Hogwarts, ten o'clock in the morning, Quidditch pitch.

"So, before the match begins, I'll repeat the rules one last time—"

In the center of the open field, Erina's voice bloomed like spring thunder, echoing throughout the Quidditch pitch.

Unlike the students, parents, and professors in the stands, she, as the chief referee of the inter-house competition, had to stay in the dueling area from beginning to end.

Hogwarts is not some Roman Colosseum. Whether it's Erina or Dumbledore, everyone's starting point from the very beginning wasn't focused on winning or losing the game. The vast majority of disputes and discussions about this inter-house competition were focused on rules and safety measures.

And after careful discussion, the safest and most reliable protection for the competition was: Erina Kaslana.

After last year's "Dark Lord's Trial" event, Erina was pretty much considered the number one person in Hogwarts in the field of crowd control and event organization.

From rule-making to safety protection, from resolving disputes to healing minds and bodies, she delivered a rather perfect answer sheet at the end of last year.

Therefore, even Albus Dumbledore would prioritize Erina's suggestions when it came to some rule-making.

"This inter-house competition adopts a point system, and the side with the highest total score wins."

Erina waved her wand gently, and a substantial silver-white scroll appeared quietly, suspended in front of the contestants gathered on both sides of her.

Meanwhile, the four magic screens floating in the air above the Quidditch stands also began to change at the same time, turning into light gray screens like huge Ministry of Magic notices.

Golden-red flames and silver-green flames sprang out of thin air, quickly leaping and outlining lines of magical text.

[The First Inter-House Competition: Gryffindor vs. Slytherin]

[Start Time: Saturday, 10:00 AM]

[Format: Grade-based, Group-based, Unrestricted Magical Combat]

[The competition adopts three formats: 1v1 Individual Match, 2v2 Team Match, 5v5 Team Match]

[Specific Rules:]

[1v1 Individual Match: Limited to one student each from the first, second, and third years of each house. Points are awarded based on the situation of defeating. Each effective knockdown earns "1 Point."]

[2v2 Team Match: Limited to students from the fourth and fifth years of each house, with two students from each year participating. Winning each match earns "3 Points."]

[5v5 Team Match: No restrictions on the grades of the participants, any Hogwarts student can participate. The last "surviving" side wins and earns "5 Points."]

[Each wizard can only participate in one match and cannot play repeatedly.]

[The dueling rules uniformly follow the "Hogwarts Standard Dueling Rules (2.1)" (specific content can be found in the student handbook)]

[The final interpretation of the rules and rulings of this competition belongs to the chief referee—once a ruling takes effect, it cannot be changed]

"So, the specific process and rules should be clear to everyone."

After everyone had finished reading the instructions, Erina looked around and waved her wand again.

The next moment, all the text and patterns disappeared.

Replaced by the House crests of Gryffindor and Slytherin confronting each other in light and shadow.

Below the light and shadow were two large competition scoreboards, listing the time and participants of each match in order.

"The first match of the inter-house competition:"

"Ginny Weasley, versus, Irina Ivanovich!"

"The match will begin in two minutes, other players please retreat to the sidelines to wait—"

Erina tapped her toe lightly on the ground, and a flying broomstick floated silently to her side.

She sat sideways on the broomstick and hovered slowly to a position about two or three meters above the ground, looking down at the two little witches below.

A light silver screen slowly rose from the four sides of the square dueling arena, like a semi-transparent veil.

In the center of the screen, Irina and Ginny simultaneously drew their wands and held them in their hands.

"Can't you go easy on me? I can treat you to chocolate..."

Ginny stared nervously at Irina not far away, while watching the countdown above with the corner of her eye.

If Erina, Hannah, Hermione, and Luna are the school's recognized second-year best friends, then she and Irina and Danilova are the first-year sisterhood.

Even though the two are not in the same house, they spend so much time together, whether it's at Witch Club activities, Quidditch rookie training, regular classes, or even going to the bathroom. The more familiar and close they are, the more Ginny knows how powerful the little witch across from her is—that's the Ivanovich family's genius girl, the biological granddaughter of the former headmaster of Koldovstoretz School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

You know, Irina is the youngest shadow prefect in the history of Slytherin House.

On the first night of enrollment, she defeated several older students by herself, an achievement previously only done by Erina.

If her wand hadn't limited her performance, Irina's performance in class wouldn't even be much worse than those second-year girls.

"Chocolate? No, I represent the dignity of Slytherin House now—"

Irina shook her head seriously, taking advantage of the little time left above, and whispered as if talking in class.

"At least add three grilled fish, and fruit pie... the kind you bake yourself, not made by house elves."

"...Deal! Then you're not allowed to use spells beyond the third-year textbook!"

Ginny thought for a moment and agreed readily.

"Okay." Irina whispered.

Since coming to Hogwarts, she has finally realized how pitiful and shabby her past three meals a day were.

Not to mention those big blue fish swimming in the Black Lake, Ravenclaw's fruit pies and Gryffindor's potato feasts are also things she had never eaten before.

Although being a Slytherin shadow prefect has many privileges, when it comes to meals, she can at most enjoy some more chives, durian, coriander...

Even though Irina's potion tasting skills allow her to calmly swallow these things, from the bottom of her heart, Irina still envies the things on the tables of Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Gryffindor, and in this regard, Ginny Weasley is definitely the most enviable first-year student, she can almost "conjure" all the things on the table.

After all, Ginny's six brothers are now studying at Hogwarts, and her requests are much more useful than any "shadow prefect."

"...Um, cough cough... Just a reminder."

Just as Irina and Ginny had happily reached a deal, a soft cough suddenly came from above them.

Erina rubbed her temples, looked at the two little guys below who looked up at her, and pointed around with a subtle expression.

"Based on the principles of fairness, justice, and openness, magic has been applied to the dueling arena—all your spells and conversations will be broadcast live on the surrounding screens..."

The kindest witch in Hogwarts history paused with interest, glanced at the two little girls below who were gradually turning to stone, and continued with a raised corner of her mouth.

"However..."

"The broadcast rights are with me, and I cut out that part of the conversation just now."

Erina looked at Ginny and Irina with appreciation, vaguely experiencing a wonderful joy like Grindelwald's "succession."

"After the match, Irina, introduce Ginny to the 'Tarot Society'."

"I approve your application for regularization—now, have a match as you agreed, remember to make it as exciting as possible—"

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Yay!