Closed The Sorting ceremony 2018-2019

Alex had entered the Great Hall. It was just as he imagined. Starry skies that was actually the ceiling, tons of students that came before him already sorted into their respective houses. He looked over to the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff Houses and saw his older brother and sister, Angelina and Jesse, smiling at him as he was about to be sorted into his new house. As Alex stopped in front of the Sorting Hat, the professor started to call out each name of every first-year that was present. It wasn't long until his name was called out.

"Alexander Hightower!" the professor's voice blared.

Alex walked over to the stool and sat there looking at everyone including the upperclassmen.

Ah yes, so you have finally arrived safe and sound. The Sorting Hat whispered into his head. Do you know that your parents were brilliant here in Hogwarts? So are the rest of your family including your siblings that are present tonight. Now, where to place you... You have a very brilliant mind. A child prodigy when it comes to your flying skills inherited from your parents I see. I can truly see your inner soul as you fight for your friends with such bravery. Though you are intelligent, your courage and brave nature is clearly evident. Your father will be pleased to hear that you will join his House. Yes that's right! Allow me to be the first to welcome you. The hat paused for a moment. GRYFFINDOR!!

The Great Hall exploded with applause and cheering as Alex walked over to the Gryffindor table right next to his sister, Angelina, who gave him a warm hug. He looked across to the Hufflepuff table and also saw his brother, Jesse grin and joined in on the applause as well.

"Ginger Mesely", the hat called out.
Ginger looked out and suddenly felt tense, she frowned at her nervousness.
"Why am I so nervous? I don't care what house I'll be in, it'll probably be Gryffindor like the rest of my family", She tries to tell herself, but she is still sweating under her robes.
She felt nothing but eyes on her as she walked up to the pointed wizards hat. She had heard stories from her older brothers about how the Hat would poke around in her mind. Now she was thinking about what house she would be in. Was she brave like her brothers and father, or was she smart like her mother, maybe she was neither? What if she was houseless. Does she even deserve to be here?
"Get a hold of yourself Mesley, You belong here. And don't ever doubt that", Ginger muttered harshly to herself.
Finally, she sat on the stool and felt the hat be put on her.
"Hmm, another Mesley. Interesting will you be like your brothers and father, no you want to be different from them, don't you. How about Ravenclaw like your mother. While you are smart, you put pride above all. Oh, what's this? You're ambitious. You want your own legacy, I know what house you belong in".
"Slytherin". The hat yells.
Ginger stands up and tries to go for a smug smile as if she knew that this would happen. But she would never guess Slytherin to be her house. What will her father say, or her brothers?

Aveline wasn't paying any attention to the sorting ceremony lost in her own thoughts. What am I doing here? She sighed and turned her eyes to the hat. After her name was called, she jerked a bit, then she stood up and went to sit on the stool awaiting her destiny. She fidgeted nervously on the stool and looked around a bit..

Should I be nervous? It doesn't matter where I'll end up now, does it? She thought to herself but the tense look on her face didn't loosen up even a little bit. Well, I guess I'll take what they offer but still.. I think Ravenclaw would fit me nicely.

At that exact moment her thoughts were disturbed by teacher putting sorting hat on her head. Ave freezed and tried to think of nothing. Just imagine an empty nothingness and it's going to be alright.. maybe they'll even send me back home. She bit her lip.

Slytherin it is!

Aveline gasped and looked around briefly before she set her eyes on the table of green robes. Is it.. is it my punishment for something I had done? She cried out in her mind but didn't let it show on the outside. She started walking towards her new house and forced a friendly smile out of her just in cause.

"Sylvari, Ayleid!" A voice cried out suddenly. So many people were being sorted into their houses. So far I had my eyes on Slytherin. It looked like a rather nice house to be in. Just my type of people. Plus two of my older friends were in Slytherin, Lucien and Aravis Escanora. I couldn't help but wonder if they were nervous at first.

I walked up to the chair climbing into it. My feet didn't quite touch the floor, which was embarrassing because most people weren't as short as I was. I looked over to Aravis and Lucien at the Slytherin table who were in the crowd. I couldn't help but stare for a while before the hat began to speak.

"Ah, Miss Sylvari. You seem to already have your eye on the Slytherin house hm?Let's see here. You are ambitious, yes. Very resourceful as well." It spoke to me. I kept thinking Slytherin in my head. I totally belonged there. It was definitely going to be my new home. "Ah, Ayleid you are very cunning and you would make a lovely Slytherin.

I mentally cheered in my head. I was going to Slytherin! "However, I'm afraid that will not be your house." I couldn't help but feel my heart sink. I wouldn't be with the Escanora family. You have kindness in your heart. You are loyal to those you love and trust. You are hardworking and dedicated to a certain cause. Although you seem a bit too vain and aren't exactly fair and patient...I know what your house will be.

Curious I listened closely on the edge of the seat. "HUFFLEPUFF!" The hat boomed, a bit too loud for my liking. I turned my head to see a house standing up and cheering. Their colors were yellow and black. Oh, I look good in those colors! At least I'll look nice. I stood up and walked over to my new house looking back towards the Slytherin table giving a sad smile to Ara. The rest of the Slytherin house seemed to roll their eyes at the thought of another Hufflepuff.

Nova stood in awe as she walked through the hall. She had never seen anything like it--the candles floating high in the air, the sky full of stars, the colorful banners littered all over the walls. It felt like she just learned of her magical powers, though it had now been 6 years of practicing with her father the most basic tricks and spells. All in preparation for this day.

She felt a pang of guilt; her mother never wanted to send her off to boarding school, and she learned that her father never even wanted her to know he was a wizard, much less learn that she was one too. But walking in her robes with all the other witches and wizards her age, she couldn't help but feel excited and special.

Why did father want to hide this from me? Why was he so reluctant to show me this side of his world? Sure, I've been to St. Mungo's, where he works, but only after desperately pleading for him to return to the magical world, just so I could be a part of it too. I mean, I am a witch, and he's a wizard--I want to share this world with him the way we share everything else! He's told me of his past, of the 2nd Wizarding Wars, of the history of magic, but why wouldn't he tell me about Hogwarts? About my own family? What was the word he said he was called? Clean blood? Pureblood?

Nova shook herself out of her reverie just in time to hear the Sorting Hat's song. She looked around at all the other faces, some confused, some scared, and wasn't sure what to feel.

I forgot to ask my father what house he was in. He said it wasn't important, but what if that was his way of protecting me? Is there a house I should go to, or a house I definitely shouldn't be in? I guess I can send him a letter later.

"HAMIDI, NOVA"

All the robed eleven-year olds seemed to part like the Red Sea for her name, and she walked cautiously to the front and took a seat under the large, dirty hat.

"Hmm, interesting, interesting. Nova, is it? Of course your name is Nova, though after all the Siriuses, Celestes, Bellatrixes, Vegas, Orions, and Andromedas in your family, I do not believe I've come across a Nova before. Interesting choice your father made." the Hat said.

Siriuses, Celestes, Bellatrixes, Vegas, Orions, and Andromedas? Are these names of my family members? I always knew we were named after constellations and stars, but I never knew specific names!

"Ah, a witch without a family. Quite the family to be without as well, my dear. For it is as clear by your name as by your--well, half of--your blood. Your traits are strong and severe--you carry your family's blood with you, even despite your mother." the Hat snickered.

Nova frowned. Despite my mother? My mother would've been the most powerful witch had she been lucky enough to have magic--she doesn't even need magic to show off her powers-

"Despite your mother, your bloodline is strong in you. There is only one option for you--SLYTHERIN!"

So a talking, singing hat was the way it was done? Some musty old moth-eaten hat was going to decide which house he was stuck in for the rest of his time here? Great. Just fantastic. This was either going to be a great thing or the worst ever, and it was all dependent on a bloody HAT. Sometimes he wondered if it was easier to be a muggle at this rate. His father would have a fit if he heard about this. You couldn't bribe a hat after-all. What would you bribe a hat with anyways? A permanent clean spell?

It was a funny thought, enough to ease some of the nervous bubbles in his stomach and make his lips twitch just for a moment as he shifted from foot to foot, waiting for the line to move. What was taking that person ahead so long? Some kind of super kid that belongs in all of them? He sighed, resisting the urge to touch his hair as he instead eyed the different colors. If he had to pick by color, Hufflepuff seemed nice. Or Ravenclaw.

Which one would he be stuck in? Slytherin? His dad would be pretty happy for that. He wasn't any kind of brainiac, so Ravenclaw was definitely out. He liked reading a bit here and there, sure, but he'd rather be out there doing things, not stuck behind walls drowning in text. He sighed, probably for the third time, muttering under his breath as he looked forwards again. Hurry up... He couldn't take this waiting around, and all the clapping was starting to give him a headache. The sky was nice at least... Sky ceilings, that was pretty cool.

A sharp blink followed his name being finally called, and he froze for a good moment before gathering a quick burst of adrenaline and hurrying forward. Shoulders squared, head high, stay confident. Don't ever show how nervous you are. These were the mantra's he repeated in his head as he took a seat and yanked the stupid mothball eaten hat over his head.

I resent that.

Ahkar managed, with a good deal of self control, not to shriek like a little girl when the hat spoke inside his head. And read his mind. He had a few choice words for that last part though.

Well, you're a foul mouthed child aren't you? And from so far away too! Well it's not hard to choose where to put a spirit like yours...

Not Gryffindor, right?

Why not?

Wait.. seriously? This stupid hat-

AHEM!

This... fantastic.. hat...? Heavy sarcasm implied, but yeah, why would it want to put him in with the red lions? Well... it would shove a sock in his families pride, and a small part of him burned with satisfaction at the thought. But he'd still have to deal with all that stupid nonsense even more now and-



Well... SO MUCH FOR CHOOSING THEN! He glared at the hat as he practically chucked it back on the seat after getting to his feet, and then froze as he stared at the table that was now applauding, all too happy to greet him. He couldn't help glancing at the Slytherin table for a moment too, watching their mildly annoyed faces and occasional sneer. Some of their haughty glances reminded him of his father...

He didn't waste any time grabbing a seat with the Gryffindors, staring at his plate. He was doomed.

The hat called out her name. Birdie's heart was pounding, but some part of it was also heavy. "Ollie should be being sorted with me." She decided, despite knowing that there was nothing she could do about that. It wasn't like they'd sort a BIRD, who was miles away, just because he was reincarnated. Still, she stepped up to the hat and placed it on her head.
"Ah hello, Miss Winterwell."
"Hello." She thought. "I'm going to be a Hufflepuff, aren't I? I'm nothing like Mother or Great Grandmother. I don't even have the same blood-status!"
"Not in personality or blood, but you hold the distinct trait of the Winterwell women; never-ending questions and the nerve to answer them. That's why..."
"WAIT!" She yelled internally. "Can you quickly tell me what house Ollie would be in...? If you can see into my memories, that is."
The hat paused for a moment. "From the looks of things... Hufflepuff."
"Thank you." She murmured silently.
Her eyes shone as the hat called out her house. The hat's clear voice boomed across the room and echoed in the walls of the gorgeous hall.
"RAVENCLAW!"
She happily skipped to the cheering Ravenclaw table and took an empty seat. "Maybe now I'll get a little more recognition." She thought, starting to eat delicious food. "Maybe an owl. I would settle for that."

The collection of First Years not yet sorted parted eerily, allowing the young raven-haired girl to make her way up to the stage without running into any shoulders. Erin willed herself to not be frightened of what the Sorting Hat may tell her; she promised to be strong for both mother and father, no matter where she was placed in Hogwarts. With a deep breath she walked up to the stool, took a seat and assisted with placing the monstrous hat upon her small head. She kept a calm demeanor as she folded her hands politely and waited for the Sorting Hat to animate once more. So many other children had already been sorted without a fuss, it was time for Erin find out who her second family may be.

"Ah, my dear, the Sorting Hat began to spring to life a top her head, swaying slightly to gain better balance on the girl's mound of dark hair, "welcome to Hogwarts. I'm so pleased that the O'Flan's youngest has finally come to join us. A spark burns brightly inside you, one full of courage and arrogance all the same, you could fit into Gryffindor..." A Gryffindor? Erin couldn't see herself donning such bright and broody colors. What a preposterous image! She wanted to make a name for herself, grow up surrounded by a House where nobody questioned why she was there. "I see." The She wouldn't be appreciated there. Erin needed a path that would effectively pave her road towards a solid future. Two minutes had now turned into three. Her eyes scanned the Great Hall, subconsciously Sorting Hat fell silent for quite sometime, the minutes ticking by like molasses. Anxiety gnawed at her throat. A glass of water right would sure do the trick.

The Hat spoke once more, pulling Erin away from her thoughts of scrumptious roast turkey and pumpkin juice. "Loyalty for your family and their traditions; a hunger for friends and fun, traits most associated with Hufflepuff..." She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Hufflepuff was a stern no. she was looking for her older brother.

"No, no, no," the Hat made a sort of clicking noise, as if it was scolding even himself for the thought, "another O'Flan to join Ravenclaw perhaps?" Erin felt a ball of disappointment fill her chest. Ravenclaw was a wonderful House, her brother Demetrius had been raving about it since he was sorted four years ago. She could grow-up to be just like her mother. Her mother was wise beyond her years and yet full of so much childhood wit. Could she live a happy life as a Ravenclaw? Her eyes finally fell upon her brother, short black hair falling loosely over his brows... brows that were raised questionably at Erin. He probably thought she was questioning the Hat's choices - that she was scared to be put into a House at all.

Erin clutched her fists firmly, her eyes boring into her brother's thick skull before tearing them away to look up at the Sorting Hat. No! I have to find my own way. "It would be the perfect place for you to gain more knowledge and feed your current inhibitions. However, Slytherin is where your talents would blossom tremendously. I am torn young witch. She couldn't believe it, the Sorting Hat couldn't decide where to place her. She was a witch! She had come all this way knowing that she belonged at this school. "Ravenclaw.... Slytherin..." Three minutes had turned to four and four minutes was slowly creeping to five.

She wanted to push the Hat to make a decision, but what if she chose wrong? What if meddling with the Hat's all-knowing sorting abilities placed her someplace where she would forever be unhappy. "Slytherin.... Ravenclaw?" On the train-ride here she had vowed to become the greatest witch this generation had ever seen. Erin's teeth were set on-edge, however a calm, icy façade was still etched across her features. With shoulder's pushed back and chin held high, she awaited the Sorting Hat's answer. The clock struck five minutes.


"Thank you," she whispered. The Great Hall exploded in a fit of applause, the wait was over and Erin was let down from the stool and ushered towards the other students clad in green and silver.

Anastasia started a bit at the sound of her name. She inhaled sharply, then walked confidently through the crowd of other unsorted first years. She made her way up to the stool and sat. She couldn't wait to be sorted into Slytherin, just like generations of Becketts before her. She bit her lip as the hat was placed on her head. She was already beginning to compose her letter to her parents. Dear Mum and Dad... No, that wouldn't work. It was a bit informal for her parents, whom she never addressed as anything other than Mother and father
Ah, I was wondering when I'd get another Beckettthe Hat said, startling Anastasia out of her mental letter composing.I must say, you're different than the other Becketts I've sortedDifferent? How?Really, I could justify placing you in any of the Houses. She was already beginning to panic a tad due to the fact that she hadn't been declared a Slytherin as the Hat touched her head, but at hearing that, her face whitened and her hands began to tremble. See, right there. Your loyalty is very Hufflepuff, but then your dedication to your plan is rather Ravenclaw Absolutely not, she would positively leave if she was placed in Hufflepuff. Well, alright then. But you see, that stubbornness makes me think Gryffindor. She could see people beginning to talk. She couldn't guess how long she'd had the hat on, but it was clear that it had been a bit. Hurry up and bloody put me in Slytherin, she thought indignantly. Well, maybe not Ravenclaw then, seeing as a Ravenclaw would be a wee bit more polite to something that makes a life forming choice No, Ravenclaw wasn't quite for her, even though it was her second choice house to Slytherin. But she so desperately wanted Slytherin. You really are different from the other Becketts She was didn't want to be different! Her irritation at the stupid hat as the time ticked by mounted. Stupid hat? I rather resent that. She sighed and rolled her eyes a bit. I must say, I don't think Slytherin would be a fit for you, young one. Slytherin not a fit? She wanted to tell the Hat exactly what she thought of that, in terms that her mother certainly wouldn't approve of. My, the tongue on you. Yes, I know what house would be a perfect fit for you. Might even get you to unwind a tad. Yes, better be



WHAT?!? Gryffindor? Of all the houses, that was almost worse than ending up in Hufflepuff. She knew her parents would hate it more than anything. Standing, she smiled weakly, her face still a bit pale. Whoever it was who took off the Hat nudged her forward and whispered, "That was nearly a Hatstall, little Beckett. I must say, not what any of us were expecting." Nodding numbly, she walked down the stairs and began to slowly walk towards the garish red and gold table. How could this have happened? No matter, she had to make it look like this was exactly what she had wanted to happen. Play the hand she was dealt as the saying went. She smiled a bit wider as she reached the table and sat.