Sorting Ceremony 2020-2021

I felt my belly shrinking with every step we took closer to the castle and then finally standing in front of the Great Hall. We romped excitedly in front of the door, our heads moving back and forth, hoping to finally get a glimpse of the hall. After some time I gave up, I was just too far behind and in front of me were countless other students.

The pile was moving fast and I was breathless when I finally stood there...This was the moment I had been waiting for so long. I could hardly believe to be finally here and a comforting warmth spread through my body. I am at home, I felt it as if it had always been like this.

I was so excited by all the colors and lights, the eternally long rows of tables, the portraits on the walls and the candles floating above our heads that I almost overlooked the older man standing at the side. A quick glance and I recognized him immediately - Solomon Lear - it was hard not to recognize him with the scars on his face. Stealthily I smiled at him briefly, I hardly think he noticed me, but I didn’t care because my attention had long since turned back to this magical place.

I felt the looks of the students from the upper years at us and the closer we came to the front, the more nervous I became. I could hardly wait to be assigned to my house and make my first friends.

This brought me back to the question that has been with me every day for the past months. What did I hope for from the ceremony? Which house did I hope to be assigned to?

My mother was in Ravenclaw, but I soon realized that I didn't see myself there - but who knows... maybe the sorting hat sees something in me that I haven't seen myself yet?

Since I've known about all this, I've spent hours and hours on reading the history of Hogwarts and this magical world. I still can't believe that it was always there, always so close, and I only found out a few years ago. I quickly developed a fondness for Slytherin and Gryffindor. In my opinion, these houses have brought so many excellent witches and wizards whose stories and biographies have always captivated me the most. But I never had an ultimate wish, I think it was just important for me to come to one of the two houses... although I was already very happy to be here at all.

Solomon Lear started to read out the names of the students to put on the sorting hat. With each name the nervousness increased. My body couldn't decide if it was warm or cold, I felt the cold sweat in the palms of my hands and every call felt like an eternity for me.
At that moment I hated my last name, probably for the first and last time, but today it was really inconvenient for me. Haley Rose...Rose...R... I was probably one of the last ones called.

I was too absorbed in my thoughts that I did not perceive the words of Solomon Lear. "Haley Rose, would you please come up here?" I heard him speak, but the words did not reach me. Lost in thought, I was lightly tapped from behind, turned around in confusion, and a boy nodded furtively in the direction of the sorting hat, and at that moment I just realized that everyone was waiting for me.

I got scared and walked forward with a quick step, stumbling for a moment, but still managed to save myself from the fall. A short murmur went through the hall and this moment became unbelievably embarrassing, I felt the warmth rising in my face. Without saying anything, I smiled embarrassed at the professors and sat down on the chair.

The embarrassment had passed, I didn't notice any of the looks from the hall. Now it was finally there, the moment I had been waiting for so long.

"Well..." I heard the voice above my head "Well... so... the mother in Ravenclaw..."
I was frozen, when will he finally decide? Which house will it be. It felt like a lifetime
"Aaah, I see, a preference for Slytherin...but that's not all...also for Gryffindor...unusual combination..." As he spoke, he kept looking back and forth between these two tables, moving my head with him and I started to get dizzy. I didn't rember all the other things the sorting hat was mumbling but then I heard his last sentence.
"My decision is made, it wasn't easy... but it's GRYFFINDOR!"

The students at the Gryffindor table began to cheer and clap their hands, I was relieved and was incredibly happy. With a quick step I reached the table and was already warmly welcomed by my classmates...by my new family.

Cosmo could feel energy bubbling up inside her, a happy, bouncy, simmering excitement that made her want to run in circles. So much had happened in the last 10 hours. Saying goodbye to her mum was the hardest thing she had ever done, but the prospect of passing through a brick wall on Kings Cross station made it easier. Magic had made everything easier today, she mused.

The long train ride on the Hogwarts Express was made bearable with magical lollies that fizzed, hopped and tasted of anything under the sun, older students showed off their spells for the new kids when no prefect was looking. Then there was the boat ride across the lake. She had stared out into the darkness and caught glimpses of rolling hills and trees spread out on the grounds below the castle. And the castle itself! Massive and magnificent, it towered so that she had to crane her head back just to look at the tallest spire.

Now they were inside, and there was more to look at. All around her other kids were staring, the anticipation mounting as they came closer to the double doors beyond which a flood of chatter swelled. They passed through one by one and shook someones hand as they did. Cosmo's respect for the man climbed when she realised he was an adult, wearing armour. She grinned up at him as he greeted her, and hoped that all the teachers were like him. Then she was through the doors and there was even more to take in. Floating candles, piles of food and drink, an unbelievably beautiful sky across the roof of the great hall. Painted? Cosmo tilted her head, trying to get a better look. No that was more magic.

When a hush fell over the hall she dragged her attention away from the roof and watched as the man in armour walked up to where the rest of the teachers were. She listened raptly as he introduced himself, and almost giggled with giddiness when the old hat interrupted him. She wondered if she might one day be able to make a talking hat. Headmaster Lear went on to describe the process of the sorting ceremony and Cosmo caught sight of her peers faces. Almost everyone around her looked some degree of anxious and while she knew that the most important part of this evening was the sorting, she was already just so happy to be here she felt as though it didn't matter which house she ended up in.

Then the hat sang, and Cosmo finally accepted that she must be dreaming. A hat was using words like moor and fen and shrewd! She felt her heart swell with the song as she learnt for the first time about the founders of Hogwarts, and by the time the song was done and everyone was clapping she was breathless. Headmaster Lear began to read names and Cosmo was bouncing on her heels by the time the 'K's rolled around. Finally her name was called, and she rushed up to the stool. She turned, plonked down with her hands tucked below her thighs to stop fidgeting, and waited with bated breath as the hat was placed gently on her head. Slowly, gently, she felt a prodding at the corners of her mind, and then the hats voice.

Ooh, a Keith- I haven't had one of you in decades. Cosmo was bewildered for a few seconds, she had never considered her magic must come from someone.

Why yes child, and strong in your blood line it once was. Let's take a look at you then... Flashes of memories flew through Cosmo's mind, and she felt a wave of dizziness clutch at her stomach.

A fascination with all that lives and breathes around you, curiosity that would fit you well for Ravenclaw, but what's this I see- you don't just seek to know you seek for the thrill don't you my child. Yes... better be

Gryffindor!!!

Cosmo stood up, much more aware of everyone watching her now, as she shakily made her way to the Gryffindor table and sat down. A few students made eye contact with her, smiling, and she smiled back. Eager to start the next seven years of her life.

Hildegard finally came into the Great Hall, become of the fact she could not walk normally she was among the last young wizard to enter the so famous Hogwarts school.
"Oh this place is so big !" She thought while entering, a strange feeling of fear took her, there would be a lots of painful walking to do, people may mock her walking style ? Maybe she would end up being late to a lots of class ?
Those problem however soon felt into nothingness as the headmaster was doing his speech.
The young witch listened to him carefully, and got scared yet again. This time Hildegard worried about which house she would end up joining. She knew she would have to join one house since the beginning but now her fear was way bigger than it used to be before. In a matter of minute she would be sorted, as her parent told her not to worry to much a bout it she could not stop herself from doing so.
"What if i end up in Gryffindor ? How will they look at me ? I am not brave at all ! And i can't compete with Ravenclaw's academic performance either ! What if i am way too rebellious for Hufflepuff ? And not enough ambitious for Slytherin ? Maybe the hat won't find a house for me ? Wondered Hildegard while panicking.
Students were walking toward the sorting hat as they were called, that until one name was dropped.
"Hildegard Schneider !" Called the headmaster, as hearing her name Hildegard frozen for a moment.
"Hildegard Schneider !" Did the man reapeated.
Being among the last to enter the room Hildegard had to walk more to get to the hat, people let her pass as they saw she was walking with a limp, and as she came to the hat she felt embarrass about the fact people now knew about her leg.
She sat and the head master putted the sorting hat on her head.
"Hmm let's see... I see a lot of fear in you, not much courage, you do have some free spirit but... you have immense ambition i see ! I have made my choice ! Slytherin !"
Hildegard let out a sound of releasement, this was finally done ! She did not know what to expect about this choice, but it was finally over ! She went to the Slytherin table and sat on the nearest place while thanking the slytherins who were welcoming her.

[quote]"-William Hyde!" It was the sort of voice that carried authority, that commanded attention even as students new and old chattered away at their houses' tables. William was quick to rise to his feet, to shift awkwardly in his robes before dutifully pacing toward the front of the Hall.

It felt like an eternity before he reached his destination, blue eyes marred by the anxiety of a boy who wasn't best pleased to be all but presented to the entire school. It happened to everyone, yes, but it felt far more grandiose and eventful when it was one's own turn to be sorted.

A non-verbal instruction - a pointed look from Headmaster Lear, one that was not unkind - goaded William into taking his seat. He could already hear the vague mumbling of the Hat in his head, anticipation causing the hair on the back of his neck to stand on end. He didn't really care about the outcome, so why was he so bloody nervous?

"Hyde... Your father was a Gryffindor, was he not? And your mother... A Ravenclaw, wasn't she?" William knew a rhetorical question when he heard one, simply nodded instead of vocalizing his response. "Which will you be, then? Who does the young Sir Hyde take after-?" There was a few moments of humming atop his head as William sat ram-rod straight, staring anywhere that wasn't into the eyes of the myriad of students with their eyes on him at that moment.

"Oh..." the word was drawn-out, thoughtful. It did little to assuage the boy's anxiety. "None of your mother's eagerness for knowledge. None of your father's boldness and bravery. A kind heart, though. Loyalty, but lonely. Some stubbornness too... A temper... Hmm. Interesting. Very interesting. I think you need some good company, Hyde, better be-"

There was little time for the boy to register the Hat's train of thought before it bellowed "Hufflepuff!"

As quickly as it had begun, it had ended. The bright-eyed students of Hogwarts' so-called 'forgotten house' beaming at him and clapping away as the boy obediently joined them. He absently wondered what his parents would think, but the thought quickly dissipated as he took a seat among his new housemates and finally took note of the food that had been laid out before them.

Chicken pot pie.
Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.

Piper walked into the Great Hall with the other first-years. She had just crossed the lake and it had left her freezing cold and wet. As she proceeded into the stony hall, she waited with the queue of first-years to be called, wet and shivering. Why had she let her mother convince her to come here? All she wanted was to go home at this point. A student bumped into her. Piper set her jaw. Stay invisible, she reminded herself. Remain unnoticed. The students around her were either silent from nervousness or chattering excitedly about what House they would go into. Piper rolled her eyes. She hardly even knew what each House meant. It occurred to her that she didn't know what House her father had been in. She forced the thought out of her mind. It didn't matter. He didn't matter; he had left her and her mother and that was all that mattered.

Her mother had briefly explained to her, as well as the Headmaster, but she still didn't quite understand. Piper had come to the conclusion that she wanted to be Sorted into Ravenclaw. From what she had heard, it was the "smart House," and given that she had skipped a grade in Muggle school and was deeply analytical, this made sense to her. She supposed her second choice would be Slytherin, since Hufflepuff would be much too fuzzy and she didn't feel like much of a daredevil in terms of Gryffindor. Ideally this would be over with as soon as possible, since she had learned that the spotlight would be on her for a brief moment.

Suddenly, the queued first-years were called into the Great Hall. Piper's mouth fell open in spite of herself. Four great tables lined the hall, one for each House. The ceiling was high and reflected the clear night sky outside. Piper fidgeted with her robe. Her hands were shaking, and she couldn't tell if it was due to the cold or the sudden bout of nerves which had come out of her. She kept her jaw locked tightly closed, for fear that her speeding heart might leap out of her mouth.

The first-years were lined up in alphabetical order by last name. Great. Her last name would be one of the first to be called. She wiped her sweaty palms on her new robes and chided herself not to fidget. The other first-years seemed just as nervous as she was. That was an issue. Piper had to stop being weak. It was important to always be stronger than those around oneself. It was the only way to win.

Many students were called up. Piper observed how the Hat worked. The first-year would go sit on a stool, the Hat would be placed on their head, and the Hat would verbally call out the name of the student's House. Piper wondered what the point of Houses was in the first place. Perhaps it was the easiest way to make sleeping arrangements, she mused. Suddenly, "Clark, Piper!" was called and she lost all sense of body presence.

Moving slowly, Piper walked towards the stool and sat on it. The Hat was plopped onto her head and sank past her eyes. She was grateful for this, as it meant she didn't have to see the hundreds of people staring at her. Ah, a Clark. I do believe I remember your father...a very confident Gryffindor. Nervous, are we? the Hat whispered in her ear. She nearly jumped out of her skin. How did it do that? She wondered how it worked. And her father... Curious. Determined. Ah, you have rather ambitious goals, do you? You won't achieve your goals with your current outlook on life. Please remember that. And very independent...you do realize you are stronger with others, do you not? the Hat whispered. Piper had no idea how it was doing it, or if the Hat was searching her mind, but she didn't like it. Stop it, she warned. Her potential and her thoughts were her business.

Ah, a most definite Slytherin. The Hat decided, still whispering. Piper resisted the urge to rip the Hat off and throw it. Alas, I am compelled to ask your preference. What is the House you most desire? Piper gritted her teeth. Ravenclaw. The Hat made a tsking noise. Ah, all students seem to want to be known as intelligent. But don't you know that intelligence is so much more than books, a label, or a House? Consider your potential. What you could be... Without further comment, the Hat suddenly echoed across the Great Hall, "SLYTHERIN!"

Applause rose from the Slytherin table. The Hat was taken off, and Piper slid off the stool and marched to the Slytherin table, unresponsive and stony to the many people congratulating her. She wasn't sure why she was acting like this, but she did know she wasn't here for people. She found an empty seat and stared moodily at the rest of the Sorting's progress. What on earth had the Hat meant? What I could be. Piper shook her head. She'd have to find out. And her father had been brought into this. He had been Gryffindor, had he? Well, Piper was glad she wasn't in Gryffindor then. After the Sorting had finished, she witnessed mashed potatoes appear out of nowhere, along with a host of other dishes. Piper grabbed a bit of everything and began to eat, observing the chatting and joking Slytherins around her. The Sorting Hat had better have made the right decision.

As the first years walked into the Great Hall, Lily among them, they all gazed in wonder. Lily had no particular feelings for the room, but was nervous for the sorting. She continued to walk up, and got a proper look at the room. It defied all logic. In what universe could candles magically float?!
She stopped and could now see the four tables, stretching from where she was, right to the door at the end of the hall.
There was a brown leather hat that sat on a stool, and it sang a song which she quite enjoyed. When it ended, she was eager to hear more of the houses, and thought she did not fit any of those houses, but she still had to be sorted into one of them.
"Cawthi, Lily." Her name was called, and she walked up to the stool on which the hat sat on. The hat was lifted, and she sat on the stool in front of everybody. It was scary to see all their eyes looking up at her, and recognized a few from earlier. The hat was lowered onto her head, and she waited.
"Scared, eh?" the hat said, clearly reading her mind, "Hoping for Slytherin, just from one girl's perspective?" the hat continued, "You don't belong there, do you?"
"No, no I don't." she whispered to it.
"Hufflepuff!" the hat shouted.
Everyone from a table stood up and cheered for her. She smiled. She had a good feeling about this.

I was taken aback as we are lead through the magnificent doors into the entrance hall, where the professor came to collect us before the sorting ceremony. They explained what was going to happen and that's when I suddenly realised that I was officially going to be a member of Hogwarts, just like my family before me! They said

"Students, in a minute I will lead you through to the great hall where you will be welcomed by the headmaster's speech. You will then be called alphabetically and the noble sorting hat will be placed on your head and your house, and family for the next 7 years, will be decided. Now remember,

she continued

there are 4 houses, Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff

I rolled my eyes, that was the house for the weak

and Ravenclaw. Let's begin!

Rows of eyes stared at us as we made our way to the front, I waited for my name to be called nervously, hoping I would be a Slytherin. I had to wait a while, watching everyone else be sorted into their destined house, some seemed relieved, others upset with the hat's decision. Finally it was my turn

"Ah, a Sunshine, I presume you're Sapphire's sister... Yes? Interesting, very interesting. You are quite determined, but also a good mind and a love of reading, Ravenclaw would be a good choice... No? No? Okay then I think this will be right!

the hat kept whispering in my ear, reading my thoughts

SLYTHERIN!"

YES! I hadn't let the family down!I could hear whoops and cheers from the table which proudly wore the green!

August Bennett's feet were like thick pavement, still like stone. His vision was blurred, colors, so many colors. He could feel his shoulder collide with other's, muffled voices eagering for him to move ahead. Dream. It must be some type of dream, he'd be in his hand-me down bed, the feet would be on there last end like usual and the moonlight would be shining on his lonesome chair in the corner like usual. His train of thought came to a halt when something whisked passed him, the creature's voice echoing through the grand hall. He barely caught sight. He felt like an ant, some type of bug marching along someone's backyard, small and insignificant.

He had always wondered what it would be like to be surrounded by laughter in much quantient size, everything was bustling, oddly, even the grand paintings on the wall were lively, chatting and most of all moving, August was surely bugged out with that one. The most astonishing sight of them all, was the mass amount of food on the large dining tables. Such a feast felt out of reach, was this a treat? Could he eat and eat and eat? Marvelous, unbelievable.

He wasn't use to such immense amount of conversation, he felt the urge to cup his ears, mute out some of the enthusiasm and keep himself sane, and at the same time he wanted to reveal in the loudness, soak it all in. He was shot once again, out of his thoughts when the Great Hall doors slammed shut, panic coursing through him when he realized that he had strayed far, his feet stuck in cement doused in water, now slick and moveable. His feet raced, and silly enough, he almost bumped into one of the first years. He managed to come to a halt at the last second, his nose inches away from the prick of their hat.

August's eyes narrowed when one voice of authority rang through the large space, and August wondered how it would be to have such responsibility and authority on said shoulder's. The Great Hall had went silent, and the young boy stayed the same before his entrance, silent and collected.

Sorting Hat? There were such activities and groups here? The only groups he knows of are social standing. August would say he was certainly alarmed when another voice joined in, neither from any of the professors or the headmaster himself. August's wandering eyes ended on a tattered hat, words coming out smooth like velvet from the item.

Well, that was quite it. August's mouth gaped ever so slightly, his eyes squinted. A talking hat?
He should not have been surprised by now, but he could not help simply being mind boggled. This would be impossible a few hours ago.
The professor explained the sorting ceremony, and it's quantities. August wouldn't say that he was particularly nervous, or frightened. Such a ceremony did not hold deep meaning, place him where you wish, as long as he'd get to chow down on the feast behind him and his fellow first years.
Each professor seemed serious looking, stoic. August wondered if they could manage a smile. August was startled from the sudden singing that rose from the hat, but it was certainly pleasant.
After such a song, it was time for the sorting. August stifled his first laugh when the long list of students rolled down onto the floor, the headmaster looking distraught in the slightest.

Many students went up and down, up and down. Houses were called in union sometimes, while other times houses were scattered. He stopped listening to the house chanting awhile back, his back growing painful from the standing. He was suffering just as much as the headmaster at the moment, such a long and cruel list.



August's head perked up, him distancing himself from the crowd. The hat seemed patient as he made his way up, him avoiding unnecessary eye-contact with the professors. He took his seat, and he had wondered if his sorting would take as long as his wand selection.
What a mess that was. They had gone through five different wands of according different cores and woods, and the salesman found it quite amusing. He had called him 'a tricky one' until the sixth and last one.

He took his seat on the stool, and the hat was placed down on his head. "Hm, let's see here.." August's eyes narrowed upwards. "You work hard Mr.Hat." August complimented. It would be wise to let the sorting hat concentrate, but he did not seem to mind much of the comment, his voice gruffy as he chuckled. "Well yes, quite a strain on my mind sometimes, but all worth it. Such consideration." The Great Hall was silent, the clock weighing two minutes.

August was beginning to become anxious when, "What type of person do you inspire to become, August?" The Sorting Hat questioned. August's mind went blank. He had no answer. "Sorry Mr.Hat, I haven't a clue."

The Sorting Hat gave a booming laugh, the hat tilting on his head.




August felt himself ushered off of the stool, dazed from the sudden selection. His ears tipped red from the sudden applause from the Gryffindor table, slugging into the seat.

Gryffindor a? I would never have thought. When I was talking with my dad about Sorting I was sure I belong to Ravenclaw (beacuse of my love for learning and wisdom). I even had a dream about it, so I was in a state of shock for about a minute when the Sorting Hat said: "Oh, another Gallagher. You remind me so much of your grandmother. Full of kindness, courage and bravery. GRYFFINDOR!" What? I did not know my grandmother was in Griffindor, because my dad never talks about her. I only know she died young (when my dad was only 4 years old) because she lost control of her magic. I was even a bit sad because I thought my greatest character strengths are: wisdom, perseverance, kindness and loyalty. But then I thought, Hang on a minute. The Hat did not placed me wrong. I will be a good Gryffindor because I am brave, loyal and I can be a devoted friend.

The Hall erupted in applause and I went towards the Gryffindor table. The smell in the Hall was amazing. Sweet, delicious, flavorful food was waiting on the tabele for me to eat it, so I did. When I was full, I watched the Gryffindors interact with each other and tried to talk with some of my new classmates.

Predictably, Quinn Smith was enthusiastically prattling the entire way here to their peers. And maybe, just maybe, they were beginning to think that if the long train-come-boat journey hadn't run their favourite Wikipedia article's long fuse short, nothing would.

But here, the lilting, enthused stirrings of 'Did you know--' 'I've read that--' finally dwindle. The flame of Quinn's long wick is dimmed by the vast hall, by the suspended, stitched bokeh of thousands of candles above them. ('I've read they're enchanted,' they whisper on a final, parting note to their group, the rueful Disney brown of their eyes widening beneath their spectacles); then, finally, by the far-reaching, cathedral acoustics of the Headmaster's voice and the Sorting Hat's booming song.

Nerves once had them talking at length, overcompensating, assessing every angle and puzzle piece, but now those same nerves render Quinn owlish and shy; a baby bird hiding behind their feathers and fun-facts. The ritual of all this seems sacred. It's hard to see where in the grand-scheme where a waifish, ruddy-cheeked bookworm from York fits into all this. Really. Hogwarts isn't flat-cap and whippet country, there are no wellies in-sight, no tweed or dock leaves for when you run into nettles or-- 'QUINN SMITH.'

Oh no.

Quinn Smith's colour takes on a whiter shade of pale, like paper steeped in white paint; paler still under the broad, brow-beaten triangle of the Sorting Hat as it chews the cud loudly: hums, hahs, finding all the places to fit pins. Ah, but what colour thread runs through this student’s robes?

Yes, without a doubt:

'Ravenclaw.'