"Riiiiing—"
At 6 a.m., the deafening wake-up bell echoed throughout Hogwarts. Almost instantly, Daphne leapt out of bed in shock.
"That sound—I thought the world was ending!" She clutched her chest, gasping for air. "This is horrifying! How could Umbridge install such a monstrosity in the common room? I nearly had a heart attack—"
Her words trailed off as she noticed Jane Yu, who had just stirred under her covers, exuding an ominous black aura.
—Perhaps it was her infamous morning temper.
"I want to destroy the world," Jane muttered darkly, her movements sluggish. "Where's Umbridge? I'll give her a taste of her own medicine—"
"She's waiting for us by the Black Lake for morning exercises," Daphne replied mechanically. She wasn't sure if she was seeing things, but it seemed like something dark and sinister briefly flickered across Jane's body. "But I don't want you ending up in Azkaban, Jane. I'm not skilled enough to break you out—"
She watched in horror as Jane rolled out of bed, practically crawling out on all fours. Moments later, a deafening explosion and a chorus of screams erupted outside, but the bell stopped ringing—
"The assembly bell's been blown up!"
It wasn't long before Jane was dragged by Umbridge to face the entire school and the four house heads.
The cold wind by the Black Lake made her yawn, and she finally felt awake.
"Where am I? Who am I? What am I doing?" she asked innocently, looking confused. "I think I had a dream. Is there a problem, Professor?"
"Deliberately destroying school property!" Umbridge screeched, nearly jabbing a finger at Jane's nose. "Casting unauthorized spells—I must teach you a severe lesson—"
"Excuse me, Professor Umbridge," Professor McGonagall interjected swiftly. "I believe the assembly bell does not qualify as school property. It is not listed in the Hogwarts inventory."
"And I believe you are aware of Miss Yu's sleepwalking condition," Professor Snape added, his expression dark as he supported Jane's claim. "It is understandable that she might unconsciously cast spells while in a sleepwalking state—especially after consuming an excessive amount of unknown potions."
Umbridge's expression faltered. Knowing her underhanded methods were less than honorable, she chose not to expose her true nature before fully gaining control of Hogwarts. She quickly reverted to her usual "kind and gentle" demeanor and said with a smile:
"Since this is a first offense, I am willing to give Miss Yu a chance. Now, return to the line."
Jane raised an eyebrow, shrugged, and returned to the Slytherin formation.
No worries—if not this time, there's always the next. She would wait for the day when Umbridge finally lost her temper.
Meanwhile, the yawning students by the Black Lake gave her thumbs up and whispered their admiration:
"Well done!" "Classic Jane!" "You're the one who did it, but I feel so satisfied!" "I feel cleansed of all my frustration!"
"Silence!" Umbridge's saccharine voice rang out again. "I have an announcement. The Ministry of Magic has issued new guidelines for your health. After discussions with the Minister, we have concluded that a strong physique is essential!"
Her gaze lingered on Warrington and Montague's exposed muscles, making them shudder and quickly roll down their sleeves.
"Therefore, we have introduced morning and evening runs, as well as daily Quidditch training," she continued. "Running, as an excellent way to build strength, will now be part of your final exams. Failure to pass will result in not graduating or advancing to the next year."
For the physically fit Quidditch players, this was not much of an issue. Unfortunately—
Most wizards, with their magic-focused attributes, lacked physical prowess and carried a frail debuff.
Almost instantly, the Black Lake erupted in boos, even drawing the attention of merpeople, who peeked out of the water warily.
"Now, each house, form up in ranks! Shorter students in front, taller ones in the back! Your chest should touch the back of the person in front of you!"
"Yes, align front to back and side to side! You will run two laps around the Black Lake—"
The students exchanged nervous glances, sweat dripping down their foreheads.
"Two laps? That's going to kill us!" Blaise muttered under his breath. "Does she want everyone to turn into muscle-bound Warringtons for her amusement? She's a total pervert!"
At Umbridge's sharp whistle, the four formations began to move. Unfortunately, within a hundred meters, the neat formations fell apart. Quidditch players and upperclassmen charged ahead, leaving everyone else behind.
Soon, students began collapsing from exhaustion, tripping over each other as they fell.
"Ouch!" "Ahh!" Cries and screams filled the air as students tumbled in heaps, some even falling into the Black Lake with a splash.
"I'm not making it to the next year!" The younger Slytherins began to cry, their bodies aching and their legs feeling like lead. They collapsed onto the grass, barely completing half a lap. "I'm going to die! I want to go home—I don't want to go to school anymore!"
"My lungs hurt... even breathing hurts..." Daphne clung to Jane like a human pendant, her vision dark and filled with stars. "When I die, all my jewelry is yours—"
"I hate Umbridge!" Even Pansy was crying, her hair a sweaty, tangled mess stuck to her forehead. "Why is she torturing us like this? She's the worst teacher ever—"
Suddenly, an invisible force lifted the sobbing Slytherins off the ground!
They stared blankly at their floating bodies, momentarily forgetting to cry.
Jane felt conflicted.
On one hand, she felt a bit guilty for inadvertently causing the students' suffering with her drunken confession.
On the other hand, seeing them unable to complete even half a lap made her deeply frustrated.
The wizards of this world... were far too fragile!
With such weak bodies, how could they face the Battle of Hogwarts in the future?
They might even throw out their backs dodging a simple spell!
Surprisingly, she found herself agreeing with Umbridge's exercise regimen—it was necessary!
If it were up to her, she'd even add military training!
But for now, she needed to boost the confidence of these frail Slytherins.
"Remember, you're wizards! Use your spells creatively!" She pulled the heavy Daphne off her. "A basic Levitation Charm—even if you're only a few millimeters off the ground—can make your movements much easier!"
The crying Slytherins finally remembered their wizarding identity and began using their ingenuity.
"We can use a Wind Charm to make the running direction a tailwind—"
"A Bubble-Head Charm to help with breathing—"
"A Cushioning Charm combined with the Levitation Charm might work even better—"
"Excellent!" Jane clapped her hands. "Sixth and seventh years, move to the back row and control the wind direction!"
Warrington, Montague, and the other upperclassmen immediately followed orders. A strong wind began to blow, almost sweeping the younger students away.
"Fourth and fifth years, you've learned the Bubble-Head Charm and Cushioning Charm. Now, use them on the first to third years!"
Draco, Theodore, Daphne, and Blaise sprang into action, bringing tears of gratitude to the younger students' eyes.
"First to third years, move to the front and cast Levitation Charms on your clothes and shoes. I believe this isn't too difficult!"
The Slytherins, who now felt like the exercise had turned into a team-building activity, lit up with enthusiasm.
"Alright, form up! Straighten your ranks!"
At Jane's command, the reorganized Slytherin formation shot forward like an arrow.
The wind roared in their ears, pushing them forward like a cheering anthem. The Levitation and Cushioning Charms made them feel like they were bouncing on an invisible trampoline, each step propelling them several meters ahead.
In the Muggle world, they could easily win Olympic track and field gold medals.
"Merlin's beard—look at them—"
"Are those Slytherins? Are they even human? They're practically flying!"
The Slytherin formation swiftly overtook the disorganized groups of Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Gryffindor students, leaving a trail of wind and dust in their wake. The other houses were left with disheveled hair and sand in their mouths.
"Ugh!" Ron spat out dirt. "I'm not jealous, but a friend of mine wants to know—how are they doing that?"
"No idea," Hermione replied, closing her mouth just in time. She watched the Slytherins disappear into the distance. "But I'd bet 99.99% it has something to do with Jane."
"Light as a feather!" "Run, little snakes!"
Laughter echoed around the Black Lake as the entire Slytherin house reached the finish line, their eyes gleaming with excitement.
"A brilliant approach! Creative use of spells!" Professor Flitwick clapped enthusiastically as he approached. "Teamwork maximized the effects of the charms—I'm thrilled to see this—I'm awarding Slytherin 50 points!"
Professors McGonagall and Sprout looked equally pleased, and even Professor Snape's lips curved slightly.
But Umbridge's face could only be described as a storm cloud ready to burst.
"I fail to see what's so delightful about this!" she shrieked. "They completely violated the rules, resorting to trickery and using spells I didn't pre-approve. I must deduct 100 points from Slytherin!"
The Slytherins' faces darkened, and many clenched their fists, barely restraining the urge to punch Umbridge's toad-like face.
"But there's no rule against using spells," Professor Flitwick immediately defended them. "They didn't break any rules. On the contrary, they demonstrated mastery and innovation in spellwork."
"It seems you encourage so-called innovation," Umbridge sneered at him. "Perhaps that's one reason for the declining standards of this school—using unauthorized teaching methods not approved by the Ministry. I must remind you, Professor Flitwick, that I have the authority to review and dismiss staff."
The Ravenclaw students, who had just staggered to the finish line, clenched their fists as well, seemingly ready to drown Umbridge in the Black Lake.
Feeling victorious, Umbridge smirked and promptly added a new rule to the student code: no spells allowed during morning runs.
"I will review your teaching methods," she said, smiling at the four heads of houses. "There will be a Ministry-approved, risk-free, and beneficial standard for you to follow—"
Jane noticed that Professor Flitwick's hands were clenching and unclenching. Professors McGonagall and Sprout had gone pale, their lips tightly pressed together, while Professor Snape's expression remained as dark as usual, though even more menacing.
"Now it's time for morning self-study," Umbridge announced cheerfully, clapping her hands twice. "Both your morning and evening study sessions will be held in the Great Hall under supervision!"
Watching the students return to the Great Hall, Umbridge's smile grew even smugger.
Jane Yu, despite being her least favorite student—
Had actually provided a rather useful idea!
By keeping the students busy from dawn till dusk, with every action under her watchful eye, she could eliminate any chance of them secretly organizing against the Ministry under Dumbledore's influence.
Once the students were thoroughly subdued, she could organize a parent observation day to solidify her position in the Ministry!
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