Show pageOld revisionsBacklinksBack to top This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong. ======The Sorting Ceremony====== =====Introduction===== The **Sorting Ceremony** is an annual tradition at [[Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry]] that takes place at the beginning of every school year. Its purpose is to assign, or "Sort," all new [[First-Year Students]] into one of the four school [[Houses]]: [[Gryffindor]], [[Hufflepuff]], [[Ravenclaw]], or [[Slytherin]]. The ceremony is conducted using the [[Sorting Hat]], a sentient magical artifact, and occurs in the [[Great Hall]] in front of the entire student body and staff during the start-of-term feast. It is a defining moment for every new student, as their [[House]] becomes their family and community for their entire time at [[Hogwarts]]. =====The Process===== The Sorting Ceremony follows a precise and traditional sequence of events, which has remained largely unchanged for centuries. - **Arrival:** [[First-Year Students]] are led into the [[Hogwarts]] castle, typically by the gamekeeper, after crossing the [[Great Lake]] by boat. - **The Antechamber:** They are gathered in a small antechamber off the [[Great Hall]] where a professor, traditionally the Head of [[Gryffindor]] house ([[Professor McGonagall]] during [[Harry Potter]]'s time), explains the purpose of the ceremony and the four [[Houses]]. - **The Procession:** The [[First-Year Students]] are led in a line into the [[Great Hall]], which is filled with the rest of the student body seated at their four long [[House]] tables. - **The Hat's Song:** The [[Sorting Hat]] is placed upon a four-legged stool at the front of the [[Great Hall]]. Before the Sorting begins, the Hat sings a new song each year. The song often describes the [[Hogwarts Founders]], the qualities they valued, and sometimes offers cryptic warnings or advice to the school. - **The Sorting:** The professor in charge reads the names of the new students from a roll of parchment in alphabetical order. One by one, each student sits on the stool and the [[Sorting Hat]] is placed on their head. - **The Decision:** The Hat deliberates, often speaking directly to the student inside their mind, and considers their abilities, personality, and, crucially, their personal choice. After making its decision, the Hat shouts the chosen [[House]] name aloud for all to hear. - **Joining the House:** The newly Sorted student removes the Hat and joins their cheering housemates at the appropriate table. The school's headmaster, [[Albus Dumbledore]], officially begins the start-of-term feast only after the last student has been Sorted. =====The Sorting Hat's Role===== The [[Sorting Hat]] is the central instrument of the ceremony. It is an ancient, frayed, and patched wizard's hat that was once owned by [[Godric Gryffindor]]. It is sapient and possesses powerful magical abilities. * **Legilimency:** The Hat is a highly accomplished [[Legilimens]], able to probe the mind of the wearer to discover their deepest qualities, thoughts, and potential. * **Student's Choice:** The Hat takes the wearer's personal preference into account. This was demonstrated most famously during [[Harry Potter]]'s Sorting, when the Hat considered placing him in [[Slytherin]] but ultimately chose [[Gryffindor]] because Harry strongly wished it. * **Finality:** The Sorting Hat's decision is considered final and is never questioned. There are no known instances of a student ever being re-Sorted. =====Notable Ceremonies and Songs===== While the ceremony is an annual event, several Sortings were particularly significant during the course of the [[Second Wizarding War]]. * **1991:** [[Harry Potter]]'s Sorting. The Hat's song introduced the four [[Houses]] and their founders' differing ideals. The ceremony was notable for Harry's internal struggle with the Hat, which wanted to place him in [[Slytherin]] before he insisted otherwise. * **1994:** Before the [[Triwizard Tournament]], the [[Sorting Hat]]'s song contained a specific warning, urging the [[Houses]] to stay united in the face of growing danger, foreshadowing the return of [[Lord Voldemort]]. * **1995:** In the year following [[Lord Voldemort]]'s return, the Hat's song was its most direct and urgent. It recounted the history of the [[Hogwarts Founders]], the rift that grew between them, and made a desperate plea for the four [[Houses]] to put aside their rivalries and unite against their "deadly foe." * **1998:** No formal Sorting Ceremony was held at the beginning of the school year, as [[Harry Potter]], [[Ron Weasley]], and [[Hermione Granger]] were not in attendance. During the [[Battle of Hogwarts]], [[Lord Voldemort]] attempted to ceremonially destroy the [[Sorting Hat]] to abolish the [[House]] system. However, the Hat presented the [[Sword of Gryffindor]] to [[Neville Longbottom]], proving its enduring magic and loyalty to [[Hogwarts]]. =====History and Purpose===== The Sorting Ceremony was created by the four [[Hogwarts Founders]]—[[Godric Gryffindor]], [[Helga Hufflepuff]], [[Rowena Ravenclaw]], and [[Salazar Slytherin]]. Initially, they Sorted the students themselves. To ensure that students would continue to be Sorted fairly long after their deaths, [[Godric Gryffindor]] took off his own hat and all four founders enchanted it with their combined intelligence, giving it the ability to continue their work for centuries to come. The ceremony serves as a crucial rite of passage that fosters a sense of identity, belonging, and healthy competition among the student population. =====Behind the Scenes===== * In the film adaptations, the [[Sorting Hat]]'s annual song is omitted after the first film, //Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone// (film). * The concept of a "Hatstall" refers to an occasion when the [[Sorting Hat]] takes more than five minutes to decide on a student's [[House]]. According to [[J.K. Rowling]], this is a very rare event. Notable Hatstalls include [[Minerva McGonagall]], for whom the Hat deliberated between [[Gryffindor]] and [[Ravenclaw]], and [[Peter Pettigrew]], for whom it deliberated between [[Gryffindor]] and [[Slytherin]] (Pottermore).
