At this moment, you could easily tell how each college's young wizards were doing just by looking at how they lined up.
The most organized group was Slytherin, the house that Alex used to manage.
Maybe the older students had given them a warning after coming back last night, because they stood in perfect lines, silently and neatly.
Next in line were Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, who were also quite disciplined.
The Ravenclaws were relatively quiet, and the Hufflepuffs were honest and followed instructions well, making them seem very calm and peaceful.
On the other hand, the Gryffindor students were the least disciplined.
They stood haphazardly and couldn't help but whisper and chat among themselves, showing their usual lively spirit.
But Alex didn't mind much.
Now a professor of tactical training, his main concern was that the students met the training goals; he wasn't as focused on every little detail like he was back in Slytherin.
Still, basic discipline had to be maintained at the start.
So, when Alex glanced over the lines, he shouted, "Everyone, listen up! Quiet down and line up properly, especially Gryffindor."
The two senior Gryffindor prefects looked worried right away.
Alex wasn't like other professors who just deducted points; he was tougher.
Seeing the Gryffindors embarrassed, many Slytherin students couldn't help but smirk, especially since there was some tension between the two houses that neither Iraq nor David could fully control.
Once everyone in the courtyard had settled down, Alex turned his attention to the students who were late, about eighty or so, mostly younger wizards below third year.
Their self-control wasn't great.
If Harry hadn't had Neville's help, he might have been late too.
Among the latecomers were Malfoy and his two little followers, along with several other Slytherin students.
These kids were used to being spoiled and were even more impatient and quick to complain.
Deep down, everyone knew that many students were late, and in the end, the professor wouldn't be held responsible.
Seeing this, Alex frowned slightly and muttered to himself, 'I hoped it would be simpler, but without some strict discipline, these bad habits just won't go away.'
He then turned to the right, toward the Slytherin common room, and called out, "Slytherin prefects from sixth and seventh year, step forward!"
"Here!"
Gemma Farley, who had already returned to the line, hurried to the front with the other three prefects.
She stood there nervously, glancing at Alex with obvious worry.
"Explain yourselves!" Alex's eyes cut across the four prefects like a cold blade.
"Students from other houses are late, but why is someone from Slytherin late?"
Gemma, the lead prefect, suddenly went pale.
She opened her mouth but couldn't find the words.
She understood his question well. Slytherins were always known to move as a united group, no one got left behind.
"So that's how it is..." Alex nodded slowly, then shook his head with a hint of disappointment.
"It looks like you've lost any sense of pride. Everything I've told you feels like I've been talking to a brick wall."
"I'm sorry, chief. This won't happen again!" Gemma blurted out, fear and guilt clear in her voice.
"It's too late for apologies now," Alex sneered.
"All sixth and seventh-year Slytherin students, step forward and get ready for push-ups!"
"Yes, sir!"
The older Slytherins didn't hesitate.
At his command, they all dropped to the floor instantly.
The other Slytherin students, and even younger wizards from other houses, watched in shock.
Why were the older students punished for the freshmen's tardiness? And why did no one even argue or make excuses?
Nearby, Gryffindor first-years, standing close to the older Slytherins in the courtyard, quickly dropped down two rows themselves in surprise.
The whole scene left them stunned.
"Everyone counts out loud, a hundred times! Louder!" Alex called out casually, turning his head briefly before looking straight ahead again.
"One, two, three..."
The wizards in the Snake Garden responded calmly upon hearing the password, beginning to count aloud without hesitation.
Their voices were clear and steady, and they started doing push-ups with perfect form, as if this was a routine they practiced often.
Even for Slytherins who had lived through Alex's era, a hundred push-ups was no small feat.
At first, they moved in unison, but after about fifty reps, their rhythm started to falter.
By the time they reached seventy or eighty, many were sweating heavily, struggling to complete each movement, yet still maintaining impeccable form.
What surprised everyone was how, despite their exhaustion and heavy breathing, not one of them compromised on the quality of their push-ups.
Alex, however, didn't seem to
Be watching them closely. A few lazy counts here or there wouldn't have mattered, but these wizards acted like cold, precise machines.
Even those who finished early stood up gasping for breath but didn't complain or even blink.
Watching this, a group of younger wizards led by Malfoy, who had arrived late, started to panic.
Seeing their seniors punished so harshly was unsettling enough, but it also made the younger students wonder what kind of punishment awaited them.
Malfoy himself turned pale, and many others were silently thinking.
'If this is how harsh the punishment is for those who aren't late, what will happen to us?'
Nearby, Harry, Ron, and the Gryffindor students who watched the scene up close broke out in cold sweat.
Harry swallowed nervously, glancing at Alex with unease.
No wonder the Weasley twins had been so scared of Professor Wilson. Now Harry was beginning to worry about his own future at the school.
Meanwhile, Alex quietly nodded to himself.
He had been watching them all along and, seeing how meticulously they executed every move, he felt confident in these two groups of senior wizards.
After the wizards of the Slytherin finished their push-ups one by one, Alex paid them no mind.
Instead, he glanced coldly at the latecomers and said, "Return to your teams, latecomers. Remember, this is your last chance!"
Hearing this, the young wizards seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and hurried back to their respective college lines without hesitation.
They had just thought they were done for, but even though Alex had let them off this time, they didn't feel lucky, far from it.
Watching the earlier scene made everyone certain that the new professor wouldn't hesitate to be strict if they messed up again.
"Alright, everyone's here," Alex said, nodding as he checked the record sheet in his hand.
"Now, let's get down to business."
"I called everyone together today because I have two things to go over," Alex said, his hands clasped behind his back as he scanned the eager crowd.
The little wizards were fully attentive now. The room was so silent you could hear a pin drop.
"First off, today's session is an open class. I'm going to start by briefly explaining the basics of the 'Wilson Training Method' used in Tactical Training. Everyone, please pay close attention!"
His voice rang out clearly.
At his words, the young wizards perked up immediately.
Many looked at Alex with bright, eager eyes, especially those who loved learning, like Hermione, who silently wished she had brought her textbooks and notes to follow along.
"To understand this training method," Alex continued, "you first need to grasp three key factors that influence magical power, or a wizard's magical ability."
He spoke clearly and simply.
"They are: magic power reserve, magic sensitivity, and spirit."
He paused for a moment before elaborating, "Magic power reserve is the easiest to understand. It's basically how much magical energy a wizard can store and use.
Many things affect this reserve, but the biggest factor is a wizard's physical condition. Simply put, the stronger and healthier your body, the greater your magic reserve."
Several young wizards exchanged surprised glances.
This was the first time many had heard such an idea, and some looked doubtful.
Noticing their hesitation, Alex said, "I know some of you might have questions. Since this is a class, feel free to raise your hands and ask."
Several hands shot up right away, mostly from Ravenclaw students.