The Infamous Sorting Hat In Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Stone

The Infamous Sorting Hat “You all know, of course, that Hogwarts was founded over a thousand years ago by the four greatest witches and wizards of the age” – Professor Binns (Chamber of Secrets, 150).

Hogwarts is made up of four house; Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. The names of the four houses came about from the founders themselves. Gryffindor’s founder was Godric Gryffindor, who believed that anyone who displayed a hint of magical talent should be allowed to attend Hogwarts. The Huffpuff house was named after its founder, Helga Hufflepuff, who was predominantly famous for her knack for food-related Charms. The Ravenclaw house was named after their founder, Rowena Ravenclaw who was apparently dear friends with Helga Hufflepuff and was considered “the most brilliant witch of her time”. Lastly, the Slytherin house.

Rowlings first book, “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone”, chapter seven is all about the Sorting Hat. In the beginning of the chapter, Harry and all the other first years were channeled into a “small, empty chamber” (Sorcerer’s Stone, 113) while Professor McGonagall instructed them on what was to be expected next. None of the first years knew what to expect, Ron Weasley’s brothers, George and Fred, had told him it was “some sort of test” (Sorcerer’s Stone, 115) and when he shared this piece of information with Harry it made him incredibly nervous to think that he was about to be tested in front of the whole school and he didn’t even know magic yet. Once he realized all you had to do was put the hat on top of your head and let the hat do all the work it didn’t quite ease his nerves. “A horrible thought struck Harry, as horrible thoughts always do when you’re very nervous. What if he wasn’t chosen at all? What if he just sat there with the hat over his eyes for ages, until Professor McGonagall jerked it off his head and said there had obviously been a mistake and he’d better get back on the train?” (Sorcerer’s Stone,