Charles had always felt that the professors at Hogwarts were far from fair when it came to punishing students. Even the ever-just Professor McGonagall often threw Harry and his friends into detention without bothering to ask for explanations.
So now that he himself was a professor, Charles decided he wouldn't make the same mistake.
Harry and Ron had indeed been out past curfew—that much was undeniable. Though sneaking around the castle at night wasn't exactly a grave offense, since Charles had caught them red-handed, points had to be deducted. He took five points each from Gryffindor.
Hermione, on the other hand, had only gone after them to stop them from breaking school rules, so there was no reason to punish her. And Neville… well, he was completely innocent in all this.
"Harry, Ron, starting today until next Thursday, you'll both come here for detention after class each day," Charles said. "I'll have you help me take care of some Pokémon in the Sanctuary. Hermione, Neville—you may return to your dormitories if you wish."
"But, Professor—what about Malfoy?" Harry protested. "He's the one who challenged me to a midnight duel! You're not punishing him?"
He couldn't help feeling indignant. He had broken the rules because of Malfoy, yet now only he was being punished while the instigator got off scot-free. How was that fair?
"Harry," Charles said calmly, "I hope you learn something from this. Don't act on impulse. You shouldn't have accepted Malfoy's challenge in the first place. The Sorting Hat placed you in different Houses not to make you rivals, but to let you grow in your own ways. Wizard duels are a serious matter."
"But Professor, didn't you knock out all the Slytherins back when you were a second-year?" Ron blurted.
"...What—how did you—Never mind."
Charles nearly choked on his own words.
"In any case," he continued, regaining composure, "I won't be punishing Mr. Malfoy over this. As you know, in both the Muggle and wizarding worlds, talking big isn't a crime. The Aurors wouldn't arrest someone just because they shouted, 'I'll kill you.' Understand?"
He glanced meaningfully at the two boys. "That doesn't mean Malfoy was right. I simply hope you won't imitate him—and that you'll learn to think before acting, so you don't put yourselves in danger."
When he finished speaking, Charles noticed that Hermione and Neville were still standing there.
Neville had actually started to leave but froze mid-step when he realized Hermione wasn't moving. His raised foot hung awkwardly in the air, and with his poor balance, he began wobbling comically. He'd been swaying like that the whole time Charles was talking.
Finally—thud!—Neville toppled over.
"Do you two still have any questions?" Charles asked.
"Professor, you said Harry and Ron would help take care of the Pokémon in the Sanctuary, right?" Hermione asked.
"That's correct."
"I was wondering… may I stay and help as well?" Hermione asked eagerly.
It had been two weeks since the Pokémon Mastery class began, and so far, they'd only covered Pokémon types. Charles hadn't even brought any Pokémon to the second lesson. Hermione had been quite disappointed—she wanted to study them, not just read about them.
Now, seeing Harry and Ron getting a chance for hands-on experience, she couldn't understand why they were the ones being "rewarded."
But regardless, she wasn't about to miss this chance. The noble quest to uncover the connection between Pokémon and magic—it was her duty as Hermione Granger!
Harry and Ron, however, misunderstood entirely.
"What? Hermione, you're volunteering to join us in detention?" Ron's eyes widened. "I never knew you were such a great mate!"
Mate, huh? Keep calling her that and you'll be single forever, Charles thought.
"Yeah!" Harry chimed in. "From now on, you're our best friend!"
Hermione flushed, caught between pride and exasperation. "Heh… if you're happy, that's what matters," she murmured awkwardly, unwilling to explain.
"Is that alright, Professor?" she asked.
"Of course," Charles said, smiling. Then he turned to Neville. "What about you, Neville? Would you like to stay, or go?"
"Uh… I—I…" Neville stammered, visibly torn. Charles suspected he still hadn't quite figured out what was going on.
But when he realized no one else was leaving with him, he quickly decided to stay as well.
"Alright then," Charles said. "Detention begins today. You can take the weekend off—I'll likely be away."
He led them through an inner door and into a different chamber.
Harry immediately began looking around, thinking this might be the Sanctuary Hagrid had mentioned.
But to his surprise, the place wasn't much larger than Charles's office. It hardly looked big enough to be a Pokémon Reserve. What it did have, however, was an array of strange devices that made Harry's head spin and Hermione's jaw drop.
To her, it was like stepping straight out of the wizarding world and into a futuristic sci-fi film.
"These are… machines?" she asked in amazement, running her fingers across a Pokémon Incubator and a Healing Machine.
"Indeed."
"But according to Hogwarts: A History, all electronic devices malfunction inside the castle!" Hermione protested.
"There are always exceptions," Charles said lightly. He didn't bother to explain further—mostly because he didn't really know how it worked either. Though he did wonder if installing a Rotom inside might counteract Hogwarts' magical interference.
"Come along," he said instead. "The Sanctuary is this way."
He pushed open another door—
—and a shaft of golden morning light streamed through.
A cool sea breeze swept in, carrying the faint scent of salt and dew.
Hermione froze on the threshold.
"What's wrong?" Ron asked. He and Harry, determined to support their newly christened "best mate," worried she might change her mind and flee with the ever-clumsy Neville.
"Don't you notice?" she said sharply.
"Notice what?"
"It's afternoon right now—not morning!" Hermione exclaimed.
Only then did Harry and Ron realize what she meant. The moment they'd stepped through, the time of day had changed—inside the Sanctuary, it was dawn. The time difference was several hours apart!
And beyond that doorway… their jaws dropped.
A vast grassy plain stretched as far as the eye could see, and snowcapped mountains loomed on the horizon. Strangely, the mountains in the distance were shrouded in shadow, as if night still lingered there.
Herds of Pokémon ran and played across the wide meadows, their cries echoing through the air.
For a moment, Hermione truly believed she'd stepped into a fairytale.
"This—this place is hundreds of times larger than Hogwarts!" Ron gasped.
It was hard to believe that what looked like an ordinary room within the castle could contain a world bigger than Hogwarts itself.
"Welcome to the Pokémon Nature Reserve," Charles said with a smile. "This plain was transplanted from an island in the Pacific Ocean, so the time here is nine hours apart from London's."
"You'll be helping me care for a group of newly hatched Pokémon. They're from different species, and they don't get along very well, so keep them from fighting. Also, you'll be in charge of grooming them and cleaning up their droppings."
Charles sounded positively delighted.
After all these days, he'd finally found himself some free labor.