Sorting Ceremony 2023-2024

The headmaster began a long, long, long speech. It bored Lucey, so she looked around, taking the whole hall in to her fullest ability. The candlelight was like a dream that you can't quite place; fuzzy and glowy and mysterious. Flecks of stars hung above them as clouds of purple, blue and pink dusted the galaxy. Dioxazine. That was one of the colours that Lucey had learned about through hours of pouring over her mother's books. Dioxazine is a shade of electric purple that reminded Lucey of the night sky. That was what was in the galaxy. She knew that it wasn't the real galaxy - during the summer holidays, she had read all of her textbooks thirteen times to ensure that she wouldn't be behind everyone else, and it mentioned that it was just an enchantment in Hogwarts: A History. Lucey had always struggled with paying attention, so she had to do twice as much of the work to get half as far as everyone else. Despite this, she knew she was quite intelligent.
"Lopez-Murphy, Lucey." Lucey startled when she heard her name called. She gave a small smile to her newfound friends as she sat on the stool. The sorting hat was placed over her head. Lucey could barely breathe. Please, Hufflepuff, please. She needed to be with her sister.
"Hmm... an interesting one," the sorting hat murmured. "I see you have a fiery spirit. This can't deny your intelligence, though. Ambition is strong in this one. But... best be... Hufflepuff!"
Lucey could have danced for joy as she took a seat with her sister. The Hufflepuff table erupted into cheers. Her family were maybe destined to be a bunch of plain, simple Hufflepuffs, but she loved them for it. Her mother, her sister, and now her.
Lucey was, maybe for the first time in her life, truly and utterly happy.

Her legs had just lost the cramping as she stood, still as ever, in the room holding the large crowd of students. Leaving her parents wasn't a hard thing for her. She had tried getting over it quickly, but the feeling of their absence wouldn't shake. The room she stood in, however, created an instant sense of home.

The looks of wonder pored over the group of kids she stood in-between. The group of eleven-year-olds were just as shocked as she was. It was more than anything she had expected. Her hands shook with anticipation as she body urged to move forward and find her rightful place.

Before her head could dwell on that subject any longer a small "Woah" left her mouth. Finally, she had caught onto the animated portraits that hung along the walls around them, some talking to each other, some observing the crowds. Further above them sat floating candles, all lit. The shine illuminated the area giving a homely look to the environment.

Soon enough, Serina's eyes drifted to the man who moved to stand before them, catching the limp his body followed. His voice was loud, loud enough that she noticed the entire hall fell to respect the man. Listening to his greeting and taking note mentally her eyes wandered to the professors sat behind him. Before him a hat stood proud, obviously waiting to be called on. As the headmaster continued to speak, he instructed for the hat to begin on its own. And so, it began to sing, quieter than Headmaster Solomon, yet loud enough that it would be stuck in her brain for the upcoming days.

As the hat slowly finished, she noted quickly that the colors matched the houses, just as their mascots. Sooner then she had thought, the blurry man began calling up students, one by one. The headmaster had wasted none of his time running through the casualties of explanations.

The time seemed to pass by faster than her mind comprehended as the name that rung so many bells was called, barely noticeable through the small cries of the houses as more children were sorted into them.

"Davies, Serina"

Small "Excuse me"'s were stated as she made her way through to the front, nodding to the headmaster as she took her place on the seat. The hat was heavy as it was placed on her head.

It seemed to of spoken to itself, as if debating, before settling on a final decision.

"Slytherin!"

The loud cheers reared in her mind as she rose from her seat, forcing her legs to guide her toward the table of green and silver. Looking around once more, she knew that, if need be, she would be able to turn to the castle of Hogwarts for comfort.

⋆ The ache for home lives in all of us. A safe place we can retreat to, were we are to be and not be questioned for it. ⋆

"Emily Shephard"!

Oh boy... Here we go.
She took her time towards the front of the room, sneaking past the other first years as she did so, the chair beckoning her towards it. She perched on the seat while the Sorting Hat was placed on her head.

"Hmm... now this is a tricky one... Lot's of knowledge. A critical thinker. A keen mind altogether."

The Sorting Hat sure was chatty despite how little was actually happening, she thought. She'd at least expect her mind to buzz or her head to tingle. But no... just a talkative, judgemental, magical hat with a fabric face.

"But there's also loyalty... friendship... compassion. A desire to share and give. An open heart."

That was reassuring. Those were good qualities, right? She did favour her friends from back home. The saying she always heard was definitely true; "Money can't buy happiness." Her friends certainly did and she remained grateful for that despite her family values.

"Yes... I know exactly what to do with you..."

Emily felt a dry swallow in her throat. This was just a simple Boarding House decision yet this was unnecessarily hyped up as a do-or-die moment. She breathed through her nose to remain calm right before the Sorting Hat announced...

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Danielle Alden!"

Dani took a deep breath, walking up to the stool that sat at the front of the Great Hall. Was she nervous? Of course. This was the moment she'd been waiting for her entire childhood. Would she be placed in Slytherin, with the cunning and ambitious? Gryffindor, with the courageous? Ravenclaw, with the witty and curious? Or Hufflepuff, with the kind and selfless?

She arrived at the stool, sat down on it, and picked her older brother, Blaise, out in the crowd. That task proved to be a lot harder than she thought, her blue eyes having to search through a sea of blue robes to find her older brother. Making eye contact with Blaise, she sent a light smile towards him just before the esteemed Sorting Hat was lowered upon her blonde locks.

"Hmm... An Alden. Just like your brother and ancestors before... Curious, smart, witty..." The hat said, referring to her pureblood lineage and her family history of being sorted into Ravenclaw. A second passed. Two seconds before the hat declared its decision, "RAVENCLAW!"

Danielle let out a breath in relief, a small smile appearing on her lips as the table filled with blue lept up and cheered for her, Blaise sending her a nod. She made her way over to the table, taking the next open seat as she watched the rest of the Sorting Ceremony, eager to see who else were her fellow housemates for the upcoming years.

Crossing the Black Lake with his fellow first years was inspiring to Em. The view of the castle, the glistening fire-lit light coming through the various stained glass windows was exceptionally beautiful. The chill over the water was nearly unfelt, as his nerves warmed him from inside.

Em could feel his stomach start to drop as they walked up the staircase leading to the Start of Term feast. There was excited murmuring among the first years, as they were escorted into the Great Hall to be sorted. Candles sparkled over head, just below the beautiful starry, but slightly cloudy sky that existed in the rafters of the castle.

Older students were already seated, and mingling. Reconnecting after a long summer holiday. Some hugging, some fawning over school-age crushes, and even some rivalries reigniting. It was incredibly intimidating to Emmanuel.

The head master welcomed this years new students with a long, and cheerful speech. Em knew his Great-Grandfather would expect him to give his whole attention to the Professor, however Em was distracted. His heart beating in his ears, the previous murmur of students still echoing in his head.

The Sorting hat was presented, and sang his traditional song. Students were being called up alphabetically by their last names.

Damn he thought, knowing it would be his turn at any moment. He felt butterflies start to rise in his chest.

"Danielle Alden..." The hat called, and Em watched a blonde student walk up to the hat. A few seconds passed, before "Ravenclaw!" was shouted, and the table adorned in blue erupted in cheers.

A few more names were called, each being sorted to a table, cheering to receive their new students.

Em looked over to the witch he met on the train, Emily Shephard, as "Emmanuel Bourne" rang through the hall. Em passed his traveling companion a small smile, as he approached the stool.

Em turned to face the entire school, most eyes upon him. His heart began to beat quickly.

He sat down in the stool, looking up as the historical hat was placed upon his chestnut hair. Old leather, well worn. Slight scorch marks on the rim. Before he knew it, the hat came to life. Wriggling on his head, as it prepared to address the whole of Hogwarts. Em knew that the men of the Bourne family were sorted into Slytherin; however he couldn't help but wonder if his fate would be different.

A voice filled his head, prodding at his potential skills, history, and personality. A few second lasted an eternity, until a voice filled the air above him. Projecting around the walls of the Great Hall that hat called out: "RAVENCLAW!"

Em felt the hat go still, as the Ravenclaw table cheered him down. He quickly left the stool, passing a small thank you to the hat, and went to sit next to the new Ravenclaw first years.

"What will Grandfather say? he thought, before his evening was filled with new faces, and wonderful food.

As the new students filed into the Great Hall, Sofia took a nervous breath of air. Headmaster Solomon Leer gave a speech Sofia didn’t listen to. She only listened when they starting the Sorting. Sofia’s last name was Mamdanda so she would probably have to wait until they got to ‘M’. Finally it happened. “Mamdanda, Sofia.” Sofia nervously walked towards the chair in front of the tables. She could feel every eye on her. She picked up the hat and dropped it on her head. “Hmm,” came a small voice in her ear. “There’s intelligence in there, that’s a good fit for Ravenclaw.. but oh! There’s some loyalty in there. Bravery too. I know exactly where to put you. You’d be in GRYFFINDOR!” Sofia heard the hat shout the last word to the hall. Sofia stood up and took the hat off. She walked to the Gryffindor table and sat down. Her fellow Gryffindors clapped. If only her mother could see this now! Sofia was smiling from ear to ear. The sorting continued and Sofia watched wondering what her mother would think. After the sorting was over, the tables magically with food. Sofia dug in happy that she would be studying magic.

I look at the man at the door and stare wide-eyed in astonishment. No one had said anything about someone greeting us at the door. The man is tall and scary-looking. He is wearing old-looking armor, has a full greying beard, and dark, stormy blue eyes. He shakes the hands of students as they go by and says greetings to us as we walk by. I manage to hide beside a student, successfully avoid the man, and make my way into the room past the large double doors. The room is huge, with four long tables reaching from one end of the room to the other and benches on each side of each four tables. Tons of food laid out on the tables, looking like a feast fit for an army like the ones I would read about in my books back home. Goblets full of liquids and large, full plates of delicious-looking food.

The walls are lined with massive portraits that move! Startling me since I'm not used to seeing portraits move, I know that they move it's just been a while since I've seen them do that. The huge ceiling has hundreds of candles just floating in mid-air illuminating the place in a warm glow. I walk with everyone else to the front of the dias in the room with beautiful stained glass windows behind it and listen to the people around me anxiously. I turn to look out the doors into the main hall and notice that they have since closed. I turn back around and notice that the strange man is now in front of us with a thing in one of his hands.

"Welcome first-year students. I am Solomon Lear, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. As it is our tradition here we are going to engage in our first ceremony 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."

“Sentient, I am intelligent”

I stand on the tips of my toes trying to see where the voice had come from and failing to locate the source. Headmaster Lear coughs before saying “Ah yes, the intelligent had. He smiles slightly at the thing in his hand and seems to move his lips in a way that looks like he is talking to it. Before looking down at us students.

"Sorting Hat will be placed upon your head. It won't hurt one bit. The Sorting Hat will look into your heart and mind and determine the best place for you: Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff. As most of you must know, each of those houses possesses its characteristics, its values, and its own Head of House."

Headmaster Lear gestures towards the table and announces each person's name in order before continuing his instruction.

"The house that will be chosen for you shall represent qualities that are truly present within each of you. Your future house shall be like a second family. You will also be able to gather points and once we reach the end of the year, the house with the most house points shall win the House Championship Cup. What you need to know is the Sorting Hat is never wrong, once you are sorted your House will not change for the duration of your time in Hogwarts."

After the sorting hat ends its song Headmaster Lear pulls a scroll from his waist and opens the tightly bound long piece of parchment that hits the floor. From where I am in the crowd, I can’t how long the list is, but from how little I can see it is a long list. He then starts calling out names and people go up the dias to where he is and sit down on something before sitting down at the tables. It seems to take forever as he calls out student’s names.

“Vander Veen, Morgan”

I jolt out of my daydreaming and look up at Headmaster Lear. I walk up nervously, wringing my wrist and clenching my fingers together tightly, and take a seat on the stool. He places the hat, now that I can see it better, onto my head and after a moment of silence the hat shouts out “Ravenclaw!” I stand up off of the stool and Headmaster Lear takes the hat off of my head and I walk over to the Ravenclaw table. I look around the table at the other students and watch them grab things and pile their plates full of food and decide to copy them and help myself to some food as well. All of which looks and smells good.

I had a wonderful time reminiscing over the beautiful change in scenery from the Hogwarts Express, moving from the industrial bustle of London, to the blissful greenery of the country. The wonderful boat trip across the lake to Hogwarts was for a lack of better word, magical. My home away from home for the next couple of years.

As the large heavy doors opened into the Great Hall, I could only gasp at the magnificent room before me. Once walking through the hall to where the sorting would begin. There were so many students and the castle was waiting for me to explore its vast hallways.

I had read about the houses briefly but thought my personality and attributes would suit any of the houses so I was happy just to even be attending this wonderful wizarding school I didn't mind much where I was put.

After being called, I was running through all the possibilities that could go wrong for me. I could slip going to the hat, I could faint while getting sorted, I could make a fool of myself and everyone in the school would know me for it. My breathing quickened and my heart raced as I waited for the Sorting Hats decision.

Finally, I was sorted into Hufflepuff!

Delphine's sorting. She was thrilled to finally be sorted into Hufflepuff. This day had been a dream only a while ago, but Delphine was standing here! In the Great Hall of freaking Hogwarts! She glanced around, imagining the great Harry Potter and Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley sitting at the lengthy Gryffindor house table as she caught sight of it. "I'm walking where they once walked. Literally following in their footsteps." Delphine made eye contact with many older students as she trudged with the crowd, always looking away nervously before it held too long. After many students were sorted into their newly placed houses, Delphine clapping after every freshly appointed Hufflepuff first year, it was finally Delphine Madeline's time. The Sorting Hat took no time at all deciding her house. And no time at all crushing all hopes and expectations. "Slytherin!" Delphine's smile vanished, as all the color from her face drained away. She stood up once the hat had been removed from her head. What were her parents going to say? It's not that big a deal is it? Delphine swallowed and walked to the Slytherin table. Not looking at anyone, or smiling, or even registering their happy grins and loud cheers. She was a Slytherin. Delphine quickly thought about everything the Sorting Hat could have noted about her. "Am i cunning? ..." She peered over at the Hufflepuff table, squinting at the happy students, wondering what - went - wrong. Until she spotted a young boy around the same age as her, head down and a tear streaking down his cheek. Delphine had seen him get sorted into Hufflepuff. He was just as sad as her. He was a Hufflepuff. And Delphine was a Slytherin. "But maybe it's something I can accept." Delphine lifted her head just as a girl was sorted into Slytherin, and clapped. "Congratulations!" She said grinning, as the girl passed Delphine's seat on the bench of the table with a look of pure joy.