Silence.
When Alina spoke, the air in all of Hogwarts Castle seemed to freeze for a moment.
The giggling and joking students at the four tables and the professors whispering to each other at the faculty table all froze in unison, their eyes turning toward that stalemate in the center of the Great Hall.
"..."
The shabby pointed hat quickly began to tremble in response to Alina's threatening tone, but it soon went back to normal and ceased to show any reaction.
As for the first-year students behind Alina, her unexpected action made their unease and shyness instantly vanish, and their eyes were bursting with so much admiration that it was practically tangible.
"You can even get sorted like this?!"
"Big Sister Alina is so hot."
"...So cool!"
Some of the first-year students even began to tremble in excitement, as if they were the ones standing in Alina's place.
Professor McGonagall tightly pursed her lips. She shot a glare at the chattering crowd, her chest heaving like a set of bellows as she furiously smiled.
"Threatening the Sorting Hat? I've been a teacher for so many years, but not once have I run into someone who has done something like this...a student like you!"
Professor McGonagall stared at the audacious silver-haired girl, for a moment, unable to find an appropriate word to describe her.
She should have known that a little devil that would stew owls sent to deliver letters would never so suddenly become an obedient girl.
"Stop making trouble! The Sorting Hat would never agree to this unreasonable request!"
Professor McGonagall glanced at Alina and her wand, her eyebrows rising so sharply that they were practically vertical lines.
Alina looked up, no sign of fear in her lake-blue eyes as she met the Deputy Headmistress's gaze, her voice calm and even.
"Respected Professor McGonagall, might I ask, is your name the Sorting Hat? I think that, as a sentient magical hat, it can make its own decisions."
In this brief amount of time, the fuzzy idea in Alina's mind had gradually grown more distinct.
Ordinary Legilimency could only read what a person was thinking at the time, but the Sorting Hat could clearly penetrate into the soul, reading one's memories, emotions, thoughts, and even one's magical traits.
Thus, until she had a complete mastery of Occlumency and understood the principles of the magic in the Sorting Hat, she would not put the hat on.
"Fine, fine, fine..."
Professor McGonagall repressed her rage and furiously nodded, squeezing out icy words from between clenched teeth.
"Sorting Hat, tell her that the traditions of Hogwarts cannot be questioned! I don't believe that there's a new student who would dare to attack the Sorting Hat."
"How convenient. I also don't think that a storied wizarding school would employ a teacher who would use a spell on a new student who hasn't even been sorted yet...simply because they aren't willing to put on a hat?"
Alina smiled as she warmly replied.
"Sorting Hat, there's no need to worry. Just say what you want to say. After all, we'll have seven years to slowly get to know each other."
"..."
The shabby and filthy Sorting Hat remained motionlessly slumped on the stool.
It was like all of its magic had suddenly gone away, and it seemed no different from any ordinary wizard hat.
"Sorting Hat?!" X2
The old and young witch once more clashed with their eyes, and then they turned as one to stare at the black wizard hat.
"Oh...ah..."
These two sources of immense pressure caused the Sorting Hat to unwillingly twitch. After some thought, it began to speak cautiously.
"Actually, I think, Miss Alina, that being such a courageous and fearless child, you might want to consider Gryffindor..."
"Eh?!" X2
Two people scoffed almost simultaneously.
Professor McGonagall glanced at the problem student before her and raised an eyebrow, her tone clearly displeased.
"Our Gryffindor has never considered illegal actions as courage. Sorting Hat, the problem right now is not which house she belongs to..."
"There's nothing to think about! Hufflepuff!"
Before Professor McGonagall could finish, Alina reached into her robe with her left hand and took out another wand, which she pointed at the Sorting Hat as well.
"I'll give you one more chance to rethink your words."
This was no time for jokes! If she ended up in Gryffindor House, Professor McGonagall would be her House Head. Given the current situation, she would definitely use the chance to get her revenge.
"Ah, then..."
The Sorting Hat looked left and right, the face formed from the wrinkles appearing particularly mournful as it prepared to speak.
Thud!
Behind Alina, the doors to the Great Hall suddenly burst open through sheer force.
"Minister, you can't do this! Gentlemen, please! You can't just barge in! The Sorting Ceremony is still going on."
A thin and stooped man holding a lantern stood in front of the entrance. At his feet, a scrawny calico cat was threateningly growling, its hairs bristling.
"Stand aside! Argus Filch, we don't have the time to talk with you."
A short and stocky man violently waved his hand, and then a muscular wizard stepped forward and pushed back the pitiful caretaker, causing him to stagger back a step.
A line of adult wizards filed in through the doors and began to head to the faculty table, heedless of anyone else.
Everyone in the Great Hall turned to look at these strangers who had suddenly intruded. From their dress, the intruders belonged to two distinct groups.
The group with the greater number wore black coats and bowler hats designed with the wind of the British Isles in mind. Their clothes were neat and orderly, and their faces established them as grim and inflexible wizards.
The other group of wizards and witches wore finely tailored robes, and they exuded an air of importance and nobility as they brought up the rear of the group.
"Miss Kaslana, withdraw! Return to your place."
Before Alina could react, the woman in pink-green protectively stepped forward.
Deputy Headmistress and Head of House Gryffindor, Minerva McGonagall, took out her wand, her fingers nervously gripping it as she glared through her spectacles and bellowed.
"Gentlemen, this is Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry! You have no right to intrude! Please, leave at once!"
"No! You have no idea what is going on, Minerva. Stand aside! This has nothing to do with you."
The short man leading the group shrank back a little in the face of Professor McGonagall's wand. He looked past her to the central seat of the faculty table and roared with even greater volume than Professor McGonagall.
"Dumbledore! Just now, the goblins of Gringotts held a press conference, announcing that they obtained Hogwarts Castle as collateral, and they even showed off the property deed that has the stamps of Slytherin and Hogwarts. Who's going to explain to me what in the world is going on?!!"