You're Telling Me He's a First-Year?

I should've known. What could these little brats possibly have worth looking at?

This magazine? My grandma's bikini showed more skin than she did!

But considering that the present era was nowhere near as open-minded as later years, Argus stopped hesitating.

He casually stuffed the magazine under his pillow, flopped onto the bed, and went to sleep.

He slept soundly.

But on the Seventh Floor of Hogwarts, someone else couldn't sleep...

Inside the Headmaster's Office.

Dumbledore held several sheets of letter paper, reading them over and over.

His trembling hands betrayed what was going on inside him.

"Gellert... I'm sorry. I... I truly never imagined you'd end up living like this!"

"If... if I could, I'd rather..."

He leaned back against the bench, as though all his strength had left him.

At that moment, he seemed like nothing more than an ordinary, dejected old man.

Longing for the company of family and a lover.

Only after a long time did he emerge from his sorrow.

He murmured softly.

"You really have given me a difficult problem."

"This child... he's exactly like you were back then..."

"No, he's even more outstanding than you were!"

"What should I do... Gellert..."

Meanwhile, atop the tower of Nurmengard.

A certain white-haired old man with mismatched eyes was lying in a deck chair.

Comfortably bathing in the starlight.

Early the following morning.

Argus hadn't wanted to get up so early, but his body clock wouldn't let him sleep any longer.

Resigned, he cast Scourgify on himself and headed to the Hogwarts dining hall.

Entering the hall, he briefly greeted Draco and the others, then walked toward Amiri Carrow and his group.

"Argus!"

At the Gryffindor table, Harry spotted his friend and waved for him to come over.

"Hey, Harry, don't be so hasty."

"Now's not the time to say hello to your friend!"

Sitting a short distance from Harry, Percy reached over and pushed his hand down.

"Why?"

"Allow us to explain!"

George and Fred appeared out of nowhere and squeezed Ron aside to sit next to Harry.

"On the night the new students arrive each year, Slytherin chooses its first-year chief through duels."

"The chiefs then determine their rankings in the chief ranking tournament."

"The next day, they reveal the results to the other houses through their seating order in the dining hall!"

"This is a big deal. Haven't you noticed? Lots of the professors are watching on the sly too!"

Fred pointed toward the staff table.

Sure enough, Harry saw Flitwick and Professor McGonagall talking while glancing at the Slytherin table.

"Ah, in previous years, plenty of people would've been taking bets on Slytherin's chief selection. We might even have made some start-up funds out of it."

"Unfortunately, that friend of yours is too strong. So strong even a troll would know he'd become Slytherin's chief."

George sighed, his comical expression making countless people laugh.

"I just wonder whether this year's chief rankings will change."

"You know how strong Argus is! I heard Diderot spent all last night with Madam Pomfrey!"

As though something had occurred to him, Fred gave Ron a mischievous look.

"Hey, little Ronnie, fancy making a bet with your dear big brother?"

"On what?"

Having been tricked by his own brothers far too many times, Ron instinctively grew wary.

"We'll bet on how high Argus managed to climb this time. If you win, I'll do your Potions homework for the week."

"If you lose, all you have to do is lend me Scabbers to play with for a couple of days..."

"Ahem!"

Before Ron could speak, Percy coughed twice.

Reminding them that he was still there!

"Are you sure it's just playing for a couple of days?"

Having been tricked enough to leave him scarred, Ron clutched his pocket tightly.

He knew his two brothers were always in need of experimental subjects.

They just didn't have enough Galleons in their pockets to splurge on buying pets.

Their reason for borrowing Scabbers was all too easy to imagine!

But having finally found an opportunity, the Weasley Twins weren't about to give up so easily!

A hint of temptation crept into Fred's expression.

"Little Ronnie, think about it. That's a whole week's Potions homework!"

"If you win, you can spend the entire week having fun without a care... With me on the job, your Potions homework might even earn a few big, fat O's..."

"Imagine the envious looks from your classmates when you get your marks..."

Fred and George played off each other, leaving Ron thoroughly dazzled by their patter.

Ron looked at Argus as he walked toward the Slytherin table and recalled what Fred had just said.

Someone spent the night with Madam Pomfrey!

He secretly rejoiced!

Foolish elder brother!

You've already told me the answer, and you still dare bet against me!

This time, I'll take back everything I've lost!

He slapped the table, his voice brimming with confidence!

As though afraid no one would hear him.

"You're on!"

"I bet he made it to second year!"

"You can't pick the same as me!"

George and Fred exchanged a glance, the corners of their mouths curling wildly upward.

Foolish little brother!

After all these years of being tricked, you still haven't learned!

As if we'd ever make a losing deal!

While sneaking food in the Hogwarts Kitchens last night, they'd overheard several Slytherins in their year discussing finding a chance to teach Argus a proper lesson.

Why would they have said that unless Argus had taken down their chief?

Brimming with confidence, the two answered in unison, "Of course!"

"We bet Argus made it to third year!"

"Harry, you be the witness!"

"Huh? Me?"

Harry looked at Ron, then at the Weasley Twins, and hesitantly nodded.

A short distance away.

Argus hadn't heard their conversation.

He walked straight toward Amiri Carrow's seat.

The chiefs' seats were at the very front of the long table.

Quite a few people kept eating while occasionally glancing toward the Slytherin table.

They were clearly curious about just how high Argus had managed to climb.

"Filius, what rank do you think Argus managed to reach?"

Professor McGonagall had been paying close attention to Argus all along.

Hearing the Weasley Twins' wager had stirred her curiosity.

"In the common room, I heard the Ravenclaw first-years say that he used a Summoning Charm on the train to retrieve Mr. Longbottom's pet."

"Second- and third-year students couldn't do that."

Professor Flitwick held no particular prejudice against Grindelwald.

He admired Argus's talent more than he concerned himself with the boy's background.

"Indeed."

"So, you think he could have reached the third-year position?"

Professor Flitwick considered it. "Third year sounds about right."

"He's only eleven this year. Even if he's been exposed to magic since childhood, his own magical power can't be all that strong."

"I think third year sounds about right too."

As they spoke, Argus had already passed along the Slytherin table and arrived at the chiefs' seats.

The fourth seat on the right belonged to the first-year chief, and was where every new first-year chief began.

But many well-informed people already knew that Diderot had been beaten badly enough last night to end up with Madam Pomfrey.

So when Argus walked past that seat, few people were surprised.

"This year's first-years are pretty good. Once Diderot gets out, I'll have to give him a good laugh!"

"Hahaha... That's what he gets for always looking down his nose at everyone!"

The third seat on the right belonged exclusively to the second-year chief.

When Argus reached it, quite a few people whispered among themselves, certain he couldn't go any farther.

Only a small number wore mysterious smiles.

"Little Ronnie! You lost. Hand over Scabbers!"

Seeing Argus stride past, Fred grabbed Ron, afraid he would try to wriggle out of the bet and run.

On the other side, George had already reached inside Ron's robes.

He kept rummaging around for Scabbers.

"Let go of me! You knew all along, didn't you!"

Just then, Harry spoke up.

"Wait, Argus doesn't seem to be stopping!"

Before he had finished speaking, Argus had already passed the second-year chief's seat and was heading for the next one.

He showed no intention of stopping!

"Third year! He's still going!"

"That can't be real! A first-year beat the third-year chief!"

"You've got to be joking! What are Slytherin's chiefs doing?"

Cries of disbelief kept rising from the crowd.

Yet Argus kept walking!

Third year!

Fourth year!

Until he sat down opposite Amiri Carrow!

Slytherin's number-two seat!

At that moment, everyone fell silent.

Slytherin's seventh-year chief was nearing graduation and often took leave to go home.

It went without saying that the sixth-year Amiri Carrow occupied the top seat.

But what right did Argus, a first-year, have to sit in the number-two seat?

Under Slytherin's strict hierarchy, even if the fifth-year chief was absent, they couldn't possibly let someone sit there at will!

Unless...

An unbelievable thought arose in everyone's minds.

Unless the Slytherins believed that even if the fifth-year chief were still at Hogwarts...

They would be absolutely no match for Argus!