Water Prison was not really a simple spell.
It combined Transfiguration and control, primarily to trap people. Of course, it could also cause harm, depending on how the caster used it.
After learning level-five Water Prison, Shawn's Transfiguration talent had automatically risen by one point, reaching level four.
He also had water affinity. Though it was only level one, it gave Water Prison a considerable boost.
While Shawn reflected on the spell, some spectators nearby, always eager for more trouble, had already started jeering.
"Hey, are you fighting or not? My legs are sore from standing!"
"Hey, George, you're practically lying on my shoulder. Why would your legs be sore? Out with it-what were you secretly doing under your blankets last night?"
"Shawn, get on with it! Beat those little snakes, and you'll be our king!"
"Montague, can you lot actually fight? You can't even deal with one little kid?"
"Hahaha! Slytherin's getting wiped out today!"
Even the normally steady, composed Montague nearly exploded with anger. Several students behind him could no longer take it.
"Montague, Shawn should be out of alchemical items by now. Those things aren't cheap. Nobody carries a whole pile around."
"Exactly! Let's attack together and put an end to this farce!"
But before Montague could nod, Shawn had already raised his head, revealed a mischievous smile, and lifted his wand.
"Since you don't know what to choose, I'll choose for you."
As luck would have it, the train was passing a lake, saving Shawn the magic he would otherwise have spent conjuring water.
With an elegant sweep of his wand, a thick column of water surged out of the lake beside the train, like a waterspout. As though guided by an invisible hand, it formed a lifelike water python.
Trailing churning spray, the water python charged straight at the train, smashed through a window, and lunged at the Slytherin students with a terrifying presence.
Seeing the spell's extraordinary power, Montague knew things were bad and hurriedly shouted.
"Defend together! Protego Totalum!"
Seven or eight students immediately joined the defense, pouring their magic into the advanced defensive spell Montague had cast.
The newly raised blue shield immediately came under frenzied attack from the water python, which was seven or eight meters long and a meter thick.
The enormous water python rampaged through the carriage, smashing countless seats and door panels.
It kept shooting its savage head forward and whipping its tail into the shield, sending blue ripples across its surface.
The eight sixth- and seventh-year students, whose abilities rivaled those of adult wizards, did have some skill. Fierce as the water python was, it could not immediately overcome their focused defense.
The seven or eight students had just breathed a sigh of relief and begun quietly discussing how to counterattack. After all, Shawn's magical reserves had to be limited, so he certainly could not keep this up for long.
But they failed to notice the water slowly pooling beneath their feet, all of it spray left behind when the water python struck their shield.
What these students did not know was that Shawn's magic inherently carried a lightning attribute-and water conducted electricity.
The next moment, the students struggling to maintain the shield suddenly felt their feet go numb and involuntarily began doing the "robot."
Without their magic reinforcing it, the advanced Total Protection shield immediately faltered, shattering under one fierce strike from the water python.
The water python then lunged at them, meeting no resistance. It formed spinning, spherical water prisons that instantly trapped the students, who flailed and struggled inside, utterly miserable and helpless.
Had Dumbledore cast Water Prison, it would probably have served only to restrain people, or at most cut off their oxygen to suffocate them or crush them to death with water pressure.
But Shawn was the one casting Water Prison now. Besides those methods, his magic also carried lightning, and he could not yet control it properly.
As a result, these students suffered terribly. Not only did the electric shocks make every strand of their hair stand on end, but they all began foaming at the mouth.
The spectators were so frightened that they fell silent, staring at Shawn in terror.
Shawn did not want to kill anyone either. Seeing that the Slytherin students could no longer fight, he canceled the spell and guided the water out through the carriage window.
Thud, thud.
Another seven or eight utterly bedraggled students lay on the floor.
Shawn swayed, his face deathly pale. That powerful attack had severely overdrawn his magic.
His body was only eleven years old, after all. If his magic had not carried lightning, allowing him to gain an underhanded advantage, today's outcome would still have been uncertain.
Hermione and Draco hurried over.
"Shawn, are you all right?"
"Hahaha, Shawn, you won again!"
Shawn waved them off, declining Hermione's support, and glanced at the progress of the [Conquer Hogwarts] quest stage: 25%.
It seemed winning people over with virtue worked quite well. Chuckling inwardly, he addressed the distant crowd.
"Head Boy, Head Girl, Prefects-you can come clean up now."
With that, he turned and entered the compartment. As soon as he sat down, he pulled out a bottle of restorative potion and gulped it down.
Hermione and Draco followed him inside. Before they could close the door, Harry and Ron squeezed in as well.
As though that were a signal, heads crowded the compartment doorway. Everyone wanted to squeeze inside, shouting as they went.
"Shawn, you're so brave! Come to Gryffindor! We need you!"
"George, that's rubbish! Shawn definitely belongs in Ravenclaw. Hello, Shawn, I'm Penelope, a Ravenclaw Prefect..."
"Get lost! Shawn's a Black! He'll only go to Slytherin!"
"..."
Draco, Harry, and the others had the sense to keep blocking the doorway, but it was a struggle. Veins were bulging on their foreheads.
Shawn had been in a fairly good mood, but the noise was giving him a headache again. After taking the water Hermione offered and drinking a mouthful, he turned and spoke coldly.
"I don't decide my House. Please leave!"
Their enthusiasm did not diminish, and they kept clamoring.
Shawn felt helpless. Why did they always force him to "win people over with virtue"? He could only squeeze out his last bit of magic and casually wave his hand.
Golden light flashed again, and a golden bird appeared out of thin air, circling above his head, poised to swoop at any moment.
Seeing this, the people outside recalled Shawn's impressive display earlier. The more knowledgeable among them also recognized silent Wandless Magic, and the crowd immediately scattered.
But apart from Draco and the others, two graceful, beautiful female students remained.
One was Penelope, who had introduced herself earlier as a Ravenclaw Prefect. The other wore Slytherin robes. This exceptionally pretty girl had not intervened at all earlier.
Penelope did not pester him. She merely issued another earnest invitation for Shawn to join Ravenclaw. She seemed certain that, so long as Shawn wished it, he could choose any of the Four Houses.
Only after Penelope left did the Slytherin girl speak, her voice cool and pleasant.
"Hello, Shawn. I'm Alice Fawley. I'm here to apologize to you."
Shawn narrowed his eyes, intrigued. He knew the Fawley family was also one of the Sacred Twenty-Eight Families, but kept an extremely low profile.
"On behalf of Slytherin?"
Alice shook her head.
"I can't represent Slytherin. I'm apologizing on behalf of my family. Eleven years ago, the Fawley family also took part in seizing the Black family's assets. I'll write a letter shortly and ask my grandfather to return them voluntarily. I hope you can forgive us."
Shawn rubbed his chin, looking the girl up and down. After just one battle, she had changed her position with remarkable decisiveness.
The Fawley family kept its capabilities well hidden. He had not expected the children it raised to be so exceptional either-and people like that were the most dangerous.
Shawn weighed things up inwardly. Her actions were actually within his expectations; they had simply come sooner than he had anticipated.
"They say Slytherin students these days are good at changing sides with the wind. There's some truth to that."
Alice's expression remained unchanged. She glanced at the bewildered, uncertain Draco and spoke slowly.
"It also shows that I have a discerning eye. I wonder whether you'll accept the Fawley family's apology and friendship, Shawn."
Shawn stood and politely extended his hand.
"More friends mean more paths. Through you, I've felt the Fawley family's friendship. From now on, we're friends."
Alice smiled brightly and extended her slender hand to shake Shawn's.
"Then I hope inviting you to Slytherin now wouldn't be presumptuous. It needs someone like you to restore its true ethos."
"All right. I'll be counting on your help from now on too, Alice."
Both smiled as warmly as a spring breeze, leaving the other four utterly baffled.