Char glanced at Professor Sprout, a little hesitant but honest as always.
"Aunt, I still need to plant three acres of cotton today. That'll take quite a while. It's really hot and stuffy here, and you must be busy. Why don't you go take care of your own matters and come back for me tomorrow? Or just give me the address—I can find my way on my own."
But Professor Sprout only smiled, her eyes gentle and full of affection. She shook her head firmly.
"That won't do, Char. I can't let you out of my sight again—not after finally finding you. Don't worry, school hasn't started yet. I have plenty of time. Besides, I'm a master of Herbology! You wouldn't believe the conditions some magical plants require. This little bit of summer heat is nothing to me."
Char felt a warmth in his chest at her words. He nodded, giving up on insisting, and was about to fetch his trusty shovel and other tools when Professor Sprout stopped him with a twinkle in her eye.
"Char, you haven't started school yet, but you already have your own wand. Why not get used to casting spells with it? It's much more convenient than Muggle tools!"
Before Char could reply, Professor Sprout drew her wand and pointed it at the soil. With a practiced motion, she traced a spiral outward from the center, then gave her wrist a little flick.
"Terra Laxus! "
A warm, golden-brown light flowed from her wand and sank into the earth. Char watched in amazement as the soil began to turn itself over, stones rolling aside and hard clumps breaking up into soft, perfect planting earth. In just seconds, the ground was transformed into the kind of rich, loose soil he'd always dreamed of.
If he'd tried to do this by hand, even with all his skill, it would've taken hours. But with a single spell, Professor Sprout had done it in the blink of an eye.
Char's eyes were wide with admiration. "This is magic? That's incredible, Aunt! You're better than any tractor. Tractors need fuel, but you just need a good meal. With you around, we could run every farm in London!"
Professor Sprout chuckled, half amused, half exasperated. "Char, you and your obsession with farming! But thank you. Now, would you like to try the spell yourself? It's quite simple, and a good place to start."
Char nodded eagerly. He mimicked her movements, brandishing his new ash wood wand.
"Terra—Laxus!"
A faint yellow-brown light shimmered from his wand and touched the soil. The earth trembled and softened a little, not nearly as dramatically as when Professor Sprout had cast the spell, but enough to see it was working.
Professor Sprout's face lit up with pride. For a first attempt, Char's spellcasting was excellent—his movements and incantation were spot-on. But she couldn't help noticing that the effect was much weaker than her own. She sighed inwardly, realizing Ollivander had been right: Char's magical power was low, even for a first-year. His spells would be weaker than average, and learning advanced magic would take even more effort.
But Char didn't seem the least bit discouraged. He caught her glance and grinned.
"My magic's not as strong as other young wizards, but that's okay. This is still better than a shovel! I'll just do my best."
With that, he set to work, casting the soil-loosening charm again and again. Each time, he made the ground a little softer, then finished the job with his shovel. Before long, he was planting cotton seedlings in neat rows, his efficiency soaring. The magic might not have been spectacular, but it saved him a ton of effort.
As he planted, Char noticed something new: the little ball of light that appeared over each seedling—the reward from his planting system—seemed a bit bigger than usual. Could it be that better planting conditions improved the reward? The thought thrilled him. If he could perfect every step, maybe the system's rewards would grow even greater.
Excited, Char worked with renewed energy, casting spells and planting with a rhythm that was almost musical. He barely paused to rest, his stamina bolstered by years of hard work and the many physical enhancements his system had given him. In fact, he realized, he could keep this up all day!
Professor Sprout watched him, her astonishment growing. Even she couldn't cast spells at such a high frequency for so long. She wondered, not for the first time, if Char had a bit of giant blood in him.
By the end of the day, Char had not only finished planting his planned three acres of cotton—he'd managed to plant four more! If Professor Sprout hadn't insisted he stop and take a break, he might have kept going all night.
She finally put a gentle hand on his shoulder. "That's enough for today, Char. Come back home with me to the Sprout family house. You need a good rest, and I have a greenhouse full of magical plants I'd love to show you."
Char's eyes lit up at the mention of magical plants. He quickly packed his things, especially the three Marguerites he'd planted so carefully. Before leaving, he jogged past the rows of cotton, waving goodbye to his plants as if they were old friends.
Professor Sprout watched him, her heart full of pride and relief. "So passionate about plants," she murmured. "Even if this child never becomes a great wizard, he already has the heart of a true Herbologist."
What she didn't see was Char's system panel lighting up as he claimed all his rewards from the day's work:
[Heat resistance increased from Epic to Legendary]
[Drought resistance increased from Diamond to Epic]
Countless glowing orbs swirled around him, marking his progress.
With a final wave to the fields, Char left the plantation behind.
Goodbye, Muggle world.
Ahead of him lay a new life—a life full of magic, plants, and endless possibilities.
The magical world was waiting. And Char was ready to grow.