Sorting Ceremony
Maelys was not sure what to expect when she was told a hat, of all things, would be deciding her housing fate for the next four years. From the train ride she had already learned that the magical community had a delightful taste for the absurd. The man standing in full armor was unusual, certainly, but the sound (Could it be considered a voice? Maelys did not know...) that came from the hat startled the soon-to-be-Slytherin so much that she nearly tripped over her own foot.
A bright flush came over her cheeks. Her gaze darted from left to right. One could hope that her comrades were so entranced by the ceremony as not to notice her blunder. She redirected her own attention to the headmaster— his voice demanded it.
Maelys allowed a small chuckle to escape her lips but her teeth sank firmly into her lower lip. Was this hat to be trusted? It was wise, definitely, but also quite old. Did it know anything about the mind of the modern eleven-year-old? Her favorite pink baby tee knew her far better than any hat did. Too bad it couldn't talk or mind-read... whatever this hat did.
Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Slytherin, and Hufflepuff... It was too bad those words meant literally nothing to the young witch. One was a griffin, one was a raven, one was a snake, and one was a huff-and-puff. Mae's mind drifted to the story of the Three Little Pigs. Maybe Griffin Door, Raven Claw, and Slithering were the names of the houses and the Huff-and-Puffs were the bad guys who tried to destroy them with bad magic. That sounded like one of the stories her father would tell her. Probably fake.
The mention of a point scheme brought her back to reality. She didn't care all too much which of these houses the hat chose. She would be the best and get the most points possible for whichever one she got. A house with equally-talented, kind, and ambitious teammates would be preferable. Ideally, a fun one too with welcoming and like-minded people. Not the all-over-the-place types, though. Mae liked fun and a well-placed bit of mischief as much as the next kid but not the class clown types who went out of their way to annoy others. Strategic mischief. That was it.
By some miracle, Maelys' pondering brought her to the very moment she was waiting for. "DELAROSA, MAELYS!" An eye-opening shout came from the headmaster.
The young witch smoothed down her hair and wiped her mouth before proceeding towards the hat. She wouldn't want any spare chocolate from her train snacks on her lips while the literal entire school had their eyes on her. Maelys adjusted her robes, gently taking a seat on the provided stool.
Then, the hat came. Mae had taken note of how, while other students were being sorted, neither the hat nor the student talked. Still, this did not prepare the Slytherin-to-be to have her thoughts interrupted by a witch hat.
"How interesting... You're nervous right now. I can tell," a booming voice inside her head spoke with authority.
"Am not." Maelys retorted reflexively, "Maybe it's my first time with a sentient hat on my head." She paused. "Intelligent. Whatever."
"You wound me," it scoffed in return.
A half-chuckle escaped her lips. "My apologies. I did not know hats were sensitive creatures." The witch glanced upwards, half-sincere and half-taunting.
The Sorting Hat was quick to respond. "You're describing yourself. You're a sensitive, observant, empathetic type of girl. Very sweet despite yourself."
A look of apparent confusion was visible on Maelys' features. She responded with a small upward curve of her lips. "Thank you...? Which house does that make me, again?" She asked the Sorting Hat, continuing, "I'm a good person I think. I hope to be a great person in the future. I think I like improving."
"Certainly not a Gryffindor. You could be in Hufflepuff. Your care for others suggests as such. You would do very well there," it paused, seemingly contemplating the options, "No. That's not it."
"Yes?" Her posture had relaxed at this point. Surprisingly or not, Mae liked the hat. It was entertaining, albeit fully inefficient. It was both thoughtful and smart— qualities she could respect.
"I see that you are a dynamic, young girl. You please people strategically and think with your head, not your heart."
"Well, yes. That's what it's fo—" Mae began.
"Aha!" The hat seemed to approve of whatever Maelys did. She straightened her posture. "As I suspected. You want to be the best. You're sharp and curious like a Ravenclaw but you don't want to excel for the purpose of knowledge alone. You learn so that you're competent, a true winner in ambition. You want others to respect you for your kind words, sharp wit, and, in the future, for your magical prowess."
Maelys blinked twice. That was a lot of information about herself. "What do you mean?"
The hat didn't respond and instead let out a massive bellow... "SLYTHERIN!"
A cheer rang out from the green table as the headmaster removed the sorting hat. She began her walk towards the group at a steady pace. The hat had been quite complimentary of her so, by association, Slytherin ought to be a good house. Maelys liked it in the hat's description. She had been hoping for a competitive house house with ambition and intelligence just an hour earlier. Perhaps Slytherin was her gift for doing well in the hat evaluation despite her nerves.
Either way, she ought to put her best foot forward and treat it as such, right?
.˚₊ reach for the unimaginable ₊˚.ꪆ. ( mae's ency )
STA: 5 • EVA: 4 • STR: 3 • WIS: 7 • ARC: 8 • ACC: 8
STA: 5 • EVA: 4 • STR: 3 • WIS: 7 • ARC: 8 • ACC: 8
Sorting Ceremony
The Sorting
The tall doors of the Great Hall opened. I let out a sigh. It was not of sadness but of the anxiety that was running in my nerves since morning. I couldn't sleep a wink yesterday because of my excitement. Before I knew it I was walking inside the Great Hall.
I had learnt it from my grandmother that my mother was a Ravenclaw while my father was a Slytherin. But I hoped I would be in Ravenclaw. Or Griffindor. Or any other house other than Slytherin. It's not that I hate Slytherin, I was just afraid that I might turn bad. Voldemort was a Slytherin.
Soon we reached the end of the hall. The Headmaster was standing next to a stool on which a rugged hat sat. He unrolled the scroll he had in hand while we came in. The scroll seemed long enough for the sorting to go on for hours. After he unraveled the scroll, the Sorting hat began singing a song. The First Years including me were surprised by it while the seniors did not even show a bit of surprise. Maybe the Sorting hat sang in every sorting. After it finished, everyone's clapping followed.
As the Headmaster read the first name I went into my train of thoughts. What house would I be? Of course, a Ravenclaw. Everyone told that I was smart, wasn't I? "RAVENCLAW" shouted the Sorting hat. I looked up to see a small skinny girl with wavy brunette hair and blue eyes cheerfully ran to the Ravenclaw table. Hopefully I will join her. Many names were called and sorted into houses. I kept a count of the houses people were sorted into till now - 21 Griffindors, 15 Ravenclaws, 27 Hufflepuffs and 24 Slytherins. It's about time that I will be called. The names have moved from the A, B, Cs to Gs. A boy with the family name Goodman was called and sorted into Hufflepuff. Anytime now. "Grace, Vivi" called the Headmaster.
I moved towards the stool and sat on it with my fingers crossed. The Headmaster placed the hat on my head. The Sorting hat started talking "Hmm. Plenty of intelligence. But your ambitions are really overpowering. You have the will to work hard to attain your goal. Hmm. A difficult choice indeed. There lies loyalty to your loved ones in your heart. But you're not cunning. Not at all. If you were, I would most definitely put you in Slytherin. Well you should be.... 'SLYTHERIN' the hat shouted.
I could not say I was fully disappointed as I walked to the table. Well it shouldn't be bad I guess. I smiled to myself. My Father was a Slytherin wasn't he? And the Sorting hat said that I'm not cunning. That's a good thing right? And all Slytherins are not bad...
"We've all got both light and dark inside us. What matters is the part we choose to act on. That's who we really are." — Sirius Black
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Sorting Ceremony
Lily walked into the great hall with a whole crowd of other first years who were all chattering excitedly. How on earth were they excited? Lily was Trembling with nerves. Still, she reminded herself of what her father had told her, that a good Ravenclaw never gets over-excited but faces every situation with a calm and composed manner using the wisdom you have to the utmost.
If she thought that would make her feel better, she was wrong. Oh no! what if she was not sorted into Ravenclaw? she really wanted to be one. All her dad's side of the family were Ravenclaws including her cousins, and it would be so awkward if she was the only Gryffindor or Slytherin there (Hufflepuff was ok, but she preferred Ravenclaw, and was just right for it, she thought)
Lily was so preoccupied with this that she didn't even notice the headmaster bringing out a stool and a brown and tattered hat and placing it on the stool until it began to sing! yes, a hat was singing! It went on singing this:
"The song that the Hogwarts Sorting Hat sings in the first book, "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" (also known as "Sorcerer's Stone"), goes like this:
Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,
But don't judge on what you see,
I'll eat myself if you can find
A smarter hat than me.
You can keep your bowlers black,
Your top hats sleek and tall,
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
And I can cap them all.
There's nothing hidden in your head
The Sorting Hat can't see,
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be.
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart;
You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true
And unafraid of toil;
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
If you've a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning
Will always find their kind;
Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folks use any means
To achieve their ends.
So put me on! Don't be afraid!
And don't get in a flap.
You're in safe hands (though I have none)
For I'm a Thinking Cap!"
Yes, That description of a Ravenclaw suited her. she started feeling less uneasy about the whole thing now, and again let her thoughts wander away until she jumped, hearing her name called "Bell, Lily". She ran to the stool and put the hat on her head.
“Hm” said a voice in her ear, probably the hat could speak as well as sing, “Very curious and willing to learn, a nerdy one, kind, but sometimes shuns hard work if your heart is not in it. Not cunning, and not all that brave, you show intelligence, curiosity, a quick mind, honesty, loyalty and a sense of fairness. A difficult choice, very difficult indeed, You may be almost half Hufflepuff and Half Ravenclaw, and I have no doubt which will take your journey here forward you’d better be RAVENCLAW!”
The hat shouted the last word to the hall and Lily walked slowly to the Ravenclaw table positively beaming with happiness and relief. The hat had thought she was a kind, loyal, honest, and most of all, curious and intelligent. She heard many other Ravenclaws welcoming her and she happily sat down to eat thinking about the wonderful time she would have here.
If she thought that would make her feel better, she was wrong. Oh no! what if she was not sorted into Ravenclaw? she really wanted to be one. All her dad's side of the family were Ravenclaws including her cousins, and it would be so awkward if she was the only Gryffindor or Slytherin there (Hufflepuff was ok, but she preferred Ravenclaw, and was just right for it, she thought)
Lily was so preoccupied with this that she didn't even notice the headmaster bringing out a stool and a brown and tattered hat and placing it on the stool until it began to sing! yes, a hat was singing! It went on singing this:
"The song that the Hogwarts Sorting Hat sings in the first book, "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" (also known as "Sorcerer's Stone"), goes like this:
Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,
But don't judge on what you see,
I'll eat myself if you can find
A smarter hat than me.
You can keep your bowlers black,
Your top hats sleek and tall,
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
And I can cap them all.
There's nothing hidden in your head
The Sorting Hat can't see,
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be.
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart;
You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true
And unafraid of toil;
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
If you've a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning
Will always find their kind;
Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folks use any means
To achieve their ends.
So put me on! Don't be afraid!
And don't get in a flap.
You're in safe hands (though I have none)
For I'm a Thinking Cap!"
Yes, That description of a Ravenclaw suited her. she started feeling less uneasy about the whole thing now, and again let her thoughts wander away until she jumped, hearing her name called "Bell, Lily". She ran to the stool and put the hat on her head.
“Hm” said a voice in her ear, probably the hat could speak as well as sing, “Very curious and willing to learn, a nerdy one, kind, but sometimes shuns hard work if your heart is not in it. Not cunning, and not all that brave, you show intelligence, curiosity, a quick mind, honesty, loyalty and a sense of fairness. A difficult choice, very difficult indeed, You may be almost half Hufflepuff and Half Ravenclaw, and I have no doubt which will take your journey here forward you’d better be RAVENCLAW!”
The hat shouted the last word to the hall and Lily walked slowly to the Ravenclaw table positively beaming with happiness and relief. The hat had thought she was a kind, loyal, honest, and most of all, curious and intelligent. She heard many other Ravenclaws welcoming her and she happily sat down to eat thinking about the wonderful time she would have here.
"Being different isn't a bad thing, it means you're brave enough to be yourself"
~Luna Lovegood
Sorting Ceremony
| ────── | 1 September 2025 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────── "Brown, Sophia!" Sophie made her way through the crowd of students up to the Headmaster. He smiled as she approached him, but Sophie thought him a bit of an old sod, particularly for donning that strange leather armour. She made certain not to return his smile, and instead held his gaze in defiance. I see your limp, old man, her glare seemed to say, and I need no smiles. She sat down on the stool and allowed the tattered hat to be placed upon her head. From here, she could see the entire Great Hall, and the dark sky above it. Gryffindors, Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs, then Slytherins, neatly aligned, became a sea of black robes before her. Sophie did not feel daunted, but instead a terrible, elated fear. The Sorting Hat grumbled above her, muttering and murmuring in a deep and ancient tone. Sophie strained her ears to listen, but could make out nothing of the hat’s conversation, and so frowned in frustrated annoyance. “Sophie, Sophie,” the Sorting Hat suddenly spoke, and Sophie jumped in fright. “Yes, be patient, child, be patient. I am an old, old hat, but you must put some faith in me. In your Headmaster too, yes! But let me see… let me see…” and the Hat fell into a brooding silence, that Sophie did not like one bit. It is strange to have a hat rummage through your mind, your thoughts and feelings and memories, like one might rummage through files. The Hat chucked suddenly. “The third flower! Yes, I had been waiting, yes. But— yes, yes, everything seems to be in order. Good. Good. It must be… Slytherin!" The emerald green and silver table erupted into cheers. Sophia allowed the hat to be lifted from her head and she stood, furor and elatement coursing through her, so dizzying everything around her began to blur. Then someone gave her a light tap on the shoulder, and Sophia shook her mind clear from the buzz, stepping down to the Slytherin table. For the first time, she permitted herself to smile. A Slytherin. Yes, that felt right. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────── |
────── |
Last edited by Sophia Brown on 11 Sep 2025, 15:37, edited 4 times in total.
Sorting Ceremony
Wow. That was the first thought Jamie managed to form when he entered the Great Hall. It looked incredible. The mystic but welcoming light from all those candles, the buzzing from hundreds of students, the ghosts sitting between them... It was ten times greater than he'd imagined it.
When the pulk of new students came to a halt, Jamie almost stumbled into the the kid in front of him. There it was: The Sorting Hat! It looked funny with all those wrinkles and when it sang its song, Jamie couldn't help but smile a little. As it sang about the four houses, the slight nervousness crept back into his mind. Where would he end up? Countless hours of sleep had been sacrificed to that question. Jamie knew, he was lucky that there were no expectations put on him by his family, but still, it was a very big deal.
The students were now called on, one by one. Jamie knew he still had some time till the letter "P", so he allowed his mind to overthink this question one last time. Gryffindor wouldn't be bad at all, being one of the brave ones, there had been so many great wizards and witches in Gryffindor. Or Ravenclaw, like his mother had been. Jamie also liked to think that he was kind and loyal, so maybe Hufflepuff? It was the favourite house of his dad, he always liked to say, if he'd been born a wizard, he'd love to be a Hufflepuff. Or maybe Sly...
"Parker, Jamie!" Oh damn, that went a lot faster than Jamie had expected. "Deep breaths", he told himself, "you'll be fine." Jamie sat down, the hat came down on his head, covering his seight and it took an awful long time before the hat started talking.
"Well, hello there, little one!", came the voice in Jamie's head.
"Hello", Jamie thought, hoping the hat would understand him through that chaos of thoughts racing through his mind.
"Oh, a nervous one... You'll be alright, let's see, shall we? ... You're coming from a line of Ravenclaws, I see, you'd have the brains to be one as well... But also a good heart, loyal, oh yeah... but no, you wouldn't fit with Hufflepuff, not quiet... Maybe, maybe, let's see... Determination, you want to be great... I know a house that can help you be great, maybe even more..."
Jamie had a hard time following the hats line of thoughts and barely had enough time to reassure himself that the hat would know best, when it exclaimed:
Slytherin. Jamie got up, and walked over to the applauding table, where dozens of kids sat, dressed in Hogwarts cloaks with green badges with snakes on them. He liked snakes, really cool animals. Green was a nice color. And when Jamie found himself a seat, being smiled at and patted on the back, he tought again about the last words the sorting hat had said to him: ... a house that could help him be great, maybe even more...
Yeah, he could definitely see himself as a Slytherin.
When the pulk of new students came to a halt, Jamie almost stumbled into the the kid in front of him. There it was: The Sorting Hat! It looked funny with all those wrinkles and when it sang its song, Jamie couldn't help but smile a little. As it sang about the four houses, the slight nervousness crept back into his mind. Where would he end up? Countless hours of sleep had been sacrificed to that question. Jamie knew, he was lucky that there were no expectations put on him by his family, but still, it was a very big deal.
The students were now called on, one by one. Jamie knew he still had some time till the letter "P", so he allowed his mind to overthink this question one last time. Gryffindor wouldn't be bad at all, being one of the brave ones, there had been so many great wizards and witches in Gryffindor. Or Ravenclaw, like his mother had been. Jamie also liked to think that he was kind and loyal, so maybe Hufflepuff? It was the favourite house of his dad, he always liked to say, if he'd been born a wizard, he'd love to be a Hufflepuff. Or maybe Sly...
"Parker, Jamie!" Oh damn, that went a lot faster than Jamie had expected. "Deep breaths", he told himself, "you'll be fine." Jamie sat down, the hat came down on his head, covering his seight and it took an awful long time before the hat started talking.
"Well, hello there, little one!", came the voice in Jamie's head.
"Hello", Jamie thought, hoping the hat would understand him through that chaos of thoughts racing through his mind.
"Oh, a nervous one... You'll be alright, let's see, shall we? ... You're coming from a line of Ravenclaws, I see, you'd have the brains to be one as well... But also a good heart, loyal, oh yeah... but no, you wouldn't fit with Hufflepuff, not quiet... Maybe, maybe, let's see... Determination, you want to be great... I know a house that can help you be great, maybe even more..."
Jamie had a hard time following the hats line of thoughts and barely had enough time to reassure himself that the hat would know best, when it exclaimed:
SLYTHERIN!
Slytherin. Jamie got up, and walked over to the applauding table, where dozens of kids sat, dressed in Hogwarts cloaks with green badges with snakes on them. He liked snakes, really cool animals. Green was a nice color. And when Jamie found himself a seat, being smiled at and patted on the back, he tought again about the last words the sorting hat had said to him: ... a house that could help him be great, maybe even more...
Yeah, he could definitely see himself as a Slytherin.
Sorting Ceremony
Dominic stumbled forward into the great hall, following in a long line of first years, all of their faces pasted with different levels of nervousness and wonder as they gazed around at the long wooden tables, the floating candles high above them, and the dark sky glittering with stars reflecting magically on the ceiling. For Dominic, it was breathtaking. He couldn't help but feel nervous, but a larger part of him felt belonging, like he knew already this is where he was supposed to be.
They were led to the front of the hall, where they stood in a large group facing the staff table and a small stool, where an old worn leather hat sat. A rip in its brim moved slowly, as if it was talking to itself. Dominic then realized it probably was. He had heard a few stories of the sorting from his father, so he had a small idea of it would be like. Dominic wasn't foreseeing doing it in front of the whole school, and his stomach knotted up just thinking about it.
For Dominic, being around people in this number was so strange, as he mainly kept to himself his whole life, as well as having to hide his magic around everyone he met. He was brought of of his reverie by the hat bursting out in song. It echoed around the large room for a few minutes, then the hall collapsed into silence, with a few quiet chatterings from the seated crowd. Suddenly, everyone fell quiet, eyes locked on the front. A boy's name was called, and he stumbled to the front, seating himself on the stool. The boy tried on the hat, and after a few long moments, the rip opened and the hat called, "Ravenclaw!"
And so it went on, and on, and the group of first years around him grew smaller. Finally, after Dominic began to wonder if his name would ever be called, a voice rang out, "Volikov, Dominic!" Dominic pushed his way through the dwindling crowd, his shoes dragging seeming to drag him down immensely. He sat himself on the stool, and the hat was placed on his head. It was very oversized, and the brim well covered his eyes, so the entire room was hidden from him. Suddenly, the hat began to speak to him.
"Let's see, where should I put this one? Lots of talent, some brains as well, but also very courageous. You like animals, huh? Very good, let's see." It fell into a few moments of silence, as if deliberating in it's thoughts. Then it seemed to resolve on something. "Yes, that's the one. You'll do well here Dominic," it spoke softly to him, then erupted a loud yell.
Dominic heaved a great sigh as the hat left his head, as if he was afraid of failing and being sent home. He now had a family, and secretly he had previously thought Ravenclaw sounded the best. He jumped off the stool, and half-ran toward the Ravenclaw table and his new comrades and perhaps soon to be friends.
They were led to the front of the hall, where they stood in a large group facing the staff table and a small stool, where an old worn leather hat sat. A rip in its brim moved slowly, as if it was talking to itself. Dominic then realized it probably was. He had heard a few stories of the sorting from his father, so he had a small idea of it would be like. Dominic wasn't foreseeing doing it in front of the whole school, and his stomach knotted up just thinking about it.
For Dominic, being around people in this number was so strange, as he mainly kept to himself his whole life, as well as having to hide his magic around everyone he met. He was brought of of his reverie by the hat bursting out in song. It echoed around the large room for a few minutes, then the hall collapsed into silence, with a few quiet chatterings from the seated crowd. Suddenly, everyone fell quiet, eyes locked on the front. A boy's name was called, and he stumbled to the front, seating himself on the stool. The boy tried on the hat, and after a few long moments, the rip opened and the hat called, "Ravenclaw!"
And so it went on, and on, and the group of first years around him grew smaller. Finally, after Dominic began to wonder if his name would ever be called, a voice rang out, "Volikov, Dominic!" Dominic pushed his way through the dwindling crowd, his shoes dragging seeming to drag him down immensely. He sat himself on the stool, and the hat was placed on his head. It was very oversized, and the brim well covered his eyes, so the entire room was hidden from him. Suddenly, the hat began to speak to him.
"Let's see, where should I put this one? Lots of talent, some brains as well, but also very courageous. You like animals, huh? Very good, let's see." It fell into a few moments of silence, as if deliberating in it's thoughts. Then it seemed to resolve on something. "Yes, that's the one. You'll do well here Dominic," it spoke softly to him, then erupted a loud yell.
"RAVENCLAW!"
Dominic heaved a great sigh as the hat left his head, as if he was afraid of failing and being sent home. He now had a family, and secretly he had previously thought Ravenclaw sounded the best. He jumped off the stool, and half-ran toward the Ravenclaw table and his new comrades and perhaps soon to be friends.
Sorting Ceremony
Tabitha had perhaps waited her whole life for this day. It had somehow been just as perfect as she had always imagined it being. The number of nights she could recall dreaming of how the castle would look through her own eyes. How the scent of lake would linger on her tongue as it glided through the night air and pressed against her smiling cheeks. How the halls would emanate a slight chill that would cut through her uniform. How the hat's voice would sound through her very ears as it announced a house to the crowd. This vision of how the day would go on was crafted through each retelling she heard through the eyes of each of her family members. And somehow, this experience was just as magical as she had hoped it would be.
When her father recounted his Sorting, he focused on how the Gryffindor table had erupted in boisterous cheers and how his peers-- his 'brothers'-- clapped him on the shoulder and shouted his name. How he immediately fell into a group of friends who still made appearances at dinner parties. How he felt immediate friendship and comradery.
Her mother's tale was that filled with wonder and cynicism. How she struggled to find her place until far later in her years. How the hat had spent what seemed like so much longer to determine that Hufflepuff would be her home, even though everyone claimed she should have been sorted into Slytherin. How the magical world had been so much more extraordinary once she finally rooted herself into Hogwarts.
When Edison told the story of Hogwarts it was in brief anecdotes that so resembled his father. The joy and the sound of Gryffindor. The brotherly bond with his housemates.
Aunt Celine and Camden's stories were Tabitha's favorites. They recounted their first days with a lengthy wonder, highlighting the ups and the downs and the details that formed Tabitha's true perception of how it would be. Celine ended in Hufflepuff and Camden in Ravenclaw. Both, though, had a wonder for the experience more than anyone else. They had answered each of Tabitha's questions with anecdotes and details, that one night at the pier.
Through the eyes of all those who came before her, Tabitha wasn't sure what experience she'd wanted for herself. Did she want to absorb each detail and memorize it to recount it later? Did she want to experience the moment and the emotions with the most she could? Did she want to seek out that same immediate acceptance as her father and her brother? She had none of the answers.
Tabitha didn't even know for which house she yearned to find belonging in. Many Pureblood families prided themselves in a bloodline that all fell near one value. That value rooted in childhood created many children who knew they were destined for a house and one experience echoed in those who came before her. Though perhaps a blessing or another exciting aspect to Tabitha's experience is that she had no idea what values she most highly held.
As Tabitha found herself filed along with the rest of the incoming eleven-year-olds into the stupendous grandness of the hall, she finally drew herself out of her thoughts to experience it to the fullest. The sound, the lights, the wonder; excitement was contagious. She found herself gripping to each word from the headmaster's amplified voice and each note from the Sorting Hat's song. Even as the Sorting Began and each student was drawn forward by the sound of their name, Tabitha continued to feel excited for each of her peers, smiling and clapping along with the rest of the crowd.
The proceeding was incredibly drawn out and it wasn't long before she felt her anxious energy subside as the repetition turned a smidge dull. But that, thankfully, was around the time they began on the last names starting with N, so it wouldn't be long before she was called. That energy ramped right back up again as the students to her one side dwindled until it was just her.
"Murrey, Tabitha!"
With almost automatic motions, Tabitha found herself drawn forward. A queasiness overtaking her for a moment as she glanced back once to see just how many eyes were on her. If she searched, she may have been able to spot her older brother or older cousins amongst the crowds, but there was not enough time for that. She pushed aside her fear and held her head high as the hat was placed atop her head.
"Ah another Murrey I see. Welcome Tabitha. Or do you prefer Tabby? Hmm, let me see here," She assumed the rhetorical question on her preferred name was not needing a response. She straightened her back and kept her head high as it continued to mumble to itself. "There is a strong bond for family. A loyalty to those whom have gained your affection. Yet a strive to be known for yourself. An independence even. I see sparks of bravery and cunning here as well. What a difficult one to sort, aren't you?"
Tabitha resisted the urge to squirm. Unsure if it was just her perception of it taking a long time or if it truly was drawing on. She saw now why that was a prominent aspect to her mothers recollection.
"You are curious about a good many things. There is dislike when others lack originality. Hm, you are interested in Potions and wish to do whatever you can to be the top of your class and be steadfast," A pause "You feel you are meant to become Unspeakable in the Department of Mysteries," Tabitha felt doubt rise up and her brow furrow. Did she?
"You are ready to make sacrifices in order to achieve your goals, Hogwarts is, without a doubt, the ideal place for you to do just that,"
"RAVENCLAW!"
Tabitha felt the weight of the hat be lifted off her head and she stood in stunned silence for a moment, not yet processed all the things the hat murmured to her. It took some form of encouragement for her to step off the stage and towards the sea of rolling blue waves that greeted her with a genuine cheer.
Ravenclaw? Ravenclaw! Just like Camden! She would sleep in the towers and be surrounded by shades of blue and metal and intellectuals with so many answers to her questions. She had thought that she was leaning towards Slytherin for a moment but this felt so much more right.
It felt even more right as she found an empty spot and the smiling faces of her housemates reflected the grin still on her own face.
A note! Many of the phrases from the Sorting Hat were taken from the website's sorting, so credit where credit is due!
Sorting Ceremony
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| ---- | date. 1st of september 2025, evening location. hogwarts' great hall mentions. other hogwarts students, the sorting hat interacting with. the sorting hat |
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| ------ | Esme didn't consider herself an easy person to impress, but the Great Hall was really something. The entire day had been something, really. She'd heard stories from her family — her father had been particularly talkative the past two weeks, reminiscing about his time in the school, the professors, the friends he'd made. She knew about platform 9¾, about the Hogwarts Express, the boat ride, and of course, the Sorting Ceremony, but actually being here? It was much more than she imagined. The Great Hall was gorgeous, there was no arguing against that. The floating candles and the ceiling mimicking the night sky particularly captured her attention, seemingly the only detail her dad had omitted — and it was spectacular. The entire room was full to the brim, bigger than some galas her parents threw. Most importantly, there was a buzz in the air. Excitement, anticipation, nervousness, and a sense of community. Everyone was seemingly united, like even the older students and professors were anxious to see where the first years would end up. Of course, it was probably just the build up getting to her; but Esme had to admit, she was starting to feel that excitement too. She didn't particularly care what house she ended up in. Her father had been a Ravenclaw, on the dueling team during his time, and he spoke highly of the house, but her aunt was an equally proud Slytherin; her paternal grandparents were both Gryffindors. Her mother didn't even go to Hogwarts, attending Beauxbatons instead, so there really wasn't any pressure from her side, either. Her family didn't put too much weight on what house she got into, as long as she herself was happy. Still, Ravenclaw didn't sound too bad in her father's stories… “Hestridge, Esme!” Her name was called, and she walked forward, feeling the anticipation build up. It definitely wasn't unpleasant, and she kept her chin up, straightening slightly as she sat down on the stool and the Sorting Hat was placed on her head. “Hm…” Esme flinched a bit. She didn't expect the voice — or at least didn't expect it to sound this close, like it was right next to her. Perfectly clear, despite the murmurs of the Great Hall. “Another Hestridge. Another potioneer in the making, then?” She nodded subtly, unsure of what was the proper response. The Sorting Hat went quiet for a few moments, leaving Esme waiting for a brief moment, leaving her to think. Was she another potioneer in the making? She sort of had to be. It was the family business, after all. She didn't hate the idea of taking it over, even liked the few potions recipes she'd memorized thanks to her father, but now that the question had been posed… was that what she actually wanted? At the end of the day, would she really just take things over and… that would be it? The idea left her feeling almost uneasy, the confident smile faltering slightly. She felt an unfamiliar discomfort at the sudden idea that her life would be so limited, so… predetermined. The Sorting Hat seemed to notice, and Esme heard it let out a laugh. “Ah, we didn't like that, did we? Perhaps not a Ravenclaw like your old man, then,” the Hat mused. Esme shifted on the stool, still unsure of what to respond. It wasn't that she didn't want to be like her dad — he was a well respected, skilled wizard. But the idea of only doing one thing, something already decided for her by family tradition, felt limiting in a way she hadn't considered before. She wanted… “More,” the Hat said. “You want more in this life, hm? You wouldn't be satisfied just going along with a path others set out for you. I see a great sense of ambition in your heart… it must be…” “SLYTHERIN!” The Sorting Hat announced the last word in a great bellow, and suddenly, the emerald and silver table roared with cheers and applause. It was a shock to Esme's system, the sudden noise after the quiet and measured tone the hat was using. It took her a moment to come back to herself, get the hat off, and get back to her feet. She quickly made her way towards the Slytherin table, some other first years she'd seen get sorted moving apart to make space for her to sit. As the Ceremony continued and Esme settled in at what would now be her table, she regained her confidence. Slytherin — just like aunt Alice. She’d never thought of herself as particularly cunning, but the Sorting Hat was right. She did want more, now with a newfound conviction. Maybe house Slytherin would be just the place for her to achieve that. |
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wc. 794
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thales amaro. second year castelobruxo quidditch. |
katherine townsend. professor of charms, former thunderbird. |
Sorting Ceremony
The first years were ordered into a neat line and shown through the double doors. They were met with an enchanting scene. Ghosts flew along four long wooden tables and benches full of colour coded students that divided the hall. It was lit by candles floating under a grand ceiling, if you could even call it a ceiling. The candles lethargically dripped hot wax that dissolved like sugar partway down. The newcomers looked up in awe; beyond the candelight it was as if the night sky had been condensed into an 120 ft long plane, complete with grey clouds, shimmering stars, and miniature owls flitting through. Occasionally the clouds parted, and a glimmering moon appeared in such detail that it was as if the real thing had been magically pulled from the sky.
They were led to the end of the hall, where behind a dais and a stool with an old hat was a table that seated people who were presumably the staff.
A large man stood, his armour clinking and clanging as he marched up to the lectern. He bore such an uncanny resemblance to King Theodan of Rohan from LOTR that if Janet didn’t know any better, she would have mistook him for the real thing. He poked his wand at his neck and BOOMED a cough out. The people cringed as a static noise echoed throughout the hall. The man then very awkwardly cleared his throat.
“Welcome first year students. I am Solomon Lear, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. We begin this new school year by sorting you into the four schoolhouses. This is known as the sorting ceremony. The sorting hat has been a part of our school's tradition since the time of Godric Gryffindor, one of this institution's founding wizards. This hat is very much sentient. It will determine where your dorm fellows and loyalties will lie for the next seven years, and however arbitrary, often greatly alters the connections you will make upon entering the wizarding world going forth.”
A tear in the tattered old hat on the stool widened like a mouth, and chimed cleverly, “I am not only sentient, but terribly intelligent”
A professor nearby rolled their eyes. The headmaster looked at the hat with endearment.
“Intelligent indeed. Once worn, the hat will place you in either Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin, each with their own values and heads of house. In these houses, you represent these values and will earn points for them to be tallied for the house cup at the end of the year”.
Professor Lear unfurled a tightly bound scroll, which rolled up to several feet away. The hat opened its mouth again, and bellowed,
The hall burst into applause. A couple of kids hooted. When the commotion died down, the Professor called out from the list, “AISLIN DARRAGH”.
A girl whose gaze seemed permanently fixed on her shoes stepped up to the stool and put the hat on. It seemed to deliberate for a bit, before yelling “RAVENCLAW”. The table with blue accents exploded into cheer as she joined the table.
“ADERYN, BRAN”. A pale, scrawny, bespeckled boy with dark shoulder length hair nodded to the headmaster as he stepped up, some students wishing him luck. A moment later, the hat yelled “SLYTHERIN”. The table decked in green and silver erupted into deafening applause.
The first c was “CORINNA STARLING”. A mousy little girl dashed up to the stool and plopped onto it, her feet about a foot off the floor. The Hat suddenly shouted “HUFFLEPUFF”, and the yellow house hollered loudly, slapping her on the back when she ran over.
A few names later and the first Gryffindor, Dorian Vaughan, was announced. The red table was beyond itself in raucous celebration. A couple of them screamed, which was very very brave of them.
Some more were sorted, and soon after Juliette Edwards was dogpiled by Hufflepuffs, Janet Flannel Roll Banana Karen was announced.
“JANET FLANELL ROLL BANANA KAREN”
Janet stepped up, thinking back to which house was which. She'd been too busy staring at the indoor sky and the ghosts, one of which was holding a frog with a tiny harmonica, and hadn’t paid much attention to it in Hogwarts: a history either. At the time there were far more interesting things than colour codes that came out of a hat.
The green snake house was for the ambitious, the red lion house for bravery, the blue eagle house for nerds and the yellow badger house for… finding things? She had no clue, but the kitchens were nearby apparently. Janet decided to gun for the green one – Darius Banana Roll would love it there.
The ashy hat’s voice whispered ominously in her head. “hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, a parselmouth? We haven’t had one of those in at least a month or two. Say, would you pick a forest or a river?”
“Yeah?”
“And if, in that forest, three objects were laid out in front of you, would you pick the trillion-page book taller than a tree, the gleaming sharp-edged serrated itch powder laced dagger, smelly frothy goopy black poison, or a hot grilled cheese sandwitch?”
“ummmm, the sandwich”
“hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, I see. Well, it’ll have to be… HHUFFLEFUFF!”. The yellow table were besides themselves with joy. Janet’s tie and jumper were magically accented with black and yellow, and her house mates enthusiastically introduced themselves at the table.
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They were led to the end of the hall, where behind a dais and a stool with an old hat was a table that seated people who were presumably the staff.
A large man stood, his armour clinking and clanging as he marched up to the lectern. He bore such an uncanny resemblance to King Theodan of Rohan from LOTR that if Janet didn’t know any better, she would have mistook him for the real thing. He poked his wand at his neck and BOOMED a cough out. The people cringed as a static noise echoed throughout the hall. The man then very awkwardly cleared his throat.
“Welcome first year students. I am Solomon Lear, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. We begin this new school year by sorting you into the four schoolhouses. This is known as the sorting ceremony. The sorting hat has been a part of our school's tradition since the time of Godric Gryffindor, one of this institution's founding wizards. This hat is very much sentient. It will determine where your dorm fellows and loyalties will lie for the next seven years, and however arbitrary, often greatly alters the connections you will make upon entering the wizarding world going forth.”
A tear in the tattered old hat on the stool widened like a mouth, and chimed cleverly, “I am not only sentient, but terribly intelligent”
A professor nearby rolled their eyes. The headmaster looked at the hat with endearment.
“Intelligent indeed. Once worn, the hat will place you in either Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin, each with their own values and heads of house. In these houses, you represent these values and will earn points for them to be tallied for the house cup at the end of the year”.
Professor Lear unfurled a tightly bound scroll, which rolled up to several feet away. The hat opened its mouth again, and bellowed,
Reducio
“A thousand years or more ago
When I was newly sewn,
There lived four wizards of
Whose names are still well known:
Bold Gryffindor, from wild moor,
Fair Ravenclaw, from glen,
Sweet Hufflepuff, from valley broad,
Shrewd Slytherin, from fen.
For were their such friends anywhere
As Slytherin and Gryffindor.
Unless it was the second pair
Of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw.
United by a common goal,
They had the selfsame yearning
To make the world's best magic school
And pass along their learning.
Now each of these four founders
Formed their own house, for each
Did value different virtues
In the ones, they had to teach.
While still alive they did divide
Their favorites from the throng,
Yet how to pick the worthy ones
When were they dead and gone?
Twas Gryffindor who found the way,
He whipped me off his head
The founders put some brains in me
So I could choose instead!
Now slip me snug about your ears,
I've never yet been wrong,
I'll have a look inside your mind
And tell where you belong!
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart;
You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true
And unafraid of toil;
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
If you've got a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind;
Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folks use any means
To achieve their ends. "
When I was newly sewn,
There lived four wizards of
Whose names are still well known:
Bold Gryffindor, from wild moor,
Fair Ravenclaw, from glen,
Sweet Hufflepuff, from valley broad,
Shrewd Slytherin, from fen.
For were their such friends anywhere
As Slytherin and Gryffindor.
Unless it was the second pair
Of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw.
United by a common goal,
They had the selfsame yearning
To make the world's best magic school
And pass along their learning.
Now each of these four founders
Formed their own house, for each
Did value different virtues
In the ones, they had to teach.
While still alive they did divide
Their favorites from the throng,
Yet how to pick the worthy ones
When were they dead and gone?
Twas Gryffindor who found the way,
He whipped me off his head
The founders put some brains in me
So I could choose instead!
Now slip me snug about your ears,
I've never yet been wrong,
I'll have a look inside your mind
And tell where you belong!
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart;
You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true
And unafraid of toil;
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
If you've got a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind;
Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folks use any means
To achieve their ends. "
The hall burst into applause. A couple of kids hooted. When the commotion died down, the Professor called out from the list, “AISLIN DARRAGH”.
A girl whose gaze seemed permanently fixed on her shoes stepped up to the stool and put the hat on. It seemed to deliberate for a bit, before yelling “RAVENCLAW”. The table with blue accents exploded into cheer as she joined the table.
“ADERYN, BRAN”. A pale, scrawny, bespeckled boy with dark shoulder length hair nodded to the headmaster as he stepped up, some students wishing him luck. A moment later, the hat yelled “SLYTHERIN”. The table decked in green and silver erupted into deafening applause.
The first c was “CORINNA STARLING”. A mousy little girl dashed up to the stool and plopped onto it, her feet about a foot off the floor. The Hat suddenly shouted “HUFFLEPUFF”, and the yellow house hollered loudly, slapping her on the back when she ran over.
A few names later and the first Gryffindor, Dorian Vaughan, was announced. The red table was beyond itself in raucous celebration. A couple of them screamed, which was very very brave of them.
Some more were sorted, and soon after Juliette Edwards was dogpiled by Hufflepuffs, Janet Flannel Roll Banana Karen was announced.
“JANET FLANELL ROLL BANANA KAREN”
Janet stepped up, thinking back to which house was which. She'd been too busy staring at the indoor sky and the ghosts, one of which was holding a frog with a tiny harmonica, and hadn’t paid much attention to it in Hogwarts: a history either. At the time there were far more interesting things than colour codes that came out of a hat.
The green snake house was for the ambitious, the red lion house for bravery, the blue eagle house for nerds and the yellow badger house for… finding things? She had no clue, but the kitchens were nearby apparently. Janet decided to gun for the green one – Darius Banana Roll would love it there.
The ashy hat’s voice whispered ominously in her head. “hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, a parselmouth? We haven’t had one of those in at least a month or two. Say, would you pick a forest or a river?”
“Yeah?”
“And if, in that forest, three objects were laid out in front of you, would you pick the trillion-page book taller than a tree, the gleaming sharp-edged serrated itch powder laced dagger, smelly frothy goopy black poison, or a hot grilled cheese sandwitch?”
“ummmm, the sandwich”
“hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, I see. Well, it’ll have to be… HHUFFLEFUFF!”. The yellow table were besides themselves with joy. Janet’s tie and jumper were magically accented with black and yellow, and her house mates enthusiastically introduced themselves at the table.
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Last edited by Janet Flannel Roll Banana Karen on 20 Sep 2025, 23:14, edited 28 times in total.
Sorting Ceremony
Forward dated: September 1st, 2025
As the large doors to the Great Hall swung open, Angelo found himself looking around in wonder. There were so many things going on, so many students chattering amongst themselves, and he found himself marvelling at the floating candles above him, head tilted up to better look at them. Surprise after surprise just had to keep on coming—first it was the scenery on the Hogwarts Express, then his first sight of the castle, and now the Great Hall. The warm atmosphere that the candles and torches give is really nice, he thought. Maybe I'll come here frequently if I'm allowed to. I wonder if any hot wax from those candles has dripped onto anyone...
It was not long before Headmaster Lear finished his opening speech, and Angelo now knew what the odd hat, called the Sorting Hat, was for. Not only did it speak, it could sort you into your house by placing it on your head! And it sang too, albeit a little strangely in his opinion. He watched the Sorting Hat place a handful of students as it called out the names of houses—some after careful consideration, others almost instantly.
Then, Headmaster Lear announced his name. "Angelov, Angelo!"
Angelo stepped forward with reluctance, placing himself on the wooden stool in the middle of the Great Hall. He could see students from all four tables staring back at him with an almost hawkish intensity, along with the grand view of the hall itself. It was almost scary in a sense, having his house picked with all eyes on him and the Great Hall towering over him. He couldn't help but wonder if he would be judged for the house he would be sorted into.
He slipped the Sorting Hat onto his head, which was much oversized for his small stature. It kept on tilting forward in an annoying manner before Angelo steadied it with his hand. It squirmed a bit, the fabric folding in an almost pensive nature, as if it was frowning. He expected it, after it thought enough, to blurt out his house like it did with students that were sorted before him, but found himself surprised when he heard a voice right next to him. He almost flinched at the proximity.
Hmm, an odd one you are, the voice said in a pondering manner. You have quite the skittish thoughts inside you, but you're as still as stone—how curious!
He assumed the Sorting Hat was talking inside his head, as he never heard it speak during other Sortings. He attempted a straight face, but what use was that for a magical hat that could read your mind? His fingers curled slightly around the edge of the stool in a subtle manner, an action revealing his inner turmoil if one were perceptive enough. How can I not be skittish? I've been thinking about houses the entire ride to Hogwarts, and I don't know what type of traits describe me. He chewed on his bottom lip absentmindedly. What if he never got sorted at all?
Nothing to describe you? Surely that's impossible... Then, we look elsewhere. What do you wish for? The Hat asked, raising a tattered fabric eyebrow. Hmm... I can tell you want to become stronger, to fit in with other students at Hogwarts, or even go beyond!
Angelo held his breath, fingers digging into the wood of the stool. It was a tempting thought, becoming one of the best. I do, but... Those are Slytherin traits, aren't they? Not Slytherin, they'll chew my head off. I don't belong there.
Don't belong there, you say? Judging by its tone, Angelo thought that, if the Hat had eyes, it would certainly be narrowing them in scrutiny. If it's belonging you're most concerned with... Well then, it's quite obvious! I know just the house for you. It'll be...
"HUFFLEPUFF!" The Hat declared, its words final and clear.
Angelo let out a breath he didn't know he was holding as he pushed himself off the stool to join the Hufflepuff table, a feeling of relief washing down his spine. He sat down at one of the benches, now donned in Hufflepuff colours. Sure, it was nothing big like bravery, wit, or ambition, but being accepted was something he was more than glad to have.
| Sta: 6 | Eva: 8 | Str: 4 | Wis: 4 | ArcPower: 6 | Acc: 7 | The Muggle Condition |