How the hat makes its selections

[bviridis]

No: HPFGUIDX 101355

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "darrin_burnett" <bard7696 at a...> 
wrote:
> I've seen some posts lately pointing out that Hermione, Percy, even 
> Dumbledore, have Slytherin qualities. We know that Harry has some, 
> though I believe his near-placement in Slytherin was as much because 
> of Essence of Voldemort in his head than his character traits.
[snip]

Viridis:
I repost my FA post as it sums what I think about the subject:

The Hat examines the personality traits, balances them and chooses. 
Now, how many eleven years old have good idea of their own potential? 
Very few. So if they were chosing their Houses, they would most 
probably go after parents advice or gossip, etc. If we were the 
students, looking through the boards, ratio would be something like 
this: 
G 50% - R 30% - S 15% - H 5%.
This won't work well at all.
Actually if it was not for rather prejudiced Hagrid's remark, Harry 
wouldn't oppose his Slytherin appointment so vehemently.

> I was discussing this with my lovely girlfriend the other day and we 
> came to the conclusion that the student's "choice" in the matter 
>have to do with what he or she values.

Yes, there is a bit of leeway between the Hat's original choice ant 
the final outcome.

We don't know if Hat changes its opinion often or not. Now, let's see 
in what conditions it does?

1. Hat reverses his idea if a kid has strong enough will - which is 
not very common - to argue with the Voice of Authority Presented In 
Solemn and Stressfull Situation. 
E.g. I am pretty sure Neville didn't argue with Hat - so the Hat used 
his power to check his potential - definitely potential, not the 
abilities at the very time. 
Draco for sure didn't dispute the Hat, as he was sorted where he 
wanted.

Second possibility is that he does not reverse his ideas as much as he 
uses kid's choice to topple the scales in very balanced situations. If 
(s)he fits well here or there, why not play long? It'll only makes the 
kid happier. 

So yes, we have such a Gryfinclaw as Hermione - the scales was toppled 
towards Gryffindor, but she also has Hufflepuff (loyalty, hard work) 
and Slytherin (can be quite cunning) qualities.
Any attempt to sort humanity, even a sample, into just 4 groups, must 
end up wit rather fuzzy boundaries and many "mixed" cases.

Hat also protects the children of being pushed into wrong Houses by 
parents, eager for their prodigy to follow their steps. But, since 
most of the personality traits are learnt from the parents, it's not 
surprising we have "House dynasties".

Perce is undoubtedly a recipient of family pressure and breaking with 
them and standing up to them (even if for the wrong case) required 
balls, rather Gryffindorish trait.

Cheers, Viridis

> 
> Here are some clues:
> 
> Draco, who is under the hat for about .4 seconds before it 
> says "Slytherin," clearly wants to prove himself to his father. 
> Ambition and cunning are the most important to him. Though I would 
> argue that Draco is the one character who I couldn't see in any 
other 
> house. He's not loyal, not hard-working, not all that brave and his 
> intelligence is debatable.
> 
> Hermione, who's smarts make her a natural born Ravenclaw, values 
> bravery above "books and cleverness." She says so in SS/PS, just 
> before Harry goes off alone to face Quirrellmort. So, she's in 
Gryff.
> 
> Neville, who's loyalty and hard work give him Hufflepuff qualities, 
> also seems to secretly value courage and is filled with a burning 
> desire to live up to his folks. Gryff.
> 
> Harry, who seemingly only wants to stay out of Slytherin, is making 
a 
> reverse value judgement. He sees Draco and wants the opposite. 
Gryff.
> 
> Percy. This is the one that bothers me the most because the hat, 
> seemingly, got it wrong. Obviously, an 11-year-old Percy had a 
> different view on life than the one we see now.
> 
> But I submit that his story isn't finished yet. He may show us what 
> made him a Gryff to begin with.
> 
> Family lines obviously count for something, although the Patil 
> sisters prove it's not ironclad.
> 
> But in the end, what the kids value is as important as what seems to 
> be their dominant trait.
> 
> Darrin