Sorting Ceremony

Hogwarts' Sorting Ceremony
Event information
Location	Great Hall, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Date(s)	1 September
Participant(s)	First years Sorting Hat Deputy head
Description	The Sorting Hat sorts the new students into the four Hogwarts Houses

The Sorting ceremony is a yearly ritual performed at the beginning of each school year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Its purpose is to assign first years to one of the four school Houses: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, or Slytherin. The Sorting is held in the Great Hall before the start of term feast, after all students have arrived at school via the Hogwarts Express.

Ceremony Description

The Sorting Hat is placed upon a stool at the head of the Great Hall, whereupon it sings a song of its own composition about the four founders of Hogwarts and the qualities sought by their respective Houses (this song is different every year). The Sorting Hat also can give warnings to the students whenever it detects a need (it can be presumed that the Hat gets its information from the headmaster's office, as it lives there). New students are then summoned to the stool one by one in alphabetical order by last name, where they sit upon the stool and don the Hat.

Decision of the Hat

Harry Potter being sorted into Gryffindor in 1991.

The decision of the Sorting Hat is generally considered to be final, although its decision can be influenced somewhat by the desires of the wearer. However, there are only two people who definitely know this. When Harry Potter was being sorted in his First year, the hat told him he would do well in Slytherin, but Harry asked to be placed elsewhere. Harry later told his son Albus Potter about the hat's ability to take the wearers request into consideration. It is possible that Sirius Black also asked to be placed in Gryffindor, since he decides to break the tradition of his family being in Slytherin after consulting James Potter. It is also possible that Hermione Granger asked to be placed in Gryffindor, as she states that before deciding on Gryffindor, the Sorting Hat seriously considered putting her in Ravenclaw, and it is known that Hermione particularly wanted to be in Gryffindor (though she wouldn't have minded Ravenclaw).

Sorting Hat's song

The Sorting Hat's introductory song changes every year, presumably because, according to Ron Weasley, the Hat has nothing to do between Sortings except compose a new song.

Behind the scenes

McGonagall waiting students to lead them to the Great Hall.

• In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, the students aren't sorted in alphabetical order for dramatic effect. The hat's song is also omitted.
• When Harry was watching Snape's memories in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, he sees his father quote a part of the song the hat sang the year Harry was Sorted, although its songs supposedly change every year. However, it is possible that it sometimes reuses songs or, at the very least, some lines or verses.
• In the film, Harry speaks aloud his desire to be a Gryffindor rather than a Slytherin, and presumably everyone hears him. This is contrary to the novel, in which Harry finds he does not need to speak, because the Hat can hear his deepest thoughts and desires. This is probably for the ease of the movie-watchers. It is also very likely that Harry was just whispering and we as movie viewers can hear him louder than he actually is. Also in the film, the Sorting Hat announces all of its deliberations to the entire hall, while in the novel, only the wearer can hear the deliberations and the Hat only announces the chosen House publicly.
• In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, during the Sorting of Lily Evans, for an unknown reason the Headmaster's chair is empty at the staff table.
• The secrecy of the nature of the Sorting is uncertain. In Philosopher's Stone, the ceremony appears to be an entirely secretive affair to new first-years, as neither Ron, who had five older brothers attend Hogwarts before him, nor Hermione, who had read the entirety of Hogwarts: A History, knew what the ceremony was like. In contrast, Harry openly mentions the Sorting Hat to his son Albus in Deathly Hallows, who appeared to have prior knowledge of it.
• Harry only attended three Sorting ceremonies, including his own, during his time at Hogwarts, due to a combination of circumstances. In his second year, he and Ron were being interrogated after flying the car to Hogwarts. In his third year, he and Hermione were talking to Professor McGonagall about Harry's Dementor attack and Hermione's timetable, respectively. In his sixth year, he was attacked by Draco Malfoy on the train and arrived at the school late, and he, Ron and Hermione did not return to Hogwarts for what would have been their seventh year.
• Naturally the Deputy Head would read aloud the names during the Sorting, however in the 1993-1994 school year, Professor Flitwick presumably read aloud the names due to Professor McGonagall's absence.

Appearances

• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (First appearance)
• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film)
• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film) (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film) (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Appears in flashback(s))
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (Appears in flashback(s))
• Harry Potter: Spells