At first, there was only an endless ringing that filled his ears, accompanied by a pulsing pain in... well, almost everywhere.
It was worse on his head and his left shoulder.
He could tell, however, that he wasn't on the school grounds. The soft sheets baeneath him told him as much.
It must be the school hospital wing.
Even opening his eyes seemed to require immense effort, but he forced them open nonetheless.
He was right. He was in the school ward.
He may not have been here before, but he'd seen plenty of scenes in the films to recognize the place.
The ringing in his ears had faded, and now he could hear some murmurs from just outside.
"With all due respect, Headmaster, the boy needs to rest. The kid has broken several bones and I still need to do more internal examinations…"
"I won't be long, Poppy…"
Magnus was shocked to hear Dumbledore's voice.
If the Headmaster was here… to see him, then things had definitely blown out of proportion.
Then again, when he remembered that Fred's Eevee had evolved into an Espeon and used telekinesis in front of the spectators, he realized the Headmaster was the least of his worries.
Dumbledore's next words, however, confirmed his worst fear.
"The Ministry officials are already waiting in my office, Pompy. Minerva is keeping them busy, and I need to get back there. But I have to talk to the boy first."
"The Ministry is here already? Surely, I thought…"
Madam Pomfrey trailed off, and the Headmaster answered her unspoken question.
"I alerted them myself, but they were already on their way. Someone else had done it apparently before me."
Magnus' eyes almost rolled to the back of his head again.
The Ministry was involved?
He was doomed.
He was done for.
There was no way they would let him stay at Hogwarts after this. Not after what he had initiated behind the Ministry's back.
Of course, they would know almost everything by now. Malfoy or Snape would see to that…
Maybe Snape was, in fact, the one who had beaten the Headmaster to it.
Yes, Snape had been Dumbledore's spy in the canon, but things might have changed. Even a slight deviation was enough to send Snape back to his dark days.
How much they knew, he didn't know. But judging from Draco's hint and confidence, it was definitely enough to condemn him in front of the officials.
A million questions raced through his throbbing head.
What would happen to Espeon... and... Fred? Would he too be expelled?
He quickly decided Fred was safe. He just had to say he knew nothing.
But then… if Malfoy?
Screw Malfoy.
He would own everything up. He would admit to being the main culprit.
Of course, that still wouldn't save Fweg. The Ministry Department for Control of Magical Creatures and Pokémon Affairs would confiscate it.
But… another thought crossed his mind.
Hermione.
What if they also knew about the Pichu?
God. What if they also knew about Hagrid's Pokémon?
Well… he would also admit to experimenting with the Pichu without Hermione's knowledge or consent.
He just had to find a way to speak with her before the Ministry.
I mean, his situation was already doomed. They couldn't expel him twice.
Plus, he was already used to the streets anyway.
He might return to work for Tom… or even Mr. Galloway.
He still had a few Galleons remaining. If he was lucky, he would wait for the Pokémon League to start and then use his knowledge to make some money.
As for Hagrid, well, no one outside of the team knew about it. Maybe Draco did.
But Hagrid might have heard what happened by now. Magnus hoped he was smart enough to confine the Zweilous in the Pokéball.
The Ministry would of course search everywhere, but once Hagrid threw the ball into his moleskin pouch, it was futile to try and find it.
They would have no choice but to think Draco was delusional.
At least on that score.
In any case, who would believe a two-headed Pokémon existed inside the school?
His biggest fear was... would they take his Zorua too?
And where was his Pokémon in the first place?
Last he recalled, he was perched on his chest…
"I will give strictly five minutes, Albus. After that, you will have to leave whether you have your answer or not."
"As you say, Pompy," the Headmaster said in a cheeky voice. But Magnus could still detect a hint of tension.
He quickly contemplated whether he should pretend to be unconscious.
There was, however, no reason to.
"I shall have to give him a counter for the sleeping draught first…"
He heard them walk into the room, and in a few seconds, his bed curtains slid away.
The nurse froze momentarily as her eyes met his.
"You… you are awake."
She placed the cup with the counter-draught on the bedside table and bent to examine him.
"Can you see me?"
Magnus almost laughed, but he stopped himself midway.
Just the thought of laughter warned him of the pain that would follow.
Still, he didn't think his injury was that bad to affect his sight.
"Yes," he croaked at the nurse.
"Good. How many fingers can you see?"
The nurse held two fingers stubbornly.
"All of them," Magnus couldn't resist the jest.
But the nurse didn't seem to find anything funny in that. She glared at him, waiting for the answer.
"Two," Magnus answered, and she went on with an even sterner face.
"What is your name?"
"Magnus Magnus."
She glared at him until Dumbledore appeared behind her.
"Yes... that is definitely the man."
There was no warmth or anger in that voice.
Well… there was nothing, either. Just a plain voice that betrayed nothing.
"He is all yours," the nurse said as she straightened up. She took her cup of draught and headed toward her office.
The Headmaster waited patiently until she was gone before pulling the only chair in the room closer to his bed.
Those blue eyes pierced at him behind the moon-glasses, and Magnus knew there was a very slim chance of lying to this man without detection.
"You must have heard enough to know why I am here," the Headmaster stated matter-of-factly.
Magnus didn't bother to answer. It was obviously rhetorical.
"I believe congratulations are in order, Mr. Magnus," he went on, without a trace of humor. "The injuries you suffered are nothing compared to the magnitude of the attack you initiated."
Again, it wasn't a question.
The Headmaster was letting him know he knew he must have known what he was doing. At least a bit of it.
Magnus, however, couldn't hold his fears any longer.
"Sir… it was all my fault," he began. "The Ministry… will they… I mean, will they punish Fred? He didn't know anything, I... "
Dumbledore had, however, raised his hand to stop his outburst.
"The Ministry is standard protocol, and it is not my place to comment on that."
He paused, his eyes still bearing down on him.
"You should also know that lying to me will not serve your interests. The more I know, the better I can protect those who you say had no part in this."
Magnus felt his heart sinking.
The Headmaster was carefully telling him, in no uncertain terms, that he was not among those he could help.
He, however, pushed his pain aside.
He had known what was coming all along.
But if the truth would help his friends, then he would tell the Headmaster what he wanted to know.
"I understand, sir," Magnus almost whispered in resignation.
"Good," Dumbledore said as he took off his glasses and rubbed them on his robe.
"You did show Hagrid how to use one of those balls, didn't you?"
Magnus gaped at the man, dumbfounded.