Nothing is set in (philosopher's)stone

Sorting and Seating

The stern-looking woman turns around and leaves them alone. Next to him both Ron and the chubby boy from earlier let out a big sigh of relief. Not someone to be messed with. "Nervous?" Harry turns a little to the boy, whose hands are shaking from nerves.

He nods. "My gran really wants me to be a Gryffindor since my father was in there. I'm just scared to disappoint her."

"Heir Longbottom right? I'm Draco Malfoy from house Malfoy. If she gives you trouble on what house you end up in let me know. I can help persuade her." 

"Yeah mate, don't worry too much! She's still your family, I'm sure she'll be proud no matter where you end up. Besides, we all have traits of each house in us. You standing up for whatever house you want to be in or end up in, is brave, just like a Gryffindor. I'm Ron by the way, Ron Weasley." 

"I guess since we're all introducing ourselves so should I. Harry James Potter. If anyone gives you trouble you come straight to me." 

Neville gasps, as does Hermione who joined somewhere during the conversation. "I-I'm N-Neville Longbottom, p-please just call me Neville-"

"Hermione Granger." She introduces herself to Ron and Draco since she hadn't directly talked to the latter. "I have to agree with them, no matter what house you end up in, they all come from ancient noble houses. No one can make fun of you for belonging in one." 

Several people behind Harry suddenly screamed.'What the –?'He gasped. So did the people around him. Abouttwenty ghosts had just streamed through the back wall.Pearly-white and slightly transparent, they glided acrossthe room talking to each other and hardly glancing at thefirst-years. They seemed to be arguing. Harry had heard about them, and read up on them. But he hadn't actually seen one before. What looked likea fat little monk was saying, "Forgive and forget, I say, weought to give him a second chance –" "My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chanceshe deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know,he's not really even a ghost – I say, what are you alldoing here?" A ghost wearing a ruff and tights hadsuddenly noticed the first-years. Nobody answered. "New students!" said the Fat Friar, smiling around atthem. "About to be sorted, I suppose?" A few people nodded mutely, even crickets were louder. "Hope to see you in Hufflepuff!" said the Friar. "My oldhouse, you know." 

And out of view, they fly. "Move along now," said a sharp voice. "The SortingCeremony's about to start." Professor McGonagall hadreturned.

Harry had already seen the great hall in pictures but it was still awe-inspiring to see in real life. It was lit by thousands and thousands ofcandles which were floating in mid-air over four longtables, where the rest of the students were sitting. Thesetables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets.At the top of the Hall was another long table where theteachers were sitting.Professor McGonagall led the first-years up here, sothat they came to a halt in a line facing the otherstudents, with the teachers behind them. The hundredsof faces staring at them looked like pale lanterns in theflickering candlelight. Dotted here and there among thestudents, the ghosts shone misty silver. Mainly to avoidall the staring eyes, Harry looked upwards and saw avelvety black ceiling dotted with stars. Hermione whispers, "It's bewitched to look like the skyoutside, I read about it in Hogwarts: A History ." Harry nods, he too had read it. But once more, it's even more spectacular to see in person than to read about, making the raven-haired child wonder how many other places are more beautiful than books can tell him. 

Harry quickly looks down again as Professor McGonagall silently places a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On top of the stool, she put a pointed wizard's hat. This hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty. Aunt Petunia wouldn't have let it in the house. He feels a slight sting in his heart. He won't be able to see them for so long... 

Noticing that everyone in the hall was now staring at the hat, he stared at it, too. For a few seconds, there was complete silence. Then the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth – and 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 four tables and then became quite still again. The green-eyed boy wasn't sure if that was a good song or hideous all altogether. 

"So we've just got to try on the hat!" Ron whispered to Harry. "I'll kill Fred, he was going on about wrestling a troll."

Harry smiles wickedly. Ron's brothers sound like an absolute group of chaos. Yes, trying on the hat was a lot better than having to do a spell, but he did wish they could have tried it on without everyone watching. The hat seemed to be asking rather a lot, but he does appreciate it to ask the questions in the mind of whoever was wearing him instead of out in the open.

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. "Abbott, Hannah!"

A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down. A moment's pause –

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.

The table on the right cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table. Harry saw the ghost of the Fat Friar waving merrily at her.

"Bones, Susan!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat again, and Susan scuttled off to sit next to Hannah.

"Boot, Terry!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

The table second from the left clapped this time; several Ravenclaws stood up to shake hands with Terry as he joined them.

"Brocklehurst, Mandy" went to Ravenclaw too, but "Brown, Lavender" became the first new Gryffindor, and the table on the far left exploded with cheers; Harry could see Ron's twin brothers catcalling. So these are the genius-minded brothers who managed to scare his friend. Interesting, they're twins. 

"Bulstrode, Millicent" then became a Slytherin. Perhaps it was Harry's imagination, but the girl looked a lot like a pug. She almost struts to a place at the Slytherin table who are clapping politely. 

"Finch-Fletchley, Justin!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

Sometimes, Harry noticed, the hat shouted out the house at once, but at others, it took a little while to decide. "Finnigan, Seamus," the sandy-haired boy behind Harry in the line, sat on the stool for almost a whole minute before the hat declared him a Gryffindor.

"Granger, Hermione!"

Hermione almost ran to the stool and jammed the hat eagerly on her head.

"RAVENCLAW!" shouted the hat. Ron gives her a thumbs-up as she nervously makes her way to the table. Not nervous to be in Ravenclaw, but nervous her friends would be disappointed. But her fears falter when they all clap and smile at her. She turns away to face her companions at the table who try to shake her hand. 
When Neville Longbottom was called, he fell over on his way to the stool. The hat took a long time to decide with Neville. When it finally shouted, "HUFFLEPUFF," Neville ran off still wearing it, and had to jog back amid gales of laughter to give it to "MacDougal, Morag."

Malfoy swaggered forward when his name was called and got his wish at once: the hat had barely touched his head when it screamed, "SLYTHERIN!"

Malfoy went to join his friends Crabbe and Goyle, looking pleased with himself, turning around to look at his friends who were split at two tables already. A thought strikes him suddenly. Will they be able to eat together if they're in separate houses? 

There weren't many people left now.

"Moon"..., "Nott"..., "Parkinson"..., then a pair of twin girls, "Patil" and "Patil"..., then "Perks, Sally-Anne..., and then, at last –

"Potter, Harry!"

As Harry stepped forward, whispers suddenly broke out like little hissing fires all over the hall. He bites the inside of his cheek, hating the attention. 

"Potter, did she say?"

"The Harry Potter?"

The last thing Harry saw before the hat dropped over his eyes was the hall full of people craning to get a good look at him. The next second he was looking at the black inside of the hat. He waited.

"Hmm," said a small voice in his ear. "Difficult. Very Difficult. Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind either. There's talent, oh my goodness, yes – and a nice thirst to prove yourself, now that's interesting. Not to mention your thirst for knowledge. So where shall I put you?"

Harry gripped the edges of the stool and thought, Isn't it obvious? 

"Not doubting it then?" said the small voice. "Are you sure? You can't change later on you know? No? Well, if you're sure – better be RAVENCLAW!"