Chapter 7: The Sorting Hat

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The door swung open at once. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there. She had a very stern face, and Harry's first thought was that this was not someone to cross.

With the opening of chapter 7, we enter Hogwarts at last. We immediately get re-introduced to Professor McGonagall through Harry's eyes. The new students then follow her through a gigantic entrance hall, made of stone and marble, into a small side-chamber.

The students are now welcomed into Hogwarts, and we learn, along with them, of the five houses and that they shall be sorted into them. We also learn of the point system at Hogwarts. She then leaves the students until the ceremony is ready.

We then get a lovely bit of speculation and nervousness from Harry as to how they shall be "sorted", and what manner of "test" it may be. Then, in the middle of his spiffy memories of blue wigs, in come the ghosts.

As they pass through, they are discussing the problem of peeves, and how to deal with it. They greet the students with surprise, and in walks McGonagall, who sends them right off.

We are then led into the Great Hall, a "strange and splendid place". Hermione does a bit of her know-it-all show about the ceiling, and then the hat is brought out. As Harry ponders on rabbit-removal, the song begins.

It sings about how its shabby appearence doesn't count, and how it can see everything in your head. It then explains the values of each house and encourages them to try it on, "For I'm a Thinking Cap!"

The story then progresses to sort a few characters who play roles in later stories, but of whom we now know nothing. Hermione and Ron are Gryphs, and then comes Harry. Of course, the whisper of "the Harry Potter?". We then get a dandy mental exchange between Harry and the Hat.

Harry is in Gryffindor.

AND THE CROWD GOES WILD!!

Harry recognized Albus and Quirrel, and the feast is begun, only AFTER Albus gives a splendid speech of "Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!", and then begins the food proper. We are given a list of food that makes me hungry every time I read it, and thus shall be omited from this summary.

We are then introduced to Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington...Nearly Headless Nick, of course! And we learn that ghosts cannot eat...poor little blighters...and then get a lovely neck show from Nick. Enter Bloody Baron, initiate gapes and gasps, exit Bloody Baron. And no, Nick's never asked how he got the bloodstains...

Then they eat their dessert, and Harry, of course, takes treacle tart, which I have yet to discover what it is. We are then given Neville's history, and Hermione and Percy hit it right off about lessons. Harry then gets his jab of scar-pain from Snape...or so he thinks...and we are introduced, through Percy, to Severus.

Dumbledore then explains some ground rules to the students, and general announcements are made. Then, the students are forbidden to enter the 3rd-floor corrider on the right hand side, for which no reason is goven. Only that it is out of bounds to those who do not wish to die a very painful death...charming, yeah...

Then they sing the Hogwarts song to their own tunes, and the twins end their funeral march with Albus's conductions. Then they are led to their dorms by ol' Perc.

Enter Peeves. The Poltergeist bothers, bugs, and babbles, until threatened with the Bloody Baron. He then promptly vanishes.

They arrive at the painting, and the Fat Lady lets them in with the password of "Caput Draconis". They then enter their rooms, get lovely beds, and go to sleep.

Well then well then!

It would appear time to put some questions...righto!

-What do you think of the Sorting Hat?
-What do you think of the House values?
-Is Hogwarts more Hoggy, or more Warty?
-Should characters be judged by their house?
-Where did those bloodstains come from?
-Do you think the Baron will have a part to play in the future?
-Same question for Peeves.
-Why do you think Dumbledore was so blunt about that corridor?
-Why present Albus as a nutter?
-"Nitwit, blubber, oddment tweak"? Hidden meaning?
-Why did the concealed Voldemort have to be facing Harry to hurt him?
-Are heads really full of dead flies and bits of fluff?