[1] New Beginnings: Percy Jackson, Harry Potter, and the Philosopher's Stone

16: home

The woman in the emerald green robes led them through the doors into an unbelievable entrance hall. There was a great set of double doors that most likely were the main entrance. Percy could hear a low roar of voices coming from behind another set of closed doors, these ones not quite so grand. The woman led them over to those second doors and opened them dramatically.

This second hall was even grander than the first. The ceiling looked exactly like the night sky (Percy could hear Hermione telling another girl how it was enchanted to look that way) and there were candles just floating in the air. There was a raised dais at the end of the hall with a table facing the doors. There was a golden chair in the center spot and in it sat a wizened old man with bright white hair, his beard pooling into his lap. Percy supposed that was where the teachers sat. In front of this raised table were four others, all perpendicular to the doors.

The students that sat at those four tables were still whispering, though not as loudly as before. The woman led the group of nervous eleven-year-olds up the center aisle between two of the tables. Percy could practically feel all of the eyes staring at them. The woman led them all the way up to the front, where she told them to stop, and then went off to the side and retrieved an old stool and an even older hat. She placed the stool and the hat in front of everyone and stepped back. Then there was a rip just above the brim of the hat 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,