Sorting Hat

The Sorting Hat is a remarkable piece of equipment: it can speak, sing, read minds, and even has a personality of its own. On the face of it, it is nothing more than a rather battered brown wizard’s hat. It originally belonged, in fact, to Godric Gryffindor, the father of Gryffindor house and one of the founders of Hogwarts. Back in the days of harmony between all four founders, the hat was bewitched by all of them to create its current powers, and those have remained during the 1000 years that have since passed.

The main function of the Sorting Hat is to classify each new student who arrives at the school into the house which most suits their personality. It does this during the Sorting Ceremony, which is just about the first thing that happens to a new student when they arrive at Hogwarts.

The children wait in line and are called up one by one to sit on a stool right at the front of the Great Hall. The Hat is placed on their head, and it then assesses which house to place them in before announcing its decision to the assembled older pupils (using a tear in its brim for a mouth). The decision is made by reading the mind of the new pupil, and occasionally going as far as to hold a conversation in thought with them.

Before the Sorting takes place, the Hat sings a song describing school history, the sorting process, and perhaps even its view of some of the current challenges facing the school.

Sorting Hat Song: 1991/1992

Sorting Hat Song: 1994/1995

Sorting Hat Song: 1995/1996

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