Harry!" Alaric shouted, moving with startling speed. He grabbed Harry's shoulder, his grip firm. "Close your eyes."
"Why—?"
Before Harry could finish his question, the world spun into a dizzying blur.
Following the Apparition, Alaric and Harry materialized outside the shop front. Fortunately, the location was secluded; the only person on the street was a middle-aged man with his back to them, leaning against a lamp post while smoking. The two people appearing out of thin air went entirely unnoticed by him.
Because the distance was short, Harry didn't suffer much from the physical side effects of the jump, though he was visibly rattled. Still shaky, he gripped Alaric's arm. "What happened, Teacher?"
Alaric didn't answer. His eyes were fixed on the shop.
A low, heavy vibration suddenly echoed from within the silent building. Harry jumped. The entire structure began to shudder violently; Alaric could feel the very foundations groaning under a massive, expanding pressure.
A second later, the front windows shattered outward with a violent spray of glass. The wooden door was torn from its hinges, flying across the pavement to land with a heavy thud right next to the smoking man.
"!"
The man jumped, dropping his cigarette in shock as he whipped his head toward the source of the noise. "What the hell was that?!" he bellowed.
Alaric offered him a strained, apologetic smile and gave his wand a sharp flick.
"Wait..."
The pedestrian's protest was cut short as the spell hit him squarely in the chest. It wasn't a harmful curse—it simply left him feeling a bit lightheaded and very suggestible.
Having dealt with the witness, Alaric turned his attention back to his shop. A series of sickening cracks and groans filled the air as the walls were forced outward. Timber and brickwork reached their breaking point. Through the shattered windows, all they could see was a sea of verdant green.
Harry watched, open-mouthed, as his tiny Chomping Cabbage—now an absolute titan—literally burst through the ceiling, the leaves erupting through the roof tiles. The walls were spiderwebbed with deep cracks.
So that's what "Giantism" looks like, Alaric mused, letting out a weary sigh.
A fresh headache was forming. For starters, the shop was no longer fit for habitation.
Alaric stepped toward the wreckage, a wave of his wand clearing the air of dust and splinters. As he approached, the cabbage's massive form suddenly seemed to lose its structural integrity. Like a balloon with a slow leak, it rapidly shriveled. With a low, whistling sigh, the titan shrank, its stems and leaves coiling back into themselves until the plant was once again its original, fist-sized self.
Harry followed cautiously. Seeing the tiny plant sitting amidst the rubble, he blinked in disbelief. "Er... why did it stop?"
"It likely exhausted its mana reserves," Alaric said, picking the cabbage up and handing it back to Harry. "The Giantism is a temporary state; it can't sustain that kind of mass for long."
Harry took the cabbage and poked its mouth. The leaves twitched, but the plant lacked its usual bite; it was as limp as a wet rag, lying in Harry's arms like a tired puppy.
Alaric shook his head, rubbing his temples. While the "Giantism" was certainly a spectacle, the plant had managed to hold the form for exactly three seconds.
"Now we have to deal with the aftermath," Alaric noted.
Harry looked at the carnage and bit his lip. Fortunately, the damage was purely physical, and within the reach of a few well-placed charms.
"Reparo."
Under the guidance of Alaric's wand, the glass fragments flew back into their frames, the roof tiles knit themselves back together, and the front door soared back onto its hinges. In less than a minute, the exterior of the shop looked as if nothing had happened. The interior, however—the smashed pots and scattered soil—would require a more manual touch.
Harry swallowed hard, looking down at the cabbage in his arms. "Did I... did I do something wrong?"
Alaric turned to him. Seeing the boy's anxious expression, his features softened. He gave Harry's shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "Don't worry, Harry. It wasn't your fault. No one could have predicted the cabbage would react so violently to the stimulant."
Harry's posture relaxed slightly.
At that moment, the door to the plantation—which Alaric had personally reinforced and thus survived the explosion—swung open. Remus Lupin stepped out.
He stopped dead, staring at the freshly repaired but clearly traumatized shop interior. "What happened?" he asked, looking bewildered. "Was there an earthquake?"
Alaric and Harry shared a silent look.
"No," Alaric said, shaking his head. "Nothing at all. But since you're here, Remus, you're just in time to help with the cleaning."
Without another word, Alaric pushed past him and walked out the front door, leaving a very confused Lupin standing in the middle of the room.
To Alaric, a damaged house was a minor inconvenience. The true trouble would be the magical fallout. Even in a secluded area, a house exploding and then instantly repairing itself tended to attract attention.
As expected, he spotted several Muggles in the distance who looked far too curious. To be safe, Alaric moved through the neighborhood, performing a swift Obliviate on anyone who looked like they'd seen more than they should have.
Despite his efforts, the incident didn't go unnoticed. It wasn't the Muggles who caught him, but the Ministry of Magic.
The mana spike caused by the cabbage's transformation had been far too loud to ignore. Within half a day, the Ministry had received a report of "Abnormal Magical Activity in a Non-Wizarding Area." Since Alaric was the only registered wizard for miles, the Accidental Magic Reversal Squad had no trouble identifying the source.
By evening, investigators were swarming the area. Alaric had intended to deny everything, but the investigator simply handed him a photograph that left him speechless.
The photo showed the exact moment the Chinese Chomping Cabbage had burst through the roof. Due to the angle, you couldn't see the plant clearly, but the structural explosion was undeniable.
There was no lying his way out of this one.
"How did you even get this photo?" Alaric asked, looking at the investigator with genuine curiosity.
Encouraged by how smoothly the investigation was going, the official offered a small, smug grin. "A simple Trace-Back charm, Mr. Thorn. Though, I suppose it's a bit advanced for the average wizard."