Before this year, Slymerin had won the House Cup six times consecutively. A seventh victory would be unprecedented.
With Halili Butei in Gryffindor, Sifu took the Cup seriously, refusing to lose to James Butei's son—despite him being Lily's son.
Sifu never deducted points from Slymerins. This year, less so.
After today, he was disgusted with Saiodo Luosiai, Laisi Zhasini, and Kasal Nuote.
If those idiots hadn't provoked Tangmu Lideer, would Sifu have been stabbed in the heart today?
Sifu wanted to punish Tangmu not for beating dormmates, but out of spite.
"Since you dislike your dormmates," Sifu said coldly, "I'll find you a quiet place. Starting tonight, detention in the abandoned classroom next door—for one week."
"Nope," Tangmu replied cheerfully.
"Nope?" Sifu couldn't believe his ears.
"Exactly what it sounds like," Tangmu said matter-of-factly. "I did nothing wrong. Why punishment? If anyone deserves detention, it's Luosiai's gang."
"This isn't a negotiation!" Sifu snarled. "Detention is my prerogative. You can't refuse!"
"Still not going." Tangmu blinked innocently. "Punish me—deduct points, write me up, expel me. I can't stop you. But detention? That needs my legs. They're mine. I'm not going."
The system rewarded points for credits, not losses.
Deduct points? Fine. Let's see who hurts more.
This kid's a force of nature.
Sifu saw Tangmu as a coiled hedgehog—impossible to grip.
Discipline tools: deduct points, report to Head, call parents, detention, record violations, or expel.
Points or reporting? Useless—Tangmu was Slymerin.
Parents? He's an orphan.
Detention? He refused.
Serious action or expulsion needed Dengbuliduo's approval, who'd likely give no punishment—not even a warning.
Tangmu Lideer… invincible!
Sifu's blood pressure spiked, face flushed with rage. He pointed at the door. "GET OUT! LEAVE!"
"Goodbye, Professor."
Tangmu stood, striding out, leaving the door open—payback for Sifu's earlier neglect.
This was the wizarding world.
Sifu flicked his wand violently—BANG!—the door slammed, shaking the dungeon corridor.
Early Potions pupils stared at Tangmu curiously.
Inside, Sifu's chest heaved, gasping.
Cognitive dissonance—actions clashing with beliefs, distorting memories to avoid anxiety—defined Sifu.
Today, Tangmu forced him to relive his greatest regret.
"People who say 'Mudblood' deserve to be torn apart. They don't deserve love…"
Sifu let out a bitter half-laugh, half-sob, heart heavy.
For the first time, the punctual Potions professor arrived late—half the lesson gone, his gaze icy.
Seeing Tangmu unharmed, Dafuni Gelingelasi was overjoyed. "Sifu's reasonable! Upper-years misjudged him."
"Reasonable?" Tangmu raised an eyebrow, then nodded. "Yeah… he argued, didn't touch me."
Even when Tangmu stabbed Sifu's lungs figuratively, Sifu didn't act. Tangmu's preparations were unneeded.
By the lakebed window, Dafuni wanted a camera to photograph for her sister.
"You love your sister, huh?" Tangmu noted.
Dafuni hadn't stopped mentioning her since the train.
Textbook siscon.
Her face bloomed. "You'll like Astoria when you meet her! She starts next year."
Tangmu nodded. "If the big sister's this cute, the little sister won't be far off."
Dafuni flushed red, bolting to the girls' dormitory.
Tangmu: "…"
So shy?
Dafuni, sheltered, rarely met outsiders. A boy's compliment flustered her.
Tangmu shook his head. Alone, he returned to the dorm.
Sifu didn't punish him, but Zhasini and the others wouldn't escape.
The dorm was empty—no Zhasini, Luosiai, or Nuote.
Sitting, Tangmu cast a Disillusionment Charm and entered his Learning Space.
Andeluosuo, eyes closed, grinned. "That Potions teacher's got good stuff. We need to rob him blind!"
Tangmu: "???"
Just got here, and you're planning a heist?
[^1]: In the Wizarding World, the House Cup is a competitive award based on house points. A Disillusionment Charm hides the caster.