Closed The Sorting ceremony 2018-2019

Llywellyn stood quietly, back rigid and straight. After all, today was possibly the most important day in his life. He remembered what his grandmother had told him before he boarded the train.

"Now look here, Llywellyn, I know you're worried about what house you'll be sorted into, but understand that it doesn't really matter whether you're Gryffindor, Slytherin, or whatever. What's important is that you make the right connections and study hard."

"Llywellyn Le!"

He snapped out of his thoughts and made his way to the Sorting Hat as all eyes turned to him.

The Hat was unceremoniously dropped on his head, and immediately it's mutterings filled his head.

"The son of archeologists eh? Well, you've got the personality of a Slytherin but also the makings of a fine Ravenclaw...You're not a Hufflepuff that's for sure..."

After a few seconds, which to Llywellyn felt like an eternity, the Hat finally shouted

"Ravenclaw!"

Llywellyn breathed out in relief. Ravenclaw, the house of wit and learning. He supposed he did take after his scholarly parents in a way, and though he didn't want to admit it aloud, he was glad to be in a house that was not as publicly hated as Slytherin.

Llywellyn jumped off the stool and made his way over to the Ravenclaw table with a sense of renewed excitement for what's to come.

Samara walked into the hall and instantly regretted her decision as her eyes were assaulted by colour and light that had been curiously absent in the halls they'd just been lead through. She blinked away the dark spots in her eyes to see tables upon tables of chatting students. The idea of forcing people into a group and then into wearing a specific colour (especially that colour of green, people do not look good in that) was distasteful, but she still hoped she wouldn't get put anywhere with a dorm room where her claustrophobia would act up.

She hummed and tapped her fingers against the table impatiently as she watched the kids around her get to know each other. She could hear some of the other first years speculating about her placement,
"Slytherin?" Said one, "She's analysing us a lot, I feel like a lab rat."
"No, look at her she's definitely Ravenclaw." Said another, "She's listening but she's not planning anything."
"Or maybe we can wait five minutes and let the crazy magic hat decide." Samara grinned at them, "Maybe it'll get angry if you try to take it's job."
The kids shrunk back to whisper about some other kid that was already making friends to seats away.

"Heart, Samara!", Yelled a voice. Samara stood, happy to be doing something other than waiting.

Samara leaned back on the chair as the hat was placed on her head.

"So very determined, and so very, very, clever." The hat mused, "You are loyal, yet broken, so not Hufflepuff. You are brave, yet not as courageous as to be Gryffindor material. That leaves Slytherin and Ravenclaw. You have ambition, but you have wisdom too."

"As long as I can see the sky, hat." Samara sighed, "I don't do well without the stars."

"Then that settles it. The dungeon is no place for you." Said the sorting cap.

"RAVENCLAW!". The hat yelled, to the sound of many a cheering student.

Samara smiled, the blue would complement her hair.

Waiting through the ceremony was almost unbearable, her height made it feel like she was standing too much out from the crowed and it made her uneasy to say the least. but the ceremony was mandatory obviously, so she would just have to endure it. as each student was called up Alicia tried to remember their name, but each time a new name came up the old one was pushed right back out again. while she tried to focus on names the crowed of first years began to dwindle, then her hear it.

“Alicia Daly!” the voice rang out filling her with dread

She slowly made it up to the chair and sat down, her back straight as a plank as she looked over the great hall. Her eyes widened before the hat was even placed on her head as everyone’s eyes were resting on her, it was anxiety inducing to say the least. It only took a seconded but it felt like an eternity waiting for the hat, but finally it was placed on her head and a voice spoke out.

“what to do, what to do?” the hat spoke “not Gryffindor that’s a given…hmmm” it continued “you have ambition but that is not what drives you… you are quiet but that is not what defines you…” the hat said with a thoughtful voice “creativity, expression and you got a good head on your shoulders I think there is only once choice for you then” it continued almost playfully

“Ravenclaw!”

the hall erupted in applause and Alicia was called back to reality with a mixture of confusion, relief and surprise, her mother side had almost exclusively from Hufflepuff. But her mother had reassured her that no matter what house she ended up in she would be proud, so with careful steps he made her way to the long table of her new house mates.

Milli was nervous, frightened. Her mother would surely be disappointed in her for not getting into the Royale house, Ravenclaw. She kept fidgeting as she followed the Headmaster into the Great Hall. As she looked up she was in awe. The ceiling was beautiful, just as her mother said. As she looked around the hall she noticed all the upper years were looking at the measly firsties, including her.

"Duke, Pandora!

She was startled out of her thoughts by the Deputy Headmaster. She nervously looked around at the other first years. Some of them were tall for their age, others were average. She touched her hair making sure it was perfect with how everyone would be looking at her when it was her time to be sorted.

"Royale, Millicent!

She walks quietly toward the sorting hat.
As she sits down it begins to speak.

"Very studious....Tricky tricky.....hardworking yes...better be...


She starts walking toward the yellow and black table, sweating. Her mother was going to be so disappointed. 'But maybe I'll like it here.' She smiles softly to all the other puffs. "Hello..."
She sits down at the end hoping she made some friends. Milli turns toward the sorting to watch it finish.

The M names seemed to go on forever. Mei, Montgomery, Mills....

Before them, he could be calm. Telling himself that there was loads of time left before it would be his turn to walk down that long hall towards the hat to be sorted. But after he heard the first ‘Macintyre’ or ‘Madison’, his attention was grabbed. Then he couldn’t help but tune out all the voices around him and look straight into the hall to watch the others being sorted. Then he couldn’t help but remember the words of the older students about the ceremony. Then he couldn’t help but be nervous.

Just how many people were in the school? He thought impatiently, as name after name was called before him. But before very long at all, he heard the teacher calling;

“Morgan, Arthur.”

Both anxious and excited to get it over with, Arthur briskly followed the path that the other students have made towards the stool at the front of the hall. He recalled the advice of the older student he had met on the train; ”Just pretend its a normal hat and you're alone” Only it was a creepy, singing mind-reader and he was in a room with literally hundreds of people...

The sorting hat was placed on his head, and an eerie hush seemed to follow it.

Well, well, well... You’re a clever one aren’t you? Though not without courage. Or ambition. It said with almost an air of self-satisfaction in its discerning voice. It just sounded like it was covering is based to him, but what came out of its mouth(?) next, he was not prepared for. Extroverted, and yet so often alone. Social, but somehow always by yourself. You may think you know what you want. But trust me, I know what you need...

HUFFLEPUFF!

Isabella could feel as sweat rolled down her red cheeks and how the names got closer to hers. Van,Vega and so on until her name rang through the hall.

"Walker,Isabella."

All the heads in the room turned to her as she slowly made her way down to the sorting hat. Her face was flushed and she was shaking a little bit with a tang of I'm scared to death mixed in. At that time she tried to recall the words of her older siblings. "Fake till you make it. " Or " Just act like you're just wearing a normal hat." But how could she remember that when people were looking at her and her own siblings...

Then the sorting hat was placed on her head and whispers started.

"I think she'll be Gryffindor"

"No, Slytherin"

Isabella knew the voices and they were her siblings.

But just then the sorting hat started speaking. "Well...you're a clever little one aren't you? But there is also love and kindness." Isabella held the stool as sweat dripped off her chin and onto her robe." Introverted but you love to be around people...so much pain but you still laugh,smile and giggle. No need to be nervous I know what you need...

Hufflepuff

Isabella let go of the stool and got up as people started to clap. She had a little grin on her face as she made her way to the table and sat down with her fellow Hufflepuffs.

Simon waited in his seat as he heard the list of names being called in alphabetical order. He wasn't sure if he was thankful or envious that he didn't have a last name that didn't start with an 'A' or 'B'; he wouldn't be called first to be sorted, but then again, he wouldn't be called first. This just gave him more time to worry over his sorting.

What if I'm put in a house I don't belong to? What if I don't like the house? What if they don't like me? What if.. I'm not assigned to any house and I'm kicked out?

His anxiety-induced thoughts were stopped abruptly when someone had called his name. He let out a small, shuddery exhale as he stood. He'd researched what he could about the school, and he found out that the hat read your mind... This unsettled him; he wasn't too keen on having a hat invading his personal thoughts. He figured it was required, though, for the hat to instantly know which house he'd be put into.

Next thing he knew, he was sitting on the stool, with what felt like millions of eyes on him.

He felt the weight of the hat on his head, the brim obstructing his view of the students. After a second of silence, he felt his heart pound; had his worst anxieties come true? Was it a mistake that he was here?

Reid. I haven't seen a 'Reid' in a long while.

Simon visibly jumped as the hat spoke. Was it speaking aloud or in his head? He wondered how the hat worked. He couldn't think of a way, just settling on the excuse of magic.

Let's see... Quite a passionate one, eh? Maybe Gryffindor?

Simon stole a quick glance at the Gryffindor students from under the brim of the hat. He tried to visualize sitting among them, but they seemed too rowdy and it frightened him, shaking his head.

No no... I guess Gryffindor doesn't work, now does it? Ah.. You are quite curious, aren't you? Intelligent, too. Well.. I guess it shall be.. "RAVENCLAW!"
 
The hat was lifted off his head, his vision of the students returning. He turned around and headed to the table of blue robes cheering. He sat at the end, greeting the students with a shy smile. He turned back to the stool, where another student was getting ready to be sorted. He smiled softly; he could see himself fitting in nicely here.

Elena Jones did not feel fear. That was the only thing which held her together. So why did the bright candles and chattering kids make her feel so wrong.

Elena reflected for a second. She missed her friends, they had all been so happy for her when she got the letter. They hugged her and even pitched in to get her a haircut and a cupcake as a leaving present. She worried that she wasn’t there to help them.

But Elena Jones did not feel fear, so she sat still, calculating, watching.

“Elena Jones!” Yelled a voice. What? Oh, yes there was some kind of odd induction ceremony to do with this place. Elena has read about it on the way over. Elena walked calmly and confidently over to a raised area and sat down in the chair, where the sorting hat was then placed on her head.

“Hmmm, you are not suited for Ravenclaw, as intellectual as you are wisdom is not your forte. You have the loyalty of a hufflepuff, yet you do not believe in other core values. Gryffindor perhaps? You are brave. Or Slytherin? You are very cunning, so much ambition.” The sorting hat mused.

“Oh, how interesting, your friends name you Puck, the trickster. Well that means I know the perfect place for you. Puck the cunning, Puck the ambitious.”

“SLYTHERIN!” Yelled the hat.

Kateryna was so excited, as she stood in line, waiting for her name to be called out. She didn't know what to expect at all - though her parents had told her a bit, they really wished for her to make her own experience of Hogwarts, so they hadn't revealed much.

She felt a nervous chill down her spine, every time another 1st year student became sorted into their respective house. The entire experience of the Great Hall was quite overwhelming, the grandness had taken her by surprise, and Kateryna tried to take in as much as possible by turning her head in all directions.

"Oh, gosh, I'm so sorry!" The young girl whispered in a high pitched voice, when she accidentally bumped into a blonde girl, who stood in front of her, and flashed the other girl a nervous, apologetic smile.
As more and more was sorted, Kateryna fixed all her attention towards the three legged stool and the old hat. Wondering, which House she would be sorted into, any minute now. Her father had been in Gryffindor, and her mother had been in Ravenclaw, so really, it could be anything!

"Pendareva, Kateryna!"

Kateryna frowned unexpectedly, when she heard her name being called. A lot of students before her had been sorted into Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw... Not many into Gryffindor and Slytherin... Oh dear god, what about Slytherin? kate's eyes flickered quickly across the Slytherin table, taking in the rather unpleasant-looking crowd. No!
The young brunette turned to face the Sorting Hat with new determination, raised her chin, and walked calmly towards the chair.

"Aah, yes... A Pendareva, ay?"

Kateryna twitched, when she first heard the low voice whisper in her ear.

"I remember your mum quite clearly! Yes, yes, a smart witch, she was, eager to learn, and very ambitious... Ravenclaw, without a doubt.. Let's see if you take after your mother... Ah! Bright indeed, you are, but I see more... An adventurous mind, an eager curiosity, oh, and what's that? An urge to stand up to yourself, and your friends?.. I see much of your father as well... Oh, well, then... Let's go for...

GRYFFINDOR!"

Kateryna's facial expression shouted pure relief, as she could finally take off the hat, and join her new House mates at the Gryffindor table. Gryffindor. That wasn't so bad, was it? A new adventure!

The Great Hall, that's what it was called, was pretty great. Skylar nearly broke her neck trying to look up. The ceiling was either made out of really clear glass that had no frame or somehow they'd been transported into outer soace, which she didn't think was all that surprising. Anything was possible with magic.

Skylar followed the other first years into the Hall and looked around. There were about five tables, four for students and one for the professors. Everyone looked happy and excited for the new school year, while Skylar was just curious and amazed--she was at a freaking magic school for all's sakes. She held her wand tightly in her hand, she found it to be some sort of lucky item nowadays, even though she'd only had it for about a month now. She liked to wave it around, pretending she was casting spells that'd bring people to their knees, which was a very far sought dream since she was only eleven years old. She hated limits and wished she could just do anything she wanted.

They were told to wait in a group as they got some dirty hat from somewhere and put it on a stool in front of everyone in the Great Hall. Ghosts were floating about--yes, real talking Casper ghosts--and they were going through walls and people like it was an everyday thing, which it probably was for this castle. She glared at one that got too close and it floated away quickly. She didn't want to get ghostbite, or whatever you got from dumb undead entities

Someone had explained to Skylar that there was this thing called the Sorting Ceremony in which every new student was placed into one of the four Houses at Hogwarts: Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. She knew nothing of their backgrounds so she had no biases but she kept hearing some of the students say they didn't want to be in Slytherin, which was apparently the table themed green. They did look kind of sketchy but maybe that was going to be her new home so she shouldn't judge.

The hat happened to be a talking hat--of course it was--and it screamed out House names every time a student out it on. It was kind of irritating and Skylar made a note to tell it to shut up before she put it on so it wouldn't burst her eardrums, which it was obviously trying to do to every first year. She folded her arms and waited for her turn, wondering which House she'd fit into. That's when she recalled one of the books she'd read, something about the history of Hogwarts. She remembered it saying something about the Houses, stuff like Gryffindor had the brave students, Hufflepuff the loyal kids, stuff like that. But she couldn't remember what it said about the other two Houses. Oh well, it was her turn now.

Before she put the hat on, Skylar glared at it and hissed, "Scream into my ear and I'll use you to patch up my cloak."

"My, my, quite the Slytherin, aren't you? Maybe this will be quicker than all of the rest--"

"What does that even mean, being a Slitherman? Isn't that the name of the creepy guy with long arms and no face? Why do you call people that if--

"It's Slytherryn, girl. Maybe you should be in Ravenclaw with the other mouthy children." It went silent for a moment, as if it were thinking or something.

"How do you even chose? Am I supposed to answer some sort of riddle, and the way I answer determines my House? Wait, no, people could cheat, I think--wait, are you reading mind? Is that even legal? Do they even have police here? What if I get eaten by a troll, do I have Wizard Life Insurance--"

"Will you just shut it? Do you want to get sorted into the squib?"

Skylar frowned. But before she could open her mouth to say she didn't know what that meant, the hat sighed deeply and shouted, extra loud this time--"RAVENCLAW!"

The table full of blue erupted into cheers and Skylar grinned and pleasure. Yay, people appreciate her being alive. Before she took the hat off, she heard the hat whisper, "And I hope the knock some sense into you, Motting." Skylar stuck her tongue out as she walked to her table. This wasn't so bad of a beginning, minutes the dumb talking hat. It was a better alternative to being stuck at home.