Hogwarts Study Panel

Chapter 288 Chapter 288: Sorting Hat
Harry and Ron did not return until the end of the Sorting Ceremony.

Sheen was slightly worried that they wouldn't be beaten by the Willow...

It is said that the tree has a rather unpleasant temperament.

Besides that, Sheen pays the most attention to Ginny, who carries a notebook from fifty years ago, which is also the starting point of the locked room plot.

Sheehan had absolutely no intention of coming into contact with Riddle's diary.

Horcruxes are usually described as creations that ensure Voldemort's immortality, but the Riddle Journal reveals that their function goes beyond that.

It could corrupt a wizard's soul and resurrect him. Having acquired the Soul Artifact, Sheen became increasingly cautious.

This Horcrux, which has been fragmented by Voldemort over many years, is not so simple. Sheen can always sense a faint malice from it, and the trouble is that the other party may also be able to sense it.

Sheen knew that Riddle's Diary had a certain bewitching power, capable of "devouring the wizard's most hidden fears and deepest secrets, and its appetite would grow larger and stronger."

Therefore, they dared not be arrogant in the slightest.

In this realm of dark magic, even Headmaster Dumbledore admitted, "Voldemort possesses powers I could never have."

Therefore, being cautious, waiting to quickly deal with the basilisk, and destroying Riddle's diary after obtaining the basilisk fangs have become Sheen's current priorities.

This day will come soon, so Sheen is not in a hurry.

The wizards at the Gryffindor long table were all somewhat excited:
"The great Green is watching over his devout followers—"

Fred raised his eyebrows and spoke in a quirky tone.

"The light of our Lord shines upon us—"

George reverently accepted the question.

“It’s strange, I rarely see anything that can steal Sheen’s attention from a book.”

Hermione frowned. What could have made Sheehan look this way three times?
"Harry and Ron!"

Hermione gasped.

She completely forgot about it after Sheen said "Nothing will happen".

……

At the end of the Sorting Ceremony, Headmaster Dumbledore and the professors left the Great Hall as if they had received some big news.

This sparked a flurry of discussion among the young wizards. Some said Hogwarts had been invaded, by a flying car; others said a thief had appeared at Hogwarts, his target the precious Whomping Willow—but no one believed it. They all agreed that even the foolish Neville wouldn't dare to shovel at the Whomping Willow.

"Hey!"

Hermione yelled angrily, and only then did the others apologize profusely to Neville.

The members of Hope Hut also gathered together with great concern.

"Sheen, okay, are you sure everything will be alright?"

Hermione anxiously poked at her food; the bread was almost turning into cheese.

"It'll be okay."

Sheehan replied that he was no longer worried after Headmaster Dumbledore left.

He looked at the Sorting Hat with a dangerous glint in his eyes for the first time.

The Sorting Hat twitched its tattered corners, as if it had just sensed the uneasy gaze.

Who is it?
It squirmed curiously, finally meeting a pair of calm green eyes. After a moment, it stiffly turned away.
"Old Hattori should have known, he holds grudges just like Ravenclaw... Old Hattori needs to go into hiding..."

The Sorting Ceremony concluded with Dumbledore rushing back.

The young wizards had so much to say, and they excitedly returned to their respective dormitories. The first-year students, of course, followed their prefects, still listening to the upperclassmen's various tales and letting out gasps of surprise.

When there weren't many people left in the Great Hall, Sheehan and the others finally saw Professor McGonagall, who was suppressing her anger, with Harry and Ron trembling behind her.

"Let's eat here, then go back to the dorm!"

After Professor McGonagall finished speaking, she raised her wand and pointed it at the table, where a large plate of sandwiches, two silver cups, and a jug of chilled pumpkin juice appeared.

He looks furious.

“I thought we were going to get fired!” Ron said, grabbing a sandwich after Professor McGonagall hurriedly left.

"Me too."

Harry grabbed a piece too.

"You two are here! Where have you been? Everyone's talking about it, and the rumors are ridiculous—someone said you drove a flying car and got expelled from school."

Hermione was the first to rush up from the corner of the Great Hall, followed by Sheehan and the others.

"We weren't fired."

Harry comforted her.

"Are you saying you really flew here?"

Hermione was about to explode in anger.

But her words were interrupted by a group of Gryffindors who were also waiting there, and they burst into thunderous applause.

"That's wonderful!"

Lee Jordan shouted,
"That's incredible! What a brilliant way to do it! Driving a flying car into the Willow Tree, people will talk about it for years!"

"Well done,"

A fifth-year student who had never spoken to Harry said; someone patted Harry on the back as if he had just won a marathon; Fred and George squeezed forward and asked together:

"Why don't you call us back?"

After seeing that they were alright, Sheen left and prepared to go to the principal's office.

Justin was right beside him, watching Harry's anxious expression intently.

"Harry must be in trouble again."

He said.

"Ah."

Sheen answered.

"The boy who survived a great calamity, the boy who defeated the mysterious man, the boy who became famous..."

Justin sighed.
"My mother said that every gift that fate bestows actually has a price tag attached to it."

His voice faded away with the cold night wind. The sky was as black as ink, as if some heavy burden was pressing down on the mountains, which made it impossible for them to see the swaying branches clearly.

……

The principal's office was empty.

Sheen knocked on the door and waited there, but the door opened by itself.

Sheen then naturally walked to the table in the room.

On a shelf behind the table sat a tattered, wrinkled wizard's hat—the Sorting Hat.

Sheen walked around the table, picked up a hat from the shelf, and seemed to be thinking about something.

"Beautiful Ravenclaw, from the tranquil riverbanks..."

Old Man Mao suddenly began to sing, his voice trembling.

That treacherous Dumbledore... just walked away at this crucial moment; that treacherous stone beast didn't even try to stop them; and that treacherous door actually opened by itself?!

It's a valuable asset of Hogwarts, and you're just going to give it to a little wizard like that?

"Relax, Mr. Sorting Hat."

Sheehan's lips curled up, and it seemed that Headmaster Dumbledore didn't mind what he did.

"For the first time in centuries, this is something the old man owes Ravenclaw. What do you want? Or do you want to find something, little wizard?"

Mr. Sorting Hat said helplessly.

(End of this chapter)