My partner at Hogwarts is Tom

Chapter 77 Application

Viktor stepped forward, smiling as he ruffled the already messy heads of the two red-haired boys.

"Well done, George, Fred. You've proven its worth and your own abilities."

The twins stopped jumping, panting, with bright smiles on their faces and eyes full of accomplishment.

"This is incredible, Professor!" George exclaimed excitedly, stroking his shoulder and sniffing the smooth fur.

"When it winked at me on the Pokédex screen and then actually answered my call in reality—Merlin, I felt like I had won the whole world!"

"Kebora is simply the perfect partner for pranks!"

Fred stretched out his finger, letting the little fluffy ghost land lightly on his fingertip, its fluffy tentacles affectionately wrapping around his finger.

"It understands my wildest ideas and helps me refine the details! This is so much better than working in isolation like before!"

Viktor nodded, turned around and took out two small but heavy velvet bags from under the lab table, handing them to the twins.

The bag was slightly ajar, revealing a golden glow inside; it contained two bags full of Galleons.

The twins were taken aback, their excitement fading slightly, replaced by surprise and a hint of hesitation.

"Professor, this is—"

"This is the reward you deserve," Victor said gently but firmly.

"The initial agreement was that you would be in confinement to help with the experiment, but the work you've done these past two weeks has far exceeded the scope of 'helping.'"

"You are not only qualified R&D assistants, but also indispensable participants in this project. This is your reward for your labor, wisdom, and time. Please accept it."

Fred and George exchanged a glance, seeing excitement and a hint of relief in each other's eyes.

Their family was not wealthy, and they always had very little pocket money, so these Galleons were undoubtedly a "huge sum" for them.

More importantly, this was earned through their genuine interest and hard work, making it exceptionally meaningful.

"Thank you, Professor!" George no longer refused and solemnly accepted the money bag. It felt heavy in his hand, which reassured him.

"We'll definitely make good use of it—for example, by buying more experimental materials!" Fred took the money bag, grinned, and started making plans.

George even took three shiny Galleons out of his purse and held them to the little paws sniffing on his shoulder.

"Hey little guy, you deserve some credit too!"

Sniff's little eyes widened instantly as she stared incredulously at the golden temptation before her.

Then it let out a joyful "Squeak!" and hugged the three Galon, burying its head in them and rubbing against them.

Then she lifted her little face and rubbed it affectionately against George's chin, making George laugh out loud.

Seeing this heartwarming scene, Viktor smiled, his gaze falling on the two people's heavy dark circles.

"Alright, the toughest part is over for now. No other tasks tonight," he said, pointing to the lab exit.

"Now, I order you two to return to the Gryffindor Tower immediately, take a good hot bath, and then sleep until noon tomorrow. This is the professor's order."

The twins did indeed feel an overwhelming wave of fatigue.

After two consecutive weeks of high-intensity work, even someone young and energetic needs to catch up on sleep.

They didn't insist any further. The Niffler and Keppela on their shoulders also made a soft, sensible call, and turned into a glimmer of light as they returned to their habitat in Victor's suitcase.

Then the twins carefully put away their Pokédex and said goodbye to Viktor and Tom.

With a satisfied smile and a heavy purse, he left the laboratory.

Viktor breathed a sigh of relief as he listened to the footsteps receding outside the metal door.

Tom, perched on his shoulder, meowed, nuzzled his cheek, and jumped down.

Then, it skillfully took off its mini white coat and glasses, transforming back into its usual lazy and elegant appearance.

Victor gently stroked Tom's head, his gaze sweeping over the dozens of neatly arranged red and white illustrations on the lab table, a hint of joy flashing in his eyes.

It's time to move on to the next step.

The following day, Friday morning.

Viktor arrived at Professor McGonagall's office carrying an exquisite box containing several Pokémon Pokédex entries.

In the simple yet rigorous room, Professor McGonagall sat behind her desk, grading a stack of parchment, her brows slightly furrowed, the quill pen moving with a distinctively stern rhythm.

After hearing Victor's purpose, Professor McGonagall adjusted her glasses in surprise, but did not ask any further questions. She directly asked the Patronus to invite Headmaster Dumbledore.

A moment later, Dumbledore, dressed in a robe with stars and moons and with silver hair and beard, appeared at the door with a smile, his blue eyes behind his half-moon spectacles sparkling with curiosity.

"Ah, Viktor, Minerva. What a lovely morning, isn't it? I hope I haven't missed any interesting tea parties."

He spoke cheerfully, conjuring up a comfortable armchair and sitting down.

Without much small talk, Victor opened the box, took out two brand-new red and white bestiaries, and handed them to Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore respectively.

"Professor McGonagall, Headmaster Dumbledore, this is a small project I recently completed with Tom and the Weasley brothers: the 'Pokémon Pokédex'."

Then he began to give the two a brief introduction to the basic functions of the encyclopedia.

Contract signing, virtual exploration, knowledge learning, affection cultivation, and ultimately, the possibility of summoning a real magical animal companion under certain conditions.

He demonstrated how to infuse magic and activate the contract with a drop of blood, showcasing pixelated magical creature images and interactive menus on the screen, and roughly explained the contract magic, spatial connections, and educational concepts integrated behind it.

Professor McGonagall listened with some seriousness at first, but as Victor explained, her sharp gaze gradually became focused, even showing a hint of surprise.

When she heard that the device could systematically teach young wizards about magical creatures and cultivate their understanding and love for magical creatures in a safe and controllable way, she nodded, a rare expression of approval on her face.

"Very creative, Victor. Combining playful fun with serious teaching objectives to spark the interest of young wizards is far more effective than dry lecturing."

She commented, her fingers gently stroking the smooth cover of the encyclopedia.

"This can greatly make up for the lack of accessibility and sustainability of existing magical creature protection courses, especially for younger students."

Dumbledore, on the other hand, was like an old child who had discovered a new toy.

He immediately poured a gentle magic into the encyclopedia in his hand with great interest, and following Victor's instructions, he lightly tapped his finger with the tip of his wand, squeezing out a drop of blood into the authentication groove.

The blood was quickly absorbed, the encyclopedia screen lit up, and the cheerful startup sound effect made the old headmaster's eyes crinkle into crescents with laughter.