Sorting Ceremony

[Wilber Winterbottom]

If you are a first year or a transfer student, the time has now come for you to discover in which of the Hogwarts Houses you belong. After waiting in the Entrance Hall for what seems like forever, you are invited inside to stand beside the dais at the front of the dining room. Hundreds of eyes follow you as you make your way forward. Up above, the ceiling reflects the night sky as candles float above your head. An old, mangy hat awaits on a stool.

Once all is silent, the hat bellows out its annual song, telling all there is to know about the four Houses in a brief amount of time. The Sorting Ceremony then begins with the hat being picked up and a name being called. One by one, names are said in alphabetical order by surname. One by one, your peers are claimed as a Gryffindor, a Hufflepuff, a Ravenclaw, or a Slytherin. Where will the Sorting Hat place you? That is the question everyone in the room is asking as you now sit upon the stool and the hat is placed on the top of your head.


OOC: You may role-play for the Sorting Hat, but please limit yourself to one post per character.

If you are role-playing sortings for two characters, you may include both characters in the same post, or post them separately.

Always ensure there is at least one other post between each of your own (do not double-post).

[MadMadamMalfoy]

Sydney stood in line with the other first years and transfer students, looking calm and collected… because she was. What was there to be afraid of? It was just a hat; it was just a house. As long as she didn’t wind up in Hufflepuff, she’d be fine… and she saw little chance of that happening. She wasn’t exactly the warm fuzzy type.

As she waited her turn, she glanced up at the ceiling. She knew from her reading that it was bewitched to mimic the weather outside, but she wondered how that worked. Which spells were used? Ooh, and what would happen if the weather turned terrible? Would the ceiling start pelting people with hailstones? Blow them away with gale force winds? Strike someone with lighting? That reminded her of a scene from her favorite book. Imagining a Frankenstein-esque creature coming to live at the strike of lightning in the middle of the Great Hall, she almost smiled… almost, but not quite. Now that was something she’d love to see!

Sydney was jerked out of her thoughts as the hat called her sister’s name. She watched Blakeney’s sorting with mild interest, the kind of interest only mustered by sisterly duty. How does it feel to come in ahead of me for once? She thought. Not that it was likely to happen again. The only reason Blakeney beat her this time was because “B” came before “S” in the alphabet.

“MASTERS, SYDNEY!”

Sydney sauntered up, sitting on the stool as the hat was placed on her head. “Ah, here’s the other half of the Masters twins,” the hat’s voice whispered in her ear.

The better half, Sydney corrected. “Oh, ho! Plenty of confidence, I see,” the hat replied. “A fair amount of courage too, although not much of an altruist, are you?” Sydney nearly laughed out loud at that description. “No, you prefer to use your courage for your own gain, so not a Gryffindor, I feel…”

I could’ve told you that, Sydney thought. “Witty, brutally honest…” the hat went on. “Not afraid of hard work when it’s toward something you want, and there’s something else… a secret soft side. You can be kind when you want to be…”

Don’t say that out loud! Sydney thought. I just got here; I can’t have everyone thinking I’m weak already! “There’s that pride,” the hat replied. “Pride, ambition, and a brilliant mind… Ravenclaw might be good for you, but I feel your talents are better suited to…

"...SLYTHERIN!”

Once again, I could’ve told you that, Sydney thought as she hopped off the stool to make way for the next person. Well, that was anticlimactic! She hoped the rest of the feast would be more interesting!

[ArianaBlack]

Though she was not pleased about being separated from her siblings for the journey from Hogsmeade station to Hogwarts, Laini had managed to find her peace. She never faired well when she tried to stay grumpy for too long. BESIDES, she wanted to make a GREAT first impression on the Sorting Hat because she wanted to go to the BEST house.

The best house happened to be the one where Mikey was. Or Olive. She'd take either. So while others around her seemed to be nervous, Laini stood up tall. People were only nervous because they didn't know what they wanted. Laini knew. That's why she was the most confident kid by the dais. Her only concern at the moment was looking for her siblings in the crowd and once she found them, she gave them both the BIGGEST WAVE AND EAGEREST OF SMILES !!!!

Hi, Olive! Hi, Mikey!

She waved a few more times throughout the ceremony because it was going on for far too long and she didn't want them to forget to pay attention for when it was her turn. They were only allowed to stop paying attention AFTER her sorting. She made sure to remind them plenty during the train ride.

"Laini Gracae-Ryans," a voice called her name.

"FINALLY!" She called back, making her way up to the stage with a flourish and a twirl. And then, naturally, she wore her biggest and most unnatural smile as she waited for the hat. But she did not have to wait for very long because before the hat could even graze her head, it raised it's voice to announce--

"SLYTHERIN!"

"...."

"WAIT, WHAT?!" NO, NO, NO, NO. This was NOT FAIR! She was promised her MOMENT. There was a kid who got to sit at the stool for FIVE WHOLE MINUTES!!!!!!! And she didn't even get a full FIVE SECONDS!!! This wasn't fair! How could the hat even KNOW when it didn't spend any time on her head! Where was the JUSTICE?

She made sure to complain LOTS and argue for her chance to have a redo, none of which got her what she wanted as she was ushered off the dais in haste. Grumbling, the newly indicted Slytherin crossed her arms and huffed all the way to her new house. All that and it didn't even put her in Gryffindor or Hufflepuff like she wanted.

[Kimothy]

Astrid had loved just being around her sibcousins on the train. It was the first time she'd been aboard. The first time she got to have her own Hogwarts experience, made better by the fact that she was with her eight older sibcousins. The first time she didn't have to watch the train take them away from her for a few months at a time. It was no surprise, and no shame to admit, that the last two years were horrible to Astrid, so she may have been a little bit insufferable on the Express. Wanting to be around her family. Wanting to know about everything that happens on board. Wanting to know what things the older Grimaldi kids at Hogwarts, and if they'd let her join them now that she was a proper student too.

Separating from the sibcousins again, but this time at Hogsmeade station where she had to take the boats and the other Grimaldis the thestral-drawn carriages, hadn't been fun at first. But Astrid Harmony Grimaldi bounced back more often than not, even if it initially didn't feel like it.

It also meant she was going to walk into the Hogwarts Great Hall like she practically owned the place. Because she maybe kind of did. She was a Grimaldi. She had most people watching her, but more importantly she had eight other people in this Hall who were also surnamed Grimaldi watching her. They were who mattered to her more. But the world was watching her, the world was ready to know if their bets on her house were correct. It was not a foreign feeling, but the new setting made it feel like it was.

Hey, Hogwarts, you were looking, right? You're supposed to.

Astrid was no stranger to waiting, but she did kind of wish she was one of the kids who went first in the sorting. Nevertheless, she took that time to scan the Great Hall. The ceiling was pretty, but it was only an observation in passing. Her main goal was to see where her sibcousins were seated. Winnie, Lexi, and Rhapsy in Ravenclaw. Celi and Maebs in Gryffindor. Bronny and Dia in Slytherin. Cyppy in Hufflepuff. When she made eye contact with any of the sibcousins, Astrid beamed back at them. No matter where she went, she'd have a sibcousin with her, and that thought was comforting. Except she almost wanted to consider conspiring with the Hat to place her in Hufflepuff, so she can be with Cyppy. Had he really spent the last two years alone in the Yellow House? Except maybe she'd look bad in yellow. It wasn't the best colour on her. But! She was Astrid Grimaldi. She can make anything work. Larky told her so, and she believed him.

"Grimaldi, Astrid!"

My turn. MY TURN. MyturnmyturnmyturnMYTURN. The Boss Baby's thoughts were in dissonance to the way she carried herself up the stage. She wasn't bouncing around like the things in her head. Rather, she made the walk with her brave face on. Confidence, as one should have in a time like this. Once she was seated, Astrid put the hat on.

Good evening, Miss Grimaldi, we've been waiting for you. Yes, well, duh! The world was! The hat was! Everyone was watching, anticipating, making their final bets! "Hi, Mister Hat. Bet you thought you've seen the last of the Grimgang." Astrid replied, her voice to ensure nobody else but the Hat could hear her. No, everyone knew you would arrive two years after the others. "You know how the saying goes. Save the best for the last." That's just life!

"I'm happy to go wherever, Mister Hat, but would you oh so kindly consider putting me in Hufflepuff so Cyppy won't be too lonely?"

Unfortunately, that's not how this works. No.

"Huh? It works if I say it works—"

The Hat didn't even wait for her to finish her argument, when the loud echoing filled the hall.

"SLYTHERIN!"

Oh! That was fast. Astrid had no time to make the Hat reconsider its sorting decision, but still it's not like she was mad about it. Slytherin. Slytherin! Like Auntie E and Larky. And Bronny and Dia. And there was applause! Loads of applause! Again, not a foreign occurrence but still just as appreciated.

Placing the Hat back down, Astrid was guided towards the Slytherin table and she almost immediately made a beeline to sit beside either Bronny or Dia. Did they see her get sorted?! She got sorted! Into Slytherin!

Her letter for tomorrow, to the mums and Larky, was going to be something.

[Felixir]

Elio had his unconcerned expression on. When he and the other first years and all had been led up to the front of the Hall, there had been something of a swagger or a strut in his walk. The vibes were all 'confidence is key'.

It was all an act. Inside, he was freaking out. He was finally here, in the Great Hall, at Hogwarts. His dad had gone here. His dad had fought here. Candela had gone here too. And Saffron. And Reuben was still here (upon remembering this, Elio turned towards the Hufflepuff table and tried to find his old foster brother's face in the crowd, but then remembered he was trying to play it cool, and ceased).

The ceiling looked like the sky, and it took a real effort not to look up at it every few seconds, even though he'd seen magic like this and more before now. The Sorting was happening, right in front of him, and soon Elio would be up. He couldn't account for the nerves, because he'd maintained for ages and ages that he didn't care which house he'd be sorted into. Maybe he did care a teensy bit after all, but also he knew that it wasn't really something he had much control over. Still. Nerves.

After several long, looong, yet somehow also very short minutes, they called for 'Kaiser, Aurelio'.

Elio's stomach did a backflip, which was especially jarring when the rest of his body was not also backflipping at the same time, just by the way. He stepped up to the stool, and then realised exactly what it was that was making him feel like he could use the Sorting Hat as a puke bag in that moment. He was at the centre of attention. Everyone was watching him, at a moment that he thought was actually super personal, actually.

Trying to ignore the many eyes on him, Elio sat down on the stool, and the Hat was lowered onto his head and fell over his eyes.

Kaiser, eh? I don't Sort many of those.

Elio didn't know what to say to that, or if he ought to say anything at all. Wasn't it supposed to be seeing what was in his head? (Super invasive, by the way. Personal space, privacy; look it up.) It stood to reason that it could pick up the thoughts he sent directly to it, in that case.

My papà went here. Slytherin.

Ah, I remember.

Elio waited, but it seemed as though that was all the Hat was going to say on the matter. He wished it would tell him more. After a pause, it went on, but now it seemed focused only on Elio. He fidgeted, uncomfortable with such scrutiny.

Creative, certainly, and not a bad mind, not at all. And I sense a loyal streak in you. You are determined, resourceful, with no small amount of cunning. And a stubborn streak, oh yes. And you have daring, you have nerve.

Elio, who had been keeping track, squinted at the inside of the Hat. I'm nice too. You missed out that one.

Hmm, yes, you value kindness, certainly. And you're a hard worker, when you want to be, but I think... it comes down to...

There was a long silence. It was weird. It was like Elio could hear the Hat working, hear it thinking, without actually hearing its thoughts. (Again, did that seem fair? No, it did not.) When he couldn't bear the loaded silence anymore, he thought, Comes down to what?

Another pause. Then,

Do you have a preference?

Oh. Well. That was easy.

Slytherin or Hufflepuff, please. Dad's and Candela's houses. Also Saffron. And Reuben, who was obviously still around.

Then we are in agreement, as I suspected. In that case, better be...

"SLYTHERIN!"

A wave of relief washed over Elio, and he was grinning broadly as the Hat was lifted off his head again. It sounded to him like the Hat had considered putting him in Gryffindor, a house he'd never given much thought to. Not that it would have been terrible, what with Grandpa Charles having been one.

Overall, as Elio slid off the stool and headed to the Slytherin table where the applause was, he thought it could have gone much worse. It had only taken maybe a few minutes at most, and now he shared a house with Papà, and that gave him more comfort than he had ever expected, now that he was so far from home.