Viktor stepped forward, a warm smile on his face, and ruffled the two red-haired boys' already messy hair.
"Brilliant work, Fred, George. You've proven its worth, and more importantly, you've proven your own capabilities."
The twins finally stopped jumping. They were panting heavily, but their smiles were radiant, and their eyes shone with a profound sense of accomplishment.
"This is incredible, Professor!" George stroked the smooth, glossy fur of the Niffler perched on his shoulder, his voice trembling with excitement.
"When it blinked at me on the Pokédex screen, and then actually answered my summons in reality—Merlin, I felt like I'd won the world!"
"The Caipora is simply the ultimate partner born for mischief!"
Fred held out a finger, letting the little fluffy ghost alight weightlessly on his fingertip, its downy tendrils affectionately wrapping around him.
"It understands my wildest ideas, and it even helps me refine the details! This is way better than us just brainstorming in the dark!"
Viktor nodded. Turning around, he pulled two small but heavily laden velvet pouches from beneath the workbench and handed them to the twins.
The tops of the pouches were slightly open, leaking a brilliant golden glow—they were packed to the brim with Galleons.
The twins froze. Their excitement dialed back a notch, replaced by sheer surprise and a hint of hesitation.
"Professor, is this—"
"This is your earned compensation," Viktor said, his tone gentle but leaving absolutely no room for argument.
"We originally agreed you'd be serving 'detention' by helping with experiments. But the work you've put in over the last two weeks goes far beyond simply 'helping out'."
"You are fully qualified R&D assistants, and indispensable contributors to this project. This is payment for your labor, your intellect, and your time. Take it."
Fred and George exchanged a look, seeing the shared thrill and a touch of relief in each other's eyes.
Their family wasn't wealthy, and pocket money was always extremely tight. To them, these Galleons were undoubtedly a massive fortune.
More importantly, this was money they had earned through skills they were genuinely passionate about and had poured their hearts into. That made it incredibly meaningful.
"Thank you, Professor!" George didn't refuse any further. He solemnly took the pouch; its heavy weight in his hand was deeply reassuring.
"We'll definitely put it to good use—like buying more experimental materials!" Fred also took his pouch, a wide grin spreading across his face as the gears already started turning in his head.
George even fished three shiny Galleons out of his pouch and offered them to the tiny paws of the Niffler on his shoulder.
"Here you go, little guy. You earned a cut too!"
The Niffler's beady little eyes instantly went round as saucers, staring at the golden temptation in absolute disbelief.
Then, letting out a rapturous squeak, it snatched the three Galleons, burying its face in them and rubbing against the gold blissfully.
It then tilted its little face up and rubbed affectionately against George's chin, sending the boy into a fit of laughter.
Watching this heartwarming scene, Viktor chuckled. His gaze then shifted to the heavy, dark circles under both their eyes.
"Alright. The hardest phase is behind us for now. There are no more tasks for tonight." He pointed toward the lab's exit.
"Right now, I am ordering the two of you to head straight back to Gryffindor Tower, take a hot shower, and sleep until noon tomorrow. That is an official directive from your professor."
The twins finally felt the exhaustion crashing over them like a tidal wave.
After two straight weeks of high-intensity labor, even with their boundless, youthful energy, they desperately needed to catch up on sleep.
They didn't argue. The Niffler and the Caipora on their shoulders seemed to understand as well; with soft little sounds, they dissolved into motes of light, returning to their respective habitats within Viktor's suitcase.
The twins carefully and respectfully stowed away their Pokédexes, then bid goodnight to Viktor and Tom.
Wearing thoroughly satisfied smiles and carrying their heavy pouches of gold, they left the lab.
Listening to their footsteps fade down the corridor outside the metal doors, Viktor let out a long breath.
On his shoulder, Tom let out a soft "meow," rubbed his head against Viktor's cheek, and hopped down.
With practiced ease, the cat shrugged off his miniature lab coat and glasses, reverting to his usual elegant, lazy self.
Viktor gently stroked Tom's head. His eyes swept over the dozens of neatly arranged red-and-white Pokédexes on the workbench, a flash of pure joy in his gaze.
It was time to push forward to the next step.
---
The following day. Friday morning.
Viktor arrived at Professor McGonagall's office, carrying an elegant box containing several of the new Pokédexes.
Inside the austere, meticulous room, McGonagall was sitting behind her desk, grading a stack of parchment. Her brow was slightly furrowed, her quill scratching across the pages with a distinct, strict rhythm.
After hearing the reason for Viktor's visit, Professor McGonagall adjusted her spectacles in surprise. Without asking too many questions, she immediately dispatched her Patronus to summon Headmaster Dumbledore.
A few moments later, Albus Dumbledore—clad in robes adorned with stars and moons, his silver hair and beard gleaming—appeared in the doorway with a cheerful chuckle. Behind his half-moon spectacles, his blue eyes twinkled with curiosity.
"Ah, Viktor, Minerva. A beautiful morning, isn't it? I do hope I haven't missed a fascinating tea party."
He spoke merrily, conjuring a plush armchair for himself and settling in.
Viktor skipped the pleasantries. He opened the box, pulled out two pristine red-and-white Pokédexes, and handed one to McGonagall and the other to Dumbledore.
"Professor McGonagall, Headmaster Dumbledore. This is a little project I've recently completed with the help of Tom and the Weasley twins: The Pokédex."
He then launched into a concise explanation of the device's core functions.
He covered the contract initiation, virtual exploration, educational modules, affinity building, and finally, the possibility of summoning an actual magical creature partner once all conditions were met.
He demonstrated how to channel magic and use a drop of blood to activate the contract. He showed them the pixelated creature avatars and interactive menus on the screen, providing a broad overview of the contract magic, spatial tethering, and educational philosophies seamlessly integrated into the design.
Professor McGonagall listened with her usual stern demeanor at first. But as Viktor's explanation deepened, her sharp gaze turned incredibly focused, even carrying a hint of sheer astonishment.
When she heard how the device could systematically teach young wizards about magical creatures while fostering genuine understanding and compassion in a completely safe, controlled manner, she couldn't help but nod. A rare look of absolute approval graced her features.
"Highly creative, Viktor. Fusing the entertainment value of a game with serious educational goals to guide the interests of young wizards... This is infinitely more effective than dry, rigid lecturing," she praised, her fingers gently tracing the smooth casing of the Pokédex.
"This could massively compensate for the current shortcomings in the accessibility and long-term engagement of Care of Magical Creatures classes, particularly for the lower years."
Dumbledore, on the other hand, looked exactly like an old child who had just discovered a brilliant new toy.
With boundless enthusiasm, he immediately channeled a thread of gentle magic into the Pokédex in his hand. Following Viktor's instructions, he tapped his finger with his wand, squeezing out a single drop of blood onto the authentication groove.
The blood was instantly absorbed. The screen flared to life, and the cheerful, 8-bit startup jingle made the old headmaster smile so widely his eyes crinkled into crescent moons.