Does the sorting hat sort?

[hermowninny719]

No: HPFGUIDX 84757

YolandaCarrol wrote:
> Harry didn't chose Gryffindor.  The Sorting Hat did.
> 
> The whole point of the Sorting Hat is to determine 
> what house you would do best in.
> 
> You do *not* get to chose what house you go in.  
> Remember in PS/SS, Draco bragging that his whole 
> family had been in Slytherin, so that he was sure 
> to go there.
> 
> Draco also mentioned how Hufflepuff was the worst 
> and that if he was sorted into Hufflepuff he'd 
> leave Hogwarts.
> 
> If Draco could simply chose to be in Slytherin 
> that whole conversation makes no sense.
> 
> Back to Harry's sorting...
> The Hat made several comments about Harry that 
> showed he could have done well in different 
> houses.  For example, "not a bad mind" would 
> suggest Ravenclaw.
> 
> Harry's "thirst to prove himself" is what 
> prompted the Sorting Hat to say "You would do 
> well in Slytherin."  When Harry says, 
> "Not Slytherin", the hat then puts Harry in 
> it's second choice for him "Gryffindor".

Hermowninny:
Perhaps the sorting hat simply puts you into the house you really 
want to go in.  From the mirror of erised, we see that it is possible 
for inanimate object to detect what you want.

Draco obviously *really* wanted to be in Slytherin.  He was put 
there.  Ron *really* wanted to be put in Gryffindor.  He was put 
there.  

Perhaps the conversation the sorting hat had with Harry was just the 
hat's way of making sure that Harry was certain where he wanted to go.

I can see certain people wanting to be in Slytherin, others wanting 
to be in Gryffindor, other wanting to be in Ravenclaw.  I can't see 
anyone wanting to be in Hufflepuff, but maybe that's where the 
sorting hat puts those who can't decide themselves.

Didn't Hermione mention that the sorting hat considered putting her 
in Ravenclaw?  Can't remember where I heard that.  She has the 
qualities to be a Ravenclaw, but maybe from reading "Hogwarts-A 
History" she decided she wanted to be in Gryffindor.  The sorting hat 
had a brief conversation with her (as it did with Harry) just to be 
sure she was certain and then went with Hermoine's choice.

What if the sorting hat doesn't really sort you by your abilities, 
but confirms your choice.  After all, the quote from Dumbledore about 
your choices determining who you are more than your abilities comes 
right after Harry tells Dumbledore that the hat wanted to put him in 
Slytherin.

In reference to your comments above... Draco's comments about the 
sorting would make perfect sense if the students didn't know how the 
sorting hat worked.  Perhaps even the teachers don't know.  Perhaps 
only the four founders know exactly what the sorting hat is 
programmed to do.

Okay, I don't know if I believe this myself.  But, tell me, is it 
possible?

-Hermowninny