Sorting Ceremony 2021-2022

Pax grinned with excitement as they were swept up in the crowd of students headed towards the old Sorting Hat perched on the stool. They knew that their surname would mean that they would be one of the last few to be sorted. Rocking back and forth on the balls of their feet, they couldn't help but fidget with the edge of their sleeves with anticipation. They had heard so many things from their brother about Hogwarts, and was so stoked to start their own journey.

"Zhang, Pax!"

Cheeks flushed, Pax hurried up to the stool. They were the last one to be sorted, and it felt a little nervewracking. Quickly, they smiled at their brother at the Hufflepuff table and sat down, letting the hat droop over their eyes.

"Hm, very interesting...dedicated and loyal, but also determined and ambitious...yet above all else, a noble heart full of bravery and a spirit ready for adventure. Yes, yes, I think I'm sure, you would do best in GRYFFINDOR!"

Pax grinned as the hat got lifted from her head, and they headed to the table decked out in red and gold as the other students clapped and cheered. Dazed, they took a seat, not paying attention to the other announcements that the headmaster were giving. They just couldn't wait to begin their journey here.

• ᴇxᴘᴇᴄᴛɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇxᴘᴇᴄᴛᴇᴅ •
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Great Hall - 1st September 2021

The Great Hall had been impressive on first arrival, but by the time the crowd had eventually assumed seating and the numerous voices had lessened to a murmur, it became more about the sorting ceremony. A good portion of students-to-be appeared nervous, others displayed bravado, and some filled all the mannerisms in between and beyond. One after the other, name call after name call, up the young arrivals marched and learned their fate.

Aurelius Leeds sat, waiting patiently, at the long wooden table. He was dressed in an entirely black and grey ensemble of clothing, like a student uniform for a school that didn't exist. His hair was parted neatly, his blue eyes were observant, and he remained quiet. When others spoke to Aurelius, he nodded and smiled, but otherwise kept his attention on the ceremony taking place.

It wasn't that the youth was worried; quite the opposite, he just wanted to done with it.

"Leeds, Aurelius!"

The Irish boy stood, he freed himself from the chairs, then walked with purpose toward the front of the Great Hall. His hands were in his pockets, but his walk was confident, as he reached the front stage and looked to the old, worn brown pointed hat nearby on a stool. A Professor - Aurelius didn't know whom - lifted the ancient item, then the youth stepped up and waited. The hat was placed onto Aurelius' head, to which it began to fuss and think...

"Well, well, another Leeds, hm?" The sorting hat muttered, as the folds of the material formed that of a mouth. "I suppose you're similar to your brothe--"

"Slytherin." Aurelius said simply, his tone low. "That's where I'm meant to be."

The sorting hat chuckled.

"Oh? Is it now?"

Aurelius exhaled, but remained silent.

"Well, let's see, shall we?" The old hat paused, considering. It spoke in a low voice. "Intelligent, yes. Perhaps being a Ravenclaw, like your mother, would be more suited? Studious, precise, attention to detail--"

"Slytherin." Aurelius repeated. He had his reasons, but he also knew the greatest chance to fulfill what he planned was with that House. "I know what I am."

"--and filled with ambition, with some pride thrown in there, clearly."

The sorting hat propped itself up, and exclaimed loudly:

"Slytherin!"

Then, as it was lifted, the old piece of head-wear added in a lower voice.

"Mind that ambition, lad. Mind it well."

The Slytherin students clapped, others did too, it was part of the ceremony - show unity as newly arrived Hogwarts attendees. Aurelius walked from the stage, hands again in his pockets, as he studied some of the faces he passed, on the return to his chair. The ceremony would last a while, but it offered opportunity to get to know others who were in the same House.

Good, that's done with, Aurelius thought as he pulled out his chair and sat down. Now it really begins...

For the remainder of the ceremony, Aurelius followed along with social convention. He clapped, he smiled, he exchanged small talk; but by the time it was done, he was more than happy to move on and get situated at the dorms...

Aurelius has left the thread.

Selena waited in anticipation as the Sorting Hat sorted a boy into Hufflepuff. Her last name was Arden, so she wouldn't have too long to wait before it was her turn to get sorted. She had been waiting for this moment ever since her parents had told her that she was magic. What house would she be sorted in? That question was one she had known the answer to for years, she would surely get Ravenclaw.

There was simply no question about it, she would be a Ravenclaw. Intelligent, creative, witty, all characteristics of a Ravenclaw according to her father. "Arden, Selena!" The calling of her own name shook her from her mind. She walked up to the stool and sat down. The hat slipped onto her head and it's voice filled her thoughts.

"Selena Arden hmm? I suppose you'll be a Ravenclaw like your father, but I always say go off the person rather than their lineage."

"I quite agree," Selena said simply.

The hat seemed to smile, if hats could smile. "You are quite interesting. Creative, individual, wise...but there is also determination, cleverness, cunning. You seem to be a Slytherin child."

Selena's eyes widened in shock. She couldn't be a Slytherin. She knew that Slytherin wasn't where she belonged. She belonged in Ravenclaw, surrounded by books and questions. She wanted to be with the people who prided themselves on creativity, originality, and individuality. She wanted, no needed, to be in Ravenclaw.

The Sorting Hat's brim split open to announce her house. "RAVENCLAW!"

Selena smiled happily as she realized it had changed its mind for some reason. "Why?" she asked it quietly.

"Because you dared to challenge my decision. You could have been either house, but you showed me in your thoughts that Slytherin would never suit you."

Smiling widely, Selena went off to join her new house.

Natasha was so excited and scared at the same time. She was excited because her dream came true, she was inside the castle. She was scared about the sorting and also hoped she doesn't change her appearance due to her emotions.

She saw what her brother told her, people in the frame talking to each other. She was not as shocked as the other students in the line. They were taken to the great hall by a professor. Natasha was stunned to see the big room and also it's ambience. She stood in the line waiting for her turn.

While waiting, she saw the four big tables each with different color. As her brother said about the houses already, she knew which color belonged to which house. She searched for her brother in the crowd of red scarf, she couldn't. Suddenly she saw a hand slightly rise from that table, there was her brother. Natasha smiled. Her brother pointed to the seat next to him and then pointed her. She understood that it was her place, and should will join there. Boys around her brother saw her and smiled, not knowing what to do, she saw the sorting. The hat shout "GRYFFINDOR". That girl went and sat on the same table her brother was sitting.


"SCHNEIDER" "NATASHA"
Now it's her turn, she was scared. She sat on the chair and the hat was placed on her.
"It's so tricky !!!"
Natasha's heart stopped for a second.
"Long line of magic blood, saw the same 3 years ago in your brother. But not the same as his"
Natasha didn't expect that.
"You are different. Hard-working, loyal, bookish and talkative too. And your blood confuses me."
Natasha mind raced,"Gryffindor,Gryffindor" is the only thing she was able to think.
"No, Gryffindor is not your place."
Natasha saw her brother from her table. She had to wait for the hat to make it's decision.
"Hufflepuff"
Natasha saw her brother's face fade. She saw the yellow table cheering for her.
"That's where you belong Nat", she told to herself.
She went to the table and sat next to a boy who was recently sorted to this house.


Natasha's mind raced. She taught for a moment, her mother and her aunt belonged to GRYFFINDOR and so did her brother, but why not her. "You are different" hat's words echoed in her mind. Then a taught struck like a lightening to her, her GRANDMOTHER!!! Her Grandmother Marenna belonged to Hufflepuff. Now she felt better than before. She saw her brother and smiled showing that she was okay. Her brave brother smiled back...

Emma strode into the Great Hall nervously, looking around and swallowing in fear because of the amount of faces already seated. Her fear grew even more as she passed the headmaster who seemed intimidating to the small girl. She took a deep breath and forced herself to put on a somewhat small and trembling smile. But people liked when you smiled and hopefully it would mean she would become a bit more relaxed. She couldn't help the gasp she gave as she stared up at where the ceiling should be. It was beautiful and if nothing else helped to make her forget her surroundings. She stumbled slightly, blushing and putting her head down, hoping that no one would have noticed.

Emma became even more nervous once she heard how the sorting would go. She would be one of the last which made her really dislike her name. After all, who would want to stand up in front of people one didn't know and be the center of attention while a hat decided your fate. She was a little shocked when the hat began it's song, still not use to the fact that magic existed and she should get used to this type of thing. Once the hat began listing the qualities, Emma became more tense. After all, she really wasn't feeling brave or daring and no one would have called her that at home. She found comfort in the familiar. Hufflepuff sounded nice, and like there would be plenty of kind people while she didn't feel smart enough or cunning enough to belong in Ravenclaw or Slytherin. But what if the hat made a mistake and placed her in one of those other houses? She'd feel a true failure.

Time seemed to slow down and she just stood there trying to breathe and not look around, even as the sound of applause kept making her jump. Finally her name was called, and she strode, trembling to the stool with the hat. She closed her eyes as it was lowered over her head, holding her breath. There was mumbling, which she heard but her brain really couldn't comprehend before a voice loudly declared "Hufflepuff". Blushing bright red but pleased that she had been placed in the house where she felt she had the best chance to not fail, Emma waited for the Sorting hat to be removed from her head. She walked carefully to where she had seen the other new Hufflepuffs sit, she slid into a space nearby, hunching over as she waited for the rest of the first years to be sorted.

Daniella entered the Great Hall nervously, along with the other new first year students. She was excited to finally be a real part of Hogwarts, but also a little scared of what would come. The sorting ceremony was one of the most important events at Hogwarts, she had been told. Daniella was hoping to be in the same house as her father, then at least something would be familiar. I will write him as soon as I know, the girl thought to herself.

"Green, Daniella!" When the Headmaster loudly called her name, Daniella immediately froze. She was scared. Come on, Daniella, she thought to herself. This is the moment you've been waiting for, and you're excited. Daniella stood up, still a little pale, and quickly made her way to the stool with the old hat.

"Hmmm... Daniella Green, huh? Loyal, friendly, a lot like your father. Ambitious, too..."

Daniella held her breath and closed her eyes. Here it comes, the moment of truth...

"HUFFLEPUFF!" the hat announced. The students at the Hufflepuff table clapped and cheered.

The girl sighed with relief. She'd heard a lot about Hufflepuff from her father. "It's all about hard work, loyalty and dedication," Daniella glowed with pride as she walked to the table of her new house. This was where she belonged.

"Nelson, Sophia."

Sophia nervously made her way to the Sorting Hat. She struggled with social skills anyway, so she didn't even try to make eye contact with the headmaster after he called her name. She was certain that she would just be intimidated and look back down anyway.

As the Hat made contact with her head, she wasn't surprised to hear it speak. After all, it had just sang a song in front of the whole school. She'd also heard the Hat speak to the other students that were sorted before her. It was musing about her 'indecisive mind,' whatever that meant.

Knowing what to expect from seeing other sortings certainly made it easier to get over her nerves, but she still had no idea what to do. Was she supposed to think really hard about the House she wanted to join? She still didn't quite understand the importance of the sorting ceremony. Sure, it was supposed to be like a second family, but they were all still witches and wizards learning together, right?

Her mind wandered to the song the Hat had sang as she tried to recall its descriptions of the Houses.

Gryffindor. Brave at heart, chivalry. Something else? She couldn't quite remember. Was she brave? Almost certainly not. She couldn't even gain the courage to text her muggle friends before leaving for Hogwarts.

Hufflepuff. Loyal. She didn't consider herself disloyal, but didn't loyalty involve some level of social skills? Surely her social anxiety and awkwardness would disqualify her completely?

Ravenclaw. Wit and learning, if she remembered correctly. That sounded a lot closer than the other two houses. She had nothing but curiosity for the things she knew she would learn. She was filled to the brim with questions and wanted answers almost more than anything. That was pretty fitting for her, then, no?

Slytherin. Something about cunning. She could hardly understand the difference in wit and cunning, but 'cunning' certainly sounded more sinister. She probably wouldn't fit in well with Slytherin, would she?

Interrupting her thoughts, the Hat proclaimed clearly and firmly, "Ah, so it seems we have an answer. Ravenclaw, it is!"

She was surprised by the applause of other Ravenclaws. Apparently House pride was very important here. She smiled and stood, whispering a quiet 'thank you' to the headmaster and the Hat as she walking with her head down to the table she had seen the other Ravenclaws go to.

Micheal entered the Great Hall and he quickly realised that it was more like a huge room than a hall. The Great Hall was absolutely grand; there were floating candles, the ceiling looked like the sky, and the amount of people was enough to overwhelm any first year that entered the room. He also noticed that there a stereotypical, old, yet mysterious looking wizard/ witches hat on a small stool in the front of the hall.

Micheal was admiring the room to much to actually pay attention to who got into what house. But he did notice a few people. A boy got into Gryffindor, and another in Slytherin, and the third was sorted into Ravenclaw. Micheal also noticed a few girls who got sorted into Slytherin, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw.

He was a little bit nervous because he never knew if you could get bullied for being in a certain house. A few more minutes drowned out this nervousness and replaced it with Curiosity.

He thought things like "What house will I turn out to be in?" and "What kind of spells are there?"

After a few minutes of observing the Great Hall, he heard his name being called.

"Fraizer, Micheal"

He walked up to the stool not knowing who just shouted out his name. The headmaster put on the hat and it spoke in the same voice that called out his name only a few seconds ago.

"Ah, Micheal Fraizer. I have and had a feeling about you." It spoke "I originally thought that you would be in Gryffindor. But now, your giving me different, whats the word?" It waited a few seconds and spoke again "Feelings, thats it. Ravenclaw, you seem be fit in Ravenclaw. But you would be more acceptable in Hufflepuff."

Since he hadn't really thought about the houses he wanted to be in, he, simply, let the hat decide his fate.

"Why so silent?" It asked

"I have no idea what house I want to be in, so ill let you decide." Micheal responded

"As you wish. HUFFLEPUFF." It shouted.

As he walked to his new house's table, a large amount of clapping arose from the croud. This almost made Micheal feel somewhat special. Almost.

There was a degree of finality as the doors to the Great Hall closed. The clamor of excited conversation had dwindled to an indistinct hush when the armor-clad Headmaster began his welcoming speech.

Sage stood with her fellow first-years, whey-faced and weary from the long journey. Here she was, finally - the tales she’d grown up hearing paled in comparison to the real thing. She scoured the lines of unfamiliar faces and found her brother’s unsmiling and stoic mug, not that she found any sense of comfort there. August was decked in Ravenclaw house colors, blue and bronze, scholarly and befitting of a Lilly - Sage wondered if she’d be joining his table soon.

The Great Sort, the ceremony all first-years both dreaded and anticipated.

The Sorting Hat had been brought out: a leathery brown mangled-looking thing with a crease for a mouth, looking like a grumpy swamp monster that spoke in silly rhymes. Sage felt queasy, and Merlin, she felt like she might spew the remains of her stomach right then and there. She dug her nails into her palm, forcing herself to focus elsewhere.

Honestly, Sage didn’t know why she was so nervous - did it matter which House she was sorted into? Yes, quite - her parents weren’t loud about it, but they were scholars by nature and were Hogwarts alumni - Sage didn’t need to put two and two together to figure out what that meant. Just, what if-?

The Hat launched into a lengthy song, then, most of which went over Sage’s head. Names were called out, and one by one, Sage watched as first-years clambered onto a stool and let a whimsical Hat decide their fate. There was no pattern in which the Hat sorted, no way of knowing how a Sort was decided except for the values each House embodied - even that seemed like a swamp to wade through. Mum had told her that she could reason with the damn Hat, if she’d wanted it hard enough.

The girl fidgeted and squirmed, chained to her thoughts until someone nudged her forward - it was time. Heart in her throat, Sage sat on the stool, and felt the weight of the Hat sink onto the crown of her head.

“Another Lilly, eh?” the Hat began, harrumphing. ”If it were that simple, I’d send you to Ravenclaw... but you’re quite the mixed bag, aren’t you!”

Brows knitting, Sage looked over to her brother, whose gaze had now settled on her - there was no expectation in them, just mild interest, which annoyed the girl even more - she’ll show him, just wait and see.

“I see ambition but also a sense of duty and justice. The will and determination to succeed. Living in the shadow of greatness, you have much to prove.” Eyes scrunched tight, Sage fisted her hands in her lap, awaiting her verdict. Merlin, please let it be over.

“GRYFFINDOR.”

A smattering of applause followed, and Sage opened her sea-green eyes, relief washing over her. It was like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. The girl knew not how she got to her table, but there she was, sitting amongst her Housemates - they were hollering and welcoming her warmly. Whatever disappointment Sage felt then was insignificant, drowned by the feeling surging deep in her bones.

Belonging.

-September 1st, 2021-

Breathe, Archer, breeeathe..., the boy thought to himself as he waited, along with his fellow first years, to be sorted - his father had told him that the Sorting was always nerve-wracking, no matter who you were, and that there was always the chance that he might not be sorted into Slytherin like Argus had. "But no matter what," his father had said as they had waited for the Express at King's Cross that morning, "I'll always love you my boy, Slytherin or not." Lost in his thoughts, Archer's reverie was broken when he heard the Hat boom out his name. Awkwardly rushing forward like a clumsy bull, the boy nearly fell but caught himself. Placing himself on the stool, Archer felt the old, musty hat plopped right onto his head and he began to hear the Hat mull over its decision.

"You desire Slytherin, but why?" the Hat had asked him. "I don't see much of an ambitious or cunning streak to you."

"Because my dad had all sorts of stories about his time in Slytherin, and his dad before him."

"So that's it - you want to just keep a tradition for little reason than 'because my family did it'?" the Hat answered. "Dear boy, traditions have no value on their own - there has to be a good reason for them. I don't sort students into their Houses just because it's tradition. I do it in the hopes that they can hone their potential and help others do the same." The Hat continued to peruse Archer's brain. "Well, you're certainly not an academic type, so Ravenclaw's certainly out."

"Yeah, I've never been one for schoolwork." Archer confirmed dryly. "I just wanna do nothing but eat, sleep, and read my comic books." A thought came to his mind, but he was interrupted by the Hat before he could ask it.

"No, you can't flunk out of Hogwarts. Believe me, young Elderberry - many before you have tried and many will continue to do so after you." The Hat let out a noise of interest. "You're a very creative individual in spite of your lack of interest in academia - determined too when you put your mind to something."

"I've always liked making up stories and drawing - I even used to write little comics in my spare time."

"Very loyal as well, it seems - tell me, Mr. Elderberry, if your friends were in danger, would you give your life to save them?"

Archer didn't hesitate to answer. "Yes. Without a doubt."

"That's all I needed to hear. You're certainly noble, but not one for adventure, so Gryffindor is not an option, sadly. So that leaves only HUFFLEPUFF!" Feeling the hat lifted off his head, Archer felt a bit of disappointment that he wasn't in Slytherin, but there was no turning back now. He was a Hufflepuff now, and all he could do was walk to his table with confidence to the resounding cheers of his new house. Besides, it didn't matter whether or not he was in Slytherin like his dad or his grandfather before him; that wasn't the point of being sorted, like the Hat said. It was helping his fellow students out and growing his own potential for greatness. And really, that was a very Hufflepuff quality, wasn't it?