1 Jul 2021, 16:46
Sorting Ceremony
1st September 2021 - 30th June 2022
September 1st 2021 would mark the arrival of a fresh generation of wizards. This day also marks the first back for older students who had done this before. This story is of course not for the older students, they had already been here. They had already been here... done that. The Sorting Ceremony is a tradition that has remained unchanged for generations. This ceremony was not for the old but rather for the new. This newest generation of fresh-faced, wide-eyed children who were about to embark on a novel journey. For those with a magical family: older brothers, parents or even friends, they might know what this gathering was all about. For others, specifically the muggle-borns, this might be a more stressful day as their 'normal' muggle life is turned upside down as they see a world entirely unlike their own. At this sorting ceremony each new student with the help of the sorting hat would be placed in one of four Houses -- Hufflepuff, Slytherin, Ravenclaw or Gryffindor.
Hufflepuff for the loyal and the hard-working.
Slytherin for the cunning and ambitious.
Ravenclaw for the studious and the clever.
Gryffindor the the prideful and the brave.
Slytherin for the cunning and ambitious.
Ravenclaw for the studious and the clever.
Gryffindor the the prideful and the brave.
As they say, the Sorting Hat is never wrong and while for some the Sorting Hat may pick a House that is unwanted or unexpected, it simply means that the House saw something in you that you failed to see within yourself.
The room itself was grand. Four long dining tables stretched the length of the room with benches on either side. As it always was on the first day -- it was standing room only. A feast was laid out family-style down the center of each of the four tables, the children would be able to gorge themselves on every sort of food one could think of in the shared space. Goblets full of cheery, fruity drinks and large, full plates of hearty dishes sat in front of each student. The walls were lined with massive living portraits that chatted among themselves and with some of the more curious students. Overhead lit candles hovered, illuminating the great space and the high vaulted ceiling above. It was loud, the roar of conversation as well as the excitement and anticipation of many of the students as they waited and they wondered where they were going to be sorted. Many had a preference, one that the hat often, but no always, honored. Many came back exuberant, but there were a few that would slink back to the crowd after they were sorted astonished that they were placed in the house that they were.Out of Character Note: The sorting ceremony that you enjoyed is a weight-based algorithm that chose your house based on the answers you have chosen. This is not randomly assigned. We hope you took care in picking your answers because this is the House that you will be in for the next several years while you attend this school!
To reiterate, despite it being mentioned in the welcoming letter I feel it is important to reiterate: we do not allow players to re-attempt the sorting ceremony, nor do we forcibly sort players into their desired houses. An unexpected house can serve as a great tool for character development. Please utilize the unexpected outcome to your fullest ability.
Solomon Lear, the Headmaster was there. He was a curious, unexpected figure for most. He met most of the students at the door as they entered the Great Hall although there was always a wily one that would slip past. Somewhat imposing, standing a bit over six foot, six foot - two inches to be exact and wearing armor. The armor was a strange characteristic of the grey haired wizard with a full beard and dark eyes, plate wrapped in an embossed leather that while definitely worn with evidence of repair appeared to be well cared for. He was more pleasant than he would appear on first impression, his expression certainly not stern, his words for the most part the common platitudes one would expect from a Headmaster laced with the occasional dad-joke. However there was something about his features that suggested illness or disability. His cheeks sunken in, the armor looked as if it was a bit too large but he appeared to be hiding this well. His face had rounded slightly in comparison to last year but his eyes appeared dead and his gaze distant. This was for the most part pomp and circumstance, a ritual to start the school year as it always had, one could not waver from what was tradition. At his side or at least nearby, always a Head of House but they appeared to rotate their presence near the Headmaster. Those with a keen eye might notice that the older man had a slight limp.
Once the students were all inside, the doors would close behind the last student as if on its own. Solomon would quietly make his way to the front of the room, this awkward period of time as he traversed the length of the hall. His movement for the most part demanding without requesting silence. With the assistance of the Amplifying Charm his voice boomed. "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
A voice chimed in from... It did not come from the Headmaster nor did it come from any of the other Professors that elected to participate in this year's sorting ceremony. None of the Professors seemed even remotely surprised although one rolled their eyes a bit. In the hands of one of the Professors, a pointed witches hat that was tattered and worn moved about on its own accord. Yes, the voice came from the hat itself.
Solomon let out a bit of a cough, as if he was making sure that the hat was going to let him continue to speak. "Ah yes, the intelligent" he eyed the hat. They had done this exchange before, it was nice having a sense of normalcy once again. A shame that the hat had not come up with a new joke in the past year but he had not come up with a new speech either. The hat was in a lot of ways similar to Headmaster Lear, making things appear as normal as possible which was never easy, a farce in the best of circumstances. Headmaster Lear gave a slight smile to the sorting hat and said in a low voice that the study body could not overhear. Neither of us are terribly funny anymore I say. Which is fine, they will pretend to laugh anyways. During the school year, the Sorting Hat spent the rest of the year in the Headmaster's Office. Renovated the summer of 2019 with better security than before, there had been a restless peace the past year as they both kept to themselves.
"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 their own characteristic, their own values and their own Head of House." He would gesture towards the present four Heads of House, they never seemed to last very long as of late. "Professor Caradoc Browne of House Hufflepuff," he gestured towards a thirty-something year old man. "Professor Marcus Iwasaki of House Ravenclaw," he gestured towards a rather handsome young man . "And the ladies," he motioned towards two young women "Professor Elaine Pendrast of House Gryffindor," a woman with dark hair and usually a serious expression "Professor Hjørdis Jensen of House Slytherin" a woman with a neutral expression and shocking white hair. "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."
Solomon would pull a scroll from his waist and open the tightly bound parchment. The list was long this year, even longer than last year. There was a bit of nervousness within him as the long scroll hit the floor, one end still in his hand and rolled several feet away. There were names, so many names. This was going to take awhile he thought to himself. It was as if the list got longer and longer every single year, the wizard baby boom was not over yet.Out of Character Note: You should have a letter from your Head of House upon completing the sorting ceremony that gives you some basic information regarding where to go and where to start. If you have any questions or concerns, they are a great resource, please use them.
As if on queue, the Sorting Hat would be placed on a small stool and would start moving and singing:
The Sorting Hat then sang his song :
" 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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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. "
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. "
Once the Sorting Hat was done, most of the students applauded the sorting hat. There was no Deputy Headmaster this year to grow hoarse listing off all of the names, that was Solomon's job again. He had tried to pawn the role of Deputy Headmaster off on one of his Heads of House in 2018, all of them ridiculously competent he sometimes wondered if he was even needed as Headmaster. They had managed the school admirably in his absence. Never the less, the old armored man would start to recite each name on the list and one by one the students would be summoned to the front of the room where the Sorting Hat would be placed on their head. It was time to start their journey.
This is a RPG topic where all new first year students are welcome to post.
All RPG rules apply. Word count per post is 200 words of your own work, not including quotes, ooc chat or other people's words. Any flood type (posts under 200 words) of message will be deleted after a warning owl is sent. If you are having a hard time meeting the 200 word count expectation try to be descriptive: How was the trip here? How are you feeling? Are you hoping for a certain house, if so why?
Very minor god-modding is allowed here because there are hundreds of you and only one of me. Please be respectful of this fact and keep most of your post about you. You know that my character called your name, they might give you a kind smile and a word of encouragement but in character he is also seeing hundreds of students in a single day. He would not be spending a lot of time on a single student, this ceremony goes on for hours. As for the sorting hat, again please respect the cannon. The sorting hat would see something in you, they would not decide because you are someone they 'especially hate' for instance that they would place you in the 'wrong house.' Think about what traits you do have that make you a suitable fit for the house you got and have the hat give that as a delivery for instance. Or if you cannot think of anything, the hat never tells you their reasoning as they declare your house.
We have a Prefect Staff that moderates this forum and this thread in particular. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to a Prefect or other staff member.
There is something about ambition, how it not only propels you but also defines you.
11 Jul 2021, 23:28
Sorting Ceremony
The corner of Juniper’s lips creased with amusement when she heard the Sorting Hat exclaim that the house she was to be in was Gryffindor. The bet her family made over what house everyone thought she would be in was going to be a big topic when she got home. Just like her older brother Cashile Nox, Juniper was sorted into the prideful and brave house of Gryffindor. She was a little excited to finally get sorted and be accepted into Hogwarts, a bit nervous cause all of this is new to her, but in all she didn't let it show. The great hall was filled with chatter, loud cheers due to the sorting, and the ambience was also quite whimsical.
The dark brown haired girl waltzed towards the Gryffindor table with an effortless saunter, imbuing confidence and elegance. Since the Gryffindor table is next to the far side of the hall, she would have to pass the other house tables to make it to her own. She was in no rush, taking her time and enjoying the walk to the table that had so many welcoming faces. As she got to the long table that belonged to the lions, she took an empty seat as she awaited the sorting to come to completion. Her eyes trailed around the table, observing and taking in everything around her. One thing that Juniper knew for certain was that her time at Hogwarts was sure to be an interesting one.
“This will be amusing.” She said to herself, her lips pulled up into a smirk.
The dark brown haired girl waltzed towards the Gryffindor table with an effortless saunter, imbuing confidence and elegance. Since the Gryffindor table is next to the far side of the hall, she would have to pass the other house tables to make it to her own. She was in no rush, taking her time and enjoying the walk to the table that had so many welcoming faces. As she got to the long table that belonged to the lions, she took an empty seat as she awaited the sorting to come to completion. Her eyes trailed around the table, observing and taking in everything around her. One thing that Juniper knew for certain was that her time at Hogwarts was sure to be an interesting one.
“This will be amusing.” She said to herself, her lips pulled up into a smirk.
𝒥𝓊𝓃𝒾𝓅𝑒𝓇 𝒩𝑜𝓍
13 Jul 2021, 06:53
Sorting Ceremony
I walked into to a huge hall, what others were referring to as the "Great Hall". Dining tables ran through the entire length of the hall. Students were sitting on benches that was placed on either side of the table. Their faces were bright, cheerful and they were chattering among themselves. It somewhat resembled my school's cafeteria in Nottingham, but multi-times bigger.
Big chandeliers with bright glowing candles were floating on air. I even saw a ghost-couple, their skins paler than mine, holding hands and floating around the hall. I've never seen such a myriad of food placed on tables ever before in my life. Raised in a muggle family, I was completely engulfed in the subtle magical things happening around me.
I stood among my fellow first years. Many were talking among themselves as if they have known each other for a long time. With no known faces around, I felt a bit lonely. But a deep voice saying "Welcome First year students" drew my attention towards the podium. An old man with with a full white beard stood there with a smiling face. His eyes seem tired. Maybe it was due to the sleepless nights, for he had to prepare to welcome the first years.
Once he explained about the sorting ceremony, he took a long parchment and started calling out names. Students standing before me started moving forward towards the podium. A black haired boy went in first and the Sorting Hat was placed on is head. In an instant the hat cried "Ravenclaw". Huge celebrations erupted from a table to my far left. The boy walked towards the table and was greeted by his fellow house mates, before he took a seat.
Many names were called out, before the headmaster shouted "Sir Ramsey Kumar". I walked towards the stool, at a steady pace. I was nervous but had no preferences about the houses either. The sorting hat took its time to come to its decision. Finally "Gryffindor" it cried. The table towards my far left erupted with cheers. I was smiling ear to ear as I walked towards my house table. The house, which'll be my family for the next 7 years. I was greeted by the house prefect and I took a seat next to a dark brown-haired, first year girl, whose name I could recall as "Juniper Nox".
"So it begins." , I thought to myself, as I smiled.
Big chandeliers with bright glowing candles were floating on air. I even saw a ghost-couple, their skins paler than mine, holding hands and floating around the hall. I've never seen such a myriad of food placed on tables ever before in my life. Raised in a muggle family, I was completely engulfed in the subtle magical things happening around me.
I stood among my fellow first years. Many were talking among themselves as if they have known each other for a long time. With no known faces around, I felt a bit lonely. But a deep voice saying "Welcome First year students" drew my attention towards the podium. An old man with with a full white beard stood there with a smiling face. His eyes seem tired. Maybe it was due to the sleepless nights, for he had to prepare to welcome the first years.
Once he explained about the sorting ceremony, he took a long parchment and started calling out names. Students standing before me started moving forward towards the podium. A black haired boy went in first and the Sorting Hat was placed on is head. In an instant the hat cried "Ravenclaw". Huge celebrations erupted from a table to my far left. The boy walked towards the table and was greeted by his fellow house mates, before he took a seat.
Many names were called out, before the headmaster shouted "Sir Ramsey Kumar". I walked towards the stool, at a steady pace. I was nervous but had no preferences about the houses either. The sorting hat took its time to come to its decision. Finally "Gryffindor" it cried. The table towards my far left erupted with cheers. I was smiling ear to ear as I walked towards my house table. The house, which'll be my family for the next 7 years. I was greeted by the house prefect and I took a seat next to a dark brown-haired, first year girl, whose name I could recall as "Juniper Nox".
"So it begins." , I thought to myself, as I smiled.
15 Jul 2021, 03:20
Sorting Ceremony
Celia walked into the huge hall known as the Great Hall and glanced around, four long dining tables ran along the walls and down the center of the room, she gazed at the tables and took notice that each one was one of the tables of the four houses, Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw.
She continued to scan the room, standing with the large group of other first years, grinning because she knew that no matter what house she ended up in, her time at Hogwarts was going to be a great one.
Glancing around the room once more she spotted the teachers all seated at their own tabled lined at the very front of the hall, at the center sat a bearded man, who Celia assumed to be the headmaster.
Waiting patiently for her name to be called, she hears it Davies, Celia! She then skips up to where the sorting hat is sitting on the stool and plops down. Not long after the sorting hat cries out, HUFFLEPUFF!
Celia skips over to where the Hufflepuff table is and takes a seat between two other Hufflepuffs. The hat continued to call out the house names as more first years put on the hat.
Finally, it got to one boy who drew Celia’s attention she took note that his name was “Ramsey Kumar" the hat then shouted out GRYFFINDOR as this boy put on the hat and she then watched as he took a seat next to a dark brown-haired girl, remembering this girls name as “Juniper Nox”
She continued to scan the room, standing with the large group of other first years, grinning because she knew that no matter what house she ended up in, her time at Hogwarts was going to be a great one.
Glancing around the room once more she spotted the teachers all seated at their own tabled lined at the very front of the hall, at the center sat a bearded man, who Celia assumed to be the headmaster.
Waiting patiently for her name to be called, she hears it Davies, Celia! She then skips up to where the sorting hat is sitting on the stool and plops down. Not long after the sorting hat cries out, HUFFLEPUFF!
Celia skips over to where the Hufflepuff table is and takes a seat between two other Hufflepuffs. The hat continued to call out the house names as more first years put on the hat.
Finally, it got to one boy who drew Celia’s attention she took note that his name was “Ramsey Kumar" the hat then shouted out GRYFFINDOR as this boy put on the hat and she then watched as he took a seat next to a dark brown-haired girl, remembering this girls name as “Juniper Nox”
17 Jul 2021, 22:23
Sorting Ceremony
Xander entered the Great Hall with a large group of other 1st year students. He looked around in amazement as his surroundings were unreal. There were four large tables that stretched out across the entire length of the hall, and each table had a tablecloth that matched their house’s banner that hung above each table respectively. Red was for the Gryffindor house, Blue for the Ravenclaw House, Yellow for the house known as Hufflepuss and lastly Green for the final house, Slytherin. Up above the tables along with each house’s banner were hundreds of candles that were illuminating the ceiling of the hall. Xander just couldn’t believe any of this was real, but it was and he was glad.
The group of 1st years were all herded towards the far end of the Great Hall where a fifth table was, that stretched across the width of the hall. This was where the entire staff of the school sat for their meals. In front of that table was a podum of sorts and on top of that podium, laid an old grungy looking pointed hat. Xander listened to the Headmaster as he made himself known to all of the 1st year Students. He listened as the headmaster explained what was about to happen here. Everyone was going to be going up one by one, to put on the sorting hat and it was going to put everyone into one of the four houses here at Hogwarts.
Xander didn’t know what house he was going to end up in, but he was excited regardless. He watched as they started to call off the 1st years one by one to step up. Everyone was being sorted into the house that suits them. Xander watched as people were getting sorted into each house, somewhat evenly for the most part. Then it was Xander’s turn to be sorted into one of the houses. He nervously stepped up and had the hat placed upon his head as the hat thought for a moment and without any hesitation, it shouted “GRYFFINDOR” for all to hear. Xander smirked as the hat was removed from his head. Xander then headed over to the table reserved for the Gryffindor students to meet his fellow housemates.
The group of 1st years were all herded towards the far end of the Great Hall where a fifth table was, that stretched across the width of the hall. This was where the entire staff of the school sat for their meals. In front of that table was a podum of sorts and on top of that podium, laid an old grungy looking pointed hat. Xander listened to the Headmaster as he made himself known to all of the 1st year Students. He listened as the headmaster explained what was about to happen here. Everyone was going to be going up one by one, to put on the sorting hat and it was going to put everyone into one of the four houses here at Hogwarts.
Xander didn’t know what house he was going to end up in, but he was excited regardless. He watched as they started to call off the 1st years one by one to step up. Everyone was being sorted into the house that suits them. Xander watched as people were getting sorted into each house, somewhat evenly for the most part. Then it was Xander’s turn to be sorted into one of the houses. He nervously stepped up and had the hat placed upon his head as the hat thought for a moment and without any hesitation, it shouted “GRYFFINDOR” for all to hear. Xander smirked as the hat was removed from his head. Xander then headed over to the table reserved for the Gryffindor students to meet his fellow housemates.
Xander Smythe
Stats: Stamina: 6 | Evasion: 6 | Strength: 5 | Wisdom: 7 | Arcane Power: 5 | Accuracy: 6
Stats: Stamina: 6 | Evasion: 6 | Strength: 5 | Wisdom: 7 | Arcane Power: 5 | Accuracy: 6
18 Jul 2021, 00:37
Sorting Ceremony
"No matter what they put you in, Vale. Remember you'll always be an Ashwood first."Vale's father words rang out in her memory of packing her luggage next to her mother. His comforting, sharp-toothed smile plastered across his face. He stood in front of her and her mother on her bed. But she didn't give her father a smile in return, holding only a frown while her mother continued to work to ensure all the required items for Vale's journey were neatly stacked away into black luggage cases, including a large, ominous trunk."But an Ashwood was always either Ravenclaw or Slytherin. What if I am neither? What if the hat is too afraid to go on my head?" The man only laughed at the multitude of questions given to him by his youngest. His wife shared the same amusement with just a small smile in the midst of her work."Vale, the hat probably won't know you until its put on your head! And lemme tell you something. No man without a strong mind want to go in there now! The dark secrets the Ashwoods had for the many centuries of their existence. Like your grandmama's secret recipe for her dragon milk cheese. Delicious as it is, but we haven't been buying and keeping dragon milk in over a decade now in this house. Now I'm too nervous to ask what she uses as a substitute." The man looked away in confusion, thinking to himself of what he may be eating as a snack now with his wife during their break times at home.Vale's mother only kept her small smile, turning her head to Vale and gently touching her shoulder with a calloused hand of her own. It caused Vale to look up at her with her brown eyes. "Vale, what your father means is that there's nothing to worry about. There are children just as terrified, if not even more terrified. Maybe even terrified of the hat." Vale's eyes widen in confusion. "Terrified, of the hat?" Her mother nodded, hugged the side of her daughter against her. "That's terrible! You mean their parents never told them of hags, o...or erklings?""I know!" Vale's father shouted from his spot, looking out the window of his daughter's room. "Those poor kids, never hearing the good stories we always tell you! Must be hard for them to sleep well at night, hearing horrible things like wolves killed by muggles with scary axes! And to think those wolves gave children comfortable, warm, and enclosed spaces to stay in too!" The man turned around quickly, violently swinging his braided hair across his face to look back at his daughter and his beloved wife with frantic eyes. Vale watched him in horror, remembering the tale told by her mother long ago as to scare her to not befriend lumberjack men in the woods whenever she was there."Mpendwa1, you're scaring Vale with your stories again. But Vale dear, you see? Everyone might be as nervous as you, if not worst. Your brother was even the same once. But look at him now. He's always out picking herbs for your mother across the world, and scaring away the creatures around him." Vale turned back to her mother once more, taking a deep breath, and made a nod up to her mother. Her mother patted her shoulder once more with her black, long nails.With the comforting words of her mother, Vale felt less nervous than before. Slowly, she even began to realize just how helpless her peers might even be. "Now, don't you see the full picture?" "I do, mother." Vale swallowed, "Those poor scoundrels never met an Ashwood before!" The couple crackled in glee to their daughter's words. "They don't know about the hags, or the erklings or anything really! Someone should tell them!". . .That was enough to have Vale, at the moment, standing in front of the poor hat with a heinous smile and her large, unblinking eyes. Her shadow probably loomed over the poor, leathery hat as they both awaited what was coming next.What felt like the pausing of time was only seconds when the hat was put on Vale's small head. It barely touched her head and immediately already came to a decision."An Ashwood! Thought they were done coming here. SLYTHERIN!"The poor hat wasn't finished with Vale quite yet, unfortunately. She twisted her expression to that of confusion. "Are you sure? I always thought of myself as a Ravenclaw-" "Yes! I'm very sure." The hat was removed from her head, and she moved along with her small legs to the table covered in green and silver banners. She quietly sat down, thinking to herself and completely ignoring the hat making a decision in only a split second. "Such a smart hat. Last one here was grandmama Ida." She replaced her expression of confusion back to a smile, abet creepily awkward in expression, and with her eyes, unblinking once more. She needed to be social in order to make friends, her mother told her."Hello, fellow peers." She began her macabre tales, "Have you all heard of the tales of the hag and the erkling?"And to that, what a year this shall be.
1Swahili Language; meaning loosely translated to "dear."Slytherin Color = #238d1c | Dialogue Color = #68665e | Font = Jester
30 Jul 2021, 21:02
Sorting Ceremony
Avery lifted his eyes in wonder at the floating candles overhead. The magical realm never ceased to amaze him day after day. Paintings moved and chatted with the children below, the entire hall was a clamoring affair with the hustle and bustle of students and teachers settling in -- there never seemed to be a moment of stillness anywhere.
At the entrance stood a large, tall man with gray hair and a magnificent suit of armor. Was he the Headmaster he'd heard students talk about? He gazed in awe and managed a small "Hello, sir" to the imposing man before following the rest of the crowd inside. Immediately, he was greeted with the fresh, savory smells of dinner. His nose followed the scent trail to the four long tables laden abreast with food. Immediately his stomach growled, but he patted it reassuringly since there was more important work to be done first.
He listened in awe as the Headmaster gave his speech, and chuckled at his parlay with the proud sorting hat. Well, yes, if he were a talking hat who could look deep into the souls of children, he'd be a smart mouth too. One by one, names were called as children bravely stepped forward to be seen and sorted in front of the whole school...
"Chen, Avery!"
The small boy smoothed his robes and walked up to the platform, where the hat sat on its stool. He stared at the hat hesitantly, not sure if he wanted to put an old, dirty hat with its own mind on his head. The hat stared back through its folds for eyes. "Well, put me on, boy!" it cackled, and soft chuckles could be heard from the other students in the hall. Avery gave a sheepish smile and picked up the hat gingerly, as if it were a violin bow. He felt it wriggle as he held it over his head and plopped it down. It helped itself settle in place over his eyes.
"You think you might be a Ravenclaw, eh?" The hat mused to Avery. "And I see you're hard-working like a Hufflepuff..." Well, yes, that sounded about right. "But what is it that I see here? Is it ambition? You are desperate to find out what it is that you want in life, and you are ready to find out on your own. Well, there's only one place for a mind like that... Slytherin!"
The house of the cunning and ambitious? How interesting! Surely not? He thought back to what Samantha and Hildegard said about the hat. Both had so much belief in its ability -- well it must be right, and he was simply more relieved that he got a house at all. He smiled as he walked towards the Slytherin table and the home of the next seven years of his life, eager to learn more about all the opportunities it had to offer.
At the entrance stood a large, tall man with gray hair and a magnificent suit of armor. Was he the Headmaster he'd heard students talk about? He gazed in awe and managed a small "Hello, sir" to the imposing man before following the rest of the crowd inside. Immediately, he was greeted with the fresh, savory smells of dinner. His nose followed the scent trail to the four long tables laden abreast with food. Immediately his stomach growled, but he patted it reassuringly since there was more important work to be done first.
He listened in awe as the Headmaster gave his speech, and chuckled at his parlay with the proud sorting hat. Well, yes, if he were a talking hat who could look deep into the souls of children, he'd be a smart mouth too. One by one, names were called as children bravely stepped forward to be seen and sorted in front of the whole school...
"Chen, Avery!"
The small boy smoothed his robes and walked up to the platform, where the hat sat on its stool. He stared at the hat hesitantly, not sure if he wanted to put an old, dirty hat with its own mind on his head. The hat stared back through its folds for eyes. "Well, put me on, boy!" it cackled, and soft chuckles could be heard from the other students in the hall. Avery gave a sheepish smile and picked up the hat gingerly, as if it were a violin bow. He felt it wriggle as he held it over his head and plopped it down. It helped itself settle in place over his eyes.
"You think you might be a Ravenclaw, eh?" The hat mused to Avery. "And I see you're hard-working like a Hufflepuff..." Well, yes, that sounded about right. "But what is it that I see here? Is it ambition? You are desperate to find out what it is that you want in life, and you are ready to find out on your own. Well, there's only one place for a mind like that... Slytherin!"
The house of the cunning and ambitious? How interesting! Surely not? He thought back to what Samantha and Hildegard said about the hat. Both had so much belief in its ability -- well it must be right, and he was simply more relieved that he got a house at all. He smiled as he walked towards the Slytherin table and the home of the next seven years of his life, eager to learn more about all the opportunities it had to offer.
Last edited by Avery Chen on 1 Aug 2021, 18:16, edited 1 time in total.
1 Aug 2021, 01:00
Sorting Ceremony
Only the delicate crackling of the candles remained to soften the everlasting hum of teenager witches and wizards all reunited under the same enchanted ceiling of the Great Hall, and it was exactly that pervasive silence that was amplifying each and every step old Lear was taking to reach the front of the room.
Thump. Thump. Thump. Wood creaking under his boots.
Thump. Thump. Thump. A distant, fainted giggle, and a moving portrait giving a disapproval look of disdain to the new, scared little first years students there were standing as a rivulet of blank ink between the colourful feast displayed on the four long tables.
And then loud, and clear, and magical, as if he was standing just next to her, the voice of Solomon Lear travelled to all four corners of the hall - down to little miss Warren.
Standing solitary at the back, too little to see above her peers’ heads and too accustomed to detachment – and the unknown, as Death is the only certainty in life-, little miss Warren was too small in her oversize Hogwarts robe and had her wide, protuberant silvery eyes fasten against the thousand of shimmering stars dotted across the vast enchanted ceiling.
“Witchcraft” she murmured, pale lips of a child tasting the sound of an obscure word.
Had it not been for the red flushing on her cheeks, witness of the cold, wuthering Scottish weather just outside, she would have resembled a ghost in all of its inexistence-ness. Little Warren made no sound and you would have thought she did not exist.
Except, she was alive, and she was blood, and bones, and as fragile as she appeared, and a “it won’t hurt one bit” was exactly what a child needed to hear to know that it was going to hurt them.
Then a song came through.
The excitement grew like waves among the first-year students as the Sorting Hat started to sing, splashing against her own face once a sudden dispersion of peers allowed her to get a glimpse of that old rotten pointed hat moving on its own – and singing! –.
Then another student changed his mind and step back in his original position, obstructing the view once again.
But she had seen it. The hat. The hat singing!
As the song proceeded, and the names of her fellow classmates started to be called, she lowered her head and had a look, puzzled, at her Ailberth black school shoes standing still, so small, so ordinary, against the stone floor on the ancient castle this Hogwarts school was. The hem of her excessively big robes kept projecting a tremulous shadow under the fluttering flames of the candles.
It didn’t fit her.
Her things would never.
- Warren, Ruth –
Rubbing her eyes to get rid of some unwanted lock of hair, the thin little creature that miss Warren was walked up to the headmaster, silently as always, turned around, and climb up onto the stool – her little muggle shoes hanging mid-air without touching the floor once seated.
All was golden.
The candles, their aura of light, the goblets, the empty dishes, and the reflection of light on everyone’s faces. All was golden, till it all went black, and she heard a tiny voice speaking to her.
“Why so scared, little one? Oh, I see…sense of survival, but you do have something to fear… Dark thoughts, dark thoughts indeed. A sense of empathy, a creative mind, but what’s this? Oh, yes, now I know…. You do belong, little one. You belong to”
- GRYFFINDOR! –
Thump. Thump. Thump. Wood creaking under his boots.
Thump. Thump. Thump. A distant, fainted giggle, and a moving portrait giving a disapproval look of disdain to the new, scared little first years students there were standing as a rivulet of blank ink between the colourful feast displayed on the four long tables.
And then loud, and clear, and magical, as if he was standing just next to her, the voice of Solomon Lear travelled to all four corners of the hall - down to little miss Warren.
Standing solitary at the back, too little to see above her peers’ heads and too accustomed to detachment – and the unknown, as Death is the only certainty in life-, little miss Warren was too small in her oversize Hogwarts robe and had her wide, protuberant silvery eyes fasten against the thousand of shimmering stars dotted across the vast enchanted ceiling.
“Witchcraft” she murmured, pale lips of a child tasting the sound of an obscure word.
Had it not been for the red flushing on her cheeks, witness of the cold, wuthering Scottish weather just outside, she would have resembled a ghost in all of its inexistence-ness. Little Warren made no sound and you would have thought she did not exist.
Except, she was alive, and she was blood, and bones, and as fragile as she appeared, and a “it won’t hurt one bit” was exactly what a child needed to hear to know that it was going to hurt them.
Then a song came through.
The excitement grew like waves among the first-year students as the Sorting Hat started to sing, splashing against her own face once a sudden dispersion of peers allowed her to get a glimpse of that old rotten pointed hat moving on its own – and singing! –.
Then another student changed his mind and step back in his original position, obstructing the view once again.
But she had seen it. The hat. The hat singing!
As the song proceeded, and the names of her fellow classmates started to be called, she lowered her head and had a look, puzzled, at her Ailberth black school shoes standing still, so small, so ordinary, against the stone floor on the ancient castle this Hogwarts school was. The hem of her excessively big robes kept projecting a tremulous shadow under the fluttering flames of the candles.
It didn’t fit her.
Her things would never.
- Warren, Ruth –
Rubbing her eyes to get rid of some unwanted lock of hair, the thin little creature that miss Warren was walked up to the headmaster, silently as always, turned around, and climb up onto the stool – her little muggle shoes hanging mid-air without touching the floor once seated.
All was golden.
The candles, their aura of light, the goblets, the empty dishes, and the reflection of light on everyone’s faces. All was golden, till it all went black, and she heard a tiny voice speaking to her.
“Why so scared, little one? Oh, I see…sense of survival, but you do have something to fear… Dark thoughts, dark thoughts indeed. A sense of empathy, a creative mind, but what’s this? Oh, yes, now I know…. You do belong, little one. You belong to”
- GRYFFINDOR! –
1 Aug 2021, 15:42
Sorting Ceremony
Kara looked around the room in amazement, she still felt unbelievable that she has arrived at Hogwarts. Across the hall stood four table, full of hearty dishes and delicious drinks. Trembling, she listened intently to the headmaster's speech. She wished with all her heart to be in Ravenclaw, the same house as her missing parents and most trusted guardian. Suddenly, there was a singing voice! She looked up and realized it was the hat's, "A singing hat? What a sight!", she whispered to herself excitedly. While waiting, something caught her interests, she saw a girl from the well-known family Vale, get sorted into Slytherin, "I'll be sure to go talk to her after" she whispered to herself again. Occupied with her own thinking, she didn't quite follow the ceremony until...
Hazel, Kara!
Snapped out of her thinking, she nervously walk to the Sorting Hat. The headmaster gave her a smile as she sat down and had the sorting hat put on her shaking head.
"Ahh...I see you have ambition...but also a heart of gold", the hat said, "But your thirst of knowledge and wisdom stands above them all. Therefore, I shall put you in....Ravenclaw!"
The Ravenclaw table cheered and clapped as the Sorting Hat announced her house. Got sorted into the house she desired lifted her spirits up, so she walks proudly and gracefully to the table, dropped herself in an empty chair. Smiled and nodded shyly to the rest of the table, she finally sighed with relief. The first part of her journey in Hogwarts ended nicely.
Hazel, Kara!
Snapped out of her thinking, she nervously walk to the Sorting Hat. The headmaster gave her a smile as she sat down and had the sorting hat put on her shaking head.
"Ahh...I see you have ambition...but also a heart of gold", the hat said, "But your thirst of knowledge and wisdom stands above them all. Therefore, I shall put you in....Ravenclaw!"
The Ravenclaw table cheered and clapped as the Sorting Hat announced her house. Got sorted into the house she desired lifted her spirits up, so she walks proudly and gracefully to the table, dropped herself in an empty chair. Smiled and nodded shyly to the rest of the table, she finally sighed with relief. The first part of her journey in Hogwarts ended nicely.
1 Aug 2021, 16:52
Sorting Ceremony
Right. For a magic school, this hall with its talking hat and floating candles and people lined up in robes that were like something out of fantasy movie... Matthew supposed it was sufficiently 'magical.' He couldn't stop staring at everything going on, catching what he was doing, and then trying to suppress his reaction because clearly to other kids here this kind of stuff was normal. Forcing himself into stillness from fidgeting, he drew in such a deep inhale to calm himself that he was momentarily heady from the excess oxygen. A beat, then he let it out and studied the paintings. Were they... moving?
That part got to him the most. If they weren't he could've pretended this was just an exceptionally high-budget art gallery, but the stillness he so admired that allowed you to recreate a painting in your mind's eye later was gone. It was that more than even a talking hat that made him feel like his entire world was uprooted - he wanted nothing more than to get the heck out of dodge and fall back into his father's arms like he was four years old again.
"Gray, Matthew!" The name rang out across the hall and it took him a second to stifle a near hysterical laugh. Gray, Matthew. Gray Matthew. He felt he looked gray, like one of those paintings of a serene corpse floating down the river without a care in the world. He was losing it.
Another one of those breaths, this one shaky, before he tucked his hands somewhere deep in his robes so no one would see their trembling as he approached the... talking hat. A distant part of him unfairly hated the mother he'd never known for passing the genes of this impossible world down to him, and then he took a seat and looked out over the crowd.
It would be an understatement to say he was relieved at some of the expressions in it. Some kids looked just as nervous as him, others excited - which was absolutely insane - but no one appeared unaffected by the display. He searched the faces for the ones he'd met on the train, but when the hat started speaking he forced his attention away from that and concentrated on the words.
"Well, now, what's this I see in your head?" the hat asked. "What to do with you?"
"Declare me a non-wizard," Matthew suggested helpfully, mind racing for a second. Would that actually work? "There's been some sort of horrible mistake, sir, I must inform you. You see, another Matthew lives just down the street from me and he shares the same last name. My father isn't a wizard and it might be the mother's maiden name you should've - "
"Slytherin!" the hat declared with a chuckle, and Matthew dropped the 'god bless us everyone' act to sigh as the hat was removed, hopping off the seat to go meet a clapping table of green.
There'd been an attempt. Not a successful one, but you had to credit him for trying as he plopped into an empty seat and drummed his fingers on the table while the ceremony continued. It appeared he was stuck here for the present time, so he'd have to make the most of it and survive until he could get home for Christmas. Now there was only one lingering question in his mind as he surreptitiously studied the people around him then frowned as more people were sorted.
What the heck did being a Slytherin mean?
First, give them what they want. Then, take what you want.
STA 5 | EVA 7 | STR 1 | WIS 10 | ARC P 4 | ACC 8
STA 5 | EVA 7 | STR 1 | WIS 10 | ARC P 4 | ACC 8