Hogwarts Study Panel

Chapter 304: The Heir

The corridor was empty at night, with only faint footsteps.

Occasionally, you can hear some rustling sounds, like some kind of reptile moving around.

Principal's office.

It is located in a separate small tower, and like the common rooms of the four houses of Hogwarts, it requires the correct password to enter.

The principal's office was guarded by a huge stone beast, which was now jumping to the side, revealing the spiral staircase behind it.

Sheen walked into the principal's office; the portraits were all dozing off.

On the table with its long, slender legs, lay many strange and unusual silver objects, which spun around and emitted wisps of smoke.

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

Now the Sorting Hat is being picked up by Sheehan.

"Mr. Sorting Hat?"

Sheen put it on his head, and the huge hat covered his eyes.

"Proud and shrewd Ravenclaw, ah... that's what they always say. But I'd say, wise Ravenclaw... possesses the courage of careful consideration..."

The folds of the sorting cap, shaped like the mouth of the hat, open and close.
"Without a doubt, Old Hat knows it's time."

The Sorting Hat always says some cryptic things, and the wisdom of the four great minds makes its words not so easy to understand.

Under the moonlight, as if sensing something, Sheen gently took off the Sorting Hat and held it in his hand.

On a gilded branch nearby, Fox raised its eyes and slowly spread its wings.

Right at the doorway, Harry, Hermione, and Ron stared wide-eyed.

“How could it be Sheen… no, no other junior wizard could enter the headmaster’s office like this.”

Ron muttered to himself.

"But what is he going to do with the Sorting Hat?"

Hermione pressed herself against the wall and asked in a low voice.

"Look, there seems to be something inside the Sorting Hat..."

Harry suppressed his strange emotions and turned to look intently at the little wizard who was bathed in moonlight.

His profile was sharper than usual. He grasped something long and hard, and this time, there was no obstruction.

Sheen drew the sword of Gryffindor.

"It's time, it's time to respond and appear in time to help the successor you've chosen..."

The Sorting Hat's sound was faint until it was never heard again.

This is a gleaming silver sword, hidden inside a hat, its hilt inlaid with a dazzling egg-sized ruby.

Sheen held the Gryffindor sword, never expecting it to be so easy.

He was slightly puzzled, but the time was almost up.

It's time to head to the secret room.

He flicked his wand, and some books flew out of his bag. He quickly made a scabbard and put the Gryffindor sword on his waist.

At this moment, he resembled some of those ancient wizards.

Before the enactment of the International Law of Secrecy, wizards could freely associate with Muggles, but it was considered very dishonorable for a wizard to use his wand against a Muggle's sword.

Therefore, they often use swords for self-defense in battle, just like they use magic wands.

Many talented wizards are also excellent duelists, and Gryffindor is one of them.

However, Sheen estimated that he didn't have any talent for swordsmanship, and he didn't even know if swordsmanship could be displayed on the character panel.

At the doorway, Harry, his two companions jolted awake, snapping out of their dazed and frozen state.

He quickly slipped through the crack in the door.

"what is that?"

Ron stammered, saying he was the first to run up the spiral staircase.

"The Gryffindor sword, you'll know if you've read 'Hogwarts: A History' carefully."

That was the sword forged by the best fairy silversmith, also known as King Legnac I of the Fairies.

According to records, it was largely like a magic wand, possessing sentience and the ability to respond and appear promptly to assist the successor it had identified.

Hermione explained eagerly, and the second person ran up the spiral staircase.

“But isn’t Sheehan Ravenclaw?” Harry was confused.

If there's a sword hidden in the Sorting Hat, then when they wear it...

Was he being beheaded?
"When it comes to courage..."

Hermione stopped mid-sentence because Ron was shouting:
"There's a sword hidden in the Sorting Hat! Oh, I mean, what if it falls out?"

Ron was trembling a little. Was the Sorting Ceremony really a test?
Wizards who fail the test will have their heads chopped off with a sword.

His thoughts were somewhat aligned with Harry's.

"I've never heard of such a thing before."

Hermione explained in an annoyed tone.

They soon fell silent, for a young wizard had already descended the spiral staircase that had turned again.

The moonlight illuminated his path, and as he passed by, he suddenly looked back.

Harry, Harry, and the others were terrified.

Fortunately, he eventually looked away.

“I was almost discovered.”

Ron, who had survived the ordeal, felt his body go limp.

Ron, Harry, Hermione...

Sheen counted the heads but didn't pay much attention.

It's okay if we get discovered, as long as it's not Voldemort.

The only thing that Sheehan cared about was Headmaster Dumbledore, whom he hadn't seen in a long time.

Since our last conversation, the principal has been appearing in the auditorium much less often.

The girls' washroom is on the second floor.

It's almost time for curfew again.

"Hiss (open)."

Sheen said calmly.

Suddenly, the dragon head emitted a dazzling white light and began to spin rapidly.

Then, the pool began to move. The pool slowly disappeared from sight, revealing a very thick water pipe, large enough for a person to crawl inside.

Sheen put on the Magic Refraction Mirror, and Bai Yi and Tira also put on custom versions.

"it's time."

……

in the corridor.

Harry and his two companions paced anxiously back and forth, but the person they were following had vanished in the blink of an eye.

“You know what, Harry? The purpose of a sword is never to clear away weeds.”

If there's something that forces Sheen to even resort to external forces..."

The Weasley wizards always had a certain accurate intuition, and at this moment Ron's face had turned somewhat pale.

“I’m going to find Justin, Harry, maybe he’ll know something.”

Hermione turned to leave.

"I remember now—"

Harry suddenly said,
"Remember Dobby, the house-elf? He said Hogwarts was in danger;

And my Parsleyan accent—Sheen knew that; he even asked me a few questions about it.

"what?"

Hermione and Ron spoke in unison.

They seem to have gotten involved in some incredible plan again, and each time, it's Sheen who's been quietly doing something.

But they wanted him to know that every time, they wanted to do their best.

"What did you hear? No...it's 'open'...it's 'open'! What does Sheen want to open?!"

Harry said eagerly.

(End of this chapter)