[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-hogwarts-learning-panel":3,"chapter-hogwarts-learning-panel-hogwarts-learning-panel-chapter-288":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Hogwarts Learning Panel",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2250526,4210,"Chapter 288: The Sorting Hat","hogwarts-learning-panel-chapter-288",288,"\u003Cp>Harry and Ron didn’t return until the Sorting Ceremony ended.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>En felt slightly worried—they wouldn’t have been attacked by the Whomping Willow…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was said that tree had a rather bad temper.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aside from that, En paid the most attention to Ginny; she carried a notebook from fifty years ago, the very beginning of the Chamber of Secrets plot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>En had not the slightest intention of making contact with Riddle’s diary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Horcruxes were usually described merely as objects ensuring Voldemort’s immortality, but Riddle’s diary revealed functions far beyond that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It could corrupt a wizard’s soul and resurrect itself. After acquiring the Soul Relic, En became even more cautious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This Horcrux, split by Voldemort over many years, was not so simple; En always sensed a faint, elusive malice—and the troubling part was, the other might sense some of it too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>En knew Riddle’s diary had some hypnotic ability: “it devours a wizard’s deepest fears and most hidden secrets, growing hungrier and stronger.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So he dared not be the least bit arrogant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In this dark magic domain, Headmaster Dumbledore himself admitted: “Voldemort possesses powers I will never have.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, caution, waiting for the swift resolution of the Basilisk, and destroying Riddle’s diary after obtaining its fang became En’s current priorities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That day would come soon, so En was in no hurry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the Gryffindor table, the wizards were all excited:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Great Green, watching over his faithful believers—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fred raised an eyebrow, his tone mock-serious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The light of my lord shines upon us—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>George solemnly picked up the refrain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Strange—I rarely see anything steal En’s attention from his book.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hermione frowned. What could possibly make En look this way three times?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Harry and Ron!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hermione gasped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After En had said “nothing will happen,” she’d completely forgotten.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the end of the Sorting Ceremony, Headmaster Dumbledore and the professors rushed out of the Great Hall as if they’d just received momentous news.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This sparked wild rumors among the young wizards: some claimed Hogwarts had been invaded by a flying car; others said a thief had struck, targeting the precious Whomping Willow—but no one believed it; all agreed even the dim-witted Neville wouldn’t dare dig a single shovel at the tree.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hermione shouted angrily, and the others immediately apologized profusely to Neville.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The members of the Hut also gathered, anxious and uneasy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“En, really—nothing will happen, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hermione poked at her food anxiously; the bread was nearly turning to cheese.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Nothing will happen.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>En replied; after Headmaster Dumbledore left, he stopped worrying entirely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now he stared at the Sorting Hat, his gaze unusually dangerous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Sorting Hat twitched its frayed brim—it had just sensed that uneasy stare.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who was it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Curious, it twisted and turned, until its gaze met a pair of calm green eyes; moments later, it stiffly turned away:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Old hat should’ve known—like Ravenclaw, you hold grudges… old hat must hide…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Sorting Ceremony ended with Headmaster Dumbledore rushing back in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young wizards had endless chatter; they returned to their dormitories in high spirits. First-years naturally followed their prefects, still listening to upperclassmen’s tall tales and letting out startled cries in turn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the Great Hall had thinned, En and the others finally saw Professor McGonagall, her anger barely contained, with Harry and Ron trembling behind her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Eat here, then go back to your dorms!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Professor McGonagall raised her wand, pointed at the table, and a large platter of sandwiches, two silver cups, and a jug of iced pumpkin juice appeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She clearly was furious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I thought we’d be expelled!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ron grabbed a sandwich as soon as Professor McGonagall stormed off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Me too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Harry grabbed one as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There you are! Where have you been? Everyone’s talking—wild rumors—some say you flew here in a flying car and got expelled.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hermione dashed over from the corner of the Great Hall, followed by En and the others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We weren’t expelled.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Harry reassured her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re not seriously saying you flew here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hermione’s face darkened, ready to explode.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But her words were cut off by a thunderous round of applause from a group of Gryffindors who’d been waiting nearby.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brilliant!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lee Jordan shouted,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Incredible! What a spectacular way! Crashing a flying car into the Whomping Willow—people will be talking about this for years!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well done,”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>said a fifth-year student who’d never spoken to Harry before; someone clapped Harry on the back as if he’d just won a marathon; Fred and George pushed forward together, asking:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why didn’t you call us back?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing they were unharmed, En had already left; he was heading to the Headmaster’s office.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jia Jia Siting walked beside him, watching Harry’s uneasy expression closely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Harry’s gotten into trouble again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>En replied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Boy Who Lived, the Boy Who Defeated the Dark Lord, the Famous Boy…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jia Jia Siting sighed,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My mother says every gift fate bestows has already been priced in secret.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His voice faded into the cold night wind; the sky was pitch black, as if a heavy burden pressed upon the mountains, making the swaying branches hard to see.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Headmaster’s office was empty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>En knocked on the door and waited outside; to his surprise, the door opened on its own.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>En stepped naturally toward the desk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On a shelf behind the desk sat a tattered, crumpled wizarding hat—the Sorting Hat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>En circled the desk, picked up the hat, and seemed lost in thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Beautiful Ravenclaw, from the quiet riverside…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old hat suddenly began to sing, trembling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Disloyal Dumbledore… left at this moment; disloyal stone gargoyles… didn’t even block him; and disloyal door… opened by itself?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a vital Hogwarts treasure—how could they just hand it over to a young wizard?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Relax, Sorting Hat.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>En smiled; Headmaster Dumbledore seemed unbothered by his actions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“For the first time in centuries, old hat owes Ravenclaw a debt—what do you want? Or are you searching for something, young wizard?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Sorting Hat sighed helplessly.\u003C\u002Fp>",988,"2026-06-19T10:00:41.888Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","e52a2dc59c853c39c732f66a1d200cc8f1f5a0298ee65c5e9e39354f0360e632","hogwarts-learning-panel-chapter-289","hogwarts-learning-panel-chapter-287",526,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fhogwarts-learning-panel-cover.jpg"]