He couldn't recall whether anyone had been able to access the Room of Requirement by day... oh yes... Draco Malfoy had...
If his memory served him right, it had been during the time he had been using the disappearing cabinet in preparation to bring in Death Eaters.
It wasn't that it was impossible to access it during the day... it was just hectic, seeing the frequent stream of students and every now and then Filch and his wicked cat.
But that was where Magnus was at the moment. He had just finished performing his duties as the Ravenclaw dung boy and had just made it back to the castle.
He was a bit lucky, seeing that at this time of day, most students were down in the grounds with their Pokémon.
Finding the exact room wasn't hard either, as the twins had already told him what the room was supposed to become for them, and since he was a welcomed addition, he easily found himself inside the twins' laboratories within the Room of Requirement.
He saw it immediately when he entered the room.
The main workbench was littered with all manners of items, yet he instead made a beeline for the brain book.
Looking at it, he could walk through the concept and workflow for the recent balls the twins had just made...
Just one glimpse, and Magnus was astounded by how simple the detailed analysis appeared on paper.
So much for 'trade secret,'
he could scribble down all this if he wished... but he didn't... he had other pressing matters to even care about the excess Poké Balls for now.
He instead cleared his mind as he grasped the clipboard.
"What could be the problem with a Pokémon who has been electrocuting itself frequently?"
He combed his mind as he internalized all the signs and symptoms he had observed in the Pichu...
Smoothly, the detailed spells and procedures the twins had used to create the Poké Balls disappeared, leaving the surface pristine.
Then, almost immediately, words began to scribble themselves terrifically fast across the sheet of paper on the clipboard.
*
Based on your observation, there are two possible causes that could trigger such an effect on a hatchling experiencing frequent mild electrocution.
*
Magnus watched tensely as the next word unrolled on the sheet of paper.
Diagnosis 1: Extreme exhaustion due to frequent electrocution.
Recommended solution: Administer 5ml of invigorating draught to hatchlings below one month.
Magnus looked relieved for a second, seeing this.
Exhaustion had been his guess as well. But then, a second later, that smile disappeared as he watched the next diagnosis forming beneath that.
*
Diagnosis 2: Electrolyte imbalance in the hatchling's blood due to repeated electrocution.
Solution: Administer 7ml of blood-replenishing potion to a hatchling less than a month old.
And there it was, the twisted crossroad.
Magnus glared at the words as his palms trembled with the weight of responsibility.
Pichu was only suffering from one of these conditions. It couldn't be both. The problem now lay in deciding which one to brew.
The right choice at this juncture would be to seek professional help... but here in Hogwarts, that meant Snape, and he knew that wasn't an option.
He paced across the twins' lab as he weighed his options, which were almost nonexistent...
The only other options lay before him. He had to decide which potion to brew.
And there wasn't time. It would soon be dinner and then curfew. He had to be fast.
Magnus made his pick.
"Give me the ingredients and a step-by-step guide on how to brew the invigorating draught."
The sheet cleared instantly, and another race of words began to dance across the page. He stood there, reading patiently.
Recipe 1: Invigorating Draught
A potion to restore depleted energy reserves.
Ingredients:
3 sprigs of Ginseng root (boosts energy)
A pinch of the Pokémon's feather filament or fur (stimulates magical recovery)
2 drops of Essence of Dittany (heals minor internal strain)
200ml of Spring Water
Instructions:
1. Finely chop the Ginseng root and add it to a heated cauldron with spring water. Stir clockwise thrice.
2. Add fur or feather filament from the Pokémon and let the mixture simmer for five minutes.
3. Drop in the Essence of Dittany and let the potion thicken to a light golden hue.
4. Remove from heat and let cool before administering the correct dosage.
Magnus laid the book down and rubbed his hands together in anticipation. Then he went over the list and thought,
"I'll need some Essence of Dittany, some Ginseng root, and spring water, a cauldron, and a source of heat."
He then looked around restlessly.
Nothing.
He gave it a little longer before grabbing the brain book once more.
"I need these ingredients," he thought anxiously, already beginning to suspect he would have to resort to his default plan.
The brain book confirmed it with its next words.
"Unfortunately, the listed potion ingredients can only be accessed in Professor Snape's office or purchased from potion stores."
Yeah, that sealed it. It was Snape's office
***
Half an hour later, Magnus sat at the Ravenclaw table with his fork hovering over his plate as he chewed thoughtfully.
He had mulled over the matter for a while now, and all the prospects looked ugly.
The only way he was entering Snape's office was if the man let him inside himself, and anyone would tell you that the only way a Ravenclaw was setting foot in the dungeons was if it was to serve their detention.
The alternative was to break in, and... well, he knew there wasn't a chance of that happening.
It had to be detention.
There was just one problem—classes were over for the day, and the chances of encountering Snape were quite minimal.
He could ask for the twins' help; the two were pros in the act of getting into trouble, but that would mean bringing them into the mix. Not that he did not trust them, but it was too early, and if there was something he knew, it was that once something was known by more than two, it stopped being a secret.
Besides, it wasn't just detention he wanted. It had to be given by Snape and not just any other professor. That would be detrimental to his goal.
Then he heard it!
That ugly, taunting voice he hadn't had the pleasure of encountering yet.
"Hey, Granger!"
Magnus turned to see Draco, in the company of his usual bullies, stop near the Gryffindor table as they headed out.
"Killed that poor rat already?" Malfoy sneered, indicating the weak-looking Pokémon in her basket.
"Bet you were afraid that its front teeth would grow too big and defeat you!" The idiot laughed stupidly at his own joke.
Magnus smirked as well, albeit for a totally different reason.
He had found the perfect solution.