Time passed as the train traveled into the afternoon, and Cho mentioned the Sorting Ceremony with some nervousness.
"I heard we have to be sorted. Do you know how they do it? It won't be an exam, will it?"
"I've asked my parents many times, but they won't tell me. They just said to be prepared when the time comes."
Karl was looking at a few Chocolate Frog cards. He found the joy of collecting cards like in his childhood, though it was a pity he hadn't gotten Albus Dumbledore.
"Don't worry, there's no exam, and it's not dangerous. It's just an old hat that hasn't been washed in centuries."
Cho was bewildered: "A hat? Then how do they sort us?"
Nina had just learned the technique of spinning a wand from Karl and was practicing it with great enthusiasm.
"It's a hat with a mind of its own. Once we put it on, our inner thoughts will be seen through, and then the hat will sort us into the four houses based on different traits."
Having figured out the Sorting Ceremony, Cho was a bit indignant: "My parents went too far! They made me nervous for so long!"
"Calm down. It's said that all Wizard parents keep it from first-year students. Maybe it's just a prank."
"What about the older students?"
Facing Cho's confusion, Karl gave her a soul-piercing answer:
"Since they've already been caught in the rain, why not throw away other people's umbrellas? Think about this time next year, watching a group of freshmen looking panicked; isn't that fun?"
"Ah, this... Hee hee!"
Lost in imagination, Cho's smile gradually became unbridled.
Karl ignored this silly girl. He needed to find someone reliable to discuss problems with, so he leaned closer to Nina.
"Do you think the Sorting Hat's ability to see through minds is Legilimency? You know this magic, right?"
Nina stopped the wand that was flipping up and down in her hand, frowned and thought for a while, then gave her opinion:
"I think the Sorting Hat's ability is a special type of Legilimency, similar but very different."
"First of all, the Sorting Hat was created by the four founders of Hogwarts, so this ability is very likely derived from Salazar Slytherin's Legilimency."
"Then, compared to Legilimency that directly reads thoughts or even views memories, the Sorting Hat's ability is to perceive a person's emotions, traits, and intentions."
"The reason for this change might have to do with the original intention of making the Sorting Hat."
"After all, the purpose of the Sorting Hat is to sort students, not to interrogate them. The objects of investigation are students of the school, not enemy criminals."
"So the four founders must have conducted some research to form this special type of Legilimency."
Karl: (⊙o⊙)
A discussion is supposed to be exchanging opinions or debating an issue, why are you directly giving me a lecture!
"Um... I think what you said makes a lot of sense. Actually, I thought so too. Well... you certainly know a lot!"
"Who let me have a Legilimency master at home? When I'm with her, I don't even need to speak."
"Then do you know Occlumency?"
"I won't tell you, but during the Sorting Ceremony, you will have a little surprise~"
Translate that, what do you mean by a little surprise! Don't be a riddle-maker!
Karl was about to pursue the question when he was interrupted by Cho, whose smile had already started to look a bit twisted.
"Karl, Nina! I have a fun idea! Help me make up a story!"
After hearing Cho's idea to scare the Little wizards, Karl suddenly remembered the way to make money that Professor McGonagall mentioned.
Perhaps he could take this opportunity to make a stir, which would make it easier to sell books in school later.
...
By the time it was getting dark, the Hogwarts Express was finally about to arrive.
Karl and Nina got up and took their robes out of their trunks, putting them on directly over their clothes.
The night air was quite cold at this time, so it was better to wear a bit more.
"The train has arrived, we should get off."
Karl opened the compartment door and looked out. The corridor was crowded with Little wizards, who were pushing and shoving toward the train door.
Soon, almost everyone in the carriage had left. Karl turned back to call his two companions.
"Let's go."
"Coming."
Nina carried her brown trunk in one hand and held Cho's hand with the other, following behind Karl.
After getting off the train, it was a dark and small old platform. In the distance, where the crowd gathered, a tall figure was holding a dim lamp.
Needless to say, it was the Hogwarts gamekeeper, Rubeus Hagrid.
"First-years! First-years, follow me! Watch your step! Follow me!"
The crowd began to move slowly, heading into the darkness.
Karl flicked his arm slightly, and the wand in his robe sleeve slid into his palm.
"Lumos."
A soft ball of light lit up at the tip of the wand, illuminating the rugged and narrow path for Karl and the others at the back.
"Great Lumos."
Nina's voice was very soft, as if it would dissipate in the night wind once it left the light.
"Thanks, I think you can do it too, it's a pity you can't free up a hand."
Cho pretended not to understand, looked at the pitch-black scenery around her, and simply hugged Nina's arm.
"No way, my treasures are in the trunk, I'm not too comfortable leaving them on the train."
The two chatted idly until Hagrid's shout came from the front.
"Around this bend, you're about to see Hogwarts for the first time!"
Surprised shouts came from the Little wizards in front, and they finally reached the end of the path.
Looking across the black lake, a majestic Castle stood on a high hillside, with towers and spires, and windows twinkling under the starry sky.
Having walked in the darkness for so long, suddenly seeing such a beautiful scene, the depressed mood brightened up.
"Everyone get on the boats in order, don't push, don't shove, no more than four people per boat."
"Is everyone on board? Then we're off!"
Under Hagrid's direction, the Little wizards boarded the small boats and rowed across the calm lake toward the Castle.
Passing through cliffs and ivy curtains in turn, they arrived at a hidden, open entrance, and the boats continued through a pitch-black tunnel, finally reaching an underground pier.
The Little wizards got off the boats one after another, stepping onto a ground of gravel and small pebbles.
"Follow me, everyone!"
Hagrid led everyone with his lantern from the underground tunnel to the shadowy lawn, and finally gathered in front of a huge oak door.
He raised his fist and knocked three times on the door, and it opened immediately.
Karl looked expectantly, and Professor McGonagall appeared before all the Little wizards with a powerful aura.
She scanned the crowd with a serious gaze, and when she met Karl's eyes, a flash of satisfaction appeared in her eyes.
Although they had been exchanging letters, she was still worried about the Kitten living outside.
Now that she saw Karl with a rosy complexion and high spirits, with two little girls by his side, and one prettier than the other, she was relieved.
"First-year students, Professor McGonagall."
"Thank you, Hagrid, I'll take it from here."
Professor McGonagall pulled the door wide open, beckoned the Little wizards to follow, walked through the entrance hall with a ceiling so high it couldn't be seen, and arrived at a small empty room on the left.
"Welcome to Hogwarts."