The Sorting Hat doesn't sort

[Cathy Drolet]

No: HPFGUIDX 105821

happybean98 said:

"I think the sorting hat is simply "sorting" students by reading their 
thoughts and placing them where they want to be placed. Just 
a "legilimancy" charm placed on the hat."


Cathy:
However, in OotP it says "'Well, the Sorting Hat did seriously consider putting me in Ravenclaw during my Sorting,' said Hermione brightly, 'but it decided on Gryffindor in the end."  The Sorting had considered and then decided.  

Also, in GoF the Sorting Hat says: "The founders put some brains in me So I could choose instead!" Not make a decision based on what the kid thought would be best...Choose.

The problem that I see with the 'legilimency' charm is that, a day could come, or may have already come, when all but the Slytherin kids would want to go into Gryffindor (or Hufflepuff, or Ravenclaw).  The Hat needs to be able to sort based on abilites not just student whims, especially in the case of a student, like Dean Thomas or the Creevey kids, who would have no idea which would be a good house to want to be sorted into.



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