"Okay, come with me now!"
After resolving the earlier commotion, Professor McGonagall instructed the young wizards, turned around, opened the door behind her, and led them into the Great Hall.
Upon entering,
The young wizards were mesmerized by the enchanted ceiling that mimicked the sky and the candles floating mid-air.
"William, which house do you think we'll be sorted into?" Hermione asked curiously as they walked.
William Li had not yet responded when Ron interjected.
"Don't even consider Slytherin. They say the darkest wizards come from there. Anyone who gets sorted into Slytherin, like Malfoy will, is no good. Their whole family has been in Slytherin!"
To this,
"Don't listen to him. Becoming a dark wizard has nothing to do with the house!" William Li countered with a smile, shaking his head. "It's like schools; some students turn out bad and some become police officers. Can you blame the school?"
"Of course not!"
"Good or bad, it's up to the person to decide!"
"Besides, many of Hogwarts' headmasters were from Slytherin. If what he says is true, wouldn't that mean those headmasters weren't good people?"
As soon as these words were spoken,
Hermione and Harry nodded in understanding.
Indeed, Ron's views were too extreme!
Even those who end up in prison sometimes do so by accident.
Ron wanted to argue further but, upon reflection, found he had no ground to stand on, and reluctantly fell silent.
At that moment,
"Please wait here, everyone. Before we start the sorting ceremony, Headmaster Dumbledore has a few words," Professor McGonagall announced, halting before the infamous Sorting Hat.
At her words,
Dumbledore, seated on the stage, stood up and addressed the gathering with a genial smile, "Before we begin the new term, there are a few matters to which I must alert you."
"Firstly, all first-year students should note that the Forbidden Forest is strictly off-limits."
"Secondly, our caretaker Mr. Filch has asked me to remind you that the third-floor corridor on the right side is out of bounds if you do not wish to suffer a dreadful fate. Thank you."
With a wink at Professor McGonagall, Dumbledore sat down.
After acknowledging him with a nod, Professor McGonagall unfolded a parchment and declared, "Alright, let us begin the sorting ceremony. When I call your name, come forward, and the Sorting Hat will assign you to your house."
She paused briefly before calling the first name, "Hermione Granger!"
Upon hearing her name, Hermione closed her eyes, a hint of reluctance crossing her face.
She had hoped to observe the sorting process, but being called first made her somewhat uneasy.
Nonetheless,
Hermione, ever the good-hearted girl, walked up to the front.
After Professor McGonagall placed the Sorting Hat on her head, it quickly announced,
"Gryffindor!!!"
As the ceremony continued, students came forward as their names were called.
Ron and Harry were also sorted into Gryffindor, as per the original story.
Soon,
"William Li!"
It was now William Li's turn as called by Professor McGonagall.
Without hesitation,
He approached the stage confidently.
"Let's see. Oh, what's this? A city?" The Sorting Hat exclaimed in surprise, audible only to William.
With a slight smirk, William Li thought,
[Occlumency. Fantasy City (LV6-0/10000)]
[Description: Use mental power to construct an illusionary city in your mind. If someone tries to invade your mind, they will be trapped in the city!]
In a world rife with soul-invading abilities like Professor X's telepathy or a wizard's Legilimency, precautions were necessary.
Thus,
This skill was his safeguard.
"I'd advise you not to venture in, lest you get trapped!" Li William whispered, audible only to the Hat.
"Agreed," the Sorting Hat responded, its voice also a murmur indiscernible to others. "Teenagers today are quite the challenge! This magic, modified by Occlumency, I presume? There are traces of Occlumency here!"
William Li was slightly taken aback, not expecting the Sorting Hat to discern so much.
"It seems I guessed correctly!" The Sorting Hat noted William Li's reaction. "However, this makes my job difficult. It's hard to separate..."
"Let me think. Ravenclaw or Slytherin?"
"You know how to protect your mind at such a young age. You're either a person who is extremely calm and aware of dangers or one who is ambitious and prefers to conceal your true self."
"The best fit for someone like you would be in Ravenclaw or Slytherin."
William Li was startled,
Could the emotional Sorting Hat also perform psychological analysis?
However, upon reflection, this made sense.
Without some level of psychological insight, the Hat couldn't properly sort students.
"Then. Ravenclaw or Slytherin, you choose!" The Sorting Hat offered.
"Slytherin!" Li William declared without a moment's hesitation.
He had already decided on his house.
Even if the Sorting Hat had other ideas, he would have requested Slytherin anyway.
Before school, he had planned his strategy starting from Slytherin, aiming to rise through the ranks of Hogwarts.
"Then. Slytherin it is!" The Sorting Hat announced loudly.
At this declaration,
Sitting at the Gryffindor table, Ron and Hermione both secretly sighed in relief.
Despite their close ties with Li William, particularly Hermione who shared a nearly brotherly bond with him, they preferred not to be in the same house.
Their past troubles were all connected to Li William.
On the other side,
Malfoy heard the announcement and a gleam of satisfaction appeared in his eyes.
He vividly remembered their recent confrontation.
If Li William had been sorted into another house, revenge would have been complicated.
But with him in Slytherin, it would be much easier.
Unaware of these thoughts, Li William made his way to the Slytherin table and took a seat among his new housemates.
The surrounding Slytherins regarded him with curiosity but then returned to their conversations.
Slytherin's traits—cunning, ambition, self-preservation, and ruthlessness—meant they did not rashly engage with someone unfamiliar.
They would wait until they knew him better before initiating interaction.
Soon,
The sorting ceremony concluded.
"The feast begins now!" Dumbledore declared.
Immediately, a magnificent spread of food materialized on each house table.
Roast chicken, grilled sausages, French fries, fruits, and desserts filled the tables.
"This food really is from Sakura Country!" Li William couldn't help but comment after tasting the fare.
The food, whether desserts or savory dishes, was either too sweet or too greasy. It wasn't bad, but it was far from his standard of delicious—it was merely sufficient to satiate hunger.
With no other options, he resigned himself to the meal.
As Li William finished eating, the banquet came to an end.
After the chaotic rendition of the school song, the heads of each house led their students back to their respective common rooms.