Sorting Ceremony | Quirinus
I rubbed at my eyes, trying to adjust to the brightness. In a moment and half, the dark spots fade and I can see a witch. She’s tall, with black hair and green robes. Dora made an excited sort of noise beside me. The witch’s face was stern. The man gestured over to us.
“The Firs’years Professor McGonagall,” He said.
“Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here.” Something sparks in my chest at the familiar accent.
Professor McGongall opened the door wide, and made her way back inside. We followed. The first thing I noticed were the walls. Magic ran through the walls, the floor, the ceiling, everything. It twisted and shimmered, silver flickering in with all sorts of colours and shades, barely noticable. It reminded me of Home and Diagon. I brought myself back, I was used to this. Dora gripped my hand tight. She was excited. It seemed like it was taking all of her willpower to not charge ahead. I let her pull me along. The low murmur of voices came from a doorway on our right. The professor didn’t take us through the door. Instead, she led us into a small chamber off to the side. Everybody crowded in, shoulder to shoulder. I gave Dora’s hand a squeeze. And, she squeezed back.
“Welcome to Hogwarts,” said Professor McGonagall. “The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your Houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your House will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your House, sleep in your House dormitory, and spend free time in your House common room. Of course, inter house relations are encouraged too.” There was whispering at that last part, and Professor McGonagall paused and gave us all a very stern look, before continuing; “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, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever House becomes yours. You will each be sorted into your houses in a few minutes, I recommend staying on your best behavior while you wait. I’ll fetch you when the Sorting Ceremony begins.”
Professor McGonagall left.
And immediately, the room burst into whispers. Whispers about what the Sorting Ceremony was, because, for some reason, Wizarding society decided that anyone, who hasn’t gone through the Sorting, shouldn’t know what's entailed. I’d asked of course, like every other child yet to go to Hogwarts, and the answers I got changed each and every time I asked. From troll fighting, to tests, to singing songs and to drinking mysterious potions. From cousin to cousin, sibling to sibling and parent to parent, the answers always change, and no child who has ever asked that question has ever gotten the actual answer.
“I heard that they put objects in front of you and make you pick one! And the one you pick says which House you belong to!” Dora whispered in my ear. I hummed.
“M–my Papí said that they m–make y–you d–drink a po–potion a–and you’ll glow wi–with your–your H–house co–colours!”
“Ooh! That sounds–” The room erupts into shrill shrieks and yelps as a cold chill flooded the room. Not a chill! Ghosts! They swooped down from the ceiling, white as snow. They didn’t seem to notice us, at first, but one looked over at us and with a cry of delight yelled;
“First Years!” The other ghosts made happy noises at the realization. The first one, the one that cried out, was also the first to introduce himself.
“Greetings! I am Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington! Ghost of Gryffindor Tower!” He bowed low. We all screamed as his head detached from his neck. Mostly. It sort of– it clung to the side? He was not quite beheaded. Dora and I held each other’s hands in a bone crushing grip. I felt ill. Far too slowly, Sir Nicholas came out of his bow and some one cried out;
“You’re Nearly Headless Nick!” Sir Nicholas scowled. He pinched his brow and muttered something. Sir Nicholas shook his irritation off, looking back at us with a smile,
“Well, I certainly hope to see some of you in my House!” He leaned in, a mischievous quirk on the corners of his smile and exclaimed; “For it is the Best House after all!”
There were cries of outrage and irritation from the other ghosts. Sir Nicholas chuckled. The door opened then, and the ghosts drifted off to the sides, making way for Professor McGonagall. “Come along now,” she called, voice sharp. “The Sorting Ceremony’s about to start. I want you all to form a line, and, follow me.”
We did as asked. Dora slipped in front of me, hand stretched back, gripping mine. I trembled, legs suddenly unsteady as we followed Professor McGonagall. We walked out, past the Entrance Hall and towards the wooden doors on the right. They opened with a wave of the Professor’s hand, magic pushing out like the ocean’s waves. As we came into the Great Hall, small gasps and quiet cries erupted from our line. Our eyes locked on the ceiling.
It was full of stars, glowing bright, and swirling. Blues and greens, both dark and bright mixed together, painting the night sky into the ceiling, its enchantments weaved and swirled. Candles drifted far above, held aloft by the faintest glimmer of magic. For a brief moment, all that mattered was the ceiling, so bright and full of stars that I didn’t notice Dora had stopped. With my feet on autopilot, I bumped into her. The line was still moving and Dora scrambled ahead, dragging me along behind her. I whispered an apology as we moved to the front of the hall, where a great table stood and where other professors sat.
Our line stopped after Professor McGonagall led us in front of the table, facing the other students. To my right I could hear someone whisper;
“I knew it! They line us up and pick!” Somebody hissed at him to ‘shut up’. I stared at the floor as something awful and nasty began to claw inside my belly. I doubt anybody’d pick me. Well, Dora probably would. I squeezed her hand again. She squeezed me back and whispered;
“We’ll pick each other, right? I mean, whoever’s picked first?” I nodded. I think we’ve already picked each other anyways. Professor McGonagall came in front of us then, with a four-legged stool and an old hat. It was frayed and tattered, with different coloured patches. We all stared at it, wondering what we’d have to do. I startled when the hat began to sing.
It sang about the four Houses, wondering where’d we go and what we’d do, for it was the Hogwarts Sorting Hat. And when its song was done, the hall burst into applause. It quieted after that, becoming as still and as silent as any other hat. Professor McGonagall stepped forward again, holding an awfully long roll of parchment.
“When I call your name, you will sit on the stool and put the hat over your head.” She paused, looking down at her parchment. “Ashe, Carter!”
There was a pause. A boy with reddish–brown hair stepped out, put on the hat and not even after a moment,
“HUFFLEPUFF!” The Hat shouted. Cheers came from a table on the right and Carter scampered towards them. It continued like that, a student would be called, they’d sit on the stool, the hat would be placed on their head and they’d go to their housemates. Sometimes the Hat would be very silent for a long time before shouting a house, other times it barely had to brush the hairs on someone’s head before shouting out a house. As Professor McGonagall moved her way down her list, the awful thing, far worse than the pufferfish, began its clawing and gnashing inside my belly again. I think Dora is just as nervous as I am because she was gripping my hand so tightly. I was gripping hard too. I almost missed it when Professor McGonagall called;
“Quirrell, Quirinus”
The clawing, gnashing thing made its way into my throat. And I held Dora’s hand tighter still. I didn’t want to let go. I knew that, nobody in the history of Hogwarts, has never not been sorted. At least, not in any history book I’ve read. I swallowed, trying to push the thing back down my throat, and I stepped forward. What if my housemates didn’t want me? My lips trembled and I think tears were beginning to well up in my eyes. I kept going forward, realizing, with growing panic, that Dora’s hand was beginning to slip from mine. It felt like everyone’s eyes were on me, staring at me, judging me. The clawing, gnashing thing made another attempt at escaping through my throat. My hand slipped out of Dora’s and I thought I was going to cry just then. I bit down on my lip and practically ran to the stool, I had to hop up in order to sit down. I was trembling so hard that the stool felt like it was rattling. I looked back, and the last thing I saw, before the Hat came down, was Dora. She grinned and gave me a thumbs up.
The Hat was thick, allowing no light to reach my eyes. My breathing was quick to even out. I wasn’t afraid of the dark. I liked it. It was nice, calming and- I flinched when the Hat started to speak.
“Nervous one, ey?” I nodded. The Hat hmmd. I could feel it reverberating through my head. It stayed silent for a moment more, and I began to wonder what exactly the Hat was enchanted with. “Curious one too, your head is so full of thoughts. Eager, eager to learn, eager to prove yourself, eager to love, eager to be loved. Is that what you want?”
I tensed. I am plenty loved. The thought was indignant. I remembered how Qaraja held me and pressed a kiss to my brow. I felt loved then. I felt loved when Quina put my trunk up for me, I felt loved when Tío pressed me close and cried. I thought it again. I am plenty loved.
The Hat tutted. “Don’t you want more?” I did. And guilt prickled its way under my skin at the realization. What I get should be good enough. I kicked my feet a bit, hands coming up to play with the tassel of my pagri. “A strong sense of loyalty. Perhaps Hufflepuff? Oh! But the ambition, the want, the drive! Slytherin would be good too.”
Slytherin or Hufflepuff? Those sounded okay. “But oh, there’s something else too, isn’t there? Something else you value?”
It was like the Hat plucked the memory out of my head. Naani was holding my small body, she was showing me the Library. It was filled with books, as far as the eye could see. She was opening one. I stared at it hungrily, despite not being able to read some of the words. Its knowledge just out of reach. Naani put it back on the shelf. The memory flickered and the great doors of the Library towered over my head, sealed shut. And then I was in the Library, pouring over any book I could reach, dictionary resting beside me. Reading and reading and reading. Astronomy, divination, gardening, Dark Magic, whatever I could get my small hands on. That same hunger from before driving me on. I shook my head as the memories faded into the blackness surrounding me.
“What do you want to learn?” What do I want to learn? I blinked. The answer came easily–
“Everything you can. No matter how forbidden, no matter how hidden.... Well then, it better be...”
“RAVENCLAW!”
It felt like the Hat’s shout shook the sky. The Hat was taken off my head, and I looked towards the Ravenclaw table. They were cheering for me. I stumbled down the stairs as I heard Dora cheer for me too. I smiled at her, as big as I could and she was smiling too. My hands shook with relief as I sat down. An older boy patted my shoulder, ‘You okay?’ he mouthed. I nodded. I sat and I fiddled with my hands. Eager for Dora’s turn. It felt like the Sorting Ceremony was going by much quicker now. A few more Hufflepuffs, another Ravenclaw, some Gryffindors and a Slytherin were sorted without much hassle.
“Sætori, Castur”
There was murmuring. I wince. The expulsion of the Sætori Sisters was all that the Daily Prophet could talk about. Curses and madness and conspiracy theories. The Hat was on Castur’s head for less than a moment before shouting;
“GRYFFINDOR!”
Castur’s applause was hesitant.
“Sætori, Clutmsta” The murmuring was much louder now. Students looked at eachother.
“HUFFLEPUFF!” The Hat roared. Clutmsta all but ran to the Hufflepuff table. They cheered for her, far louder than Gryffindor had.’
“Sætori, Elinei”
The older boy grumbled something under his breath,
“SLYTHERIN!”
The Slytherin table erupted in applause, not to be outdone. Elinei strode over with an impressive confidence.
“Sætori, Pultuce”
Pultuce took longer than the others, at least a minute passed before;
“RAVENCLAW!”
I stood up and cheered with the rest of my house. I felt bad for them. Being separated like that must be awful. Pultuce sat down, in between myself and a tall boy with glasses. They seemed to know each other, whispering in each other's ear.
Snyde, Merula: Slytherin.
Then,
“Tonks, Nymphadora”
Dora looked nervous as she moved towards the stool. The Hat slipped over her head. There was a long silence. Ravenclaw,Ravenclaw, please be Ravenclaw I chanted to myself, but the Hat won’t take my thoughts into account here. I know that. But it still hurts when,
“HUFFLEPUFF!”
There is disappointment on Dora’s face when the Hat is pulled off her head. The Hufflepuff table erupts into applause. I do too. I’m cheering for her, as loud as I can. I’m the only one at my table cheering, but that's okay. Dora’s smiling again, and she launches herself off the stool and down the stairs. She waves at me. I wave back.
The rest of the Sorting goes even quicker. We cheer, as the last student, Talbott Winger, sits down beside Sætori. Professor McGonagall rolled up her scroll and took the Sorting Hat away. And Headmaster Dumbledore stepped forward. He spread his arms, like he was giving a great hug and said;
“Welcome, Welcome! To another year at Hogwarts! And to those joining us, Welcome to your first! Though the past few years have been filled with strife, I’m certain we’re all happy to welcome the peace that’s finally settled on the Wizarding World! And that little Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived, is tucked away safe and sound. He will most certainly be enjoying this peace too! But! It's your turn now, to live your lives as you please. I hope each and everyone of you will enjoy your time at Hogwarts!”
Everybody clapped and cheered as the Headmaster sat back down. The cheering continued for a while after. The Headmaster’s confirmation that the Wizarding War was over felt sort of like receiving the news of Vol–... You–Know–Who's defeat. Euphoria and relief surged through the hall for a minute more, before some of the professor’s shot fireworks in the air. Students quieted down after that.
I looked back down at the table, and gasped. The dishes were piled up. There were gasps and small cries as the other first years took notice. Everyone began to dig in. Chatter started up again, students talking with missed friends and in one case what appeared to be a much loathed enemy. As I ate, disappointment began to fill my belly along with the food. I tried to look over at the Hufflepuff table, but I couldn’t see past the students opposite me. I picked at my plate. A while later, after everyone’d ate their fill, Headmaster Dumbledore stood up again.
“And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!” he cried. The other teachers’ smiles had become rather strained. Dumbledore gave his wand a little flick, as if he was trying to get a fly off the end, and a long golden ribbon flew out of it, which rose high above the tables and twisted itself, snakelike, into words.
“Everyone pick your favorite tune,” said Dumbledore, “and off we go!”
And the school began to sing.
It took a while to get through the song. A couple of were Hufflepuffs singing what appeared to be an operatic version. I listened for Dora’s voice, but I couldn’t make it out over everyone else’s. I wonder if she’s listening for me too? Eventually, the song ended and we all clapped. The Headmaster spoke again;
“And now, it is bedtime. Off you trot!”
The older boy from before stood up. His prefect’s badge was now glinting in the candlelight. His name was Chester Davies, and he was going to escort us to our dorms, so ‘it’d be best to follow him and stick close’. We all got up to follow him, and all the other houses started to make their way out as well. Everyone crowded together, pushing, shoving and jostling each other about. I clenched my fist as hard as I could, and tried to keep my eyes on the Ravenclaw in front of me. I stumbled as someone bumped into my side, I nearly fell over. But I didn’t as, whoever bumped into me grabbed my arm before I could. I looked over to whoeve– Dora gave me a smile.
“Hey Quinn!” I smiled back. We moved forward like that. Arm in arm. She squeezed and I squeezed back. Far too soon, we reached the doors, our houses turning off in different directions. At the parting point we pulled each other into a hug.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, okay Lizard Boy?” I gave her as big of a smile as I could.
“Of course!”
And we squeezed, one last time, before letting go. Our hands still reached for each other as we separated. Dora and I locked eyes one last time as we turned and headed after our housemates.