When the outcome was completely certain, the professors collectively drew in a deep breath.
The moment they thought about how they had mocked and ridiculed Marius Cloud earlier, it was as if a thousand phantom hands were now swinging back to slap their faces. Snape's expression, in particular, darkened to an ugly shade.
Professor Sprout didn't even know what to say anymore—she clearly needed some time to digest the sight before her.
Professor McGonagall shook her head in dismay. This was still, after all, nothing more than students fighting amongst themselves—yet to see Marius single-handedly crush six House Prefects in such a brutal, one-sided fashion… McGonagall found it difficult to stomach.
Only Professor Flitwick seemed genuinely delighted, clicking his tongue in admiration.
"Brilliant! Simply brilliant! To be this formidable at such a young age—why, it's just like I was back in the day! Truly worthy of being a descendant of Ravenclaw!"
No one bothered to correct his rather shameless logic anymore. If one really wanted to stretch the definition, calling Marius a descendant of Ravenclaw wasn't exactly wrong.
The one who had changed the most, however, was Dumbledore.
The genial smile and kind twinkle in his eyes had vanished completely without a trace.
Was he regretting that momentary lapse earlier—regretting not stopping Marius's devastating punch? No one could say for sure.
Dumbledore's expression was a perfect mask, revealing nothing, and his piercing gaze on Marius was impossible to read. At that moment, his look bore a strange resemblance to Quirrell under Voldemort's control.
Marius himself didn't notice Dumbledore's stare. He merely raised a hand and pressed it down lightly in the air. Instantly, the surrounding students quieted.
His eyes swept over the crowd of onlookers.
Draco, Theodore, and Goyle immediately shrank their necks and tried to disappear into the mass of students as soon as his gaze brushed over them, wishing they could turn into ostriches.
They had come expecting to watch Marius get beaten into the ground—only to witness him pulverize six Prefects instead.
Bloody hell, could he maybe not be this ridiculously strong?!
Meanwhile, Marius's three original followers—well, technically nine now—were practically glowing with pride and admiration.
Their leader had just proven himself beyond all doubt. They couldn't have been prouder.
Satisfied, Marius nodded, then turned toward the castle gates, walking with the ease of a king returning from conquest.
This was a true triumph. The students parted for him without needing to be told, clearing a path so he could make his way into the towering halls of Hogwarts.
By lunchtime, nearly the entire school was buzzing about the morning's earth-shattering duel. It had instantly become the hottest topic across all four Houses.
"That Marius Cloud is bloody incredible!"
"Shhh—show some respect when you talk about him!"
Two students exchanged nervous glances, looking around to see if anyone overheard. But they quickly realized everyone was already chattering about Marius, so no one paid them any mind.
"If I weren't in Hufflepuff, I swear I'd be tempted to follow him!"
"Right? Mr. Cloud is just… so cool!"
"I'm so jealous of Slytherin. They actually have a monster like him on their side…"
It was unprecedented—two days into the school year, and a first-year had already become an idol across the entire castle. Even Harry Potter, the famous Boy Who Lived, seemed to pale in comparison at this moment.
The same students who had mocked Marius as overconfident just yesterday now spoke of him with shining eyes. Children's opinions changed quickly, and today's spectacle had rewritten his reputation entirely.
"I've completely changed my opinion of him!"
"Same! From today, he's my new hero!"
Two Ravenclaw students shared the same thought at the same time, locking eyes over the table. With a knowing smile, they said in unison:
"I wish I could marry Marius Cloud!"
"I wish I could be like Marius Cloud!"
Both froze, blinking at each other.
"…Eh?"
"…Eh?"
Marius had already anticipated this wave of attention, which was why he skipped the Great Hall for lunch entirely, having Joseph bring his meal up instead.
Otherwise, he'd have been mobbed without mercy.
Children have short attention spans, he thought as he cut into his steak. Give it a few days, and the excitement will die down.
After lunch came the afternoon Potions class.
The Potions classroom was a cold, damp dungeon lined with shelves of jars—some holding eerie, unidentifiable specimens floating in strange liquids, making the room feel even more chilling.
A perfect match for the image of its master, the bat-like and perpetually grim Professor Severus Snape.
This was the first Potions lesson of the year, and if Marius remembered correctly, it was held jointly with the Gryffindors.
Yawning lazily, he strolled in last, finding both Slytherin and Gryffindor students already seated.
Snape's face darkened the instant he saw Marius's unhurried entrance. He opened his mouth to fire off a cutting remark—
Scrape… scrape…
But before Snape could speak, the classroom erupted in the sound of chairs scraping back. Every student who saw Marius instinctively rose to their feet as if to pay him the highest respect.
Snape's eyes narrowed. Even many Gryffindors were standing.
"What on earth are you all doing?!" he barked. "This is class! Sit down!"
The epic duel from that morning had left an undeniable impression on the students, especially the youngest. And since Marius was also a first-year, their admiration for him burned even brighter.
At Marius's small gesture, they obediently sat back down—only after he had taken his own seat.
That made Snape's expression turn even uglier.
It was as if Marius's hand signal carried more authority than the professor's command.
At this rate, who was the teacher, and who was the student?
Where exactly was a professor's dignity supposed to stand now?
--------------
T/N:
Access Advance Chapters on my
P@treon: [email protected]/PokePals