Dumbledore leads the large group of players briskly through the castle.


    Alex can’t help but stare at the imposing structure in awe. While the castle looks grand and ancient from the outside, it’s clearly enhanced by magic, appearing even larger and more impressive on the inside.


    Alex thinks, silently comparing Hogwarts to Castle Alexandria, where he once resided for quite some time.


    As he walks, Alex notices ghosts floating about and a few students lingering in the halls. They stop and stare at the large group of players being led by Dumbledore, their expressions ranging from curious to outright fearful.


    Eventually, they reach the Grand Hall. Alex’s jaw almost drops as he takes in the sight.


    He glances at the long rows of wooden tables, estimating their size.


    The scale of the school’s population surprises Alex, and he quickly begins reassessing his impressions of Hogwarts as a whole.


    Before the group can reach the front of the hall, a loud, piercing scream echoes through the chamber:


    “DUMBLEDORE!! You dare invite these foreign devils into our castle?! You are unfit to be headmaster!”


    The players and students alike freeze at the sudden outburst. Alex spots a ghost barreling towards them, wearing a strange, pointed hat and flashing a wicked smile. The figure’s dark eyes glint with malice, and his voice sends shivers through the room.


    It’s Peeves.


    The mischievous poltergeist zips through the air, tossing down food, tableware, and anything he can grab, sending plates clattering and students scrambling out of his way. A few scream, their faces pale as Peeves rushes past them.


    “Peeves! Look at his chest. Something weird is going on,” Rishi whispers to Alex, who immediately focuses on the ghost’s torso.


    Alex narrows his eyes. Peeves is cloaked in an ominous dark glow, radiating malice far beyond his usual penchant for chaos and mischief. He looks outright… evil.


    “Peeves… these are my guests. What are you doing? You’re usually smart enough to show me at least some respect,” Dumbledore says, his expression complicated as he observes the corrupted poltergeist.


    The old wizard turns to the group of players, his tone serious. “Well, guests, this is a typical problem caused by the corruption I mentioned earlier. Peeves seems to be affected by something… foreign. Can you take care of it? Consider this a small test—it shouldn’t be much of a problem for you, right?”


    Rishi lightly taps Alex on the shoulder, his expression apologetic.


    Alex thinks, stepping forward without hesitation.


    Activating Ren, Alex raises his voice and shouts, “Glacius!” A blizzard erupts from his outstretched hand, engulfing Peeves entirely. The ghost freezes mid-air, his form encased in shimmering ice. Peeves looks momentarily stunned as if surprised that the spell worked so effectively against him.


    “Thank you, that will suffi—” Dumbledore begins to say, but Alex cuts him off.


    Without waiting for approval, Alex channels his Aura into his legs and leaps high into the air, reaching the ghost’s frozen position. The dark glow on Peeves’ chest still lingers, a clear sign that the corruption hasn’t been fully purged.


    Alex draws his [Sword of Pluto], its blade glowing faintly, and yells, “Incendio Sword!” Of course, Alex can’t use the typical spells of the Harry Potter world. Alex used Blizzard lvl 4 and Fire Sword lvl 4, respectively, only falsely screaming the names of spells vaguely resembling his own.


    The blade ignites in roaring flames as Alex slashes through Peeves in a wide arc. The ghost shatters into dozens of glowing fragments before reforming briefly, then dissipating entirely into the air. The lingering darkness vanishes along with him.


    As Peeves disappears, a glowing chest materializes where the ghost once floated. Alex grabs it midair on his way down, barely succeeding in landing properly, avoiding embarrassing himself.


    He straightens up, holding the chest in one hand, and looks at Dumbledore, whose expression betrays a mix of surprise and approval.


    Looking a bit worried about showing this aggression, Alex immediately says to Dumbledore:


    “Headmaster Dumbledore, right? This kind of corruption needs to be exterminated before it can spread. This is not the time to be soft! The ghost seems to be fine. He will recover in a few days, hopefully without the corruption.”


    “Hmm, I don’t like your forceful methods, but I can’t deny their effectiveness,” Dumbledore responds, his expression neutral yet contemplative. “I suppose, as long as you target only the corruption, you may do what you deem fit, young wizard. Your fighting style is quite interesting. Is that what is taught at Durmstrang these days? Judging from your accent, you seem to be a German wizard.”


    Dumbledore continues, observing Alex closely. “You strengthened your body with magic and used swordplay combined with basic elemental spells—casting them without a wand at your age? Quite impressive and equally effective. If we had a bit of peace and quiet, I’d want you to teach some of the older students. Perhaps we can arrange something.”


    The students in the hall are staring at Alex in awe, whispering among themselves.


    “Now, follow me; the students are a bit confused by your presence,” Dumbledore says, gesturing for the group to move forward. He leads them to the front of the hall, where Alex notices several professors gathered. His gaze stops on one particular figure, instantly recognizing Snape, whose appearance is almost identical to how he remembers him from the movies.


    “Flitwick looks so cute,” Alex overhears one of the female players commenting softly, stifling a laugh. Sёar?h the ηovёlFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Dumbledore steps forward, addressing the room. “Now, students, calm down. Please, take your seats. I have a few words I’d like to share with you.”


    The chatter subsides as the students focus on Dumbledore.


    “In preparation for the Triwizard Tournament, which I announced at the beginning of last month, I have hired a group of wizards and witches who will focus on protecting the castle and ensuring that the tournament proceeds smoothly. As you all know, the resources we received from the Ministry last year were… not well received, and the presence of those dark creatures frightened some of you.”


    Dumbledore pauses, scanning the room with a reassuring expression. “These people, however, are graduates of magical schools from all over the world—some of which you may never have heard of. They will work together to make this international tournament a symbol of unity! We aim to foster international cooperation, and I expect each of you to treat our visitors with kindness and respect. Now, can I have a small round of applause for our visitors?”


    The students clap awkwardly, though some seem more enthusiastic than others.


    Alex smirks slightly as he overhears a few students whispering: “That wizard with the sword is so cool! Did you see him take care of Peeves?”


    Alex glances around the room, noticing some of the other players looking at him with serious, calculating expressions. In response, he casually spins his [Sword of Pluto], that he is still holding, a few times, before making it vanish into his inventory in one smooth motion.


    “Hmmm? Interesting magic. I didn’t even see him perform any spell!” Flitwick comments, his high-pitched voice tinged with curiosity.


    “An extension charm? Did he put it in one of his pockets? Impressive sleight of hand,” McGonagall observes, her sharp eyes narrowing as she tries to figure out the trick.


    Some students clap in appreciation after seeing the display.


    “These people look scary but quite competent. I like them better than the Dementors,” a girl with bushy brown hair, brown eyes, and a knowing gaze comments. Alex’s sharp SNS stat allows him to immediately notice her presence and make out the location of the voice.


    Alex observes, taking note of the girl’s appearance.