Alex’s cold eyes flicked to Lewis. "Lewis, do you truly understand what you did wrong?" His tone carried a hint of interest, but his face remained unreadable. “Yes, Prefect Alex, I won’t dare anymore!” Lewis nodded fervently, almost as if his head were on a spring, his face pale and pitiful.
Alex looked around, addressing the gathered students. “What about everyone else? Are you willing to exempt him from the punishment?”
The crowd of young Slytherins exchanged uneasy glances. Some murmured their thoughts aloud.
“He looks like he really can’t take it anymore.”
“Prefect Alex, maybe just let him off this time.”
“Yeah, he must’ve learned his lesson by now.”
Several voices chimed in, pleading on Lewis’s behalf. Even those who were also standing in line for punishment felt compelled to speak up. Their empathy moved both Joey and Lewis, who cast grateful looks at the crowd.
Alex nodded slightly, his expression softening. “Oh? It seems you’ve finally learned a bit about unity and friendship. That’s something to be praised.”
Hearing this, Joey and Lewis both let out a sigh of relief, assuming the ordeal was over. But Alex’s tone shifted sharply. “But!” He straightened his posture, his expression turning stern. “While your willingness to forgive is admirable, discipline doesn’t allow for exceptions.”
The relief on everyone’s faces froze. Joey stepped forward, his voice rising in protest. “But, Prefect Alex—”
“No buts!” Alex’s sharp gaze silenced Joey. “If you make a mistake, you face the consequences. That’s fairness. If we only enforce rules selectively, what’s to stop people from breaking them whenever they please? They’ll think they can avoid punishment after the first few times with excuses.”
Joey, desperate to help Lewis, tried again. “Prefect Alex, it’s not that we don’t agree with the rules. It’s just that Lewis really can’t handle any more. Maybe he could owe the punishment and finish it tomorrow?”
“Today’s work is finished today. There’s no excuse for delays.” Alex stepped closer to Joey, lowering his voice but keeping his tone firm. “Do you know what’s wrong with constantly speaking up for others like this?”
Joey hesitated, his face paling. “I… I just…”
“You’re being biased,” Alex said bluntly. “This is leniency, and it leads to disrespect. If you continue, no one will take you seriously.” Turning to the rest of the students, Alex gestured toward them. “When someone breaks the rules and faces no punishment, or even gets it postponed, it’s unfair to everyone else who follows the rules.” He pointed to one of the students nearby. “Take Mona, for example. Since she left the dorm this morning, she’s been disciplined in everything. Her uniform is neat, her dining etiquette impeccable, and she was in the hall at least ten minutes before class started. She greets staff politely and even ensures her peers follow the rule of ‘two in a row, three in a line.’”
Alex leaned closer to Joey, lowering his voice so only he could hear. “In my eyes, she’s more of a Slytherin than you.” The room fell silent, Alex’s words reverberating. The disciplined students stood a little taller, pride flickering in their eyes. Mona, whose name had been singled out, blushed, feeling both flattered and overwhelmed by the unexpected praise. She had only been doing what was expected but now felt a renewed sense of purpose.
Joey, on the other hand, felt the weight of everyone’s judgment. His face turned red, and he mumbled, “I’m sorry, Prefect Alex. I was wrong.”
Next to him, Lewis mustered the courage to speak. “It’s my fault, not Joey’s. I’ll accept the punishment. I deserve it.”
Alex’s expression softened slightly. “Recognizing your mistake is a good start. That shows there’s still hope for you. However, your physical condition does make it difficult to continue.”
Lewis’s eyes brightened with hope, thinking Alex might show him mercy. But Alex reached into his robes, pulling out a small vial. “This is an Pain-Relieving Potion,” Alex explained. “Your arms are stronger than you think. The pain you’re feeling is just muscle fatigue. A few drops of this will block the pain.”
With a practiced hand, Alex measured a few drops into a dropper and administered it to Lewis. His tone was calm, even cold, as he added, “Now you’ll be able to finish.” He walked back to the stone steps, leaving Lewis stunned, the vial still clutched in his trembling hands.
The students exchanged uneasy glances. The sight of Alex’s unrelenting approach sent a chill through them. None of them dared argue further, silently resolving to avoid such punishment themselves.
Under Alex’s watchful gaze, Lewis gritted his teeth and powered through the rest of the push-ups. The potion dulled the pain, but his body still trembled with the effort. By the end, the stone steps were slick with the sweat of all those punished. Alex scanned the group, his expression impassive. “Next task,” he announced, flipping over the record board in his hand. “Some of you didn’t follow the standard queue earlier. Line up. We’ll address that now.”
Alex stood on the platform with a blank expression, reporting a list of disciplinary violations. Unlike before, Lewis, watching from the audience, felt relieved—though he had no part in the violations this time, he was still rattled. Despite taking painkillers, his arms felt alien and limp, completely devoid of strength.
The young wizards in the audience were getting a first-hand taste of what strict discipline truly meant. They watched as Alex meticulously read through the violations, ordered push-ups, and moved seamlessly to the next name, the next infraction.
Each punishment doubled as a review session for the disciplinary regulations, etching the rules deeper into their minds. By the time Alex finished, over a third of the students had faced consequences for their actions on the very first day. “At the end of today’s assessments, only the seventh years have managed to avoid any violations,” Alex announced. “Every other year group has made mistakes. Grade leaders, take note.” He continued, his tone sharp but steady. “Every violation will result in punishment and a deduction of grade points. These points reset monthly, and at the end of each month, the top and bottom grades will receive... ‘surprises.’ Consider this your incentive to improve.”
Alex’s words grew heavier. “Today’s performance was abysmal. I expect better. From now on, we’ll announce scores and offenders at our weekly meetings. As this is your first offense, the punishment is limited to thirty push-ups. Future infractions will result in fifty. Take care not to test the limits.” He glanced at his watch. “Finally, because the disciplinary briefing took too long, we’ve lost valuable study time. Therefore, today’s self-study period will be extended by two hours, and study group activities will be postponed by a day.”
With that, Alex signaled the beginning of self-study. The hour-long punishment session had thrown off the schedule, forcing adjustments. Representatives of various subjects quickly sprang into action, using the transcripts Alex provided to find struggling students and offer tutoring.