A few minutes earlier...

"Sorting Hat, do you know what a school worries about most?"

"Teaching accidents—or rather, the extremely serious damage caused to students or important teaching resources and facilities due to the words and actions of professors... When this contradiction erupts, all the quarrels and confrontations will be temporarily put aside..."

In the dark world of the hat, whispers from the white-haired devil echoed in the Sorting Hat's mind.

"Legilimency can only target people; it cannot read the thoughts of magical creations. This is also the most crucial safeguard for the performance—if you don't want Hogwarts to become a battlefield, then the most appropriate response at this moment is a chaotic and disorderly state of madness..."

"In short, please remember: Do not respond! Do not respond! Do not respond!"

"As for me..."

Ayliana's lake-blue eyes flickered, instantly transforming into a state of cold, absolute rationality.

Or, more simply—the legendary Sage Mode.

As a Veela hybrid, a bewitching third-generation Demon King, and the Gringotts Goblin Queen, this kind of acting is practically an innate ability for her, especially with the growth of the past year, she is now more than capable.

More importantly...

Lies form a terrifying inertia.

From the moment the Sorting Hat compromised, the future path was pretty much set. As Grindelwald taught, a true Demon King never deigns to coerce others with force... even if the other party is just a hat.

However, the Sorting Hat had no way to glimpse the subsequent content.

After the last sentence flashed through her mind, Ayliana cleared her thoughts and began deducing various mathematical theorems.

Danilova Aleksey confirmed her previous thought that even the Sorting Hat, possessing the wisdom of the four founders, would still be limited by the era and knowledge when faced with the most brilliant pearl on the crown of human wisdom.

In this respect, the Sorting Hat, Dumbledore, and even all the wizards of this era were the same.

...

"Ayliana, can you hear me?"

Dumbledore's gaze lingered on Ayliana's lake-blue eyes for a second or two before actively looking away.

The old wizard sighed, rubbed his brow wearily, and a hint of helplessness appeared on his face—with the small success of Occlumency and the mathematical model comparable to ancient evil gods, he felt even more sympathy for the Sorting Hat's plight.

Compared to him, who could actively "disconnect," the Legilimency fixed on the Sorting Hat couldn't be stopped voluntarily.

On the other hand, Ayliana, as the subject of sorting, was obviously not feeling well either. If nothing went wrong, based on some strange ancient magic stimulation from this morning, the girl's mind must now be filled with all kinds of troublesome information.

"Huh? What is it… yawn—"

Ayliana nodded lightly, her eyes shifted, gradually regaining their brilliance.

Then, a look of fatigue appeared on her delicate face, and she yawned quite cutely, as if she had just woken up, still a little groggy, or as if she had stayed up all night and was trying hard to break free from fatigue.

"Is the Sorting over? Professor Dumbledore, where do I go now?"

Ayliana yawned again, stood up unsteadily, and a just-right look of confusion appeared on her face.

Just as she had expected, this cunning old radish would not rigidly adhere to his promise not to use Legilimency proactively at a critical moment. If she hadn't been prepared, she might have been exposed with just that one glance.

Severus Snape isn't the only Occlumency master in this world.

Whether it was Grindelwald or Lockhart, their magical attainments in this area were also quite outstanding. After so long of magical study, coupled with the mathematical model, Ayliana could almost perfectly deceive Dumbledore.

"Yes, the Sorting is over. As for you—"

Dumbledore shook his head helplessly, looked at the girl's chest, and then at Professor McGonagall, who hesitated to speak.

As the Headmaster of Hogwarts, Dumbledore naturally knew what the Heads of House were fighting for.

The annual House Cup competition at the end of the Hogwarts year was just one reason. Ayliana Kaslana carried more than just her own score—most importantly, she would improve a house's overall strength, treatment, confidence, cohesion, and, to some extent, influence the Hogwarts students' campus lifestyle.

From the current state, whether Ayliana went to Gryffindor, Slytherin, or Hufflepuff, any of these three houses would inevitably make the other two houses feel like he was favoring one side.

After all, according to Hogwarts' past procedures, as the new prefect, Ayliana would also need to take the students to their respective common rooms, and the house table she stayed at tonight would undoubtedly be the area she needed to be responsible for...

Unless—

Dumbledore paused, took a deep look at Ayliana, cleared his throat, and continued.

"Since the Sorting Hat first mentioned Ravenclaw, before I and the professors discuss and come to a result, Ayliana, you can temporarily sit at the Ravenclaw table. And don't rush to leave after the feast ends—"

"Minerva, as for the Sorting Hat, let it have some time alone to calm down... Give it some time to digest."

"For the time being, it seems this is the only way, Professor Dumbledore."

Minerva McGonagall glanced at the hat still shouting in her hand, shook her head helplessly, bent down slightly to pick up the three-legged stool used for sorting, and strode towards the staff lounge next to the staff table.

Since Ayliana Kaslana entered the school, the Sorting Ceremony had never gone smoothly.

In fact, according to Minerva McGonagall's thoughts, she even had a moment when she had the urge to lock Ayliana in the nearby staff lounge next year, and not release her until the Sorting Ceremony was over.

As expected, Ravenclaw—

Hearing Dumbledore's final decision, the little antennae on top of Ayliana's head swayed triumphantly.

"Okay, Professor Dumbledore, I will stay after the dinner."

The girl nodded slowly, her lake-blue eyes showed no ripples, and she replied in a calm voice.

The future of Hogwarts lies in the students, not a single professor. Controlling the Sorting Hat is, in a way, equivalent to controlling half the future—from data collection to macro-control between houses, there are too many uses.

Of course, all of this is still just a long-term plan that has not yet happened.

At least before the Hogwarts academy city is fully established, Ayliana does not need the big data analysis from the Sorting Hat, as well as long-term plans over a year. Her era has just begun.

This child might have a hard time tonight...

Dumbledore raised his head, looked at Ayliana walking towards the Ravenclaw table, and shook his head gently.

A head-on collision with the Sorting Hat, this kind of spiritual confrontation, neither side will be the ultimate victor.

Compared to the wisdom of the four founders, Ayliana is, after all, just a minor witch. Perhaps because of Grindelwald's and Tom's previous examples, he had been too vigilant, so he should adjust it slightly later.

At the same time.

On the other side, at the Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, and Hufflepuff tables.

"Phew, Ayliana is fine."

"Dad was right, Ayliana is indeed dangerous..."

"This white-haired dumpling is starting to lie again!"

As Ayliana's little antennae showed a familiar swaying trajectory, Hannah Abbott, Luna Lovegood, and Hermione Granger all breathed a sigh of relief in unison, and a strange expression appeared on their faces at the same time.

—This white-haired dumpling is too bold, daring to lie to the Headmaster?

Most importantly, from the current situation, this white-haired dumpling actually succeeded?!

...

"Okay, so the Sorting is over! Now let me think, where was I..."

Dumbledore regained his thoughts, cleared his throat, and smiled around the hall.

"Oh, that's right! Welcome, welcome everyone back to Hogwarts!"

"I believe everyone is a little hungry, but before that, please be patient for a moment—there are a few things about Hogwarts this semester that I think it is necessary to tell you in advance. Most of them are relatively important things, so I think it is best to tell you them before you enjoy the delicious meal and your minds become confused..."

"I am very happy to welcome three new teachers to join our lineup this semester, the first is Professor Lupin."

Dumbledore showed a kind smile and pointed to the staff seats behind him.

At the same time, a wizard who looked a little sickly stood up and smiled gently at the students.

Compared to the other well-dressed professors, Professor Lupin's wizard robes were obviously much shabbier. There were several patches on the robes. Although he looked young, his light brown hair was already a little gray.

As Professor Lupin stood up, Severus Snape's sallow, thin face twitched.

"Professor Snape..." Harry looked at Snape with some concern.

After a year of getting along, he had almost regarded Snape as a close elder.

Although the professor's face was cold most of the time, Harry knew very well that Snape was not as tyrannical as the senior Gryffindor students said. At least Snape was the only professor who gave him a gift on his birthday.

However, the expression on Snape's face now looked so unfamiliar.

Harry remembered seeing such a hateful expression on Professor Snape's face only once, that was a few months ago during the trial of Peter Pettigrew, when Professor Snape looked at Peter Pettigrew and Sirius Black.

However, apart from Harry, most of the little wizards were not paying attention to Professor Snape at this time.

Everyone's attention was on Dumbledore and the new professor who was nodding to everyone.

"I have to regretfully inform everyone that our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Quirinus Quirrell, has not yet recovered from St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, and Professor Apocalis would rather continue to serve as the castle caretaker than teach a specific subject. However, I believe that Professor Lupin's abilities are enough to take on this teaching position."

"Besides..."

Dumbledore paused slightly, glanced around at the students who were discussing, and said with a smile.

"I am very happy to announce to everyone that from this semester onwards, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry will add two interesting and important main courses—Maths & Physics, and Literature..."

Along with the old wizard's voice, a young man wearing a forget-me-not blue wizard robe stood up impatiently and showed the students a hearty and dazzling smile.

And next to the young man, a middle-aged man with a slightly shiny forehead stood up with a wry smile, looked around the students in the hall with some nervousness and helplessness, and finally his eyes fell on a little girl at the Ravenclaw table, showing a gentle smile.