"Wonder if this plant's as much of a tosser as the last one I talked to," John muttered, thinking of the bog god, who would no doubt be vastly amused and somewhat affronted at this little experiment.

He smirked at the plant to cover his own uncertainty. He'd taken a risk giving the kid his wand back (though if this boy was a killer, then John's instincts had really gone to the dogs.) And he was about to take another one, since he had no idea what a "real" wizard could actually do using one of these things. But Draco had held it like a weapon, and seemed deeply relieved to have it back, so...

"Oh, by the way," he added without any particular inflection, his eyes still on the ivy, "if you plan to use that on me later, you'd better cast for the kill. You won't like what happens otherwise."