Chapter 510: The Heir

The night corridor was empty, with only the sound of faint footsteps.

Occasionally, some rustling movements could be heard, as if some crawling creature was moving.

Headmaster's office.

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

Guarding the Headmaster's office was a huge stone beast, and now the stone beast was jumping aside, revealing the rotating staircase behind it.

Xiang Xien walked into the Headmaster's office, and the portraits were all dozing.

On the thin-legged table were many strange silver instruments, spinning and puffing out small puffs of smoke.

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

Now the Sorting Hat was picked up by Xiang Xien.

"Mr. Sorting Hat?"

Xiang Xien put it on his head, and the huge hat covered Xiang Xien's eyes.

"Proud and shrewd Ravenclaw, ah... they always say that. But the old hat must say, wise Ravenclaw... possesses the courage born of long contemplation..."

The mouth-shaped folds of the Sorting Hat parted and closed,

"Without a doubt, the old hat knows, it is time."

The Sorting Hat always said some mystical things, and the wisdom of the four founders made its words not so easy to understand.

Under the moonlight, Xiang Xien seemed to have sensed something; he gently took off the Sorting Hat and held it in his hand.

On the gilded branch to the side, Fawkes raised its eyes and slowly spread its wings.

And right at the door, Harry, Hermione, and Luo En had already widened their eyes.

"How could it be Xiang Xien... oh no, besides Xiang Xien, no other young wizard could enter the Headmaster's office like this."

Luo En whispered.

"But what is he doing with the Sorting Hat?"

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

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

Harry suppressed the strange emotions in his heart and turned to look seriously at the young wizard bathed in moonlight.

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

Xiang Xien drew the Sword of Gryffindor.

"It is time, it is time, to respond and appear in time, to help the heir you have chosen..."

The Sorting Hat's voice was faint, until it disappeared completely.

This was a shining silver sword, hidden in the hat, with a dazzling, egg-sized ruby embedded in the hilt.

Xiang Xien held the Sword of Gryffindor, not expecting it to be so easy.

He was slightly puzzled, but time was almost up.

It was time to head to the Chamber of Secrets.

He pointed his wand, and some books flew out of his bag, quickly making a scabbard to wear the Sword of Gryffindor at his waist.

At this moment, he looked a bit like those ancient wizards.

Before the "International Statute of Secrecy" was promulgated, wizards could still interact freely with Muggles, but using a wand to fight a Muggle's sword was considered very dishonorable.

So they often used swords for self-defense in battle, just like using a wand.

And many talented wizards were usually excellent duelists, and Gryffindor was one of them.

However, Xiang Xien estimated that he had no talent for swordsmanship; he didn't even know if swordsmanship could be put on the panel.

At the door, the three Harrys shuddered, only then recovering from their sluggish and stiff state,

and hurried away from the door crack.

"What was that?"

Luo En stammered, and he was the first to run into the rotating staircase.

"The Sword of Gryffindor, if you had carefully read 'Hogwarts: A History,' you would know.

It was the best goblin silversmith, also known as Ragnuk the First, who forged the sword.

According to records, it largely possesses sensory capabilities like a wand, able to respond and appear in time to help the heir it has chosen."

Hermione explained eagerly, running into the rotating staircase second.

"But isn't Xiang Xien a Ravenclaw?"

Harry's head was muddled.

If there was a sword hidden in the Sorting Hat, then when they wore the Sorting Hat...

Were they being beheaded?

"When it comes to courage..."

Hermione stopped speaking halfway, because Luo En was shouting:

"There's actually a sword hidden in the Sorting Hat! Oh, I mean, will it fall out?"

Luo En was trembling a bit; so the Sorting Ceremony was really a test?

Wizards who didn't pass the test would have their heads chopped off by the sword.

His and Harry's thoughts were more or less the same.

"Never heard of such a thing."

Hermione explained impatiently.

Soon they stopped talking, because a young wizard had walked down from the rotating staircase that was turning again.

Moonlight illuminated his path forward, and when he passed by here, he suddenly looked back.

The three Harrys were scared out of their wits.

Fortunately, he looked away in the end.

"Almost got discovered."

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

Luo En, Harry, Hermione...

Xiang Xien counted the heads, not paying too much attention.

Being discovered didn't matter, as long as it wasn't Voldemort.

The only thing Xiang Xien cared about was Headmaster Dumbledore; he hadn't seen the Headmaster for a long time.

Since the last conversation, the Headmaster had appeared in the Great Hall much less often.

Second-floor girls' bathroom.

It was almost curfew time again.

"Hiss hiss (open)."

Xiang Xien said calmly.

Instantly, the faucet emitted a dazzling white light and began to spin rapidly.

Then, the sink moved too. The sink slowly disappeared from view, revealing a very thick pipe that could fit a person inside.

Xiang Xien put on the magical refraction mirror, and Bai Yi and Tila also put on customized versions.

"It is time."

In the corridor.

The three Harrys were circling anxiously; the person they were tracking had disappeared in the blink of an eye.

"You know? Harry, the purpose of holding a sword would never be to remove weeds.

If there's something that makes Xiang Xien even have to resort to external force..."

The Wei Silai family wizard always had some accurate intuition; at this moment, Luo En's face was already a bit pale.

"I'll go find Jia Siting, Harry, maybe he will know something."

Hermione turned to leave.

"I remember—"

Harry suddenly said,

"Remember that house-elf Dobby? It said Hogwarts would be in danger;

and my Parselmouth ability—Xiang Xien knew this, and he even asked me a few questions."

"What?"

Hermione and Luo En said in unison.

They seemed to have been dragged into some incredible plan again; every time, it was Xiang Xien silently doing something.

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

"What did you hear? Not this... it's open... it's open! Xiang Xien wants to open something!"

Harry said urgently. ===== CHAPTER 511 =====