Snape's face darkened to a stormcloud. Naturally—after all the madness Marius Cloud had already caused—who could possibly believe he'd actua
Snape's face darkened to a stormcloud. Naturally—after all the madness Marius Cloud had already caused—who could possibly believe he'd actually succeed again?
And yet, he damn well did.
Samuel took a sharp breath and stood frozen in place, his mind struggling to catch up with reality. The same could be said for most of the students present. The moment Marius declared his next outrageous challenge, everyone's brain seemed to just… crash.
One person, alone, was challenging all of Slytherin's current official Prefects? That was no different than a public suicide attempt!
Steve, too, felt his body stiffen. He tried to reason with Marius, hoping to bring this farce to a halt.
"Cloud… this isn't the time for jokes. Especially not at a formal ceremony like this."
But Marius only shot him a cold glance.
"Prefect Jobbs, I expected someone of your intelligence to at least recognize that I am not joking."
Samuel snorted mockingly from the side. "Don't waste your breath, Jobs. If the brat wants to die, let's do him the favor."
Snape cleared his throat loudly—an unmistakable reminder: no lethal spells. Steve closed his eyes, knowing what was coming.
"…This matter is too serious," he said. "We'll need to hold a Prefect Council meeting to discuss it properly."
Marius, completely unfazed, simply smiled.
"Sure. I understand. Just remember to think carefully about how you'll handle the aftermath… after you've lost to this 'arrogant brat.'"
The World vs. Marius Cloud
Why the hesitation? Why the unease in Snape's voice, and even the hesitation from the usually cocky Prefects?
Because deep down, none of them believed Marius had even the slightest chance of winning.
Yes, he had defeated three Shadow Prefects, which was already a near-miraculous feat.
But taking on six official Slytherin Prefects? That was beyond insane.
Two from fifth year.
Two from sixth year.
Two from seventh year.
Each one among the elite of Hogwarts.
It wasn't even close.
There's a reason Prefects are only chosen from fifth-year students and up. That's the turning point for a Hogwarts student—the year where their magic truly unlocks. Even someone like Neville—yes, Neville Longbottom—was capable of holding his own against adult wizards in fifth year!
Fifth-year students were, by all accounts, combat-capable magical beings.
So to put Marius—just a first-year—up against that kind of power? Most saw it as a suicide mission.
____
"I'll give you time to consider," Marius said calmly, ignoring their doubt. "I believe the first official Prefect meeting is tomorrow, right? I'll be waiting for your reply."
Everyone stood speechless.
Draco Malfoy and Theodore Nott stared blankly for a moment, then burst into wicked grins. This was perfect! Marius was practically begging to be crippled!
If everything went well, maybe he'd be injured so badly he'd have to leave Hogwarts!
Thus, the most chaotic and historic Prefect Ceremony in Slytherin's recent memory came to a close amidst whispers, exclamations, and disbelief.
The Dormitory Buzz
Each year group was led back to their respective dormitories by their Shadow Prefect or official Prefect, but the students could hardly keep their excitement contained.
"Do you think Cloud has any chance at all?"
"Pfft. Not a single one," a student scoffed. "The difficulty is just too ridiculous. Honestly, I'm starting to think he's insane."
"But didn't you say the same thing when he challenged the three Shadow Prefects earlier?" another retorted.
Marius didn't pay them any mind.
He calmly led the first-year students back to their dormitory.
To the younger students, he was already a living legend—someone who had just rewritten the rules of what a first-year could be. They followed him in silence, gazes filled with awe. For many of them, Marius had become their new idol.
------
But Marius hadn't made his next challenge lightly. No, he had a reason—and reinforcements.
Just as he defeated the three Shadow Prefects, a crisp, mechanical voice echoed in his mind:
Ding!
["Congratulations, Host!
You have defeated three Shadow Prefects!
Reward: Magic Power +1 Level!
Bonus: 400 Potential Points!"]
Opening his system interface, Marius confirmed it—his Magic Power Level now clearly read: Level 3.
And he could feel it too.
The energy surging through his veins was so intense it felt like his body was overflowing.
Don't underestimate what a Level 3 Magic Power meant. Even some Hogwarts graduates would struggle to reach this level. Only the most outstanding among them might just scratch the surface of it.
But that was just for ordinary students.
Marius never aimed to be average.
He knew that by the time most house Prefects graduated, they'd likely reach or approach Level 3 magic. Especially in Slytherin, where strength defined leadership. Slytherin Prefects were expected to be stronger than those of other houses—both magically and politically.
That's why it often took all three other Houses combined to balance out Slytherin's influence in the wizarding world. It wasn't just about legacy—it was about power.
"I don't think those Prefects will be a problem," Marius murmured to himself.
Because right now, there was no student in Hogwarts whose raw magical energy could match his.
The sheer aura of his magic… would terrify most.
And then there was the cherry on top—400 Potential Points. With what he'd saved before, he now had 500 full points to spend.
Marius was thrilled. The difference between trash talk and real battle was becoming clearer now.
His first reward—100 potential points—came just from verbally clashing with Voldemort.
But real combat?
Real dominance?
That's what earned real rewards.
--------------
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