The Sorting Hat doesn't sort /WAS The sorting hat seems to think Harry...

[Jenni A.M. Merrifield]

No: HPFGUIDX 106800

"happybean98 wrote :
Also, Harry was an exceptional case because the Dursley's should 
have told him about Hogwarts, and the WW, but they chose not to. 
Hermione was muggle born, but she figured out the house system by 
reading "Hogwarts a History". 
 
Del replies :
Actually *Hermione* is the exception here. She was probably the only 
one who read that book. I'm pretty sure none, or very very few, of 
the other Muggle-born students knew about the different Houses."
 
Cathy says :
I think you're right, Del, that most of the other Muggle-borns would 
know nothing of the different houses before they reached the school, 
or at least the train.  In the PS6, Hermione says: "Do either of you 
know what house you'll be in? I've been asking around and I hope I'm 
in Gryffindor, it sounds by far the best, I hear Dumbledore himself 
was one..."  She, for once, never mentioned Hogwarts, A History, but 
that she had just been 'asking around.'  I'm sure she would have 
read about the different houses in the book, and perhaps the 
different qualities/abilites each house was looking for (maybe or 
may not be in the book), but her 'asking around' made her want to go 
to Gryffindor.

Jenni adds :
  You know, I'm beginning to think this theory, about the sorting 
hat not really "sorting" and just taking what's in the first year's 
mind instead, has quite a lot of merit.  At the very least, what 
canon we have doesn't contradict this particular view.

  Consider the following (sorry, books aren't on hand, so I can't 
provide specific evidence):

1. In PS/SS Harry makes it very clear he doesn't want to be in 
Slytherin but doesn't specifically request another house.  
When finally "sorted" the hat says something like, "Well, if you're 
sure ... better be ... Gryffindor!"

   Harry knows very little about the different houses -- even less 
than Hermione, who did at least ask around.  The only reason he was 
adamantly opposed to Slytherin was because (a) Draco was sorted into 
it and (b) he has been told that Slythrin breeds bad wizards.  The 
only other house he's heard of, prior to the hat's song, is 
Gryffindor and Ron, the only person he's made friends with, expects 
to be sorted there so even though he may not be too keen on 
Hermione, her being sorted there isn't enough deterrent to overrule 
the thought that he'd like to be in the same house as his new friend.

2. In PS/SS, Draco was sorted into Slytherin almost before the hat 
touched his head.

  No doubt it was the only house he ever considered, given his 
father's nature and his own upbringing. Being so assured of where he 
was going, his mind would have radiated his choice and his lack of 
hesitancy about it.

3. In PS/SS Neville took a long time to sort and I think that in 
another book (OoP probably), he admits that he argued with the hat 
against putting him in Gryffindor as he felt he "didn't deserve it".

  It wouldn't surprise me at all if the first year Neville secretly 
wished to be a Gryffindor but was too insecure to believe he could 
possibly "qualify".  Then, when the hat saw that deep desire it 
probably said, "Hufflepuff, hm? Maybe... but what about 
Gryffindor?".  This caused Neville to argue against that suggestion, 
which in turn only proved that he really did have courage -- after 
all, how many people are willing to argue for 10 minutes or more 
with an ancient magical artifact?

4. In PS/SS Ron Weasley expected to be sorted into Gryffindor like 
all his brothers, and was.

  I think it took a bit longer with Ron than with Draco for 
Slytherin only because Ron had *three* thoughts to work through (a) 
fear that he might *not* be sorted into the "family house", (b) 
secret desire to move out of the shadow of his five brothers, and (c)
a desire to join *his* new friend, Harry Potter.  So the hat needed 
to verify what Ron * really* cared about more.

5. In OoP (I think), Hermione admits to being considered for 
Ravenclaw but ended up in Gryffindor.

  We know from the comment quoted above by Cathy that she *wanted* 
to be sorted into Gryffindor but as she was already an academic 
type  it is not difficult to see her mentally warring with herself 
over wanting to join the house she percieved to be "by for the best" 
versus the house that had been identified as the "smart house".

6. Padma and Patel Pavarti, sorted into separate houses.

  Someone already suggested that this could hare been a desire of 
one or both of them.

7. Colin Creevey is sorted into Gryffindor

   Who does Colin worship? Harry. What house was Harry in? 
Gryffindor. What was Collin probably thinking when it was his turn 
to be sorted? To be in the same house as his idol!

  Anyway, I'm sure I could find more examples, but that should do 
for now.  Unfortunately none of these things *prove* the theory, but 
then it is generally impossible to "prove" theories -- all you can 
do is try to *disprove* it.  

  On that note - can anyone find an example where someone was sorted 
into a house that they did *not* want to be in and/or hadn't even 
considered?

Jenni