As soon as Alex mentioned Quidditch, Pascal’s heart sank. His fears seemed confirmed. This was it—Alex was going to target Gryffindor! “You can forget it!” Pascal blurted, his voice rising with a mix of anger and indignation. “We Gryffindors won’t disband our Quidditch team over some ridiculous excuse! And don’t think you can blame us entirely for the conflicts between our houses!” His outburst was met with silence, followed by three confused expressions—Alex, Charles, and even the usually calm Welen all looked at Pascal as though he’d just grown another head.
“Wait, what?” Alex asked, thoroughly bewildered. “Who said anything about disbanding your Quidditch team?”
Pascal froze. His mind raced to process Alex’s response. “You… you didn’t?” he stammered, his confidence faltering.
“No,” Alex replied, still baffled. “I think there’s been some misunderstanding, Prefect Hawke. I’m here to address real issues, not start baseless rumors.”
Charles, standing awkwardly to the side, sighed and rubbed his temples. “Pascal, I told you not to overthink this.”
"Ah? Is that so?" Pascal realized he might have let his excitement get the better of him. In his enthusiasm, he'd spilled his thoughts aloud. But true to his reputation as an experienced prefect, he quickly composed himself, straightening his posture. “I just wanted to acknowledge the determination Gryffindor has shown. Now, let’s get down to business.”
Alex glanced at Pascal with a mix of curiosity and skepticism. ‘Why does he feel so unreliable?’ Deciding to test the Gryffindor prefect’s intentions further, Alex replied coolly, “You’re well aware of the tension between our houses. Whether it’s the nonsense in the Quidditch arena or the petty rivalries in daily life, the friction between Slytherin and Gryffindor is undeniable. What’s your take on all this, Prefect Hawke?”
“Isn’t it all normal? A little rivalry between houses is just part of growing up, right?” Pascal replied with a nervous laugh. He looked like he wanted to scratch his head but restrained himself, likely for the sake of appearances.
“So you think escalating these conflicts into an all-out war is acceptable?” Alex asked, narrowing his eyes as he studied Pascal’s reaction.
“All-out war?” Pascal straightened up instantly, alarmed at the suggestion. The idea of a full-scale confrontation seemed absurd to him. After all, Alex was Slytherin’s prefect. If anyone could turn tensions into a genuine crisis, it was him. “Of course not! It’s just a bit of friction—nothing that should get out of hand.”
“In that case,” Alex pressed, “don’t you think allowing pranks to turn into brawls, or letting Quidditch scuffles escalate into outright combat, is a dangerous trend? These conflicts are escalating, and without intervention, they could spiral out of control.”
Pascal’s expression grew thoughtful. At first, he’d been too flustered by Alex’s reputation to think clearly. But as the conversation progressed, he began to realize Alex wasn’t here to provoke him—he seemed genuinely concerned. “Then, Prefect Alex, what exactly are you proposing?” Pascal asked, his tone calmer now, though his posture remained guarded.
“My idea is simple.” Alex smiled faintly, leaning in slightly. “If we let things continue unchecked, both our houses will suffer. I think it’s time for us, as prefects, to step in.”
“And how exactly do you suggest we do that?” Pascal asked, trying to suppress his tendency to jump to wild conclusions.
“For starters, Quidditch,” Alex began. “We can agree to play by the rules—no dirty tactics, no underhanded behavior. Winning without honor is hardly a victory worth celebrating, don’t you think?”
Pascal raised an eyebrow but said nothing, waiting for Alex to continue. “Besides,” Alex added, “if you look at the last few years, both our teams have suffered because of these conflicts. Injuries from matches often ruin our chances in later games. That’s not a pattern I want to repeat.”
Pascal’s initial wariness began to fade. ‘So that’s all he wants? A fair game?’ He felt relieved—he’d been bracing himself for far more unreasonable demands. “You’re suggesting we encourage our teams to play fair and avoid unnecessary conflict? That’s it?” Pascal asked, still slightly skeptical.
“Yes,” Alex confirmed. “No more dirty fouls or needless aggression during matches. We agree to this, and I’ll make sure my team holds up their end of the bargain.”
Pascal exhaled, a smile creeping onto his face. “That’s reasonable. I can agree to that. As captain of Gryffindor’s team this year, I’ll make sure our players stick to the rules. But can you guarantee your team will do the same? If they break the agreement, it’ll be hard to trust you next time.”
“You don’t need to worry about that,” a new voice interjected. Welen, Slytherin’s Quidditch captain, stepped forward. “I’ll ensure my players stay in line. With both of us on the field, it’ll be easier to keep things under control.”
Pascal nodded, visibly reassured. “All right, then. If we’re both involved, this should work. Consider it a deal.”
“Good.” Alex’s tone was firm but cordial. “We’ll keep our teams in check, starting with the next match. No unnecessary fouls, no escalation. Let’s play a game worth watching.”
With the Quidditch matter settled, Alex wasted no time shifting the conversation. “Now, about the daily conflicts between our houses.”
Pascal’s demeanor grew serious again. He’d been impressed by Alex’s fairness regarding Quidditch, but resolving the broader tensions seemed like a much taller order. “That’s a bit trickier,” he admitted. “Unlike the Quidditch teams, most students won’t listen to us. You know how it is—they’re stubborn, and some even thrive on these rivalries.”
“I understand,” Alex replied. “Completely eliminating conflict isn’t realistic. But I have an idea that might help.”
“Oh? What’s your plan?” Pascal asked, his curiosity piqued.
“The root of these issues lies in individual grudges,” Alex explained. “Most students don’t want to be dragged into fights—they’re either caught up in peer pressure or targeted because of a few bad apples. If we can focus on the individuals causing the most trouble, we can curb the larger conflicts.”
Pascal leaned back, mulling over Alex’s words. “So, you’re saying we address the troublemakers directly?”
“Exactly,” Alex said. “Identify the instigators, mediate where we can, and set clear boundaries. If we show that we’re serious about maintaining order, the rest will fall in line.”
After hearing Alex’s proposal, Pascal nodded repeatedly, agreeing wholeheartedly. Even in Gryffindor, not everyone was as aggressive as they seemed.
"So, since these are mainly conflicts between individual students, we need to find a way to help them release those tensions," Alex suggested.
"Release?" Pascal asked curiously. "How do we do that?"
"Simple—duels." Alex’s tone was calm but firm. "It’s better to provide a controlled outlet than to let things fester. If there are disputes between Gryffindor and Slytherin students in the future, they should be settled with duels. Senior students from both houses will act as witnesses. Both participants will only use wands. After the duel, win or lose, neither side is allowed to harass the other during daily life or in their studies. If they’re still not satisfied, they can apply for another duel—but only once a week per person."