With Gemma Li's voice, a rustling discussion erupted throughout the Slytherin house.

Within Slytherin, unless a seventh-year student served as the Head Boy or Girl, the sixth-year prefects were typically considered the highest-ranking students in the entire house, and this year it was Gemma Li's turn.

However, compared to previous years, this succession didn't feel quite as convincing.

In the past year, Slytherin had suffered its most devastating defeat in seven years.

While the losses in the House Cup and Quidditch Cup could be attributed to Elena Casillana's exceptional talent, the near breach of the common room by Hufflepuff, and the crushing defeat at the end of the term, were entirely their own fault.

"Shadow Prefect, huh..."

Irina Ivanovich murmured softly.

Shadow Prefect, this was a privilege that existed solely within Slytherin, outside of the Hogwarts system.

Compared to the official Hogwarts prefects, there was only one Shadow Prefect, without distinction of gender, and its meaning was very simple - the wizard with the strongest magical combat ability among Slytherin students below fifth year.

As the Shadow Prefect's year level gradually increased, they were usually considered the dominant figure among the prefects of the same year.

From the information revealed in the discussions of the older Slytherin students, Gemma Li, the sixth-year female prefect standing in the center of the hall, had successfully challenged across year levels in her third year and was a very powerful Shadow Prefect.

In fact, this was already a remarkable achievement.

After all, in most cases, Slytherin students usually only participated in the competition for Shadow Prefect in their fourth year. Before that, their disadvantages in terms of spell quantity and magical power were too great.

Because of this, even the Malfoy boy, who had performed exceptionally well last year, didn't choose to stand up this time.

It was important to know that the consequences of failing a challenge were more than just physical pain - in Slytherin, underage Shadow Prefects were usually not generous enough not to make things difficult for their peers who dared to oppose them.

However, Elena Casillana's task was...

"So, is anyone else planning to participate in this year's Shadow Prefect challenge?"

In front of the fireplace in the common room, Gemma Li glanced at the students who had come forward, a hint of disappointment in her eyes.

She had originally thought Draco Malfoy would stand up and try to challenge for the Shadow Prefect position. After all, this little guy from the Malfoy family had performed very well last year, with good results in Quidditch, academics, and dueling.

However, perhaps it was just as the elders of the family had said about the Malfoy family - too shrewd a businessman.

Gemma Li shook her head, waved her wand in the air, and was about to announce the start of the challenge.

She hoped that by this time next year, this Malfoy boy would give her some surprises, but as for this year's Shadow Prefect challenge, it was probably just a formality, and the final winner would most likely be one of the people from the team.

Just then, she suddenly heard an unfamiliar, pleasant voice next to her ear.

"Miss Li, um... according to this rule, I should be able to participate, right?"

"Hm? A challenger from the fourth year?"

Gemma Li looked up, somewhat curious, in the direction of the voice.

She saw the new student from Russia, who had spoken with Professor McGonagall during the Sorting Ceremony, slowly walk out of the crowd, pull out a somewhat old wand with a very solemn expression, and give an incredibly elegant bow of a pure-blood wizarding family.

"Ivanovich family, Irina Ivanovich, Slytherin, first year."

Irina took a deep breath, a look of determination flashing in her eyes.

In the modern wizarding world, Ordinary Wizarding Levels (O.W.L.s) were undoubtedly a very clear dividing line, just like high school graduation exams in the non-magical world, marking whether a student could be called a wizard.

In this regard, whether it was Koldovstoretz in Russia, Beauxbatons in France, Durmstrang in Scandinavia, or Ilvermorny in the United States... most of them referred to the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry's academic system and chose to conduct a large-scale level assessment for their students in their fifth year.

Before that, the courses that students encountered were more about knowledge popularization and simple magic techniques.

In relatively peaceful times, even for Durmstrang, which had a relatively relaxed magical environment, students were not taught too many combat spells before the fifth year, just as the non-magical world didn't teach middle school students how to use firearms in peacetime.

Therefore, the wizarding world usually divided the first to fourth years into the same stage.

Because of these factors, there was only one Shadow Prefect in Slytherin each year, and her jurisdiction covered all students below the fifth year, rather than two prefects in each year like the official Hogwarts prefects.

Of course, usually, people didn't regard a first-year student who hadn't even started classes as one of the challengers.

"Interesting..."

Gemma Li glanced at Irina with interest and nodded noncommittally.

Slytherin didn't advocate reckless courage. If this little girl was a lion mistakenly sorted into the snake den, then this was a good opportunity to make her understand the Slytherin survival rules. But if she really showed strength...

Then, even in the worst case, it would be a good thing for Slytherin.

It was important to know that unlike Draco Malfoy, Gregory Goyle, Vincent Crabbe... these students who had long been labeled as Elena's followers, this was a potential stock that didn't belong to Elena Moon Casillana's faction.

Of course, before that, she still needed to temporarily verify whether she was worth cultivating and supporting.

Gemma Li waited another three or four seconds and glanced at Malfoy at the edge of the crowd with some contempt, shaking her head again.

As for some people, after this challenge, she would probably know the limitations of his small ambition.

Gemma Li didn't hesitate any longer. She pulled out her wand and waved her arm in an exaggerated arc in the air. As she moved, a shallow mark appeared on the floor in the center of the Slytherin common room.

"The rules are simple - in this area, engage in spell combat, with a time limit of five minutes. You can use all the spells you know, and the last one left standing will be the new Shadow Prefect of Slytherin."

Then, Gemma Li waved her hand casually, looked at the younger students who entered the arena, and said softly.

"By the way, I suggest you don't think about attacking those around you. Begin!"

As Li's voice fell, the fourth-year students in the arena were slightly stunned.

"Wait a minute, Li, this seems to be a bit different from the previous rules..."

Lucien Bole frowned, preparing to question.

As a beater on the Slytherin Quidditch team, the burly Lucien Bole could be considered the most likely contender for Shadow Prefect, especially since his only competitor, Peregrine Derrick, had withdrawn from the competition.

In Lucien Bole's impression, the Shadow Prefect challenge should be a one-on-one duel.

In the end, a winner was decided, which was not as random as it was now, like a free-for-all...

"Stupefy!"

However, before he could finish speaking, a red spell pierced the silence and struck him in the chest.

"Wh—"

Lucien tried to turn his head, looking with difficulty in the direction the spell came from.

In the last second before his consciousness faded into darkness, he seemed to see that witch named "Casillana" reappear in the Slytherin hall, waving her wand and calmly reaping the spoils of war.

"First one. Whew..."

Irina murmured softly, her wand quickly turning, deftly picking off a spell flying towards her.

"So this is Hogwarts, the reaction is slower than I expected - Stupefy!"

Then, the girl flicked her wrist quickly, pointing it in the direction the spell came from, and another dazzling red beam bombarded out, striking the unknown older girl in the lower abdomen, knocking her unconscious to the side.

On the other side, four or five meters away from her, three other older boys subconsciously gathered together, looking at Irina, who had suddenly attacked, as if they had seen some kind of man-eating beast, their eyes filled with fear.

Since last year, are all the small freshmen at Hogwarts monsters?!

"Want to rely on numerical superiority to jointly eliminate competitors?"

Irina smiled slightly, glanced at the boys gathered together, and shook her head in disappointment.

"What determines the outcome is never the number of people, but the conviction - that's the meaning of magic!"

Irina still remembered clearly everything she had seen on the Hyperion that day.

Compared to Elena and those of the Tianming Group, this group of Slytherin students was too weak. Even if they temporarily formed an offensive and defensive system in panic, both their combat experience and combat awareness were too poor.

"Protego!"

Looking at the incoming spell, Irina raised her eyebrows and waved her wand casually.

The next moment, an invisible magical barrier flashed in the air, and the two oncoming spells bounced back at a speed faster than when they came, falling straight on the two older students whose smiles had not yet faded.

This is, perfectly cast Protego?!

As for the two red beams just now, they were obviously the most standard Stupefy spells.

Gemma Li was slightly stunned, looking seriously at the freshman who was fighting one against three, and not falling behind at all, her heart filled with shock - whether it was Protego or Stupefy, these were all spells that were required after O.W.L.s.

In fact, a considerable number of students couldn't even cast Protego proficiently until graduation.

And when these appeared on a freshman who had just enrolled a few hours ago, and hadn't even started Charms class, it seemed very magical. Even Elena Casillana couldn't do this when she enrolled.

Undoubtedly, behind this foreign girl, there must be a pure-blood family supported by a powerful wizard.

Hmm - Ivanovich?

Perhaps, she could write a letter tomorrow to ask her parents?

Gemma Li thought to herself as she watched Irina skillfully command her wand, setting fire to the robes of the last two fourth-year Slytherin students, and then taking advantage of their busyness extinguishing the fire, giving each of them a Stupefy spell.

Cold, powerful, eager to prove herself, ambitious... this child is a natural Slytherin.

Gemma Li nodded secretly, looking at Irina with a little bit of fear.

Fortunately, as a sixth-year prefect, this new Slytherin Shadow Prefect has no possibility of challenging her position for the time being, and by this time next year, it would no longer be a problem she needed to worry about.

However, apart from this Shadow Prefect selection, everything else went smoothly.

Just as Gemma Li had predicted, Marcus Flint did not choose to challenge her. Instead, he took the initiative to block another challenge from a fifth-year prefect, which saved her a lot of energy.

"Alright, now you all go back to your dormitories."

As the last challenger fell unconscious, Gemma Li clapped her hands, glanced at Irina, and said.

"As for Miss Ivanovich, I will explain your situation to Professor Snape tomorrow - if you have any special needs, you can organize them tonight and give them to me together tomorrow morning. Now you can go and choose your room."

After speaking, Gemma Li moved her gaze, glared at Malfoy, who was standing next to her in a daze, with some disappointment.

Alas...

She had to write a letter tomorrow so that her father could use it to deal with Mr. Lucius Malfoy.

Regarding this year's Shadow Prefect, it wasn't that she didn't want to help, it was just that this little guy Draco Malfoy had too little ambition and drive. He didn't even make the most basic movement the entire night, as if he was an ordinary student.

Moreover, with the strength shown by Irina, even if Draco Malfoy participated, the result would most likely be the same.

"I see, how terrifying..."

Draco Malfoy swallowed, looking at the older students lying all over the floor.

He finally understood why, on the train, the boss had specifically asked Bill Weasley to convey to him the request not to participate in this year's Shadow Prefect challenge - in the face of such monster freshmen, not taking action was the most correct choice.

What's more...

Draco Malfoy glanced at Irina Ivanovich, who was surrounded by the crowd, and gently squeezed the angular metal badge in his pocket with his left hand. Bill Weasley's advice couldn't help but pop into his mind.

"Draco, if you want to become Miss' shadow, then you need to understand that the most perfect shadow will only show its value when necessary, instead of showing off its existence at all times like a peacock."

"As your guide, my first task for you is to make yourself look less conspicuous."

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Chapter 2, still a 4000-word chapter!

Oh my god! Oh my god! Oh my god!