OK, let's return the mature node here afterall. Saves the awkward rename.

nucypher/network/middleware.py

@@ -53,8 +53,7 @@ class NucypherMiddlewareClient:
         """
         if node_or_sprout:
             if node_or_sprout is not EXEMPT_FROM_VERIFICATION:
-                node_or_sprout.mature()  # Morph into a node.
-                node = node_or_sprout  # Definitely a node.
+                node = node_or_sprout.mature()  # Morph into a node.
                 node.verify_node(network_middleware_client=self, registry=self.registry)
         return self.parse_node_or_host_and_port(node_or_sprout, host, port)
 

nucypher/network/nodes.py

@@ -271,6 +271,7 @@ class NodeSprout(PartiallyKwargifiedBytes):
 
         self.__class__ = mature_node.__class__
         self.__dict__ = mature_node.__dict__
+        return self  # To reduce the awkwardity of renaming; this is always the weird part of polymorphism for me.
 
 
 class Learner:
@@ -1011,6 +1012,8 @@ class Teacher:
         """
         This is the most mature form, so we do nothing.
         """
+        return self
+
     @classmethod
     def set_federated_mode(cls, federated_only: bool):
         cls._federated_only_instances = federated_only