Little Old Sorting Hat
Harry Potter Fanfiction
Albus Severus Potter was absolutely petrified, standing the same as a stone would in front of the station, the Hogwarts Express having arrived just minutes before. Sure, going to Hogwarts was amazing, and even though he had been scared to death at the mere chance of him being a Squib, he was more than happy when he found out he wasn’t; problem is, he really didn’t want to be sorted in Slytherin. His father had told him there was nothing wrong with it but still, he didn’t want to, full stop. After all, Slytherin House was where ‘bad people were sorted’.
‘Still worried about being in Slytherin?’ said James in a mocking voice, stepping out of the scarlet train.
‘No! Stop that! I will not be in Slytherin!’
‘There’s nothing wrong with it, you know. I’m acquainted with some pretty awesome people from there, and all that crap about all of them being bad is only truthful until some point.’ James was secretly reassuring his brother that indeed, there was nothing wrong with the Slytherins other than a tad bit of too much ambition and a slight evil way of doing things.
‘But I...I don’t want to’ whispered Albus so only James could hear.
‘We’ll see, perhaps you’ll like it, maybe even make some friends...and then you’ll regret not being in Slytherin.’
‘Never!’
‘Your call, I won’t say another word.’ And the older brother allowed the discussion to end, knowing perhaps a little too well that Albus did have a big chance to be in the house of snakes, wait, Slytherin.
It was around then that professor Longbottom, or rather, Neville, came to pick up the first years so they could take their boats to Hogwarts.
‘Ne-Professor Longbottom, where is Hagrid? Shouldn’t he be the one picking us up?’ Albus asked, with a slight disappointment that he wouldn’t have the chance to see the half giant’s big hands and feet, not to mention his height.
‘Hum...he’s actually visiting Charlie in Romania; you know how he is with Dragons, can’t seem to live without them nor any scary creature really.’ Replied a blushing Neville, after all, it was his first time picking first years, and probably the last. With so much nervousness, he really did hope so.
‘Yes, my father told me all about Hagrid, he seems to be an amazing man.’ Responded Albus, eagerly waiting the moment he’d see the small boats floating slowly over the Black Lake’s gleaming, dark surface; Hogwarts peeking from atop of a mountain, shiny windows showing glimpses of the life inside it.
It was not long before they were waiting in front of the Great Hall’s wooden doors, Albus noticed himself staring at it, if his father had been speaking truthfully when he had told him about it, it would be nothing less than astonishing. It was in that moment that he heard three knocks, and then the big, heavy wooden doors opened, the greatness of the entire room, and the heavily enchanted ceiling that made it look like the night sky turned Albus into a big ball of mush. His father had been wrong though; the Hall was far more amazing than he had told him.
They followed Neville across the flagged stone floor, by then he started explaining the new students how things would work out from that moment on. Albus knew fairly well what he was about to say, after all, it’s the same thing all students have been informed of after Neville insisted that in the instant predeceasing the Sorting, many students believed they might have to fight Trolls or giant Spiders.
‘Welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, young Witches and Wizards. From today on, you are a part of our future, the hope to our wondrous world of magic...and your journey begins now.’ He said, nervously balancing his weight from one foot to another, fidgeting, while a bead of sweat tenderly glided on the left side of his face. One who didn’t know Neville would think he was quite poise and controlled, sounding so poetic. Truth is, he might’ve sounded brilliant, but in reality he was one hundred times more nervous than Snape when confronted with a vial of shampoo. ‘You’ll be sorted into one of four school Houses’ he continued ‘they are Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin. All of them stand for different things. You will all be sorted by the Sorting Hat, who chooses the house he sees as best fit for each and every one of you, according to yourselves; to your personality, tastes and best traits. You are also awarded House Points if you triumph, and deducted if you are to commit any rule-breaking. By the end of the school year, the House with more points will win the House Cup. Now, let’s proceed now shall we?’
‘Congratulations...Professor’ said Albus with a grin, hiding laughter that would burst at any minute ‘you didn’t stutter or anything!’
‘Oh...thanks Al’ whispered Neville, releasing a relieved ‘Phew’ somewhere along the way. He was indeed much more relaxed now, he had somehow recovered his composure...the Neville way, and he was now cleaning the remaining sweat in his forehead with a Gryffindor themed handkerchief.
‘How do you think it will be?’ asked a short little girl, white hair and fiery red coloured eyes adorned her face. ‘Painful? Fast? Easy? If mother taught me right, it will be quite exciting!’
‘I...I think it’ll be...normal?’ He didn’t know what to say, not only had he never seen that girl before, she was actually quite random, coming up from nowhere.
‘Normal? That’s all you have to say?’ a blonde, pale boy with a slim and pointy face walked forwards in Albus’s direction as he said it ‘Our reputation depends on which House we’ll be sorted. I...I want to be in Slytherin like my father, and be a great man like him, to prove you all that Slytherin is a House with people of great honour. Not all of them are bad you know. My father might’ve been a tad bit mean and nasty, well...a git really, but he did become a great man.’
So that was Scorpius Malfoy, Albus couldn’t really get a good look in Platform 9 ¾, with all the steam and confusion of people walking around from one side to another. But the boy really was an exact replica of his father, as much as Albus was to his own. He didn’t wear that atrocious hair Draco used to though, his was slightly shorter but messier.
‘I find that quite awesome, if honesty is allowed; for you to believe so strongly in your father. I get it, I really do. More importantly, I know for a fact that your father has made up for all the mess he caused, no offense intended.’ Albus spoke with a slight tremor in his voice; he was not sure why but the boy made him nervous.
‘Yes, I’m sure you didn’t. Anyway, which House are you aiming for?’ Scorpius wore a Malfoy sneer that Albus had seen many times in Draco’s school photographs. He had found a few scattered around the Potter house. Why he didn’t knew, but in all its truth, he wasn’t sure he wanted to know either.
‘That should be obvious; Gryffindor of course.’ Not that he wanted to admit, but Al was starting to doubt this decision. Perhaps, only perhaps, James had been right about Slytherin. If the moment came when the Hat choose that exact House for him, there was a chance he would allow it to happen. ‘But I wouldn’t mind being in Slytherin; actually, I think I’d like to help you with your cause; If that was to happen. ’
‘And I’d like your help with it, if the Hat doesn’t place you in Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw that is.’
Albus was surprised with how much honesty laid in Scorpius’s words. And a little flushed by the sympathy, and sweetness the blond boy had shown towards him. It could be said that a Malfoy acting cordially and politely towards a Potter was, in good use of the word, uncanny.
‘I highly doubt that I’ll be put in Ravenclaw, I mean, I like my good share of studying but all that...you know, it’s not for me’
‘Same here’ answered a ever so poise Scorpius.
‘And Hufflepuff well...I really just don’t want to be there. I’d like to think that even though I’m a coward, I can be braver than a Huffle-something.’ Albus spoke like a true Slytherin, a characteristic devious smile starting to appear more and more on his young boyish features.
‘Hm...perhaps you really will be put in Slytherin’ Spoke the white haired girl ‘I myself am aiming for Gryffindor, best house for me not that there’s anything wrong with the others.’
‘I’m all cool with whichever House I get’ it was Rose’s time to express her undeniably brilliant opinion. ‘I think whichever is fine considering there are less and less prejudices about how Gryffindor is the best, Slytherin is for bad people, Ravenclaw is for brains and Hufflepuff is for...well, that Hufflepuff is for Hufflepuffs.’
‘Indeed, I agree.’ Scorpius seemed to truly befriend the lot. The four of them could only think that maybe this was the start of a nice friendship; and Albus had to admit that it was pleasing him a lot to know that Scorpius Malfoy was, in order to contradict his father’s earlier behaviour, a better man.
It was in that moment that Neville placed an old pointy hat, battered and looking like if it had been in the war; on top of a stool, which seemed to be equally old. He looked at it quite fondly, like if it was a precious item for him, or a sacred memory he did not want to let go of. It was about then that everyone started looking at the hat, but Albus was more interested in what Scorpius was about to tell him.
‘My father told me that the Sorting Hat is a much cherished object for professor Longbottom. According to him, it was from the hat that he received the great honour of being able to wield the Sword of Gryffindor, summoned to serve his cause, ultimately killing Nagini and the last piece of Voldemort’s soul.’ He said, slowly and discretely pointing at the worn out hat sitting in the stool meant for first year students. ‘A man, only a boy at that time, proved himself as a courageous soul capable of anything for a greater cause. He is indeed admirable.’
Albus made a little snort, before finally releasing the suppressed laughter that had piled up during the evening.
‘Indeed...admirable he is, but still as distracted and confused as the day he first step foot in Hogwarts. Don’t get me wrong, I adore the man and he is like family to us, but still...he’s Neville.’ Spoke a troubled Albus in the middle of incessant hilarity.
‘Well Potter, I agree he is...peculiar, but you have to admire his strengths; after all, he is a Hero.’
‘Everyone who fought in the war is a hero, the ones who died and the ones who stayed to tell the tales of a sad event’ Indeed, the laughter was there no more as the young Potter spoke these words.
‘And not just the ones who fought in it, the souls who helped, in all ways’ whispered Scorpius ‘anyway, the ceremony is about to commence, we should pay attention.’
Albus nodded, quietly agreeing with the other. In return, Scorpius shoot him a gaze that told no lies, it showed true satisfaction, and his smile was bigger than all the ones in the room, combined. It made Albus feel butterflies in his stomach, fighting their way out in a losing battle.
It was about then that Scorpius noticed the Hat making a slight movement, cautious and delicate, rising the very tip of it into a gentleman like posture, if such adjectives could be used when referring to an old Sorting Hat. He gave a slight grunt and then started singing. Both Albus and Scorpius looked at each other at the very same moment, mouths dangling open with much surprise, after all, it’s not every day you see a hat sing, specially one like that.
‘Oh, you may not think I’m pretty,
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 Hufflepuff are true
And unafraid of toil;
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
If you’ve 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!’
