"Blake, where did you find this?" Cassandra asked, unable to hide her amazement.

"It's actually a modified sunflower," Blake explained casually. "I accidentally poured some leftover magic potion into its pot, and it mutated."

Hermione and Cassandra exchanged skeptical glances. Blake's "accidents" always seemed suspiciously deliberate.

[Ding! Two emotions of surprise detected!]

Blake handed the pot to Cassandra. "Here, it's yours. The seeds on the flower can grow more if you need them."

Cassandra hesitated, taken aback. "This is too much. I just wanted a seed…"

"Think of it as an investment in your family business," Blake said with a wink. "Take it to your parents. Especially your dad."

Cassandra blushed, remembering her father's overprotective attitude towards Blake.

Before she could gloat, Blake pulled out another pot of sunflowers and handed it to Hermione. "This one's for you."

"I can't accept something so valuable," Hermione stammered, though she couldn't take her eyes off the glowing flower.

"It's meant to be shared," Blake replied warmly. "Take it home. Your parents might appreciate it too. Besides, it'll help you stay focused while studying."

Hermione cradled the pot, her heart swelling with gratitude. He'd thought of her parents? She felt a warmth that wasn't just from the sunflower.

Cassandra's earlier pride turned to frustration. Humph! He's such a scoundrel—always playing both sides! she thought.

[Ding! Joyful emotion detected!] [Ding! Angry emotion detected!]

Blake's satisfaction was evident. The treasure chests were rolling in, and the tension had melted into a much calmer atmosphere. The sunflowers, glowing gently in the carriage, were a testament to his ability to defuse even the tensest situations with charm and a bit of ingenuity.

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