I, Hogwarts Second Time Around.

Chapter 484 Weapons to Combat Evil

"Is she also a mortal chosen by the gods?" Koyater asked at this moment.

She glanced back and saw Zhang Xiaolin sitting back down by the flowerbed, her long black hair fluttering in the wind, much like her.

"I suppose so, but her situation is rather unique," Owen said vaguely. "It's a bit complicated to explain."

"I don't mind the trouble," Koyatl said.

"Let's go to the common lounge then."

"good!"

The group walked through the castle corridor to the auditorium and sat down according to their respective colleges.

They were destined to wait a while tonight, as the checks at the school gate would take a long time.

Because of their smaller numbers, the new students arrived at the Great Hall earlier than the upperclassmen. This was likely the first time in Hogwarts history that such a situation had occurred.

Professor McGonagall stood before the guest of honor.

As always, he held a long list of names in his hand, with a high stool beside him and the Sorting Hat on it.

She first arranged for the new students to sit on the benches closest to Gryffindor and Hufflepuff.

After all, they may have to wait a long time.

And just like that—more than an hour passed!

The auditorium doors had just closed.

With the last wizard seated, the Sorting Ceremony began amidst the impatient gazes of most.

"Damn it—why can't we eat earlier!"

"What ridiculous rules!"

The above is in the branch campus.

There was shouting and cursing below.

It was mainly Irving who was yelling and cursing.

Hannah suppressed a laugh as she looked at him.

She always thought it was cute when Irving started swearing.

She wasn't the only one who felt this way; all the other young wizards in Hufflepuff shared the same sentiment.

Listening to him offer various greetings to the Ministry of Magic.

It's not impossible that some people might even enjoy it.

"Isn't dinner ready yet? Isn't dinner ready yet!"

"Damn it—when I become the principal, I'll definitely abolish this bad habit! Eat first, then divide into departments!"

"If you curse less, you'll save some energy!" Koyatl glanced at him and said.

"It's precisely because you're hungry that you're yelling; that's called the distraction technique."

"Heh—then keep cursing!" Koyatl rolled his eyes at him, realizing that this guy was hopeless.

Finally, someone ran out of things to say.

The branching ceremony is finally over.

Just when Irving thought dinner was about to start...

That damned Sorting Hat suddenly spoke.

In times of crisis, we must unite.

Such nonsense as "Only by uniting can we fight our enemies."

Damn it—you're just a hat. A hat!

What's the point of saying all this nonsense!

It's not even as good as a shield; at least a shield can block spells.

Finally, the Sorting Hat's nonsense is over.

Dumbledore stood up and said only two words: "Dinner's ready!"

Then, a sumptuous feast suddenly appeared on the previously empty long table.

Without a moment's hesitation, Irving grabbed a ladle and began to work on the thick soup in front of him.

With her other hand, she reached for a large piece of chocolate cake.

Seeing this, Hannah silently placed a honey pie in front of him.

Koyatl wasn't particularly hungry at first—but with this guy next to her, her stomach inexplicably twitched.

Then I felt a wave of hunger.

They ate and ate heartily for quite a while.

Irving barely managed to suppress the terrifying beast hiding in his stomach.

This ferocious beast torments people four times a day; it's not easy to deal with.

Even someone as strong as him was defeated time and time again.

In the auditorium, the sounds of wolfing down food gradually subsided. Just then, Dumbledore stood up behind the faculty and staff dining table.

The noisy chatter in the auditorium immediately subsided.

"Good evening, everyone," he said with a kind smile, opening his arms as if to embrace the entire auditorium.

"Alright, new students, welcome to the school; and returning students, welcome back to school for a new year of magical education..."

"The warden, Filch, told me to tell everyone that this year, students are strictly prohibited from bringing any joke merchandise purchased from the Weasleys Wizarding Tricks shop," Dumbledore continued. "In addition, students who wish to join the House Quidditch team should, as usual, give their names to the Headmaster. We are also looking for new Quidditch commentators; those interested should also register with the Headmaster."

"This year, we are delighted to welcome a new faculty member, Professor Slughorn."

As soon as Dumbledore finished speaking, Slughorn stood up.

His bald head gleamed in the candlelight, and his large belly, clad in a vest, cast a deep shadow on the table.

"Professor Slughorn is a former colleague of mine, and he has agreed to return to his old job as a Potions teacher."

"What, Potions class?"

"Potions class?"

"How could it be Potions class?"

Such doubts echoed throughout the auditorium, with everyone wondering if they had misheard.

"Meanwhile, Professor Snape," Dumbledore continued, raising his voice to drown out the murmurs, "will be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts."

"Oh no!"

Although the sound wasn't loud, there were still quite a few young wizards from other houses in the hall letting out bursts of wails.

A burst of cheers erupted at the Slytherin table, and everyone's face showed a hint of smug joy.

"Huh? No change of personnel?" Owen was quite surprised. If that's the case, then what is Zhang Xiaolin doing here?

Dumbledore did not stop the whispering of the young wizards below. He waited for about ten seconds to make sure everyone was completely quiet before continuing to speak...

"Everyone in this Great Hall knows that Voldemort and his followers are causing trouble again, and their power is growing. I need to emphasize that the situation is extremely dangerous, and every one of us at Hogwarts needs to be extremely careful to ensure our own safety."

"As you may have noticed, the Ministry of Magic has sent Aurors to Hogwarts and Hogsmeade Village."

"You were all checked before entering the castle, right?"

In the auditorium, everyone nodded.

Such stringent measures are simply unprecedented.

"In addition to the Aurors from the Ministry of Magic, the International Wizarding Confederation's Special Operations Team will also be sending wizards to Hogwarts."

As he spoke, Dumbledore raised his right hand and pointed to a strange, dark-haired witch at the faculty table.

"This is Professor Xiaolin Zhang, a Defense Against the Dark Arts professor from the Imperial Academy in Chang'an, Ming Dynasty. She is also a member of the Special Operations Team of the International Wizarding Federation. Starting today, she will be stationed at Hogwarts to conduct periodic security checks on the school. Although Professor Zhang will not teach any subjects, she still has the right to teach."

Zhang Xiaolin stood up, waved her folding fan, and casually greeted the young wizards below.

Compared to a month ago, she has lost some of her mystery and gained a sense of laziness.

The young wizard had noticed the unfamiliar witch long ago.

After all, with a young, beautiful, graceful witch dressed in a dark green dress that was completely different from theirs, there was no way they wouldn't notice her at the faculty and staff table.

Dumbledore paused deliberately for a moment.

To satisfy everyone's curiosity about the new professor.

After about ten seconds, he continued, "The castle's magical defenses were strengthened during the summer vacation, and we have new and more effective protection. However, every teacher and student must remain vigilant at all times and cannot let their guard down in the slightest. Therefore, I require you to strictly abide by every safety rule set by the teachers, no matter how annoying those rules may be, especially the rule that you must not get up and go out after lights out."

I urge you all to immediately report any unusual or suspicious situations to the faculty or staff, whether on or off campus. I trust that you will restrain yourselves for your own safety and the safety of others.

Dumbledore's blue eyes swept over all the students, then a smile appeared on his face.

"Alright, your beds are waiting for you, warm and comfortable as you expected. I know your priority now is to get some rest and prepare for class tomorrow. So, let's say 'goodnight'."

As usual, benches were pushed behind them, making a screeching sound.

Hundreds of students began to file out of the auditorium and head towards their dormitories.

After saying goodbye to Hermione, Owen returned to the Hufflepuff common room with Hannah and the others.

He had returned to Hogwarts several times during the summer holidays, so everything felt like it was just yesterday.

But for the other young wizards, they hadn't been here for over two months.

Although the surrounding furnishings were almost identical, everyone was still in high spirits, sitting in armchairs, chatting, and had no intention of going to bed early.

Irving and Koyatl sat facing each other and talked about the gods.

Justin, Hannah, Susan, and Ernie chatted about their experiences during the summer vacation.

As the conversation progressed, the topic turned to Qu Yicao, a student mentored by Professor Sprout last semester.

It seems they all want to grow a few plants themselves this semester.

As they were speaking, the oak door to the Hufflepuff common room suddenly opened.

At this time of day, there shouldn't be any young wizards outside. Everyone instinctively looked towards the low oak passageway, only to see a witch dressed completely differently from them walk in.

"Security check—" Zhang Xiaolin walked in slowly, bending over.

He then began to examine the layout of the lounge.

"Hmm—it's not big, but it's quite cozy."

She didn't mean to belittle anyone; the Ming Dynasty had the largest number of wizards in the world. The combined number of students at the three major magic schools in Europe probably didn't even equal the number of students at the Imperial Academy in Chang'an.

The student dormitories at the Imperial Academy were naturally enormous.

"Let's talk—" she said, looking at Owen.

Then he walked over and sat down next to Koyatl.

She seemed to sense that the little girl in front of her was on the same path as her.

The other young wizards of Hufflepuff looked at the witch who had suddenly barged in with great shock.

Every European harbors a mysterious longing for the distant Far East.

Legend has it that this place is the birthplace of magic, the land where a systematic magical tradition was first established, and boasts a splendid history and magical civilization.

Almost every wizard who aspires to become an adventurer chooses that country as their first destination.

"Hello, Professor." Hannah, as the prefect, was the first to greet Zhang Xiaolin, who had stood up.

"Hello."

"Wow—Professor, you're so young, and your English is so good, with a London accent!" Compared to Hannah's restraint, Justin was much bolder. He spoke to Zhang Xiaolin in a very casual manner, perhaps because of her age; Asians, after all, naturally look five or six years younger than their own. Aside from her alluring charm, Zhang Xiaolin, in appearance alone, was almost indistinguishable from a sixth or seventh-grade girl at Hogwarts.

Of course—being more beautiful is a stark difference.

"Oh—really?" The compliment on her youth brought a smile to Miss Zhang's face. She unfolded her folding fan, covering her lips and nose, and looked at Justin, saying, "What an honest and good boy."

"As for the English accent—I worked in the Federation for a while, and I also have some of my people in London."

"Do you have relatives in London?" Susan tugged at Rajasin's arm, then glared at him angrily. The guy was getting a little carried away. Then she looked at Zhang Xiaolin. "Do you know Qiu Zhang? She's a Ravenclaw student. Since you both seem to have the same last name, Zhang."

"Zhang Qiu?" Zhang Xiaolin rested her chin on her folding fan, pondered for a moment, and then said, "According to the family genealogy, she should call me Great-Aunt."

"Grandma?" Susan looked surprised. The witch in front of her looked to be only in her early teens or twenties. She didn't look like a grandmother at all. Did the Ming Dynasty have magic that could preserve youth and prevent aging?

"My adoptive mother is of a higher generation," Ms. Zhang explained simply. "If your adoptive mother were—um—Professor McGonagall, you would also be several generations higher than others."

"Oh—" Everyone nodded, understanding the reason behind it.

We chatted briefly.

In general, Zhang Xiaolin introduced the local customs and culture of the Imperial Academy and the current situation of the Federation.

A dozen minutes later, she shifted her focus to Irving and Koyatl.

"What a beautiful girl," she said with a half-smile, her eyes darting back and forth between Koyatl and Owen.

"Does the selection of deities come with hidden requirements regarding appearance?"

Irving clicked his tongue, reluctant to talk about it, but he still explained to the woman in front of him, who had become more charming than a month ago, and to Koyatl, "Cause and effect are reversed."

It's because the ancient magic caused mutations in organisms, making the unfortunate ones who were tainted by the power of the Outer Gods look more like the Outer Gods.

You should say that the goddess is really beautiful.

"Is the scattered divine power also ancient magic?" Zhang Xiaolin pressed.

"Yes."

"Then what's this about you being the heir? From whom did you inherit your ancient magic?"

"Born that way."

"Born that way?" Zhang Xiaolin frowned, seemingly dissatisfied with the answer.

The power of the gods is ancient magic.

If all heirs are born with ancient magic, doesn't that mean they can become gods?

That sounds absolutely ridiculous.

"If you have any questions, ask Merlin." Owen saw the doubt in Zhang Xiaolin's heart and casually tossed the trouble to her.

(End of this chapter)