The person is at Hogwarts, but the system is in Middle-earth!

The doors of the auditorium slowly opened, and golden light surged out like a tide.

Four long tables were laden with gold platters and goblets, and thousands of candles floated in mid-air. The starry sky was reflected on the ceiling, creating a deep and mysterious atmosphere.

"That's enchanted," Hermione whispered from behind, reciting her own words. "I read about it in 'A History of Hogwarts.'"

"No, that's an illusion," Lowe retorted in a low voice, his gaze fixed on the chair in the center of the teachers' table. "It's either to cover up the fact that the roof is leaking, or to monitor us."

In front of the teachers' table stood a four-legged stool. On the stool sat a topped wizard's hat. It was old, patched, and looked dirty, as if it had been salvaged from a junkyard.

Suddenly, the hat split open and began to sing loudly:

You might think I'm not pretty.

But never judge a book by its cover...

The audience erupted in applause.

But Luo Wei's face turned deathly pale instantly.

[WARNING! High-risk mental magic artifact detected!]

[Objective: The Sorting Hat -> The vessel for the Sphere of Knowledge]

[Danger Level: S (Psychological Infiltration)]

[Description: It sings, but this song is the prelude to mind control. It can peer into your mind, dig into your deepest fears, and then assign you to a "cage" it deems suitable.]

"It...it's alive?" Harry asked in surprise.

"It's the terminal that connects to the Eye of Sauron." Rowe gritted his teeth, his fingers trembling. "Once you put it on, your mind will no longer belong to you. It will see everything—your weaknesses, your desires, and even the secret stash of money you hide under your bed."

Ron clutched his pocket in fright: "Can it see the spots?"

"It can see what Banban ate last night," Rowe said coldly.

At that moment, Professor McGonagall came out with a roll of parchment.

"Hannah Abbott!"

A girl with golden braids stumbled up and put the hat on. A moment later, the hat called out, "Hufflepuff!"

applause.

"Hufflepuff." Rowe squinted, quickly analyzing the situation.

[Faction Analysis: Hufflepuff]

[Mapping: Shire]

[Characteristics: Love of food, peace, resilience, and unassuming]

Survival Rating: Five stars (Perfect hiding place)

"Susan Bornes!"

Susan glanced nervously at Rowe before walking over.

"Hufflepuff!"

Susan breathed a sigh of relief and ran to the long table filled with laughter. Before she even sat down, she started putting bread into her plate.

"It seems the Shire has plenty of provisions," Rowe muttered to himself.

Next up is Harry.

"Harry Potter!"

The entire hall suddenly fell silent, and everyone craned their necks, trying to catch a glimpse of the savior's true face.

Harry went up and put on the hat. A long time passed—it felt like an eternity to Rowe—before the hat finally called out, "Gryffindor!"

A thunderous cheer erupted from the long table at the farthest point.

[System notification: The shaman has joined the Gondorian Vanguard. Risk level increased.]

Rowe sighed. It seemed Harry was destined to be in the eye of the storm.

"Love Baggins!"

Professor McGonagall's voice echoed through the hall.

Luo Wei took a deep breath and walked heavily towards the stool.

[Activate Emergency Mental Defense Plan: A Feast for the Senses]

[Loading ingredients: Braised pork belly, whole roasted lamb, crispy pork belly, spicy crayfish...]

He walked to the stool, looked at the dirty hat, and hesitated to make a move.

"Put it on, Mr. Baggins," Professor McGonagall urged, her eyes stern.

"Can I not wear it completely inside?" Luo Wei asked tentatively. "I'm a germaphobe, and I don't want my bank card PIN read."

"Don't be ridiculous," Professor McGonagall glared at him.

Helpless, Luo Wei could only pinch the tip of the hat with two fingers and carefully place it on his head to minimize the contact area, as if he were holding a landmine that could explode at any moment.

The moment the brim of his hat touched his hair, a faint voice echoed in his mind.

"Hmm, that's interesting."

Luo Wei's brain instantly exploded.

Braised pork belly! Add plenty of sugar! Reduce the sauce until it's thick and creamy!

Roast chicken! Crispy skin! Orleans style!

Hot pot! Tripe dipped seven or eight times in the water!

"My God." The voice seemed choked by the overwhelming images of delicious food. "Is your brain filled with nothing but greasy food? Have you been starving for three days?"

No! I'm not hungry! I'm just pondering the ultimate truth of the universe—is it sweet or savory tofu pudding?

Luo Wei roared wildly in his mind, trying to overwhelm the other party's reading with garbage information.

"Alright, alright." The hat seemed to have had enough. "Although your mind is full of...wait, orc cooking recipes? Merlin's beard, you actually want to make trolls into sashimi? Your courage is greater than Gryffindor's."

That's tactical! Tactical deterrence!

“But beneath this madness,” the hat-wearing voice grew more serious, “I see loyalty. You’re willing to draw your sword to protect your companions, even against a god. You crave peace, yet you’re compelled to take up arms. You’re a contradiction, child.”

"Most importantly," the hat seemed to sniff, "your love for food is genuine."

"Then, that's very simple."

The hat opened its mouth wide and shouted the name to the entire audience:

"Hufflepuff!"

Luo Wei swiftly tossed the bag back onto the stool.

[Mission Completed: Join the Faction]

[Faction Confirmed: Hufflepuff (Shire)]

[Reward Obtained: Skill [Hobbit's Culinary Talent]]

[Skill Description: Your food processing speed is increased by 200%, and the deliciousness of the food you make is increased by 50%. Passive Attribute: You need to eat seven meals a day.]

"Phew..." Luo Wei wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. "It held out. It didn't see my bank card PIN."

He stepped down from the Hufflepuff table amidst applause and plopped down next to Susan.

"You're here too!" Susan happily made room for him. "I knew you'd come here. What did Hat say to you? You looked like you were about to throw up."

"It tried to invade my soul." Lowe picked up an empty plate, his eyes serious. "But I drove it back with a Manchu Han Imperial Feast."

"A Manchu Han Imperial Feast?" Susan blinked in confusion.

"An Eastern form of mental defense magic," Rowe said nonsensically.

Just then, a boy opposite him extended his hand: "Hello, I'm Cedric. Cedric Diggory. Welcome to Hufflepuff."

Luo Wei looked up.

The boy in front of me was handsome and sunny, with a smile as warm as the May sunshine.

[Bio Scan]

[Target: Cedric Diggory]

[Mapping: Faramir]

[Traits: Noble, brave, unloved second son (not actually), tragic hero temperament]

[Comment: A true knight. What a pity...]

Luo Wei grasped his hand, a hint of sorrow in his eyes.

"Hello, Farah, I mean, Cedric," Rowe said solemnly. "I'm Rowe. Take my advice, brother."

"What?" Cedric was still smiling.

"If anyone invites you to a cemetery or lets you touch any trophy in the future," Lowe whispered, "don't go."

Cedric paused, then chuckled. "Okay, I'll remember that. It sounds weird, though."

At this moment, Dumbledore, who was in the teachers' seat, stood up.

"Welcome!" he said. "Before the feast begins, I'd like to say a few words. These are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!"

The crowd cheered.

Luo Wei suddenly pulled out a small notebook from his pocket and began frantically taking notes.

"That's a spell!" Lowe said to Susan as he wrote. "That's the mantra of Vara! Every word contains the power to destroy the world! Write it down quickly, it might be important for our final exam!"

Susan looked at him, then at the cheering classmates around her, sighed silently, and stuffed a piece of pumpkin pie into Rowe's mouth.

"Eat up, Mr. Ranger. Your battle is over."

Luo Wei chewed.

"Hmm, it tastes good. It would be even better with some cumin."