Wails filled the Slymerin dorm as Laisi Zhasini, Saiodo Luosiai, and Kasal Nuote received their "daily welfare." Tears welled, but their gazes cleared, becoming obedient and reserved.
They thought it was over—only the beginning.
"Who can tell me…" Tangmu Lideer twirled his wand lazily, "…whose idea was it to tattle?"
"This was our dorm's internal matter. One of you aired our dirty laundry. I'm disappointed…"
"Snitching? Reporting to the Head?"
"Is that pure-blood pride and tradition? Real classy, your noble clique."
His words shamed and enraged them. As pampered heirs, they'd never been scolded so harshly.
Neither Nuote nor Zhasini betrayed Luosiai.
"Not talking?" Tangmu raised a brow, wand pointing. "Perfect. I learned nasty curses. Thanks for volunteering."
Zhasini's expression shifted. A beating was pain—but dark curses? A failed spell could be worse.
"Luosiai! His idea!" Zhasini blurted under Luosiai and Nuote's betrayed stares, choosing cowardice.
"All Luosiai! He said Sifu was close with his parents, would side with us! He lied!"
"Zhasini, traitor!" Luosiai looked ready to lunge; Nuote stared with disgust.
Traitors are despised.
Tangmu wanted this.
He released Zhasini, helped him up, smiling, patting his shoulder. "Laisi, glad you're reasonable."
Zhasini stayed silent, ashamed of betraying his dormmate.
Shame faded to relief. Tangmu strung Luosiai and Nuote up, leaving Zhasini to watch—each got fifty lashes.
Tangmu didn't hold back.
Their blood-curdling wails made Zhasini tremble.
Worse—Tangmu healed them between strikes. After a hundred lashes, no marks remained. No evidence for complaints.
"Planning to tattle again?" Tangmu asked warmly.
They shook their heads, eyeing him like a demon.
"Now, about my damage…" Tangmu continued.
Luosiai whimpered, "Y-You weren't punished… what damage?"
"You wasted my time," Tangmu sighed. "Arguing with Sifu for half an hour, walking, dealing with you—my afternoon, gone."
"An inch of time is an inch of gold. Shouldn't you compensate?"
They nodded instinctively. Tangmu's logic seemed… almost right.
"…Money?" Zhasini, sharpest, asked.
Tangmu frowned, mock-offended. "Money? This is voluntary compensation for emotional damages. I'm kind, treating it as a loan. I wrote IOUs."
Three slips landed in their hands:
Amount: 10 Galleons
Repayment: Upon graduation
They stared in dismay.
Gringotts gave no interest, but a seven-year loan? Money gone. Would they even remember?
They cursed Tangmu mentally but handed over the gold, heartbroken.
Not all pure-bloods were rich. Zhasini had fifty Galleons a semester; Nuote and Luosiai, twenty. Tangmu took half.
Second day of school.
Despair sank in. Signed IOUs meant blackmail complaints wouldn't work.
Would reporting help?
Tangmu returned from Sifu's office (Chapter 24) unscathed, smug, handing out beatings. Sifu couldn't—or wouldn't—act.
They vowed: Endure. Don't provoke Lideer.
Tangmu pocketed the gold cheerfully.
Slymerin wasn't bad. No house had students this gullible. He wouldn't extort otherwise—they asked for it.
Thirty Galleons—if scaled to all Slymerin, he'd be rich.
Not yet. Older students could be trouble, and Dengbuliduo would notice. Lay low, grow stronger.
"Reflect on your mistakes. I'm off to dinner."
Tangmu patted Zhasini's shoulder and left.
Silence fell. Luosiai and Nuote glared at Zhasini. Pain stopped them from jumping him.
Huffing, they retreated to their beds.
Zhasini, out of place, slipped to the common room, dazed.
He felt justified. Not snitching meant more beatings. Why suffer silently?
Nuote didn't realize—Luosiai was furious at Zhasini's betrayal.
Nuote's anger differed: Zhasini surrendered faster, leaving him to take the brunt.
A fracture formed in their trio.
[^1]: In the Wizarding World, Galleons are gold coins, the primary currency. Slymerin values cunning and ambition, often tied to pure-blood status.