According to the information on his panel, Little Red Star not only allowed Jerry to experience life in the magical world of "Harry Potter," but also provided a "Refreshing" function that enhanced his learning comprehension and memory capabilities.
The panel hadn't specified exactly how much these abilities could be strengthened, Jerry would need to discover that through personal experience.
Based on his afternoon struggle with Magical Theory, Jerry estimated that even dedicating 200% of his energy to independent study would barely enable him to learn the simplest spells within a month.
If he hoped to develop reasonable combat abilities before school began, the "Refreshing" function provided by Little Red Star would prove essential.
"Grooowl," protested his empty stomach.
Jerry glanced at the darkening sky outside his window. Eating dinner before testing Little Red Star's enhancement capabilities would be wiser.
"Crookshanks, time for dinner!" he called, rising from his chair to invite his new pet along.
He turned toward the bed where Crookshanks had been sleeping soundly, only to discover the feline had vanished.
"Oh no... he hasn't run away, has he?"
Jerry searched frantically, under the bed, inside boxes, throughout the cabinet, but the orange cat was nowhere to be found. He scratched his head in bewilderment. He'd been so absorbed in his reading that he'd failed to notice Crookshanks slipping away.
"Whoosh..."
A cool breeze suddenly caressed the back of Jerry's neck, causing him to shiver involuntarily.
Turning slowly, he discovered Crookshanks perched outside the window. The clever cat had somehow managed to create a small opening with his claws, squeeze through the gap, and then close the window behind him. The cool breeze had entered when Crookshanks briefly opened the window.
"Meow!" Crookshanks bounded toward Jerry excitedly, depositing something from his mouth onto the floor. With deliberate paws, the cat pushed his offering toward Jerry's feet.
The gesture seemed to declare, "I've become your provider today. This is a gift from the master to you, eat it!"
"Crookshanks, I... thank you," Jerry managed, the corner of his mouth twitching as he stared at the dead mouse presented proudly at his feet.
Now he understood why the witch at the magical menagerie had described Crookshanks as self-sufficient, requiring minimal food preparation.
After dinner, Jerry returned to his desk and reopened Magical Theory.
"Activate Little Red Star," he commanded, selecting the "Refreshing" function on his panel.
Jerry drew in a sharp breath as a cooling sensation suddenly flowed into his mind through his crown. His brain, fatigued from the day's activities, instantly revitalized to peak condition.
The experience resembled waking from nine hours of deep, restorative sleep and immediately drinking a glass of ice-cold water, crisp mental clarity coupled with extraordinary cognitive activity.
Jerry turned his gaze to Magical Theory once more and discovered that the arcane concepts that had confounded him that afternoon suddenly seemed accessible.
It was as if advanced calculus had transformed into simple linear equations under the influence of Little Red Star's "Refreshing" function. The difficulty had decreased dramatically, or more accurately, his comprehension and retention abilities had increased several-fold, making formerly complex material appear elementary.
With the "Refreshing" enhancement active, Jerry's reading speed accelerated remarkably. That afternoon, he had laboriously worked through four or five pages over four hours, barely grasping their content. Now, within a single hour, he had absorbed a quarter of Magical Theory with near-perfect understanding.
"Enough," Jerry whispered four hours later, having completed the entire volume of Magical Theory with thorough comprehension. He deactivated the "Refreshing" function on his panel.
Without the enhancement, his mind returned to its normal state, and a profound wave of exhaustion crashed over him.
"Evidently, the Refreshing function not only consumes Little Red Stars but also overexerts the brain. I should probably stock up on brain-nourishing supplements soon."
Jerry realized that while the "Refreshing" ability was undeniably powerful, it greatly strained his physical body.
He hastily closed the book, rose on unsteady legs, and collapsed onto his bed. Within seconds, he plunged into profound slumber.
Jerry's eyes fluttered open the following morning as the first golden rays of sunlight filtered through his window.
After a night of deep rest, his brain had returned to its normal functioning state.
"I won't push it for so long next time," he resolved.
Yesterday's inaugural use of the "Refreshing" function had been so exhilarating that he'd maintained it for four hours. Though he'd successfully absorbed and understood the entirety of Magical Theory in one session, he had severely taxed his mental resources, promptly forcing his body into recovery mode.
Clearly, extended use of the "Refreshing" function would be unwise. The cognitive overexertion triggered an automatic defence mechanism: deep sleep, which restores brain function. However, in such profound slumber, he would remain completely unresponsive even to significant disturbances, rendering him entirely vulnerable.
Should danger arise while in this recovery state, he would be defenceless, a lamb awaiting slaughter.
Jerry opened his panel and checked the number of Little Red Stars consumed during his "Refreshing" session.
"Two hundred forty?" he muttered. "So it costs one Little Red Star per minute."
His four-hour session had depleted exactly 240 Little Red Stars, confirming a one-star-per-minute consumption rate. The cost seemed reasonable, if not particularly economical.
Initially, Jerry's panel had displayed 1,005 Little Red Stars. After yesterday's expenditure of 240, he retained 765 stars, enough to power approximately thirteen more hours of enhanced cognitive function.
Based on his experience with Magical Theory, which required about four hours to master completely, he calculated that his remaining three textbooks, Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1), A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration, and The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection, could likely be conquered within that thirteen-hour window.
In other words, his current stock of Little Red Stars should enable him to complete, over the next two or three days, what would typically require a month of intensive study. Using the "Refreshing" function judiciously, he could dramatically accelerate his preparations for Hogwarts.