Sorting Instructions and Ghosts

The moment Professor McGonagall left, the crowd erupted into noise. The new students excitedly discussed the Sorting process and guessed which Houses they would be assigned to.

"Do you think we can be sorted into Ravenclaw?" Hermione nudged Ye Ting and asked uneasily.

Though the little girl was proud, she was still somewhat uneasy in the face of this unfamiliar magical world.

"Of course," Ye Ting encouraged her firmly. "I heard Hogwarts has a talking hat. Once a new student puts it on, it can assign them to the right House based on their personality."

"But what if my personality isn't suited to Ravenclaw?" Hearing that only made Hermione more uneasy.

In fact, in the original story, the Sorting Hat had judged Hermione suitable for both Gryffindor and Ravenclaw, but ultimately chose to place her in Gryffindor.

In other words, Hermione was suited to Ravenclaw.

But to prevent any accidents, Ye Ting still told her how to make her own choice during the Sorting.

"I've heard of a method: a strong desire can change the Sorting Hat's mind," Ye Ting suggested. "As long as you strongly express that you want to join a particular House, the Sorting Hat will consider your opinion."

Hermione nodded, half convinced and half doubtful, her heart somewhat at ease.

But Ron Weasley suddenly cut in from beside them.

"Why join Ravenclaw? Trust me, Gryffindor is the best House."

He spoke loudly, instantly drawing the attention of the new students around them.

It was as if he had kicked a hornet's nest. In an instant, he was drowned out by all kinds of voices.

Some new students loudly objected, insisting that Slytherin was the best House. Others spoke up for Ravenclaw, while several little wizards who liked Gryffindor loudly supported Ron.

The place was as noisy as a marketplace.

Ye Ting put an arm around Hermione and led her away from the center of the crowd, finally escaping the noisy new students.

"Don't talk to idiots. Stupidity is contagious," he said.

Hermione laughed at his words, and much of her tension faded.

The commotion continued for quite some time, but suddenly, the voices turned into shrill screams.

Wave after wave of screams, like something out of a horror film, caught Ye Ting and Hermione's attention.

They turned toward the sound. The smile vanished from the little girl's face at once, and her mouth fell open as she nearly screamed too.

This was no longer merely like the set of a horror film. It was a horror film set.

More than twenty ghosts suddenly burst out of the walls. These pearly white, translucent ghosts drifted across the room while whispering among themselves, paying little attention to the first-year students. They seemed to be arguing about something.

Unlike the frightened new students, Ye Ting remained quite calm. Instead, he found the ghosts' physical state extremely interesting.

Among all works featuring magical worldviews, only the ghosts in Harry Potter possessed normal intellects without being influenced by negative emotions. Other than their inability to significantly affect physical matter, they had thought patterns broadly similar to ordinary people's and even had their own society. By comparison, ghosts in other settings were either extremely unintelligent and incapable of thought, filled with hatred and possessing thought patterns utterly unlike humans, or longing for reincarnation with no attachment to reality and little joy or sorrow. In short, they all tended toward becoming inhuman beings.

Unfortunately, he currently had neither the ability nor sufficient knowledge to study ghosts. Still, he resolved that one day in the future, he would conduct a proper comparative study of them.

For now, Ye Ting could only quietly comfort the nervous Hermione. Girls always seemed to be afraid of things like ghosts.

Then they heard the ghosts begin talking to the new students.

"New students!" A plump monk smiled at them. "I suppose you're here to be tested?"

Some students nodded silently.

"I hope you'll be sorted into Hufflepuff!" said the monk. "I used to belong to that House."

"Move along now," said a sharp voice. "The Sorting ceremony is about to begin."

Professor McGonagall had returned. The ghosts drifted away in single file, passing through the wall opposite them and disappearing.

"Now, form a single line," Professor McGonagall told the first-year students. "Follow me."

Following the crowd, Ye Ting passed through a pair of double doors and entered a magnificent dining hall.

They had never imagined a place so magical, wondrous, and splendid. Students from the other years were already seated around four long tables. Above them, thousands of candles floated in midair, lighting the hall. Shining golden plates and goblets were arranged on the four tables. At the far end of the hall stood another long table, the teachers' table.

Professor McGonagall led the first-year students over there and had them line up facing all the older students, with the teachers behind them.