"Professor... this..."
Cypher called out to Professor Dumbledore.
He glanced around, his gaze lingering briefly on each of the portraits.
"Oh! Right! I nearly forgot!"
It was hard to say... whether Dumbledore had deliberately been spreading some kind of message.
Because under Cypher's watchful gaze—
Dumbledore acted like a forgetful old man, only reacting after Cypher reminded him and dramatically slapping his forehead.
Dumbledore waved his wand, and every portrait turned around to face the wall.
Then he cast another Isolation Charm and gestured for Cypher to inspect it.
Dumbledore's isolation magic naturally ensured that neither sound nor magical fluctuations could leak out.
"Cypher, are you sure you didn't mishandle your relationship with Cassandra, causing her to waver and choose Slytherin?"
He had thought Cypher wanted to ask him to transfer Cassandra to Ravenclaw.
As long as Cypher told him about the conflict between himself and Cassandra, and Cassandra changed her mind again, it would not be too difficult for him to cast a powerful Confundus Charm and have the Sorting Hat reassign Cassandra's House information.
Yet Cypher pulled a compass from his robes. Not only did he activate it, but he also summoned an almost tangible magic circle.
A strange gleam flashed through Dumbledore's eyes, and surprise appeared on his face.
It was unclear whether he was surprised that Cypher was seriously inspecting the Sorting Hat, or by Cypher's greatly improved magical ability.
The nearly solid silver-white magic circle descended over the Sorting Hat.
Hiss, hiss—
Wisps of black smoke gradually rose up...
Dumbledore rushed to Cypher's side.
Magic gathered in his eyes, blue light flickering continuously.
After a long while, the Sorting Hat no longer emitted the slightest unusual aura beneath the magic circle.
After checking it repeatedly, Cypher withdrew the magic circle.
After hesitating for a moment,