Inside the quiet circular office of Headmaster Dumbledore, the door had barely closed behind Alexander when the portraits along the walls began to stir.
Old witches and wizards of previous headmasters inside their painted frames leaned toward one another, whispering.
One portrait spoke first.
"Dumbledore… do you think that child knows?"
Dumbledore sat silently at his desk for a moment before answering.
"Maybe."
He folded his hands together thoughtfully.
"Mr. Chen has always been… an interesting student."
Another portrait frowned.
"Why don't we just force him to tell us?"
Dumbledore shook his head immediately.
"He is only a child. And more importantly, he is a student."
His voice grew firm.
"I do not harm my students."
A different portrait leaned forward.
"But he must know something."
"Offer him something," another suggested. "He is willing to negotiate."
Dumbledore sighed softly.
"I already realized something about Mr. Chen."
The portraits waited.
"If pushed," Dumbledore continued, "the child will ask for far too much."
The portraits murmured among themselves.
Dumbledore finally stood and walked toward the window overlooking Hogwarts Castle.
"Let us simply see how this school year unfolds."
The portraits slowly quieted, though a few continued whispering.
Meanwhile, Alexander walked calmly through the castle corridors toward the Dueling Club room.
Students were already gathered inside, waiting around the main dueling stage.
Standing proudly on the stage was Professor Lockhart, smiling brightly as he waited.
Alexander entered and floated gracefully up onto the stage.
"Sorry for being late."
The room remained quiet.
Alexander clasped his hands behind his back.
"Today is a sad day… but also a great day."
He gestured toward Lockhart.
"Today I will officially be handing the Dueling Club over to Professor Lockhart."
Students began whispering and complaining.
"As of this moment," Alexander continued, "I will no longer be paying the students involved in the club. That will now be up to Professor Lockhart."
Lockhart blinked in surprise.
"All changes will be up to him from now on," Alexander said calmly.
He shrugged slightly.
"I'm just a normal student like the rest of you now."
Then he smiled faintly.
"If you have questions, you can find me during meal times."
"That's all."
Alexander turned to leave the stage.
But Lockhart quickly spoke.
"Wait!"
Alexander paused and turned.
"Yes, Professor? Do you need something?"
"You were… paying students?" Lockhart asked.
Alexander nodded.
"Yes. One secretary for organizing and registering students. My secretary Hermione Granger."
He pointed casually toward Hermione.
"I believe it was two hundred Galleons per month."
Hermione blinked.
"And we now have thirty judges," Alexander continued. "They receive one hundred Galleons each month."
The entire room gasped.
"Oh, right," Alexander added casually.
"Everyone, come collect your November wages once I leave the stage."
He looked back at Lockhart.
"Anything else, Professor?"
Lockhart's jaw tightened.
"Will you… keep paying them?"
Alexander laughed at Lockhart and said.
"I apologize, Professor, but your question was too funny. It's no longer my Dueling Club."
He shrugged.
"Why would I keep paying them?"
"That's your responsibility now. You are in charge of paying them."
"I'm just a star student."
Lockhart ground his teeth.
"We'll see," he said stiffly. "If necessary, I can afford to pay them."
Alexander smiled.
"All the best."
He floated off the stage.
Immediately, Hermione and all the judges rushed toward him.
Hermione looked confused.
"The amount is wrong."
Alexander chuckled.
"Consider it a bonus."
The judges began complaining loudly.
"You're really leaving the club?"
Alexander paid everyone their wages and waved casually.
"Good luck, everyone. For those who are not graduating yet, come find me again next year. We can talk about Dueling Club then."
He waved them goodbye and quietly cast a Disillusionment Charm over himself.
Alexander wasn't leaving yet.
He wanted to watch something interesting.
On the stage, Lockhart began speaking dramatically.
"Welcome to the new era of the Dueling Club!"
He proudly introduced himself again before gesturing to his assistant.
"And assisting me tonight is Professor Severus Snape."
Snape stepped forward with his usual cold expression.
"To demonstrate proper dueling technique," Lockhart said confidently, "we will show you a friendly duel."
They bowed.
Lockhart raised his wand dramatically.
Snape moved once.
"Expelliarmus."
Lockhart's wand flew across the room instantly.
The entire hall froze.
Lockhart collapsed backward.
Invisible in the corner, Alexander covered his mouth to stop himself from laughing.
"Lockhart, maybe we should let the students duel instead?" Snape demanded.
Lockhart dusts himself off from the ground. Walked up to Snape and grabbed his wand back. Then looked into the crowd and said.
"I agree, Professor, we should let the students duel, and we will give them feedback."
One by one, students came onto the stage to duel.
One match quickly caught everyone's attention.
Harry Potter versus Draco Malfoy.
After a few spell exchanges, Draco suddenly shouted,
"Serpensortia!"
A snake burst onto the stage.
The snake hissed at everyone, looking like it was going to attack.
All the students became afraid.
Lockhart tried to remove it.
Nothing happened.
The spell made the snake grow angry and begin slithering toward Harry.
Suddenly, Harry spoke.
But not in English.
He was making hissing sounds toward the snake, and the snake froze and stared at him.
Harry kept speaking.
Students began stepping back in fear.
Whispers spread quickly.
"Parseltongue…"
"He's talking to the snake…"
Hidden nearby, Alexander watched thoughtfully.
Maybe I should step in.
If people fear me… they'll stop bothering me.
A small smile formed.
Perfect.
Alexander removed the Disillusionment Charm and walked toward the stage.
He shouted in Parseltongue.
A sharp command.
The snake turned its head, and it hissed back at him.
The crowd gasped and quickly moved away from Alexander.
He walked slowly toward the snake.
In Parseltongue, he spoke again.
"Stop…, or I will destroy you."
The snake hissed louder and raised its head aggressively.
Before anything else could happen—
Snape flicked his wand.
The snake vanished instantly.
Silence filled the room.
Alexander floated up onto the stage.
"It's only Parseltongue," he said calmly.
"As a star student and a well-known friend of Newt Scamander, the famous Magizoologist and author of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them…"
He shrugged casually.
"Learning it was simple."
Students stared at him in shock.
Alexander glanced toward Harry.
"I'm surprised Mr. Potter knows it too."
He smiled faintly.
"We are prodigies. I expect nothing less."
Then he turned.
"Well, I'm leaving now."
"Good evening, everyone."
Alexander calmly walked out of the room.
A moment later, Cho hurried after him down the corridor.