Conversations with a Hat

Conversations with a Hat

Have you ever wondered about what goes on between the ickle-firstie on the stool and the Sorting Hat? How much do the first years influence their placement? Or was Harry a special case? What could have possessed the Hat to put people where he put them? Well, now it's time for you to find out.

Lily's Sorting

Lily Evans stood at the head of the line of first years with her head held high. After the incident on the train, she knew she was going to have to work especially hard if she wanted to fit in here. A lot of her peers had been born into the wizarding world. She silently berated herself. She knew she should have researched sports before coming. Those boys just had to bring up Quidditch on the train. She had no idea what it was. She knew it was a sport of some sort, but she hadn't bothered to find out more than that this summer. She'd had her hands full catching up on as much about wizarding culture as she could. Then after her lack of Quidditch knowledge, that dark haired boy had called her something awful. It wasn't a term she had heard before, but judging by the way the others had reacted to it, it must have been something awful. The boy with the glasses was about ready to jam his wand up the dark haired boy's nose. He tried to, but she had intervened by punching the boy without glasses in the nose. She almost laughed. She could take care of herself. The boy with the glasses had certainly been disappointed. He was obviously looking forward to showing off. As it was now, he was standing behind her, talking to someone.

Didn't he ever shut-up? she thought to herself. She rolled her eyes, thankful to be away from Petunia at last. She just had to fit in here. She had to prove that this was where she was supposed to be. She knew she didn't belong back home. This was it. She had wanted a second chance at a better life and here it was.

She watched the staff table. Her future teachers were all waiting there. There was a space open near the center of the table, next to the old man whose hair and beard were long enough to tuck into his belt. She realized that this must be where Professor McGonagall would sit after the Sorting. McGonagall seemed like a good sort so far, if a little strict. Lily's eyes shifted to the three-legged stool nearly directly in front of her. A rather well-worn witch's hat sat on top of it. She watched as a small rip near the brim opened at the Hat started to sing. Lily noted that the Hat didn't have the best voice, but the words were certainly clear as they declared the attributes of the Houses. Ravenclaw for logic. Gryffindor for bravery. Hufflepuff for loyalty. Slytherin for survival. It was crystal clear. She needed to survive.

The song was done and McGonagall started to call the names. Lily observed.

The first to be Sorted was a rather gruff looking boy named Sirius Black. He seemed to manage to glare at everyone at once. His posture and face managed to say, "back off, or you're in for a world of hurt" and "let's see what sort of doom awaits me" at the same time. He'd been standing at the back of the line.

She watched as he sat rigidly with the Hat on his head. It seemed like he shook his head a little. Finally, the Hat shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"

The Gryffindor table applauded and he went to sit down there, still looking surly.

Lily watched several more Sortings intently, trying to see if she could learn anything useful before McGonagall called, "Evans, Lily". She hadn't been able to really find out anything before her name was called.

She adjusted her robes, held her head high, and walked to the stool. She picked up the Hat and put it on her head. It easily slid down past her ears.

"Lily Evans," said a voice directly into her ear. "You've got lots of determination in you. That's plain to see."

Lily almost felt like laughing. "Determination or stubbornness?" she asked weakly.

"Good point. I suppose it all depends on how you look at yourself. What do you think it is?"

"Both."

"You have the stubbornness and the know-how to get things done. Very impressive. Hmm...interesting. You're a Muggle-born?"

"That's right."

"You certainly seem to want to prove something. What is it?"

"I can manage just as well here as all the students from wizarding families," she told the Hat, attempting to sound smug. One thought kept pounding through her mind: I have to fit in here. I have to fit in here. I have to fit in here.

"You've certainly got spunk to talk to me like that. Did you consider that I have the power to put you in a house where you would be completely miserable for the next seven years?"

Lily stiffened. "You wouldn't."

"No, but I could. So don't tempt me, young lady."

"Just get on with it, if you wouldn't mind."

The Hat gave a dry laugh. "You've got brains and a will. The sort of determination every good Slytherin needs."

"What's the catch?" she asked, cautiously, sensing a trick.

"You mean besides the facts that Slytherins are hated by the rest of the school and can't even get along with each other?" The Hat laughed at her again. "You're awfully clever. If I were to tell you everything I know about Slytherins, you would sit here for well over a lifetime."

"Then why don't you give me a little more of a description than what you offered in the song? A little more realistic than that, if you don't mind." The Hat had mentioned true friends; somehow that seemed to clash with the survival message.

"Sounds like someone is a bit high and mighty, ordering me around. I'm nearly 1000 years old, you know. I'll tell you, but only because you're so difficult to place, and if I'm not mistaken there are still lots of first years waiting to be Sorted."

"I'm all ears," she said pleasantly.

"Hufflepuffs are devoted. Once they've attached themselves to a person or a cause...well, you'd have an easier time separating the Headmaster from his beard than turning them aside. The Ravenclaws; some are bookish, some are cunning enough to have almost been Slytherins."

"What the main difference between a Slytherin and a Ravenclaw?" she asked curiously.

"Those two get along tolerably well. The Slytherins don't have a limit. They don't know when or where to stop. To them, what is most important is getting where they are going, no matter whom they have to step upon on their way there," the Hat said, matter-of-factly and without prejudice. It put students there every year. Some people fit best there.

"And Gryffindor?"

Lily had the distinct impression that if the Hat had a face she could see, it would be smiling at her. "The House of Godric Gryffindor. Gryffindors are brave. Even when they're afraid, they don't back down. That's what makes them stand out. Gryffindors are known for being unusually stubborn people throughout their lives. I must warn you, a fair number of them don't wince at bending the rules, though. What'll it be, Miss Evans?"

Lily took a deep breath. Rules were rules. There were lines that should not be crossed. In Gryffindor her "determination" would be as appreciated as it would have been in Slytherin. There was really only one place for her. She hadn't backed down on the train. She wouldn't back down now. She couldn't stay with people who had no restraints. She needed people who had limits and knew them. A world without rules and morals was just incomprehensible. A world where rules were bent was still better than a world with no rules. "I've made up my mind."

"Good. I can tell. I think you've made the right choice. Miss Evans, I'm quite certain you'll do very well in GRYFFINDOR!"

Lily breathed a sigh of relief. She heard applause and took off the Sorting Hat, smiling fondly at it as she put it on the stool again. She put her head high again and went to the applauding Gryffindor table. Oh yes, life was definitely going to be better here than at home with Tuna face. She could count on it.

She saw another first year girl wave at her to sit down by her.

"Hi, my name's Alice," she whispered as McGonagall called the next name.

"I'm Lily."

"I heard about what happened on the train. Don't worry, not all Purebloods are like that Severus Snape fellow. He gives the rest of us a bad name. Stupid elitists. Frank said that if he would have been there when Snape said that awful thing to you, he would have punched him."

"Don't worry, I punched him myself. Who's Frank?"

"He's my friend. Our mums know each other, so we've known each other a few years now. He's a first year too. He hasn't been Sorted yet. See? He's near the front of the line, standing by the boy with the glasses."

"Wait 'til I tell you about the boy with the glasses," Lily said with a grin. "Tried to stick his wand up, was his name...Snape?" Alice nodded. "Up Snape's nose."

Alice and Lily tried to stifle their laughter just as a boy with a shiny "P" pinned to his chest said, "Be quiet. McGonagall doesn't like it when students are disrespectful during the Sorting."

Lily grinned and turned her attention back to the Sorting. After all, it'd be best to see what she could learn about her classmates. You'd be surprised how much you could find out from a person's posture, face, and walk. At least she could discover what house everyone would be going to. Unfortunately, she missed the name of the person who was Sorted directly after her. All she knew was that she had blonde hair and was going to Ravenclaw. She watched intently as McGonagall called, "Lockhart, Gilderoy". A boy with a nice smile that looked more than a little faked at the moment approached the Sorting stool.