The Sorting Hat
*This post contains spoilers for Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and the Harry Potter Series.
Chapter Summary:
When the door opened, Professor McGonagall stood in front of the first years. She led them through the grand entrance hall of flaming torches and high ceilings. They gathered in a small chamber to the side of the hall.
McGonagall then explains that before the first years can join the start of the year feast, they must be sorted into one of the four houses.
“The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin… While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup”
Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone
She then left the students alone saying that she would gather them when they were ready for the ceremony. The students speculated as to how the would be sorted.
Suddently, a group of twenty ghosts flew through he wall paying very little mind to the students. They were chatting about someone named Peeves. The ghosts greeted the students and the one dressed as a monk says he hoped to see them in his old house of Hufflepuff.
Professor McGonagall returned and led the students through the doors into the Great Hall. The Hall was decorated with thousands of lit candles floating in the air and four long tables held the rest of the students. The teachers sat at a long table at the front of the Hall where the first years were placed in front of.
Harry looked up and noticed that the sky looked dark with stars. Hermione whispered that it was enchanted to look like the sky outside.
A stool was placed in front of the first years and an old pointed hat was placed upon it. Then it began to sing.
Oh, you may not think I’m pretty,
Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone
But don’t judge on what you see,
I’ll eat myself if you can find
A smarter hat than me.
You can keep your bowlers black,
Your top hats sleek and tall,
For I’m the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
And I can cap them all.
There’s nothing hidden in your head
The Sorting Hat can’t see,
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be.
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’re 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 folk use any means
To achieve their ends.
So put me on! Don’t be afraid!
And don’t get in a flap!
You’re in safe hands (though I have none)
For I’m a thinking cap!
Professor McGonagall began calling names to try on the sorting hat. Hermione Granger was sorted into Gryffindor with Neville Long bottom and unsurprisingly Draco Malfoy was sorted immediately into Slytherin.
Finally it was Harry’s turn. When his name was called, everyone in the hall began to whisper.
Harry put on the sorting hat and began to hear the hat’s voice inside his head.
“Difficult. Very difficult. Plentty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind either. There’s talent… and a nice thirst to prove yourself, now that’s interesting… So where shall I put you?”
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
Harry thought hard that he did not want to be in Slytherin. The hat obliged and selected Gryffindor. He took his place at the long Gryffindor table. Ron soon joined him to Harry’s great pleasure.
After a few words from Albus Dumbledore “Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment!Tweak!” The feast began. A large assortment of delicious foods appeared out of nowhere on the table. The ghost next to Harry pined for the food explaining to Harry that he hadn’t been able to eat food in hundreds of years. Ron interjected that he had heard of the Ghost before calling him Nearly Headless Nick. A newly sorted Gryffindor, Seamus Finnegan, questioned how he could only be nearly Headless. Nick proceeded to pull his head almost completely off except one piece of skin holding it on. Nick them explains to the new Gryffindors that he hopes they can win the house cup this year. Gryffindor hadn’t won in six years and the ghost of Slytherin house, The Bloody Baron, wouldn’t like Nick forget it.
Dessert appears once everyone has had there fill of dinner. The new Gryffindors tell each other a little bit about their families. Seamus says that he has a witch mom and a Muggle dad. Neville lets them know that he was raised by his witch grandmother. His whole family thought that he wasn’t going to be a wizard as he didn’t show much magical aptitude.
Harry’s attention turned to the High table. Quirrell was talking to a teacher with black hair.
“It happened very suddenly. The hook-nosed teacher looked past Quirrell’s turban straight into Harry’s eyes- and a sharp, hot pain shot across the scalp on Harry’s forehead.”
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
He asked Percy who the teacher was. Percy explains the teacher is Professor Snape who teaches potions. However, everyone knows that he has always wanted the Defense Against the Dark Arts position that Quirrell has.
Professor Dumbledore began to speak again. He lets the first years know that the forest is forbidden to all students, magic is not to be used in the corridors between class, Quidditch trials will be held in two weeks and that this year the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is off limits.
The school then signs the Hogwarts school song before being dismissed to bed. Percy led the first years up the marble staircase before running into Peeves who was making walking sticks throw themselves at the students. Percy threatened to tell the Bloody Baron on him so he left. The students finally came to stop In front of a portrait of a fat lady wearing a pink silk dress. Percy gave the password of “Caput Draconis“.
The portrait opened up into the Gryffindor common room. The boys and girls settled into their separate dorm rooms for the night. Harry had a dream that he was wearing Professor Quirrell’s turban. The turban was speaking to him and telling Harry that he should switch to Slytherin to fulfill his destiny. Malfoy was there laughing at him before morphing into Professor Snape. A bright burst of green appeared before Harry broke out of the dream.
The next day he didn’t remember the dream at all.
*Spoiler reminder. If you do not want aspects of the Harry Potter series ruined for you, do not read below. Discussions about future stories and characters take place.
The Sorting Hat
Unknown to Harry and the rest of first years, the sorting hat’s song is not some arbitrary tune. It often gives warnings and advice for the year to come. This year, the song is pretty straight forward. It introduces the different houses with their distinct characteristics. No warnings of the danger that sits just behind it.
Harry’s interacting with the sorting hat will also be important later on. In year two, Harry finds out that he can speak to snakes. An extremely rare talent that is associated with Slytherin. This makes him question whether the sorting hat knew something he didn’t and perhaps he would have flourished in Slytherin. Later, he finds out that he has a portion of Voldemort’s soul living in him. The sorting hat recognized this the moment he tried it on.
Harry’s Dream
At the end of the chapter, Harry has a strange dream. Quirrell turban spoke to him saying he should switch to Slytherin.
This can be written off because Harry just had another hat tell him that he would do great in Slytherin. It can easily be seen as a stress dream due to the events that just transpired. However, Harry has inadvertently stumbled upon Quirrell’s secret. Lord Voldemort is under the turban. Later on, Voldemort will be revealed and speak to Harry.
The green light at the end of the dream is also a clue that Voldemort is close by. Harry would often dream of this light as the killing curse Voldemort performed on him and his, parents creates this effect.
Character Introductions:
Nearly Headless Nick
The house ghost of Gryffindor. Nick will be an excellent resource for Harry and his friends as they navigate through their years at Hogwarts.
Lavender Brown
As Lavender is in the same year as Harry, she is often in the background. Harry will have most of his classes with her and Hermione sleeps in the same room as her. She will take part in Dumbledore’s army as well as date Ron for a good portion of The Half Blood Prince.
Lavender is often described as annoying and other than the time she dates Ron, she is not usually socializing with Harry, Ron or Hermione.
Justin Finch-Fletchley
Justin is only mentioned as a first year that is sorted into Hufflepuff. He will play a very important role in The Chamber of Secrets as one of the basilisk’s victims.
Seamus Finnigan
Seamus is one of the five Gryffindor first year boys. He shares a room with Harry and Ron. Seamus never really has his own storyline at any point in the series. The closest he comes is when he doesn’t believe Harry after the events of The Goblet of Fire.
Dean Thomas
Dean is the final Gryffindor in Harry’s year to be introduced. He will be in the background for most of the series but will get some storylines. In year six, Dean dates Ginny before she ends up with Harry. He will also be on the run from Snatchers in the final book do to his Muggle parentage.
The Bloody Baron
The house ghost for Slytherin. The Baron is described as covered in blood and no one dares to ask him why. We find out his back story at almost the complete ending of the series. For now we only know that none of the ghosts or Peeves want to cross him for any reason.
Minor Characters Introduced:
- Hannah Abbott
- Susan Bones
- Terry Boot
- Millicent Bulstrode
- Pansy Parkinson
- Padma and Pavarti Patil
- Blaise Zabini
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