Harry potter : Forgotten Lord

They clambered up a passageway in the cavern, following after Hagrid, until at last coming out onto smooth, damp grass right in the shadow of the castle. They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, oak front door.

"Everyone here? Good," Hagrid said, before raising a gigantic fist and knocking three times on the castle door.

...

As soon as he knocked the door swung open to reveal Professor McGonagall with a stern expression on face. She led them into an empty chamber near the Great Hall and explained that houses acted like a family, and that there were four houses. She said that they were going to be sorted in a few minutes and with that went inside the Great Hall.

He heard a boy from across the mass of students say that his older brothers had told him they would have to fight a troll, and heard the so called Boy-Who-Lived respond he doubted that was the case.

He decide to let slip how they were sorted, it would help create an impression of being knowledgeable and would curry favour with the first generation magical by calming their fears.

Speaking in a calm voice, so that he sounded as if he was stating facts out of a book, "He's right, they sort us by our personally traits and abilities. We go into the house that best suits us, out of the four. They use an artefact created by founders." He looked over his future classmates before continuing, "The idea of fighting a troll is really stupid, a troll would kill us easily, and then how could we learn magic?" he asked, seeing a series of nods in agreement.

His statement made the red head blush, while causing several other students to let out a sigh of relief, while the rest seemed to be weighing him. These students obviously had similar information about how they were sorted. However, before anyone could ask him how he knew that, about twenty ghosts appeared out of nowhere.

They were pearly-white and slightly transparent, they glided across the room talking to each other and hardly glancing at the first-years. Harry wasn't surprised because he had read about them in a book, but watching them for the first time was an experience on its own. They seemed to be arguing; the one which looked like a fat monk was saying, "Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance."

"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost. I say, what are you all doing here?"

A ghost wearing a ruff and tights had suddenly noticed the first-years.

Nobody answered. Most were too busy staring open-mouthed at the ghosts.

"New students!" said the Fat Friar, smiling around at them. "About to be sorted, I suppose?"

A few of them nodded mutely, whilst others stayed silent.

"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff!" said the Friar. "My old house, you know."

"Move along now,'" said a sharp voice. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start." Professor McGonagall had returned. One by one, the ghosts floated away through the opposite wall.

"Now form a line and follow me," said Professor McGonagall to the first-years.

Excitement and anticipation filled him; he really wanted to know how he would be sorted, because labels never really fit him. He stepped into line behind a boy with sandy hair, with Padma behind him, and they walked out of the chamber, back across the hall and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall.

The books didn't do the Great Hall justice. The Great Hall was lit by thousands of candles which were floating in mid-air over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting. These tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets.

At the top of the Hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting. Professor McGonagall led the first-years up here, so that they came to a halt in a line facing the teachers.

All four tables were looking at them, hundreds of faces staring at them, watching them. Dotted here and there among the students were the ghosts. Harry looked upwards to study the famous ceiling of Hogwarts' Great Hall. It was very beautiful indeed, like you were looking at the real sky. He was not the only one who was looking at the ceiling, and Harry heard a girl whisper about reading about the ceiling in "Hogwarts: A History."

Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first-years. On the top of the stool, she put a pointed wizard's hat. This hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty.

When everyone was silent the hat began to sing:

'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 Hufflepuffs 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!'

The whole Hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the hour tables and then became quite still again. Professor McGonagall now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said, and then she started calling out names. Several students were eyeing him, realizing he was correct.

Every time someone was sorted, the table of the chosen house would erupt in cheers.

During his wait for his own name, he started taking a mental picture of each student as they sat on stool and were sorted into their house. He decided that building a mental profile of each individual would be of benefit when dealing with them, after all knowledge was power, and all the great wizards were genius in their own rights and experts in their fields of magic.

While watching, he was also in an internal debate over which house he would be in. He immediately ruled out Hufflepuff, he knew he was hard working in achieving his own objectives, but he knew he had trust issues after suffering at his relatives.

Gryffindor was next to be ruled out since he was not brave by default or impulsive, nor was he noble and moral. He himself knew his being a gentleman to the girls on the train had been an act to curry favour. His only reason to want to be in Gryffindor was his parent's connection to the house of brave, and his family history of being warriors and fighters.

So that left Ravenclaw and Slytherin. He could see he fitted into both houses in equal measure, but he was leaning towards Ravenclaw, since he always considered knowledge the ultimate tool in life, and was interested in understanding the world. It also helped that he saw the blonde boy from train being sorted into the Slytherin house. He doubted he would last to the end of the month before putting the boy in his place, however his own self analysis was interrupted as his name was called out.

"Harry Potter"

He started walking towards the stool, back straight, shoulders back, emotionless mask in place, at a firm pace, that showed neither eagerness nor reluctance. Sitting on the stool, there was a whispering in his mind as the hat was placed on his head, realizing the hat used a form of mind arts in its decision making.

"I see you already debated your own merits and traits, but let me have look and see if I agree," the Hat whispered before diving deeper into his codex, viewing his memories further. "Let's see this mind of yours."

"Hmm, your loyalty is limited to those you consider friends and allies. Everyone else doesn't matter to you and is expendable, so Hufflepuff is out. Similarly, you are very brave, would face any challenge to get to your goal, but your decisions would be driven by strategy and planned out before hand, which rules out Gryffindor.

That leaves Slytherin and Ravenclaw. You are very resourceful when you need to be. You are most definitely cunning, sly and ambitious to prove your worth, with the burning desire for revenge, perfect for Slytherin," pausing, obviously waiting to see Harry's reaction to his statement before continuing.

"You just want to be the best wizard that you could be, but if there is an enemy you can be very ruthless. You are already planning your revenge on your relatives for your mistreatment," the hat whispered.

Before he could respond to the hat's claims, the hat answered his unasked question, "No need to fear, everything I see is private. Many have darks thoughts of revenge against rivals and foes, but most never act on it. If I told on everyone, the school would be half its current size," once again pausing before continuing to whisper.

"You are very well suited for Slytherin. Hmm ... your mind is very good. You are sharp and can think on your feet. You treasure your knowledge and are proud of it. You want to make sure that you are ready for anything so studies will always be at the top of your priority list; you believe knowledge is power, and wisdom is gained from knowledge, so you are suitable for Ravenclaw too.

I expect if I unleashed you into Slytherin house that a number of accidents would happen after what I've seen in their heads, so that leaves... RAVENCLAW," the hat shouted out, causing Ravenclaw table to clap in response. Taking a place next to Padma, he listened carefully as the rest of the names were called out and sorted in their houses, before listening half-heartedly to the Headmaster's welcoming speech.

As dinner appeared, the tables erupted into small talk. Harry made polite small talk, not really being interested in making friends straight away based on first encounters, preferring to wait and judge his fellow house mate before deciding their worth.

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