The Sorting Ceremony

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Every year, at the start of term, the students attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry were greeted with a ceremony and start-of-term feast. New students were greeted with a song by the Sorting Hat and sorted into their Houses, and the whole school would take that one night to greet one another, catch up, and prepare for classes to begin.

This year was a little bit different, however. With the news that Hogwarts would play host to a number of Outsiders, the school was a hub of gossip. Students were talking about the Outsiders in hushed voices, almost as though it was forbidden. Many of the rumours sounded ridiculous - apparently, Outsiders could throw houses, fly without aid, and turn invisible at will. Some students would try to discredit the rumours by explaining how such things were impossible, but it was to little avail.

As the long line of First Years, followed by a shorter line of Outsiders, entered the Hall, many of the new students were looking upwards at the ceiling. Enchanted to reflect the outside sky, it seemed almost as though the rain should be pounding down on them even in the warmth and dryness of the Castle. Professor McGonagall, a stern-looking witch, led these students, carrying a stool upon which rested a frayed and tattered hat.

The Professor carefully placed the stool just before the staff table, where the whole school could see. As the last of the chatter died away, the rip near the hat's brim opened wide, like a mouth, and it burst into a cheerful song describing the four Founders of Hogwarts, the Houses named for them, and the qualities each sought after. As the last note died, and the school burst into applause, Professor McGonagall stepped forward.

"First years. When I call your name, you will wear the hat and sit on the stool. The Sorting Hat will select the most appropriate House, and you will then seat yourself at that House's table."

It took some time for the First Year students - a group including three Outsider girls - to be sorted. Ordinarily, this would mark the end of the ceremony and start of the feast, but there were yet others to be Sorted, and McGonagall addressed these students as the last of the First Years took their seat.

"Outsider students, we will follow the same process. I shall call your name and the year in which you are entering this school, and you will present yourself to be sorted accordingly."

It was again a long process, and by this point some of the existing students were getting bored waiting for the feast. Whispering had resumed amongst them, Outsiders were commented upon, and even after the last of the Outsiders was seated the conversations did not die away until Professor Dumbledore stood and raised a hand for silence, beaming at the students assembled before him.

"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I have a few things to say to you all, and as some of them are very serious, I think it best to get it out of the way before you become befuddled by our excellent feast..."

Dumbledore cleared his throat and continued. "As you will all be aware after their search of the Hogwarts Express, our school is presently playing host to some of the Dementors of Azkaban, who are here on Ministry of Magic business.

"They are stationed at every entrance to the grounds, and while they are here with us, I must make it plain that nobody is to leave school without permission. Dementors are not to be fooled by tricks or disguises - or even invisibility cloaks.

"It is not in the nature of a Dementor to understand pleading or excuses. I therefore warn each and every one of you to give them no reason to harm you. I look to the Prefects, and our new Head Boy and Girl, to make sure that no student runs foul of the Dementors.

"The second item of note is, as I'm sure you are all aware, the Outsiders now attending our school. We have welcomed a number of these Outsiders into our ranks. I am sure you are all aware of the circumstances that have brought them here, and ask only that you treat them the same as any other student in this school. They are here to learn, just as you are, and are just as worthy of your respect.

"On a happier note..."

Dumbledore continued with his start-of-term messages, before finally the feast began. The golden plates and goblets that lay empty upon the tables suddenly filled, a whole variety of foods laid out for students to pick and choose from. This year, some items were new and foreign, clearly catering to the Outsiders' tastes - for the most part, they remained untouched, except by the more inquisitive or daring students.

The feast would last for a couple of hours, before each House's prefects led the school-aged students to their dormitories, and each Head of House led the Adult students to their alternative housing in the Lost Wing.

Comments

THE SORTING

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[If you wish to read what the Sorting Hat has to say regarding your sorting, please respond to this comment with your character's name as the subject.]

MIR

[former_endboss]

She wasn't expecting much. After all, Ayatane was on guard in her mind, and he wouldn't share anything she didn't want shown.

The problem was of course, that Ayatane was a terrible, terrible gossip.

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"Miss," a voice echoed, within the hat. "My aim is not to invade your mind, only to learn what interests and motivates you. This should be a conversation, and it's difficult to hold one when you guard against it this way."

TOBIAS

[corruptedsouls]

[He's about as jumpy as a rabbit as he's ushered up (probably by some of his friends in the Outsider crowd) and he sits nervously, shifting around and fidgety.]

[acciomod]

It's almost as if the hat is chuckling to itself upon Toby's head. "Do try to relax. Being nervous is quite acceptable, but... oh, dear, your mind is quite... fragmented is the word, I believe.

"Why don't you calm down a little. Tell me why you are here, in this school?"

LENNETH

[nibelungvalesti]

Had she not observed the process before her turn on the stool, she might have been concerned -- but clearly, whatever powers of insight this hat had to make its determination, it did not share them openly.

So when called, she simply stepped up to sit.

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"Now, this is very unusual. I am no stranger to the strange, and yet this is the first time I have been set upon a goddess.

"You are... a warrior, at heart. And yet, would you consider this more as a duty as opposed to courage?"

Nanoha Takamachi

[pinkbefriendingbeam]

Nanoha wasn't really all that... well, sure about what was going on. She understood the purpose of the sorting, but was there really a need to divide the school up like that the instant they got in?

And how was a hat supposed to decided that anyway?

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"Takamachi, Nanoha," McGonagall called out, as the student before her tottered along to the Hufflepuff table. As Nanoha was a first year, there was no need to separate her from the usual influx of new students.

Chachamaru Karakuri

[a_real_soul]

Chachamaru was certainly wondering what kind of enchantments were on the Sorting Hat, patiently waiting for her turn for the K's to come around.

Re: Chachamaru Karakuri

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"Karakuri, Chachamaru. Fifth year."

McGonagall glanced up from her scroll, and gave a small nod of encouragement to the Outsider girl.

Hayate Yagami

[chibi_tanuki]

Great, a hat. While she wasn't skeptical about this, she did have qualms about being separated from Nanoha and Fate. Even if she didn't know too many there was always something that worried her. And getting her wheelchair up here was a chore too. She certainly hoped that there was going to be wheelchair access or someone to piggyback on up flights of stairs.

Sho

[urnotafraid]

His expression was a little annoyed at the whole process. Sitting around listening to the Hat sing, watching the kids squirm around, and now his turn. The idea of going to school when he had never gone to any was just stupid. But what else was he suppose to do? It wasn't like he could go back right now.

So he sat - or rather slouched - on the stool and eyed the Hat like it was a new form of a roach.

Fate Testarossa-Harlaown

[goldbefriendedblade]

Well. Walking out in front of all these strangers to put on a hat and sit quietly while it decided her housing situation. Fate had, at this point, stopped trying to make sense of the situation and decided to just focus on not being blatantly obviously nervous. She'd never been the object of this many of the native mages' attention before, and it was getting to her a little.

At least they didn't want a self-introduction.

Eyes resolutely pointed toward the bottom of the far wall, Fate heads out to put on the hat. Nanoha had done this easily, and gotten one of the more pleasant-sounding places, so she would just have to hope for the best. The best being the same House as Nanoha and, ideally, Hayate following the both of them. Ideally. Hopefully.

Alphonse Elric

[unerasable]

[When his name is called out, he walks over to the stool as calmly and quietly as he'd been waiting since they'd entered the Hall.

He idly wonders what the point of the ceremony is - surely it's better to study with lots of different people, so you can learn from their perspectives too? - but, well, it's a tradition, apparently. He won't try to make sense of it. And besides, he'll be fine wherever he ends up. Everything he could possibly want from this place is standing right over there, now at the front of the line.

...Okay, it'd be nice if they weren't separated again, he thinks. It doesn't matter too much, though.]

Vaati

[windseye]

[Vaati stood there somewhat awkwardly, silently staring at the Sorting Hat whilst ignoring everyone else around him, even the few people he got along with who kept trying to talk to him. He had more important things to do, like figuring out what the hell was going to happen once he put on that hat.

The sight of it alone was making him wary for some reason.... he sensed that it could do more than just sing songs , and he'd had about enough of talking hats.]

Akira

[destined_to_go]

[Akira didn't understand just how the hat sorted the students and the fact that it could talk was yet another thing added to the long list of strange things he saw, heard or experienced since he first arrived. He was more concerned with the enchanted hat than the fact that he was, for lack of better words, on display for the rest of the student body. He was used to people looking or staring at him and so that, at least, was nothing new.

When his name was called, he walked up to the stool, looking as calm and collected as he did before games. He was curious about the hat and a little nervous to be starting in a school that taught magic (now known to be) as real as the air he breathed, but neither of the feelings showed on his expression. When he sat on the stool, he stared at a point on the far wall and the hat was placed on his head. He didn't know what to expect... though a part of him still thought it was strange to expect anything.]

Tavros Nitram

[no1troll]

Tavros had never seen this many kids together at once before, and it seemed to him that every single one of them had their attention focused on the only person in the hall with horns. He wished he was invisible.

When his name was called, he was relieved to have something to do that wasn't stare back at the mass of bodies with dread. He hesitates just for a moment before picking the hat up and putting it on his head. His horns make it sit oddly, but at least they're horizontal, unlike most of his friends'.

Uriko

[kenpo_kitty]

[[Uriko wasn't putting a lot of faith in this magic thing yet but... well, it's right in her face. And she's seen a lot stranger things. Heck, maybe she'd end up more accepted as a Zoanthrope here than back home. That'd be neat.]]

THE FEAST

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Open

[pinkbefriendingbeam]

Well, that wasn't so bad. Though it was a bit disappointing that Hayate ended up in a different house than both her and Fate-chan. Still, right now there was lots of food to try eating, and it wasn't like she wasn't going to be able to spend time with Hayate outside of classes and whatever else it was that the houses were supposed to do, right?

So here's Nanoha, looking over the food and trying to decide which of it she wanted to try. Even if she ended up going for familiar Japanese dishes, at the very least she could try some of the foreign food and see if she liked any of it.

Open

[a_real_soul]

Chachamaru didn't have to eat, but she enjoyed at least having tea. It was something that would be emptied out later, as she sipped at the warming juices and liquids.

She had to get wound up soon, but glancing over at the 5th years it wasn't too bad.

Open

[goldbefriendedblade]

Fate has gone from being intimidated by sheer numbers of people she doesn't know to intimidated but happy at the immediate sense of camaraderie one gets at the Gryffindor table at the beginning of the year. She tries answering any questions posed to her by the native students - or anyone else - but speaks quietly and slowly enough that her answers are inevitably overridden by the next question.

Still, these are clearly nice people. Right?

Open

[corruptedsouls]

[It seems, if nothing else, the little Ravenclaw is a fast learned. Tobias is picking at his food much more slowly, but it's not only because he knows better than to make himself sick again.

He doesn't know anyone around him -- any of these people. Even with as full the table is, he feels completely alone and stranded in the midst of danger.

It tends to ruin's one appetite, even for a starving child.]

AFTERWARDS

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