Sorting Hat as Major Player In the Wings?

[Indigo]

No: HPFGUIDX 69738

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "D.G." <dgwhiteis at h...> wrote:
> I remember how surprised I was when the Hat, of all things, showed 
up 
> in the Chamber as what appeared to be an active, conscious emissary 
> of Dumbledore.  I'd previously considered the Hat to have only one 
> function -- to assess the mental/psychic state of students and sort 
> them into the appropriate House.  I knew it was a repository of 
> Hogwarts history and lore, because it made this clear in its song.  
> Nonetheless, I never really considered it a character 
with "agency," 
> so to speak -- an active free will of its own.  It REacted to what 
it 
> deciphered in terms of a student's characteristics, and then made 
the 
> appropriate sorting decision.
> 
> Now, we've learned that the Hat can change its tune when it feels 
the 
> need to; we've also learned that it is in possession of something 
> approximating emotional/moral "agency," at the very least, in that 
it 
> seems to have been concerned (even frightened?) by the current 
goings-
> on, and thus decided to sound its warning to the students about 
unity 
> and solidarity in the face of evil.
> 
> My question:  Who is this Hat, anyway?  Might it not, in fact, be 
an 
> enchanted manifestation of Dumledore's own mind/will?  I wonder if 
> there's a closer link between the Hat and Dumbledore's 
own "agenda," 
> so to speak, than a lot of us have previously considered.  If this 
is 
> the case, I wonder if it might show up again, in a crucial moment, 
as 
> Dumbledore's emissary (or sword-carrier)?
> 
> Maybe Hogwart's has a [bumble]bee under its bonnet!?!?
> 
> D.G. ("JazzmanChgo")

The Hat is a collective of the intellects of Rowena Ravenclaw, Godric 
Gryffindor, Salazar Slytherin and Helga Hufflepuff.

That's how it knows the traits and abilities to look for in each 
House.  One of the Hat's songs even says "they put some brains in me" 
or something to that effect.


Indigo