Sorting Ceremony Sept 2022

Myra fiddles with her hands, waiting for the Great Hall doors to open. There were many other kids her age waiting just as anxiously. After a couple of minutes the doors finally open. Myra stared in awe at the hall. Floating candles danced around the hall. What Myra guessed to be the professors, sat at a big table at the front of the room. A man greeted everyone as they walked through the doors. Myra learned that he was the Headmaster, Solomon Lear. Myra and the other kids walked up to the front of the tables. There were only four but they stretched to fill the hall. There were a bunch of kids already sitting there talking to themselves. They talked to each other as if they had known each other since they were babies, and Myra only hoped she could find friends like that throughout the years. Headmaster Lear then walked up a couple stairs and stood behind a fancy looking podium. He then put his wand to his throat and began to speak. He gave a speech about the sorting system and a little bit of the history behind it. Myra’s eyes widened as a hat started talking. The hat had indents for eyes and a mouth. It began to sing about the history of the school. Once it was done the headmaster began calling off names on a very long list. As Headmaster Lear read off the list, kids from the group walked up to the chair. The hat was then placed on their head. The hat let out quick rambles about the person’s personality and their traits before yelling out their house. After 10-13 kids got sorted Myra froze.
“Myra Elises,” Lear loudly said.
Myra cleared her throat before walking up to the chair. She looked calm and collected on the outside, but on the inside, she was freaking out. The hat was placed on her head and Myra took a deep breath. “Oh well aren’t you creative,” the hat let out a small chuckle.
“Hmm, you’re witty, have a desire to learn more about history and other secrets in the world…” The hat began to trail off.
“This might be the easiest house sorting yet. I ought to put you in RAVENCLAW,” the hat called out. A bunch of older students cheered from a table. Looking above the table Myra saw a banner with a raven,
“That must be the Ravenclaw table,” she thought, before taking the hat off and sitting down in an empty space. She smiled as she sat down, getting more and more excited for the friends she would make throughout her years here.

I was in the line of first-years, looking around in astonishment at the Great Hall, all the other students at the long tables. I caught my brother Sammy's eye at the Hufflepuff and he winked. After 5 more sortings, it was my turn. "Griffith, Aurora!" The Headmaster called Heart pounding, I slowly walked up(though I had hesitated for a second)and sat in a chair. The Sorting Hat was placed on my head, and I felt like my thoughts were being dug through. "Hmm, you're an interesting one. You have the spirit of a Hufflepuff, kind and loyal, yet you would also do well in Gryffindor, bravery, and daring ..." After a few pondering moments, at last, the Sorting Hat shouted, "HUFFLEPUFF!" and the sound of applause filled my ears. I hated the loud noises and the crowds, but I covered my ears, pushed through it, and sat at the Hufflepuff table near Sammy. He grinned and gave me a thumbs-up. I felt SO relieved! But not only was I relieved, but I was also beginning to understand why it had placed me in Hufflepuff. Though I was also a Gryffindor of sorts, in a way... that doesn't count, so does that make me a Gryffinpuff? I had no idea, but I couldn't wait to send a letter to my parents, telling them what I had just experienced!

Entering the Great Hall was incredible in itself. The actual building itself reminded me of a huge cathedral my parents took me to when I was younger. The difference with this one, however, was that the ceiling seemed to go on forever. A beautiful midnight-blue nights sky with stars twinkling in the distance. Above each of the massive wooden tables were hundreds of candles, flickering, bringing light to the hall alongside the huge torches on each of the walls. My mouth hung open as I was paraded in with the other first year students. I was so in awe that I almost forgot about being nervous. As we were marched to the end of the hall I could feel the eyes of all of the older students boring in to the back of my skull. I decided to take the advice people give when dealing with heights, to not look down, and refused to turn my head. I ended up being so stuck in my own head that I didn't notice that this 'sorting' was already a third of the way through.

"Rook Fairburne"

I wonder what the hat thing is going to give me. I mean it's pretty insane that it's talking but at this point I don't think anything would surprise me. I don't really know much about any of the 'houses' at this school and it's kind of weird that they let a hat decide.

"Rook Fairburne"

I did overhear some kids talking about it on the way here but not enough to really understand what the houses really meant. Like, what do they even do? Is it just like, what classes we'll be in or does it affect anything else?

"Rook Fairburne!"

I zone back in. The teacher that had shown us in was standing over me with a stern look on their face.

"Yes?" I squeaked out. I turned without thinking and realised that the rest of the first years and most of the older kids were fully staring at me now. I went bright red and felt a chill go down my spine.

"It's your turn to be sorted young man."

"Oh, sorry" I mumbled.

I shuffled up to the stool and sat down. The hat was placed on my head and started mumbling too. For a time that felt like an eternity but in reality was maybe ten seconds, it shuffled back and forth between a few different houses. Finally it stopped and loudly declared;

"Ravenclaw!"

Dora is struck with a sense of awe when the first-years are ushered into the hall. It's grander than any room in her manor or any ballroom she's ever been in. Candles float below the enchanted ceiling that looks like the sky outside. She looks around at the four long tables as the first-years move forward. Everyone's eyes are on them, she realizes, and moves quicker to not fall behind her peers.

As they arrive at the other end of the hall, Dora moves deeper into the crowd, much more comfortable being obscured from the sight of the other students, even if she's in tight quarters. She has a better view in front of her, anyways, and sees Headmaster Solomon Lear take the stage. He had greeted her and every other student as they entered, but she'd been trying to get through that interaction as fast as possible and hadn't really looked at him. She does now, taking in the man clad in armor. He looks tired, and moves slightly strangely. Maybe a limp? Probably just a discomfort in his boot.

As Lear welcomes the assembly and presents the Sorting Hat, Dora becomes more and more preoccupied with her nerves. Her cousin had teased her before she left, saying that the Sorting Hat probably wouldn't put her in any house. Part of her knows it's stupid to worry like that, but as each second goes by, the fear becomes stronger.

Names are being called, and they seem to go by so quickly. Gryfindors, Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs, and Slytherins... It's funny how time flies when you want it to stop.

And then her time comes. "Everridge, Isadora!"

She takes a deep breath and steps forward. She can't have a nervous breakdown and tarnish the family name. As she steps toward the Headmaster, she can't stop thinking about all the eyes on her, of her family's expectations. They were all Slytherins, but they were also all pure-blooded. Where does she even fit?

The hat is lowered on her head and she holds her breath. For a few agonizing seconds, she doesn't hear anything. Then there's a voice.

"Conflicted, are we? It seems you don't know what you want."

Dora furrows her brow. Is that the hat's voice? What does it mean?

"Well, you're in luck. I think I know where you can figure that out."

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

The cheers shock her back to reality, and it takes her a moment to realize what just happened. She got sorted... into Hufflepuff. She takes the next student's name as her que to leave, going towards the students with yellow accents to their robes.

"Hufflepuff.." She mutters in shock. It's not a House she'd ever really considered. What makes her a Hufflepuff? Is she loyal? Hard-working? Her frown deepens as she fails to produce an answer. Perhaps it was foolish, but she'd hoped that finding her House would give her a sense of belonging. Alas, she's still as lost as before.

Arjeet was curious very much and also suprised upon seeing the hat speaking and singing. He was a midium hight upon the age of 11 and thin built. He saw everything going on but was just staring at the hat and was curious about that only and was not thinking about the sorting he would have to go through. His turn came and when his name was called "Bhardwaj, Arjeet" he turned abruptly and started walking with a slight smile on his face to the chair and sat with the sorting hat on his head.
ahh curious you are about this world,
A hunger for knowledge,
You will be better in
RAVENCLAW!
He stood and walked to the ravenclaw table and gave a last look on the sorting hat sitting there.

Alena’s heart was beating out of her chest. She was terribly nervous. This would affect most of her life from now out, and that terrified her. With each name that was called, coming closer and closer to hers, she fidgeted with the simple silver ring she wore on her right hands middle finger. It’ll be okay, it’ll be okay, she chanted to herself. “Alena Fernsby!” the headmasters voice boomed. Alena stood there, frozen, until another first year gave her a gentle nudge forward. Time seemed to slow as she walked towards the sorting hat. She nervously sat down and the hat was placed on her head. Alena jumped when it began to talk to her. “Now, what do we have here? Are you ready to be sorted?” “I don’t know that I’ll ever be ready, sir.” She thought quite honestly. The hat chuckled and began to hum. “Mmmm, perhaps…no no, not that. Maybe..no, no, that’s not quite right either. Perhaps ravenclaw? Or should it be hufflepuff?”
“Oh, please not hufflepuff, sir.” Alena pleaded.
“You have potential in both, child, but you do not see your true potential. It has to be…”
“HUFFLEPUFF” the voice echoed through the room.
Alena gasped and tried to hide her disappointment. She stood up and stiffly walked over to the cheering hufflepuff table, craning her neck to try and see Colin’s reaction, but she couldn’t see him. Alena sat down at the table of yellow and black. What in her was hufflepuff? Her family was going to be so disappointed

Name: Jannette Applebottom
Date: September 1st, 2022
Location: The Great Hall
Outfit: Plain Robes

When the large corridor doors opened, nothing but nervousness filled Applebottom's heart. Was she nervous because all the students at the tables were staring at them or possibly because a huge man with armor was opening the door? Whatever the case may be The Great Hall was a new sight for Jannette and the other first years as they walked through the middle of the corridor, candles almost everywhere and the beautiful night sky on the ceiling, and did she forget to mention again about the hundreds of students on each table just staring at them, drinking at their goblets and whispering, maybe she could see some of her siblings at the Gryffindor table.

Trudging along to the front of the hall, the door behind them slowly began to close as the sounds of the armor-clad giant came moving down the aisle. The sound of his armor reminded Jannette of the loud thunders on the boat before he came to the front, as he was speaking in his booming voice, the only thing on Jannette's mind was who this man was, she knew now of course, that he is the Headmaster of Hogwarts, but that wasn't good enough for her, no. This man was obviously the Iron Giant! Sure the headmaster probably wasn't really a giant, but to Jannette, she thought otherwise...

With the Iron Giant, finally finishing his speech he spoke and mention the old leathery-looking pointy cap in front of the firsties before it snarkily replies back to the headmaster before letting out a loud song. As a young girl, Jannette always heard the stories of the Sorting Hat from her siblings, saying that the old thing 'knows all' and can even 'read your mind'. But one thing she did know for certain was once that old hat yelled a house name, that was your house -- forever.

As the songs began to end, The Sorting Ceremony was now about to begin, as names were being called, which felt like forever, until she heard quite a familiar name.

"Jannette, Applebottom"

The young girl's eyes widened as probably all eyes were on her, her heart moving the highest number in her mind a minute. Squirming through the mob of first years, Jannette plopped herself onto the stool, her hands gripping the side of the stool. As the pointed hat hits the top of her head its fabrics begin to form in the shape of a mouth and face before speaking...

"Applebottom?! Another one of you... Hmm -- a family known for its bravery and honor, I know the perfect house for you...!"

'Oh, perfect! I'm gonna be in Gryffin-'

"SLYTHERIN"

'WHAT?! SLYTHERIN?!' Jannette was taken aback by the crusty old sorting hat, Slytherin? Jannette?! It didn't make any sense, and what did the sorting hat mean by a family of bravery and honor and putting her in the opposite house of her entire family?! Was this a joke? With the loud claps coming from the green-like table, pausing for what felt like a minute, Jannette's brain went into autopilot as she got up from the stool and waddled over to the table, the end of her overly large robe began to trail behind her on the floor as she sat down at the table as she is still trying to come to the realization that maybe an apple does fall far from the tree after all.

The train ride here was boring, The boat ride they didn't dare talk to anybody, but they had shared a boat with his brother, who wasn't really their brother, but was somewhat like a brother to them. Who is this person? Why it's Keith Moore!

Hiyosei made his way to the great hall with the rest of the first years, he had lost Keith in the crowd, so he looked around but couldn't find him in the group of kids. So instead of looking for him more they patiently waited for their turn to be sorted into a house.

They wondered which house they would be sorted into, maybe Ravenclaw? They loved to learn things. But they also might end up in Gryffindor, they were brave and adventurous. They might be in Hufflepuff, a loyal friend he was, and caring too.

Hiyosei was scared of being sorted, what if they got put in a house and nobody liked them? They looked around all the rest of the kids looked nervous as well, maybe it wouldn't be as bad as they thought.

Finally, their name was called!

"HIYOSEI TSUYOI"

They walked up to the stool, and sat down. The hat begain to speak, "ah, a brave one, you love to learn new things. But I sense a point to prove yourself, and a drive to reach your goals, this house will help you very much"

The hat paused before yelling, "SLYTHERIN"

As Tesla was ushered into the common room with all the other students, she couldn't help but be taken aback by the cacophony around her. The man welcoming them all in, with his massive stature and full set of armor, Who wears armor these days, the rows of tables packed from wall to wall with students, the tables ready to be filled with food... Tesla found that she'd lost track both of the people she'd ridden the train with, and of the Headmaster, who had already made his way to the front of the room. There was just so much happening around her!
As he unrolled a scroll, and unrolled it, and unrolled it, Tesla was struck with the realization she would be standing here for a long time. The curse of a late in the alphabet last name... Maybe they wouldn't do things like muggles? Tesla's hopes were dashed as he immediately started with a last name starting with the letter A. Tesla deflated immediately, practically vibrating in place with impatient energy.
She couldn't wait to get sorted. Her mothers had been telling her ever since they found she had magic what an incredibly exciting thing it is to get sorted into your house. They'd spent hours debating what house she'd get in to. Gryffindor like her mum? Ravenclaw like her mummy? No... she cried too easily, and while she was smart enough to learn anything, she didn't like to do it. Slytherin was more likely, if you counted the desire to climb a tree to eat a single perfect apple or the will to learn to get on a horse without a step stool ambition. Tesla personally didn't.
So, when her name was finally called, and she stepped forward to the front of the room where the headmaster gave her a comforting if empty smile, she had it in her heart to hope for Hufflepuff. Her goal was to make friends after all, that's what Hufflepuff was all about, right?
All thoughts left her as soon as the hat was barely set on her head, and a voice whispered in her ear, ""Oh, I know just where to put you, child. Loyal to a fault, I see." and with a booming voice yelled "HUFFLEPUFF. The hat was taken off before it really even had a chance to settle, and she was ushered into the cheering and beaming faces of the Hufflepuff table, with their yellow robes and bobbing hats.

The Great Hall was crowded with many students of different ages and all dressed in black robes, like the one I'm wearing. As me, and all the other first years, walked through the aisle towards the stage at the front, everyone just stared at us. I hated attention, so I just avoided all eye contact, looked down, and went into the middle of the group so no one would see me.

I nearly tripped on someones robe because it was so long. They just looked at me and then turned back around. Rude, I thought. But in all honesty that wasn't what I really cared about at the moment, my Dad had told me all about the Sorting Ceremony and how whatever the Sorting Hat chose for you, you'd have to stay in that house for the rest of your time at Hogwarts whether you liked it or not. No pressure. All of a sudden the group stopped, and I nearly bumped into the same person that was in front of me before. Luckily, I caught myself before starting who knows what with that person. The movement of a girl next to me brang me back to where I was and why. I saw her go up onto the stage and sit on a stool, then Professor McGonagall placed an old, rusty hat on her head. After a while, of it saying stuff that I could barely hear, it then shouted out "HUFFLEPUFF!". Everyone clapped and the table which I now assumed was the Hufflepuff table cheered and waved the girl over.

Over time, more and more names were getting called up to get sorted into their house, as the big group that once was began to come down to three people, my nerves began to act up and I could feel my heart beating rapidly in my chest, and my forehead and palms getting sweaty. I watched the hat on the person on the stool yell "SLYTHERIN!" They got up off the stool and walked off the stage to the Slytherin table with a smile on their face, they must of wanted to be in that house. Professor McGonagall looked at the long piece of parchment paper in her hands and yelled, "LEW, EMMA" I froze, I was so nervous right now, and didn't want to be sorted into a house I didn't want. I'm most likely going to be sorted into Slytherin because my Dad's whole family has been sorted into that house for generations, and I really don't want to be a the one who changes that and becomes the burden of the family. But I can't choose, it's all up to the Sorting Hat to decide.

With that, I took a deep breath and gulped, letting my heavy legs lead me up onto the stage and sit on the stool. Everyone was looking at me, and I just looked down, I felt like thousands of eyes were burning into my soul, but that feeling went away as soon as a big, dusty hat was placed on my head. It was silent at first until it finally spoke, "Hmmmm interesting. Apart of a long line of Slytherins I see, you've got the cunningness and ambition of one, but also bravery and courage of a Gryffindor." I was surprised when it added that last part. My family never really was a fan of Harry Potter, but I don't see why. He is like my idol and I really want to be just as determined and powerful as him. "Now where to put you..." it said, for a couple seconds, I waited, it was about to give me my house, and I couldn't wait! The suspense was killing me and it felt like minutes until it finally yelled, "GRYFFINDOR!" At that, a bunch of weight was lifted of my shoulders, the Hall erupted into claps and cheers. The hat was taken off my head, and I stood up walking towards the Gryffindor table. I took a seat at the end and had multiple older and new Gryffindors welcome me and pat me on the back. I couldn't help but smile, I was finally at Hogwarts! About to make new friends, memories and so much more. Even though my family were all Slytherins and that might be a problem, I chose to ignore that for later and just have fun.