At the same time, the silver amulet around his neck flashed, clearly recording the deduction.
"What did I even say? He's a dog!" Fred whispered to George, disbelief written all over his face.
"We're doomed. This dog really is a dog, the most disgusting kind. Scolding him won't work at all," George muttered back, his voice low and frustrated.
Meanwhile, Fang sat on the steps with the same smug expression.
"Don't think I can't hear your muttering down there. Be honest with me, my patience is wearing thin! Hurry up and get your teams in order!"
With Fang's sharp words pushing them along, the students in the courtyard reluctantly formed up.
Luckily, the prefects seemed to have known about Fang's appointment ahead of time and worked hard to keep things under control.
"Beep!"
After surveying the neat rows, Fang picked up his whistle and blew a loud, piercing blast that made everyone's scalp tingle but instantly woke them up.
"Alright, morning exercise officially starts now. First, a five-minute warm-up. Follow me!" Fang barked.
Then, to everyone's surprise, he stood up on his hind legs like a person and commanded, "First move: jumping jacks. Thirty times!
One, two, three, four..."
Watching Fang do jumping jacks like a dog, the students could only slump their bodies in defeat.
What was going on?
Since when did Hogwarts start having dance sessions with a dog on the second day of school?
Over the next five minutes, more than 800 students watched with wide eyes as Fang led them through five different warm-up exercises, from raising heart rates to stretching.
Nobody expected a dog to be so nimble.
Not only were his movements quick and precise, but he even had the cheek to spray water on people while they exercised.
Whenever someone's movements were even slightly off or their performance wasn't up to par, Fang would immediately start scolding them.
And his scolding was just as harsh as it sounded.
Anyone who dared to argue or retaliate risked having points deducted, which kept everyone biting their tongues.
Fang's arrogance only made things worse, and it wasn't long before everyone was annoyed with him.
After finishing the warm-up, Fang blew his whistle and announced, "Alright, warm-up's done. Next up is a long-distance run, a quick round trip to the ring stone pile on the west side of Hogwarts Castle!"
He went on to explain, "We'll form four lines based on houses and grades. Seventh years will go first, led by the prefects.
You should all know the route by now."
With another sharp whistle, he signaled everyone to get moving.
The seventh years of each house stepped forward first, forming four neat lines.
As they ran out along the viaduct beside the courtyard, the sixth years automatically fell in behind, and soon the whole school was stretched out in a long line of runners.
The route took them past two towers along the elevated stone bridge, around the central courtyard, and then outside the castle, running toward the edge of the Forbidden Forest.
It was a journey of at least three kilometers, and running back and forth like that was definitely no small feat for these young wizards.
Once he was sure everyone was following, Fang got up and started chasing after them, all while explaining the key points of running.
"Don't chat while running," he told them. "Take two steps, then one breath. Two steps, then breathe again. Make sure you're taking deep breaths so your lungs fill up completely."
Fang ran back to the front of the group and added, "Don't run too fast, if you speed up, the younger students won't be able to keep up. Slow your pace and focus on your breathing rhythm.
The whole point of morning exercise is to teach you how to breathe properly!"
He kept up this back-and-forth, running alongside the team, until he finally sprinted ahead and shouted out slogans to keep everyone motivated.
"One, one, one two one, beep, beep, beep beep!"
'Fang is such a noisy pain, and why does he always have to blow that annoying whistle at us? No matter how far away he is, it sounds like he's right next to our ears. I swear that whistle must be some kind of magical alchemy gadget!' George thought.
He ran alongside the team, panting but still managing to complain about his brother.
"Let's say less and just keep moving, I feel like my lungs are about to give out. But seriously, how is Fang so strong? Doesn't he ever get tired running back and forth all the time?"
Fred's face looked a bit pale from the run, and watching Fang, who seemed full of energy, only made him more puzzled.
Suddenly, as the twins grumbled to each other, Fang appeared from the side, glaring at them with a scowl.
"Are you two talking bad about me again? A short distance like this is boring for you, huh? Why don't you run a couple more laps by yourselves?"
George panicked.
"No! How could we, Mr. Fang? Please, let us off!"
He was genuinely afraid. He couldn't best Fred in a fight, and arguing with Fang was pointless since Fang could dock their points anytime.
They quickly backed down.
Fang smirked and said, "You guys are smart to know better. Just remember not to be petty in front of me."
Then, with a playful grin, he stretched out his hands like dog paws and pointed at the twins, as if to say he was watching them closely.
After warning the twins, Fang glanced thoughtfully back at the end of the line.
The first-year students there were running as hard as they could, especially Harry, a skinny boy struggling to keep up even with Wei's help.
"Harry, just hang in there a bit longer. The ring stone pile is almost ahead, try to keep your breathing steady," Neville whispered encouragement from beside him.
Neville had undergone some training with Alex before starting school, so he wasn't feeling as overwhelmed, but Harry looked like he was about to collapse, sweat pouring down his face.
Harry didn't even dare say a word, afraid he might sound discouraged.
He hadn't exercised much as a child, so this sudden tough training was really tough on him.
Just as the two were barely moving forward, a sharp voice rang out from the side.
Harry turned to see Draco Malfoy in the Slytherin line, running hard too.
Usually the pampered young master never faced such grueling training, but thanks to his strong build, he was barely hanging on.
"What's wrong with you? Haven't you looked in a mirror? Your face is so pale it looks like it's about to crumble!"
Ron, standing behind Harry, shot a glare at Draco.
"Better than a guy who needs help!"
Malfoy snapped back, but then struggled to catch his breath and quickly zipped his lips, focusing again on the run.
Hearing Draco's taunts made Harry uncomfortable, but he gritted his teeth and pulled away from Neville's support.
"Thanks, Neville. I'll finish the rest on my own," he said firmly, forcing himself forward alone.
Neville looked at him helplessly, while Draco, not far off, sneered and muttered, "Tch, now I see you're trying to be brave..."
Draco hadn't expected Harry to be so stubborn. He'd only meant to make a quick joke when he first saw Harry struggling.
Draco had been spoiled and raised to be arrogant, so he rarely communicated calmly.
Whenever he spoke, he came across as overbearing.
But now, having caught Harry's attention, Draco didn't care how he seemed; he just wanted to make his presence known to everyone around him.
Watching from behind the group, Fang smiled to himself.
'I can tell Harry's still a tough kid,' he thought. 'With enough practice, these kids might actually keep up.'
With that in mind, Fang quickly moved to the front of the group.
Once they reached the circular stone pile, he called out loudly, "Grades 4, 5, 6, and 7, keep this pace and run around the stone pile. Then head back to the vestibule the same way, and after that, you're free to disband."
He continued, "Students below grade 4, you can stop here. You don't have to run back; feel free to walk slowly.
Just make sure you leave enough time to change clothes and eat breakfast, and keep your bodies dry."
At Fang's words, the group instantly split.
The older students groaned and complained, while the younger ones looked relieved and exhausted.