Mandrakes are ancient plants with magical properties. However, the mandrake is said to have a wail that is fatal for anyone who hears it. According to superstitious beliefs, a person who uproots the mandrake by its root when it is growing is supposed to be condemned to hell and this happens instantly after the person hears the mandrake's wails. In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, the mandrakes scream whenever they are uprooted from the soil so that the students could plant them in pots.