Magnus, Hermione, Harry and Ron were, seated at the edge of the Black Lake.
The dark water stretched before them reflecting the fading light from the sky. It should have been peaceful, but their mood was anything but.
They had been at it for a while now, trying to come up with a better solution to Hagrid's Zweilous problem. One that did not involve sending it away through Charlie Weasley.
So far, they had nothing.
"Maybe Hagrid should just release it into the Forbidden Forest," Ron said finally.
Hermione turned to him slowly with cold eyes.
"That would be inhumane," she said flatly. "And completely pointless."
Ron frowned. "How is that pointless? It's a forest full of dangerous creatures. It would fit right in."
"It would come back," Hermione replied immediately. "It has already imprinted on Hagrid. You don't just undo that by throwing it into the woods."
Ron did not argue further. Instead, he picked up a pebble and tossed it into the lake.
Plop.
Another followed.
And another.
Soon enough, his Pokémon was scampering around, fetching small stones and dropping them beside him like it had just been given a very important mission.
Harry glanced at the growing pile.
"You do know there are actual beings living in there, right?" he said.
Ron snorted. "Mermaids aren't actual people."
Hermione scoffed. Loudly.
"They are merpeople, Ron...am I the only one who has read Horgwarts:A History "
"I would bet on it" Ron answered throwing yet another pebble.
"She's right." Magnus stepped in " but I don't think they would mind anyway."
He leaned back on his hands, eyes still on the lake.
"I mean, all the school's sewage goes in there anyway."
Ron froze mid throw.
Harry blinked.
Hermione looked like she regretted sitting next to him.
"you know it's true" he said looking at her
"of course I know it's true, it doesn't justify him throwing pebbles in there"
She said flaring up
Before Magnus could respond, movement caught his eye.
Across the grounds, two figures were sprinting toward them.
Fast.
Ron squinted. "What the hell...they are back so fast?"
Harry leaned forward. "fast?...its almost dinner time.. I want to see what they bought us"
The twins were running like they had just robbed a vault.
They reached them in seconds, slightly out of breath but grinning like idiots.
Fred slowed down when he saw Hermione. There was a brief hesitation.
Magnus noticed it.
"She's cool," he said casually.
That was all the confirmation Fred needed.
"Right then," he said, immediately dropping a bundle onto the grass.
George followed suit.
A pile of sweets spilled out between them. Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Chocolate Frogs, Fizzing Whizzbees, things Magnus did not even recognize.
"Here is your money's worth," Fred said, looking straight at Magnus.
"yeah" George added "that is what a galeon buys you... Minus a few sickle for our snicking skills of course"
Ron and Harry dove in immediately.
Magnus followed, grabbing a handful before Ron could get to them.
"Oi, that one's mine," Ron protested.
"You snooze, you lose," Magnus shot back.
Harry was already unwrapping a Chocolate Frog.
Hermione had not moved
Magnus noticed her sitting there, arms folded, watching them with clear disapproval.
He sighed.
"Oh, come on," he said. "Relax."
He picked a few sweets and held them out to her.
She did not take them.
So he shrugged and dropped them onto her spread robes anyway.
She looked down at them, then up at him.
Unimpressed.
Fred leaned back on his elbows.
"Come on, Hermione. No one will mind as long as you don't bring them into the castle."
George nodded.
"Besides, we have already broken too many rules with your Pokémon, you are part of our doomed team now."
That made her hesitate.
She did not look convinced, but she did not push the sweets away either.
After a moment, she picked one up, turning it over in her hands.
Then she looked at Magnus.
"Can I trade these for a few Chocolate Frogs?"
Magnus raised an eyebrow.
"I am trying to find a Mogana card."
Ron burst out laughing.
"Are you serious? I have got loads of her. Never even seen a Dumbledore one."
"see.... Another Morgana," Ron said handing her the sti
Harry, Magnus and Ron immediately began digging through their pile.
"Here," Harry said, handing her one.
Magnus tossed another onto her lap.
Ron hesitated, then reluctantly added one of his own.
Hermione took them, already opening the first.
Nothing.
She moved to the next.
Still nothing.
George, who had been unusually quiet, suddenly reached into his jacket.
"Speaking of things you lot might want to see..."
He pulled out a folded newspaper and dropped it onto the grass.
It was the Daily Prophet.
Fred leaned over, grinning.
"The Pokémon Battle League is back," George announced.
Magnus jumped to his feet so fast he nearly knocked over the small pile of sweets they had scattered on the grass.
"No kidding?" he asked, staring hard at the twins, trying to see if this was just another one of their jokes.
It didn't look like it.
Fred wasn't grinning in that usual way, and George looked far too pleased with himself in a serious sort of way.
Magnus reached for the newspaper, but Ron had already snatched it and gone straight to the sports section.
Harry leaned over Ron's shoulder immediately, and Magnus stepped in beside them, peering down at the page.
Right there, written in bold, dancing fonts, was the caption:
BATTLE OF VENGEANCE
Magnus felt something tighten in his chest.
Beneath it was a moving image that burned itself instantly into his mind. He didn't need the caption to know what it was.
It was the final round of the last league battle between the Silver Griffins and the Manticores.
The image looped.
A massive Gyarados rose into the air, its serpentine body twisting with terrifying grace, its jaws opening as a cold aura gathered around it. Magnus knew that move. He didn't need anyone to tell him.
Ice Beam.
Even in print, the moment carried weight.
Ron let out a low whistle. Harry didn't say anything, but his eyes were fixed on the page.
Magnus leaned in a little closer, his earlier tension completely forgotten.
"Both are playing tomorrow in the league opener," Fred said, dropping his voice like he was announcing something sacred.
George nodded beside him, arms folded, watching their reactions.
Fred grinned then, finally letting that familiar mischief creep back in.
"I swear, after what the Griffins did to them last season… the Manticores are going to destroy your guys, mate."