The Sorting Hat

"Quick! Let's check each other and see if there's anything wrong with us!"

As soon as Professor McGonagall left, Hermione anxiously said to Li Wei, Hannah, and Neville.

Li Wei had also noticed that Professor McGonagall had glanced at him several times, and he could not help wondering, Did I get something dirty on my face?

Unfortunately, Scourgify could not be used directly on people. Otherwise, he would have already picked a spell to solve the problem.

After checking one another, they found that apart from Neville having tied his cloak around his ear, the other three had dressed properly and had no dirt on their faces. They all breathed sighs of relief.

"Li Wei, was what you said on the train true?"

"Does the Sorting really involve an extremely strict trial? Can I make it through all four stages?

What if I fail?

I don't want to forget you, and I definitely don't want to be unable to learn magic! I don't want to go to the Muggle World!"

Neville had no mood to care about his appearance. His face was filled with worry, as though he might faint from anxiety at any moment, while he kept muttering about Li Wei's speculation.

The other young wizards who heard news about the Sorting also pricked up their ears. Those who knew that person even began asking around for information.

As a result, Li Wei's theory of wizarding social division of labor, along with the fake news, spread by word of mouth among the first-year students.

Listening to the young wizards panic, Li Wei, standing among the crowd, could not help feeling a little devil inside him cackle wickedly.

"I'm not going to be sent to the Muggle World! My father is Lucius Malfoy, a governor of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!"

A young wizard with slicked-back hair so greasy that even a fly would do the splits if it landed on it spoke with his face pale from fright. Still, he forced himself to remain composed, his nostrils raised high in the air as he spoke arrogantly.

He then looked at the red-haired young wizard beside him, contempt plain on his face.

"As for you, Weasley, a family of Pure-Blood traitors like yours is probably so poor you can't even afford to eat!"

"If you fail the entrance assessment of the Sorting Ceremony, you'll be sent to the Muggle World and never learn magic again. You'll only be a Mud—"

"Ah!"

Draco Malfoy, nicknamed "Draco Malpoop," had not finished speaking when an unknown young wizard's scream cut him off.

Everyone looked toward the scream and saw several translucent ghosts glowing pearly white floating out from beside the doors of the Great Hall.

A plump monk ghost with a kindly smile even greeted the young wizards and welcomed them to be sorted into Hufflepuff!

"What did you just say?"

Watching the ghosts float away, Ron Weasley's face turned as red as his hair. He angrily questioned Draco Malfoy.

The young wizard beside Weasley also glared at Draco Malfoy. He had not expected that, aside from his cousin, there could be another peer so irritating.

"I said," Draco Malfoy began with a smug smile, preparing to spit out the word he had not finished earlier.

At that moment, the doors of the Great Hall suddenly opened, and Professor McGonagall emerged, saying sternly:

"The Sorting Ceremony is about to begin. First-year students, follow me!"

Before the imposing Professor McGonagall, Ron Weasley and Draco Malfoy naturally did not dare make trouble. They glared at each other, then fell into line and followed her.

The single-file line moved slowly forward. Li Wei entered the brilliantly lit, magnificent Great Hall behind Hermione.

He looked up at the Great Hall's ceiling. It had been enchanted permanently and could change according to the weather and celestial phenomena outside.

Making the entire ceiling seem as though there was no ceiling at all!

Hermione did not bring up the things about Hogwarts that she had read in books again.

Standing behind Hermione, Li Wei could clearly hear the little girl endlessly reciting all kinds of spells and magical knowledge under her breath. She was obviously nervous to the extreme.

So this was the fun of being a backseat schemer?

I get it now!

A barely suppressed smile curved Li Wei's lips as he curiously raised his head and continued examining the furnishings of the hall.

There were four long tables in the Great Hall. Older students sat beside them, studying the first-year newcomers with all manner of looks.

The four houses were arranged from left to right: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin.

Gryffindor and Slytherin were seated the farthest apart. It seemed even whoever arranged the seats feared that the two hostile houses might start fighting during dinner.

At the head of the four long tables sat the faculty. With a single glance, Li Wei saw many familiar and unfamiliar faces.

He paid particular attention to the man wearing a large turban and dressed like an Indian.

This should be Professor Quirinus Quirrell, who had pursued knowledge down a dark path and voluntarily allowed the Dark Lord Voldemort to possess him!

Li Wei looked at him only once before turning his gaze elsewhere. He remembered that some powerful wizards could use magic to peer into others' memories and thoughts.

The Dark Lord Voldemort's remnant soul was clinging to the back of Quirrell's head. Li Wei had no desire to draw that fellow's attention or have his memories examined.

Professor McGonagall walked to the front of the faculty table and placed a dirty, patched hat on a four-legged stool.

The moment the hat was placed down, it began to sing under Li Wei's expectant gaze:

You may think I'm not very pretty,

But do not judge by appearances,

If you can find a hat more handsome than me,

I can eat myself,

You may make your bowler hats black and gleaming,

And make your tall silk hats smooth and crisp,

But I am Hogwarts' Sorting Hat,

Naturally far superior to your hats.

Any thought hidden inside your mind,

Cannot escape the Sorting Hat's sharp eyes,

Try putting me on, and I will tell you,

Which house you belong in.

Perhaps you belong in Gryffindor,

Where courage lies buried in the heart,

Their bravery, daring, and chivalry,

Make Gryffindor stand apart;

Perhaps you belong in Hufflepuff,

Where people are just and loyal,

Hufflepuff students are steadfast and honest,

And do not fear hard work;

If you have a clever mind,

Perhaps you will enter wise old Ravenclaw,

Those who are wise and learned,

Will always find their kindred spirits there;

Perhaps you will enter Slytherin,

Where you will make true friends,

But those cunning and treacherous folk will stop at nothing,

To achieve their ends.

Come and wear me! Do not be afraid!

Do not panic!

In my hands—though I have not a single hand—

You will be perfectly safe

For I am a thinking magic hat!

When the Sorting Hat finished its song, thunderous applause erupted throughout the hall. Li Wei listened with great interest and watched with excitement.

Giving an object intelligence and allowing it to think like a human—that was magic!

But Li Wei thought of even more. He wondered whether he could create something similar himself:

Something that could help him store and analyze enormous amounts of information.

And through it, carry out simple mechanical labor and control other complex, varied facilities.

In short, Li Wei wanted to create a magical version of artificial intelligence!

If he could truly create such a thing and solve its energy problem,

Then he alone could explosively raise the productivity of the entire wizarding world. Becoming an army by himself, reshaping the land, altering geographical environments on a massive scale, or contending against a nation's military would all be easy!

At that point, what would Voldemort, Grindelwald, or Dumbledore even be?

Before an army of golems controlled by magical artificial intelligence, they would only count as elite minor enemies, barely able to stir up a ripple!

Yet Li Wei also knew that the Sorting Hat was an ancient creation, jointly crafted by the Four Founders at the beginning of Hogwarts.

And he was only a young wizard who had just enrolled. Even with the Fantasy MOD System, there did not seem to be the slightest possibility of achieving this for now.

Still, everyone needed a dream, right?

The smile on Li Wei's lips grew broader. He had decided that his first ultimate goal in learning magic would be to create his own magical artificial intelligence and army of golems!