Ignoring the thoughts of others, Alan continued to coordinate the practical drills. When it was the fourth-year wizards' turn, the values they produced were significantly higher than those of the third year.
For example, Mona's normal casting already hovered around 20 points, and after Alan's guidance, she reached 27 or 28 points on her next attempt. With a little more practice, she would likely reach the standard. The overall level of the fourth year sat between 25 and 32, meaning most could not reach the target value.
This performance left them feeling deeply ashamed, as they realized they were lagging behind Evan from the third year by a wide margin. In reality, with their current skill, they would have no problem passing their final exams. Someone like Mona could easily secure an "Exceeds Expectations" because most professors lacked standard equipment like Alan's and relied on rough estimation. However, Alan refused to rely on luck; he wanted solid, quantifiable results.
Starting with the fifth year, the basic casting was already over 30 points, with the average level approaching 40 and some individuals exceeding that. However, with Evan's 53 points serving as the benchmark, their performance felt insufficient.
Alan actually praised them, which only deepened their embarrassment. *I can't let people look down on me,* many fifth-year wizards thought, secretly making up their minds. *It's unacceptable to be outdone by lower-grade students. I must practice diligently from now on.*
The standout performer of the fifth year was Vivian. Her first attempt scored 52 points, astonishing everyone. To most Slytherins, Vivian was just a cheerful gossip who spent her time at Quidditch practice or dragging people to play Mahjong in the common room. No one had realized she was actually so capable.
Alan, however, looked at her with a speechless expression. *Is this the result of all your training? You can't even beat Evan?* Vivian caught his gaze and understood his dissatisfaction, but she simply stuck out her tongue, clearly unbothered.
When it was the turn of the sixth and seventh-year wizards, they all exerted themselves, wanting to perform well. These higher-grade wizards were quite adept; at their age, they were essentially adults. In terms of physical stamina, they far surpassed the younger students. Their Knockback Jinxes could easily reach over 50 points, with some seventh-years hitting 80.
The best performer remained William. One of his jinxes caused the humanoid target to lean back violently, displaying an impressive 116 points and leaving the room dumbfounded. Seeing the value, William's first reaction was to awkwardly scratch his head and explain to Alan that he hadn't been lazy, but had just been busy and fatigued recently.
It was at this moment that the onlookers fully connected the dots: Evan, Vivian, and William, the three top performers, all had close ties to Alan. *Are they so strong because of him?* Their gazes toward Alan grew even more fervent.
"Ch-Chief," Joey, always the most impulsive, nervously approached him.
"What is it? Everyone has had a turn today. If you want to practice again, you'll have to wait until the next study group," Alan said, assuming Joey just wanted another go.
"N-No, that's not it. I wanted to ask... are Evan and William so strong because you taught them some secret?" Joey awkwardly fiddled with his fingers. He felt a bit embarrassed asking about what he assumed was a private technique.
"A secret? The secret is training—scientific, high-intensity training. Why? Do you want to try it?" It was the first time Alan had seen someone actually volunteer for his regimen; his current students usually spent their time trying to slack off.
"Is that possible?" Joey asked, clearly missing Alan's internal irony. He only wondered if participating in Alan's "training" would bridge the gap. He had voiced the question everyone was thinking, and the hall went silent as they waited for an answer.
"Oh? It seems everyone is interested in this." Alan rubbed his chin. He didn't mind the idea; training one person was much the same as training ten.
Originally, Alan had brought Charles and the others along to collect data for a set of effective methods to improve wizarding quality for his own use. He had already gathered most of what he needed and hadn't planned on expanding the group, mostly because he valued his own research time. However, seeing their enthusiasm, he saw a new opportunity.
"Since everyone has this idea, I can't be too selfish," Alan said with a solemn face. The crowd nodded eagerly. "However..." He let the word hang, making everyone anxious.
"This training is unique to me; it's a specific technique to enhance a wizard's quality, so it cannot be casually popularized," Alan said, shaking his head.
"Please give us a chance, no matter the cost," Joey pleaded. "We want to become stronger too."
"Yes, we want to be stronger! We'll work hard!" others shouted.
"Alright, since your desire is so strong, I will give you a chance. But there are conditions," Alan agreed.
Nearby, William, Vivian, and Evan looked on with identical expressions of dread. Was Alan really going to trick the entire House into their training? They would never have volunteered for it themselves; the long-term intensity was simply exhausting.