The Sorting Hat doesn't sort

[huntergreen_3]

No: HPFGUIDX 105956

Cathy wrote:
>>> 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. <<<

happybean98 responded:
>> Yes, that's what Hermione says, because she,(and all the other
students), believe that's what the Sorting Hat does. (Happybean
suddenly realizes she is starting to sound like Luna Lovegood). But
what Hermione doesn't realize is that SHE, not the hat, is the
one "seriously considering Ravenclaw". Everyone projects their own
thought processes onto the Sorting Hat because they don't realize
it's reading their own mind. <<

HunterGreen:
Then why wasn't she put in Ravenclaw? I see nothing to indicate that 
pre-Hogwarts Hermione was particularily interested in anything other 
than books and cleverness. I can't see why a house known specifically 
for bravery would interest her that much. This is precisely why the 
hat works better than the kids choosing their own house. Being put in 
Gryffindor forced Hermione to become friends with other Gryffindors 
and thus opened that part of herself that *was* brave. Had she been 
put in Ravenclaw she would have been friends with other studious 
students like herself, and that part of her may have remained dormant-
-and completely unused. She fits in the house, but it wasn't obvious 
to her or anyone else at the time.

Another example is Neville. I really can't see him, being as insecure 
as he is, wanting to be in Gryffindor. He is quite brave and does 
indeed *belong* in Gryffindor, but he would probably want Hufflepuff 
because its a lot less pressure. But the house put him in Gryffindor, 
which, like Hermione, had the effect of bringing out that stronger 
side of him. He may have done fine in Hufflepuff, but it wouldn't be 
his full potential.

happybean98:
>> If Harry, who knew absolutely nothing about the WW, let alone 
Hogwarts until a few days before he was sorted, decided where he 
wanted to be, why couldn't anyone else? Thanks to the Dursleys, he 
was the most ignorant of anyone, even Muggle borns, and he still 
quickly chose Ron over Draco as a friend, even though he met Draco 
first. <<

Harry was lucky. How many people meet their best friend on the 
*first* day of school? Heck, this wasn't even the first day, this was 
the day before. Rather lucky, eh? (especially considering that Ron is 
the first person Harry is ever friends with). I'm not saying its 
unbelievable, just probably not the case for other kids. For example, 
who was Hermione riding with on the train? It could have been other 
muggle-borns, or other future Ravenclaws, or just random students. 
BUT, she may have struck up a conversation with them, and if she 
became causual friends by the end of the trip and liked the house 
they were going in, does that make it the right house? If she knew 
nothing of the other houses, she might choose that one just because 
of the way the others talked about it.

Harry only disliked Draco because he happened to remind him of 
Dudley. Had the Dursley's lavished as much material things on Harry 
as they did on Dudley, Harry might have seen Draco in a different 
light, and thus seen Slytherin in a different light. Then Harry would 
have been in Slytherin, where he doesn't belong.

Before the hat the four founders decided themselves which students 
they wanted to teach, they didn't leave it up to students to decide. 
Why would they want just any kid who happened to "like" their house 
(or think they like it), to be sorted there? The point of the hat is 
to reflect what the founders would do if they were still around, its 
not just a way to quarter all the students.


-Rebecca