"Or do you have a way? It's only been two days, but the attitude of the young wizards in our House has changed significantly. They all seem much more determined. Plus, after handling the relationship with Gryffindor, the rest should be simple." William had seen the transformation in the House firsthand. It was his first time seeing these young wizards burst forth with such vitality.
"This is just the beginning. Now is not the time for blind optimism." Alan shook his head. "Habit formation is a very difficult thing. Don't be deceived by these superficial appearances. The next step is a battle of willpower. If your heart is not hard enough and your principles are not firm enough, they will revert to their original state before long."
"Are you really going to punish them for making trivial mistakes?" William looked at Alan with some confusion.
In William's eyes, the most important thing was the House Cup. As long as they could ensure fewer points were deducted and secure excellent Quidditch results, they would have a good chance of winning. As for the standards and learning goals Alan mentioned, in his opinion, they were grand promises that were fundamentally difficult to achieve.
"Actions speak louder than words. Maintaining integrity and fairness is the core of management. I will not only punish, but I will do so strictly and severely, without any compromise," Alan said with a slight curl of his lips.
"But punishing them for trivial matters... won't it backfire? You've finally established prestige in the House with great difficulty. I think catching a few typical examples would be enough," William said with some hesitation.
"On the contrary, if you want to deal with it strictly, you must ensure equal treatment; otherwise, it's more likely to cause problems. William, there's an art to punishment. Appropriate punishment serves to maintain discipline and order."
"First, punishment should be simple and decisive. If it drags on for too long or is too cumbersome, it will cause negative emotions, affect the mood, and make the situation worse. So, things like copying books or writing self-criticisms are not advisable."
"Secondly, punishment must not involve insulting personal dignity, otherwise, it's easy to cause resentment, especially in public. As long as the handling is fair, just, and transparent, there will be no problems. To make these young Slytherins form good habits, you have to 'break' them like an eagle—and of course, that includes you. You know I'm a man of my word." Alan glanced at William once more, then quickly vanished from the spot.
William tried to digest Alan's words, still feeling a bit bewildered. However, he understood the final warning, which meant that even if he made a mistake, there would be absolutely no mercy.
After the two returned to the common room, the students had already retired for the night. All that remained was to welcome the formal start of classes.
The next day at 7:30 AM, knocking echoed through the Slytherin dormitory corridors for those with morning classes. It was the grade leaders calling them to rise.
The students nervously opened their doors and peered out, finding only their grade leader. Alan was not present. Compared to the grade leaders, they were far more afraid of that terrifying Chief.
In the face of this situation, the reactions of the young wizards varied. Most were self-aware enough to stay in line; after all, it was only the second day. They tidied their rooms, had the grade leader check their appearance, and waited honestly at their doors to head to the Great Hall together.
However, a few individuals were not so obedient. Seeing that the Chief was not there, they felt a sense of relaxation. Some overslept, feeling it was too early to get up. They burrowed back into their quilts, ignoring the grade leader's urges.
Others tried a more social approach. Those who had a good relationship with their grade leader pleaded or tried to get close, hoping to escape inspection. In their opinion, the internal affairs requirements were not a big deal. Even if they violated them, they assumed no one would be truly serious about it, and at most, they would just be scolded.
The fourth-grade leader, Joey Hickman, encountered exactly this problem. Although he used to be a bit sloppy, he was kind and loyal, and he was quite familiar with everyone in his year. Since being appointed by Alan, he felt valued, and his determination was strong. However, when several friends pleaded with him, his loyal side emerged. He allowed one young wizard to sleep in and turned a blind eye to two others who complained their collars were too tight, allowing them to loosen their "discipline buttons" and hide them with their ties.
When they arrived at the stone hall, they found no sign of Alan. Seeing his absence, a small portion of the students relaxed further, failing to line up properly as they had the day before.
However, older students like William, Wendy, and Jenny, knowing Alan's methods, dared not relax and continued to strictly supervise their classmates. The first-year students, newly enrolled, also behaved obediently, fearing to disobey orders.
As the day progressed, Alan remained missing—not in the common room, the Great Hall, or the corridors. He was absent during lunch and dinner as well. Even the fifth-year students in his own classes couldn't find him; he seemed to have completely vanished from Hogwarts.
Only William remained secretly vigilant. He remembered Alan's warning from the night before and suspected this disappearance meant something was wrong, so he kept his classmates restrained throughout the day.
As the day of study ended and 7 PM approached for evening self-study, a few students grew lax. Without direct supervision, they began to slide back into old habits. While the grade leaders were with them, some slacked off themselves, letting minor issues like loud talking or eating with their hands during meals pass without correction.