When people encounter a problem, their first instinct is rarely innovation. They usually stick to the routines they're familiar with—unless those fail, only then will they consider a new approach or seek outside help.
So here's the question: what would a girl, widely recognized as the top enforcer of half the male students at school, do when something truly irritates her?
The answer is obvious: she won't forgive. She'll solve it with her wand. As for fists… well, that part hasn't been fully figured out yet. After all, though she'd received "bride training" at her father's insistence, her classes hadn't exactly covered problem-solving through punching.
Her only thought right now: That Allen guy made me very unhappy. So, I'll just knock him down. Problem solved.
But clearly, two problems stood in her way. First: what to do after knocking Allen down? And second—and far more important—she had no understanding of what "power" actually meant…
Of course, both she and her friends were currently overconfident—inside the school, she had been untouchable for so long that no one dared challenge her.
So when the group of younger witches, originally just there to send blessings and tease, saw her tidily packing her things, tying back her hair, and walking straight from the common room toward the Hogwarts camp, they were confused. But when she casually mentioned she was going to hit someone, the spectators immediately cheered—eager for the spectacle.
As a student whose fame surpassed some professors, she hadn't publicly used her power in a long time. Despite her delicate appearance, her reputation alone could silence new students into obedient behavior.
There were indeed crybabies among the wizards—especially those who entered school at age seven, occasionally homesick and whimpering. The most effective way to stop them was simply to mention her name, which explained why the younger students feared her so much.
Upon learning that she intended to target a boy named Allen, the girls—especially those with a better grasp of the situation—were furious. How dare anyone spread rumors about their "lady boss" in just a few days?
Was it because she had been too lenient recently and hadn't beaten up those kids? Perfect. This time, let Allen be the lesson. He would soon understand who ruled the school before she graduated.
That, essentially, was the thought process of the following group—though she herself hadn't considered it. Others had labeled her with this "protector" trait, even though originally she had only intervened when she saw girls being bullied. Now, having been forced into this role, she couldn't do much but follow along.
So this massive troop of young witches marched straight toward the Hogwarts camp. Meanwhile, Allen, watching classmates point and whisper, felt increasingly frustrated. If only I hadn't chatted so animatedly with that professor… how much trouble have I just created?
He forced a smile to greet the thumbs-up and congratulatory gestures coming his way. But one thing puzzled him: What's with all the winking and eyebrow-raising?
Amid the cheers and "Well done!"s, Allen finally located the twins' tent. He still needed to talk to them about the exchange with that club—they were the guides, after all.
So Allen happily and entirely missed his last chance to explain. Had he returned to the dorm immediately, his chatty roommates would have quickly clarified the situation for him—but he didn't.
As Allen discussed secret passage information with the twins, loud calls suddenly interrupted them.
"Allen—come out here!"
"That Allen kid! Come on out!"
"Hogwarts' Allen—come out, you liar spreading rumors!!!"
The shouting grew more intense and chaotic. By the time Allen and the twins exchanged bewildered looks, the insults had cycled through several variations, all directed at him.
"Allen—what's going on? Sounds like girls. Did you offend them?"
"Geez, Allen, how many times do I have to tell you? Girls are trouble, and you still provoke them."
The twins were shocked, but Allen was even more confused. I didn't offend any girls! Recently, when they had come over to give advice, he hadn't questioned anything—he had merely ignored most of it. How did that escalate into this shouting?
"Dude, doesn't sound like our classmates. The accent seems local. Did you provoke them?" The twins had been studying all afternoon and hadn't seen what happened.
"No way—I'm not bored enough to pick fights with them!" Allen rolled his eyes. It's Marshall they're after, not me. I haven't flirted with anyone recently.
Though a few of the club's female students were obsessed with research, Allen suspected that staring at them too long might lead to being dissected for study. No way am I volunteering for that.
Still, he couldn't ignore it. They were using a loudspeaker charm and didn't intend to stop. Their voices were sweet, but not background music. If I let them keep this up, who knows what rumors they'll spread about me? I didn't do anything wrong!
Allen waved goodbye to the giggling twins with a look of disdain and walked toward the source of the calls—only to be shocked.
Outside, although Hogwarts' other houses were generally fine, the girls had segregated by house. Nearly half of the female students were now present, all intensely watching him. The pressure was immense.
At the front were several young, beautiful witches—the ones calling his name.
As Allen emerged, they paused, presenting their prettiest as the "face" of the group.
Then Allen spoke—and everyone froze:
"Excuse me—you are?"