Closed The Sorting ceremony 2018-2019

Walking into the castle was something out of a dream for Eliza. Growing up with her mother, the witch in her half-blood family, dead, she really had no clue what to think of the wizarding world and everything about it. It gave both her and her father quite a shock when they discovered she was a witch, and the shock was only amplified when she received her Hogwarts letter. She remembered walking into Diagon Alley with her dad in utter shock. The many different wizarding shops with bits and bobbles everywhere made it feel unreal. She had no expectations walking into the castle, and had no clue what the year at Hogwarts would hold for her in general. She took in the various sights as they were lead through the castle. She couldn't help but wonder where they were going, but she couldn't pay too much attention as she was still in awe about how grand and beautiful the castle was.

They finally came to a half in front of a pair of huge doors. Eliza had to strain her neck over the crowd of other first years to see what was happening. She could hear the roar of a crowd behind the doors. Where were they? What adventures were they about to take part in? They waited for what seemed like 10 minutes before a man emerged in front of them and spoke to them. Eliza listened carefully and felt her heartbeat quicken ever so slightly as he reached to open the pair of doors.

They emerged into a room full of amazing sights and smells. There were hundreds of kids, all paying attention to the first years as they progressed through the hall. Eliza couldn't help but smile. This really was something out of a dream. She was amazed by the floating candles and about how the ceiling looked like it went up into the skies. The golden plates on the long tables were shimmering beautifully with the reflection of the students' faces. They finally reached the front of the hall where the headmaster took his seat at the front table and they were left looking at a hat on a stool. Eliza found herself even more amazed when the hat started to sing and even more when it started to scream names after being put on students' heads. She knew vaguely what was happening, but she had no idea what house she was supposed to be in.

"Eliza Thornwood" the hat bellowed. Her heartbeat quickened to the fastest it could. She shakily made her way up to the stool, sat down, and waited for the hat to be put on her head.

It was silent for what felt like an eternity. It even felt like her brain was silent, no thoughts. Finally, it came to a conclusion.

"Slytherin" the hat bellowed. The roar of the green table was deafening, and she felt her heartbeat calm down as she went over to the table, shaking a few hands and smiling at new friends.

Thora swallowed hard as she trotted into the Great Hall, swept along the fast-running tide of First Years. Coming from an entirely Muggle background, Thora had only heard whispered rumors of Hogwarts aboard the Hogwarts Express. Her pale gray-green eyes raked the room, taking in the magically levitating candles, the enrobed, dignified teachers, and the masses of older students. Thora shrunk even smaller than her already petite frame as she saw some boys pointing and chuckling at the scared first years. 

Thora jumped as she suddenly heard singing right in front of her. Gaping, she realized a hat was...singing? 

Oh! It's the Sorting Hat, Thora silently hit herself for being so dim. Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, or Slytherin... she thought. Really, she had no idea about the general "personality" of each house, but she had heard that in general, Gryffindor was for the brave people, Hufflepuff was for the loyal, Ravenclaw for the smart/creative, and Slytherin was... was it ambitious?? 

"Larkston, Thora!" Thora started as she was pulled out of her daydream. She stumbled towards the platform where she would supposedly be sorted. Thora was trying desperately to clear her mind as the Sorting Hat was suddenly jammed onto her head. 

Hmm... Brave, but not Gryffindor for you... definitely some loyalty in you and ooh! Very creative and very smart!! But... there's lots of determination here...

Thora gritted her teeth at the Sorting Hat's seemingly endless rambling and hoped it would decide already and save her this embarrassment. 

"Slytherin!"

After a slight moment of confusion, Thora broke out into a grin and made her way over to the Slytherin table, where countless students were seated, chanting her name. 

I thought I was in Ravenclaw for sure... thought Thora, After all, I am intelligent and creative... but I guess I am determined... Watching the rest of the Sorting Ceremony, Thora resolved that although she didn't feel like she had been sorted correctly, she would make Slytherin House her home.

For the first time in years Alyssa felt like she could breathe, she was free to embrace her future without the judgment of her mother. She clung to a history book as she set foot onto the Hogwarts express. This was her first time completely alone, away from her family. She searched for a compartment, one that she could occupy alone. It did not last however, there were so many other students. They spoke excitedly about the road ahead. They introduced themselves to one another and spoke about their families and how proud they were to be sent to Hogwarts. Alyssa simply stared at the book in front of her, unable to find her words. She was used to being alone, no one really paid attention to her, that was her own fault. She did not feel social and wanted to enjoy the wonders of her trip without being asked about her family. A boy across from her stared at her, she only glimpsed at him once and hoped that what she gave him was a smile. Her eyes wandered to the outside world, the vast woods that passed by them, an extraordinary sight to see.

Her heart raced as she saw the castle in the distance, it was dark outside, the moon was glistening high in the sky when the train finally stopped. The students rushed out of the train, they all seemed as excited as she felt. She took a breath as she stepped out of her compartment, she followed the students off of the train. The first year students were lead to the boats that would take them across the lake. She admired the way that old traditions never change. She had heard all the stories of how her brothers' life at Hogwarts began, all of them told the story of the Great lake. It was not long before they reached the castle. Someone was already waiting for them, Alyssa assumed it had to be one of the professors. She pulled her cloak closer to her body as the professor spoke.
"Welcome to Hogwarts, before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. While you are here your house will be like your family. You will attend classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory and spend some of your free time in your house common room. The four houses are called Slytherin, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Gryffindor. While you are at Hogwarts your triumphs will earn points that may lead your house to win the House cup, however, if you break the rules your house will lose points, you have been warned," a smile spread across the professors' face as he leads them into the Great Hall.

They were lead through the double door into the Great Hall. Alyssa had read about the enchanted ceiling, but the books did not do the Great Hall justice, it was magnificent. She stared up at the starry night as they were lead through the middle of the Hall. The students stopped in front of the teachers' table. A professor placed a four-legged stool in front of the students. A pointed wizard's hat was placed upon the stool. The professor stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment. "When I call your name, please place the hat on your head and sit on the stool." Alyssa stared as students were called to the sorting hat. They were placed in the four different houses, it suddenly occurred to her that she had never thought about which house she wanted to be sorted in. Her family was always placed in Ravenclaw due to their intellect. Her heart hammered against her chest as the professor read her name...

"Alyssa Warren." She shakily stepped forward as the professor raised the hat over her head. She sat down and waited with anticipation. The professor carefully placed the hat on her head.

"Alyssa, you are the fifth of your family. I remember sorting your brothers. They were a strange bunch of boys.

I sense something different in you. Something that neither your parents nor your brothers had. A sense of purpose. A need to prove yourself, not to the world, but to yourself.

Hmmm, but where to put you."

Alyssa bit her lip as her last thoughts faded away, where was he going to put her, surely she would wind up in the same house as her family...

"There is no doubt in my mind," he whispered to her. "Better be...

GRYFFINDOR. "

Her face went pale, did she hear him right? Gryffindor? She got off the stool and headed slowly to the Gryffindor table. Surely he must be mistaken, the house of Gryffindor values courage, bravery, and determination. She felt sick to her stomach, what would her mother say. Surely the school will receive a howler. The students at the table gave her a warm welcome, she smiled at some of them but felt out of place. She knows it does not matter in which house you get placed, but this will not sit well with her family.

Emmeline took a deep breath as she entered the great hall.

She had been told how big and wonderful Hogwarts was, and her family had tried to prepare her for the experience. Nothing could have prepared her for this, though.
It was bigger than anything she'd ever seen. It was a castle after all, but still.

Looking around at the other students, some already whispering nervous to each other, just made her feel like an even bigger outsider.
Emmeline knew that it didn't matter to her parents what house she was sorted in. The only thing that mattered to them was that this would be a positive experience, and that she would make friends.
The thought of their words made her snort. Like she could ever make friends.



Before she knew it, her name was called. Emmeline bit her lip, and slowly moved towards the stool with the sorting hat on it. "What a weird system." She thought to herself, just as the hat was placed on her heard.

"WEIRD?" A voice that wasn't hers thundered in her head, so loud it almost hurt. Before Emmeline could think up a response, the hat starting laughing.
"Emmeline Thistle... Emmeline... An interesting lineage, you come from. Perhaps you should be in Gryffindor like your old mother?... No... That's not right... I know..." The hat mumbled off.

Once Emmaline had stepped off the stage and sat down at her table, Vivienne waited anxiously for the next name to be called. The remaining students were dwindling, so she knew she had to be called sometime soon. Sure enough,
“Vivienne Rose?” called the professor. Vivienne shakily walked up to the stool with the sorting hat on it and sat down. As the hat was placed on her head, she took a deep breath and settled down a bit.
“Another Rose, I see.” said a small voice in her ear. “Y-yes?” Startling, she shifted in her seat. “You’re a tough one. You’ve brains, just like your mother, but you’re also quite just and empathetic. What shall we do with you? I suppose you’re going to have to sit here for a while.” Vivienne waited quietly as the hat continued its musings. “You really are quite smart, but you work hard for it. So Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff? Vivienne thought for a moment “I’d like to be in Hufflepuff,” she said. “To stand out- to be different from my mother, you know.” “Very well!” said the hat. “Hufflepuff it is, then!” Vivienne sighed with relief. “HUFFLEPUFF!” the hat shouted to the hall. Ears ringing, Vivienne walked over and sat down at the Hufflepuff table to applause.

Katrina followed the rest of the first years into a grand hall. She wondered if she was ready, could they kick her out if she wasn’t good enough? What if they told her that she wasn’t magical enough? One by one students were called forward and had a dilapidated brown hat shoved onto their head. After a while it would scream out a house. Either Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, or Ravenclaw.

Katrina wondered if she was supposed to do anything. She already knew it could talk, since it sang earlier.

Soon there were only a few people left. Katrina started to shiver and she could feel sweat beads roll down her back. Sometimes the hat would scream as soon as the hat touched the persons head, other times it would take a minute to decide.

“Walker, Katrina”

Katrina slinked to the front and the hat fell in front of her eyes and onto the bridge of her nose.

Hmm, I see... cunning... slightly determined. But Slytherin is not for you... you are intelligent and loyal... I know now. You show signs of bravery and you are chivalrous!

Gryffindor!

Katrina thought she would be Slytherin, she showed all of the traits. Katrina stumbled to the Gryffindor table in wonder. They chanted her name: “Walker, Walker!” She had never felt like she belonged so much in her life. She was sure this year would be the best!

Rosie takes a deep breath and exhales slowly, mouth falling upon in absolute awe as she gazes up at the magical ceiling. She tries not to let her thoughts run away with her. The past few weeks have been madness, from getting her acceptance letter to travelling, it seems, all over England and Ireland to get her supplies and say goodbye to her relatives - and she hates travelling by Floo Powder, it makes her sneeze.  And through it all, a sense of exhilaration - she's finally here! Instead of just hearing stories of running about this enchanted castle from her older brother, she's going to live it! The young girl pulls her hat closer around her ears, grinning nervously as the names called from the register inches closer and closer to Pendersnap. 
      And, finally, she's sitting on that little wooden stool. She catches her brother's eye from the Slytherin table just as the Sorting Hat falls over her eyes.  "Ahh, what have we here? A Pendersnap?" A voice that seems as old as time itself whispers in her ear - no, her head. She nods proudly, visions of Alex in his green and silver filling her mind. "Yes, yes, I remember Alsaindar - but I don't see the same ambition for power, for greatness, in you... The same pride, the same determination..." Rose isn't exactly sure she likes her mind being turned inside out like this. 
       "Hufflepuff, maybe? But, no... this fearless streak... hmm..." The Hat is taking its sweet time. Rose clenches nervously at the stool beneath her, beginning to consider, for the first time, a life in a different House to her brother. "Yes, yes, I think I know where you'll do best," the Hat clears its throat and with the loudest bellow Rose has ever heard, it declares to the room, "GRYFFINDOR!" 
       Rose blinks in the sudden light and roars of delight from her House table as the Hat is lifted from her head. Squaring her shoulders and tossing her hair back, she descends carefully from the stool and allows the smallest of grins to form as she joins the end of the table. Her, in Gryffindor? She never would have imagined.  

“Matheson, Aria!” 

Aria had been absolutely enchanted by Hogwarts. Admittedly the boat ride over had been slightly terrifying to her. She had never been fond of water and those deep, black waters had set her heart racing. Of course her heart had continued to race as she followed the other first years into the Great Hall. Her gaze was first captured by all of the other students already there, there were so many of them! She had little time to dwell though as her attention was stolen by the ceiling in the great hall, reflecting the weather outside. A smile came to her lips. 

While her mother had never told her about her own time here specifically or what house she was in for that matter, she had told Aria about Hogwarts and about the different houses. While Aria wanted to be in the same house as her mother, she was completely clueless as to which she would prefer to be sorted into. She watched as each of the other first years went before her and when it was finally her turn, she was not nearly as nervous as she thought she would be. This was a new adventure and she had always loved adventures. 

Aria took her place on the stool and sat absolutely still as the sorting hat was placed on her head. 
“Ah...another Matheson...” it started. She knew it could talk but she hadn’t been expecting how odd it seemed once it was on her head. “Let’s see, let’s see...hmm you’re a quiet one aren’t you? Perhaps Hu...oh no no no you’re calculating. You’re quiet but you’re always watching and learning and taking in information aren’t you Aria. That could be quite a good fit for Slytherin...hmm...but you’re protective and loyal too...I know just the house for you.”

Gryffindor! The hat announced. 

As it was removed from her head, Aria gave a shy smile and then made her way to the Gryffindor table. Giving the other first years and the older students a smile. She hadn’t known what to expect, she wasn’t sure if this was truly the right fit, but she knew the hat was not wrong and so she would embrace it. She found a place between a couple of the other students and then turned her gaze forward to watch the rest of the sorting. 

Casper stared, owl-eyed up at all the candles floating in the ceiling. He tried to think back to a time he'd been in a room so big, or even a castle at all. He'd never been on a train before today, never ridden a boat across a lake. Everything was moving by so quickly and before he'd realized, he'd been ushered into the hall that had sorted the greatest witches and wizards in history. He tried to hide his excitement.

The sorting hat sang its song before a list of names were starting to be called. Gryffindor and Slytherin, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw. The students would sit back down to their respective houses and Casper couldn't help but notice that these people would ultimately be his peers for the next seven years. That drew a yawn from him.

And just before he could close his mouth, his name was called out, "Casper Kilgore!" He was temporarily terrified, for a moment thinking he'd done something wrong, before remembering where he was. He walked up the steps, up onto the stool so many had sat before him and hunched his shoulders as the sorting hat was placed on his head.

His nose crinkled as he realized just how many germs must be crawling around the hat. He tried to put that out of his mind as the hat began poking around his brain. He didn't want Hufflepuff or Gryffindor. He naturally assumed he'd be put in Slytherin despite his half-blood since he had a natural affinity towards power and greatness, he believed he had a fair amount of wit and cleverness; more than others, he hoped.

"Ravenclaw!"

Well, that made sense he supposed, as he stepped down from the stool and the hat was taken from his head. His father and aunt had both been Ravenclaws. He was always striving to be the smartest during his time in muggle-school. He would accept it. Blue wasn't such a bad color after all.

Oriel stood in the small crowd of children, looking for someone he may recognize which was a tad idiotic of him seeing as all of his friends are muggles and he had no siblings. He stared at the hat which was yelling four different names, Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. The boy realized these were the 'houses' for the school and Gryffindor was the red lion table, Slytherin was the green snake table, Ravenclaw was the blue eagle table and Hufflepuff was the yellow badger table. Each of the houses seemed a different level of excited, the Gryffindor table being the loudest clearly, the Slytherin table being second loudest, the Ravenclaw table of course cheering but besides that they were just chatting among themselves and Hufflepuff was pretty much the same as Ravenclaw.

Obviously he had heard about Hogwarts, his father was a Squib, but his father also never went to Hogwarts so what he learned from his father usually came from books or what other people told his dad. Of course this method was good but Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was full of surprises and you couldn't learn everything from a dumb book.

The boy was in his own little world until he heard "Oriel Falters!" and quickly walked up to the stool. Oriel was nervous for no obvious reason but he hoped he would be paired with the right crowd. The hat which was already on his head grunted. "Of course you'll be paired with the right crowd, boy! Hmm..." It appeared this raggedy old hat could see into his mind! How cool was that! "I see loads of determination ad leadership so Slytherin would do you well but also there is a certain stubbornness I get from you. Clear bravery and chivalry floods your mind so I'm going to have to say..." Oriel waited in anticipation.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

The red table cheered and clapped as Oriel made his way down, a proud grin on his face.