Bruce sat timidly on the wooden stool feeling his face burn as a hundred faces stared at him. There were four tables, one with green and silver highlights on their robes, one with red and gold highlights, one with yellow and black and another with blue and bronze. He tried to shrink as he sat, not wanting to be the center of attention. He shot a quick glance at the friends he had made on the train and saw Tony smirk and shoot him a thumbs up while Steve nodded reassuringly and Natasha smiled warmly at him. They all stood there nervously anxiously waiting their turns. Bruce's view of the great hall was gone when the hat slipped over his eyes veiling his sight with pitch blackness and the smell of old leather. The hat was big and old and Bruce gritted the sides of the stool with his fingers, feeling his heart pound loudly in his chest.
"Hmm, what do we have here?" said a silky voice inside Bruce's head and he jumped.
"Who said that?"
"Me."
"The hat?"
The voice chuckled wryly, "And you're supposed to be the smart one"
"You're supposed to sort me right?" Bruce asked inside his head, feeling kind of stupid.
"Yes. I will search the depths of your mind for the answer." The hat paused for a few seconds. Bruce knew that he was either to be in Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff. He didn't fit in in Gryffindor or Slytherin but felt rather torn because he wanted to be with his friends. He was the first one of them to be sorted which made it very hard for him to know where he wanted to go.
"Plenty of intelligence and genius I see...A fair amount of bravery and loyalty also...Hm, I think you'd best be suited for... RAVENCLAW!" The hat shouted the last word and Bruce sighed in relief. He had been terrified that he would have just ended up sitting on the stool for hours, the hat never sorting him and leaving him to be the embarrassment of the group of new students. Gingerly Bruce set the hat and down and made his way down to the table full of students with blue and bronze colors on their robes who were all applauding and cheering. Who knows, maybe he would fit in here, for once.
Bucky watched as the Banner boy was sorted and his name was called up. He felt his heart rise to his throat but he swallowed and gathered his courage tightly coiled around him as he brushed past Steve. He shot his friend a reassuring smile over his shoulder and walked up to the solitary stool which was the focus of the entire student and teacher population. Dropping the hat over his eyes he sat, waiting, not sure what to expect, purposefully not paying attention to the eyes he could feel, faced in his direction.
"Interesting" said a voice in his head. Bucky didn't say anything but sat silently, his body deathly still.
"Outstanding loyalty, willingness to work hard, fair and honest, protective and caring, there really is only one place for you. You'll do great things for your house no doubt, I say...HUFFLEPUFF!"
Bucky winced as the last proclamation rang out over the entire hall. Cheers exploded from the table of yellow and black and Bucky felt a smile settle over his face as he stood and trotted down to the edge of the long table. He felt a pang of concern for Steve, what if they were sorted into different houses? The thought had passed his mind earlier but it had quickly been overwhelmed by the awe inspiring qualities of the great castle. He looked at Steve, he was looking pale and nervous. One of Bucky's new friends, Clint, shot him a thumbs up and a half smile, while next to him Sam fidgeted from foot to foot looking resolutely over the top of the tables while Tony Stark continued to smirk. Bucky was pleased with his house, not entirely knowing which houses were better than the others despite Tony and Thor's crash course in Hogwarts House characteristics from the train. He watched in interest as Clint's name was called.
Clint gulped as his name was called. He ran a hand through his hair and set his jaw feeling the eyes of his new friends burn into his back along with all of the other amount of faces in the hall. He really didn't like being the center of attention so he walked quickly to the stool keeping his head ducked and down. He looked out over the enormous room through wide eyes and nearly missed the stool when he tried to sit down. Blushing furiously as a few snickers echoed throughout the hall he sat down again before catching sight of Bucky sending him a reassuring smile and a nod. His mouth dry, he slipped the hat over his head nearly falling out his seat in shock when a voice rang throughout his skull.
"You're a tough one kid, I'll give you that."
"A-are you actually talking to me?" Clint asked in bewilderment, whispering under his breath, not sure whether to speak out loud or to speak in his head.
"Of course I'm talking to you. It's my job, as a sorting hat, to sort the new students."
"Alright then." said Clint nervously. He gritted his teeth and shut his eyes tightly, screwing his face up in preparation.
"Let's see here. Honesty, that's good. Copious amounts of bravery, intelligence, and ambition..but where to put you?" There was silence for a long while before the hat spoke again, Clint sitting uneasily on the old, rickety, wooden stool.
"Gryffindor, or Hufflepuff. Not Slytherin or Ravenclaw, no, those just don't fit. Give me a second, give me a second, ah, I know….HUFFLEPUFF!"
Clint sagged in relief. He yanked the hat off his head and in his haste to exit the center of the hall nearly tripped over his own feet. The students from the black and yellow house were cheering and Clint looked over his shoulder to see Sam, Steve, Tony, Natasha, and Thor all clapping. At least he would know someone in Hufflepuff, Bucky, who Clint remembered was muggleborn, just like him. He sat silently and shakily at the table for a few minutes, some random new students being sorted while he tried to sit straight and proud, attempting to give nothing away to the judging and curious gazes. A few more names were called before…"Thor Odinson"
Thor only sat for a moment on the stool and had barely placed the hat over his head before a shout of "GRYFFINDOR!" burst throughout the room. Thor grinned and puffed his chest out. He had known he was meant to be in Gryffindor, it was in his blood and obviously the sorting hat agreed with him. He was opposite than Loki, Loki whom was bound for Slytherin. Thor knew enough about the houses to know which one his little brother belonged in. He also knew that Loki was convinced that he was going to be in Gryffindor, wanting to be like the rest of the family. The Gryffindor table thundered loudly as Thor claimed a space in between two older students, his posture proud and confident. The next name was called...
"Steven Rogers"
Steve shot a quick glance at Bucky who almost looked as nervous as Steve felt. He looked sideways at Tony Stark, the arrogant and obnoxious idiot he had met on the train. Tony shot him a snarky smirk and crossed his arms. Steve looked out over the room his legs suddenly not finding the will to move.
"Steven Rogers?" Professor Longbottom said again, looking out over the remaining students.
Steve forced himself to step forwards and he lifted his chin and straightened his back, trying to look as tall and capable as possible. He forced himself to remain calm as he sat stiffly on the wooden stool, looking at Bruce at the Ravenclaw table and Bucky and Clint at the Hufflepuff table before his trembling fingers maneuvered the hat onto his head. Darkness slipped over his eyes and he felt sweat roll down his cheek. Some part of him thought that it was silly for him to be nervous and that it was just a house and that he would be fine anywhere he went. He wished he could be with Bucky but most of all he wished that he would go somewhere where he belonged and fit in.
"Well well well, what do we have here?"
Steve swallowed, the hat was speaking to him, but at this point in his life he wasn't really surprised by anything anymore.
"I see….courage, bravery, desire to do good, loyalty and a strong sense of justice...I'd say either Hufflepuff or Gryffindor, it's a tough pick. What do you think lad?"
Steve swallowed again, "Just-just put me somewhere you think I belong" Steve felt determination surge through him and he curled his hands into fists.
"Hm, determination. Only one place to put you now, a true Gryffindor you are, GRYFFINDOR!"
Steve slowly slipped the hat off of his head amidst an explosion of cheers from the red gold table. He went to sit down over by Thor who welcomed him with a rather jolting slap on the shoulder.
He looked at Bucky to see him smiling back at him, his smile tinged with sadness. They would be in different houses now but Steve would make sure that they would still be close, Bucky was his best friend and house colors wouldn't change that for the world.
When Natasha's name was called she hardly reacted. She straightened her back, her years from the orphanage teaching her that she would be treated with more respect if she acted self-assured and poised. She pushed her way through the remaining kids and walked gracefully to the stool. She glared out over the crowd before slipping the hat on her head almost immediately feeling the prickle of unease that was usually accompanied by a magical creature or magical presence.
"Oh my, what a strong will you have."
A hat that talks, she thought wryly, smiling slightly to herself in amusement.
"Sarcasm I hear, a very Slytherin quality." the hat hissed in her ear.
Natasha smirked. She knew she was bound to be in either Slytherin or Gryffindor. She had no taste for studying and inventiveness that Ravenclaw had or the faithful steadfastness that Hufflepuffs were famous for. She was more stealthy and brave, she stood up for what she believed in and wasn't afraid to challenge the authorities.
"Very ambitious I see, and clever and cunning, but also very courageous and brave. You would fit in very well in either Slytherin or Gryffindor"
Natasha waited as the hat thought some more and mumbled, seemingly more to itself than her. It seemed to sigh wearily.
"Very tough, one of the toughest of year so far but, I would have to say... SLYTHERIN!"
There was a roaring from the table of green and silver amid a chorus of boos from the Gryffindor table of red and gold. She allowed a small smile of satisfaction as she walked over to the Slytherin table after taking the hat off and setting on the surface of the wooden stool again. She was the only one from their group of friends that had met on the train that had been sorted into Slytherin. She glanced over at her new friend Clint and offered him a smile and he quirked a grin at her from Hufflepuff table, sitting across from Steve's friend Bucky. Steve was already chatting with Thor at the Gryffindor table and she saw Bruce eyeing the ceiling from the Ravenclaw table, seemingly deep in thought at the workings of the magnificent magical ceiling. She turned her gaze over to the rest of the gang that had yet to be sorted and she saw Tony standing casually with his arms crossed the only sign of nervousness on him the nervous drumming of his fingers. Sam looked bored and impatient as he would probably be the last one sorted since the names were called alphabetically and W was pretty far down on the list. She glanced around at her new house and scrutinized them. Most of them looked like pretty boys and snobbish girls but a few of them looked promising enough. A familiar name was called a few minutes later and she narrowed her eyes at the next student to be sorted.
Tony swaggered to the stool. He smirked at the teachers and grinned obnoxiously at the student body before waving a hand dismissively. He smirked at Bruce and Steve and gave an overly exaggerated sigh before lifting the hat off of its perch. He handled it delicately, holding the patched fabric between his fingers distastefully before shooting Professor Longbottom a disgusted look as if to say, is this clean? The professor just smiled and Tony rolled his eyes and huffed before settling the old hat on his head. He grimaced as he felt it press into his styled hair, disrupting the meticulously designed spikes.
"Tony Stark. I've heard much about you…" whispered the hat's voice in his head. Tony knew that the hat was supposed to sort him, and he knew that he was bound to be in either Slytherin or Ravenclaw, but the voice in his head still unsettled him even if he would never admit it.
"Of course you've heard about me. Everyone's heard about me. I'm famous" Tony replied smugly.
"Ah of course, I should have known. Arrogant, conceited, obnoxious...You'd be well suited for Slytherin though I'm not sure that's where you really want to go is it?"
Tony's back stiffened unconsciously. He knew he belonged in Slytherin, he exhibited all of the known qualities, ambition and cunning and more. But some part of him thought that he honestly belonged in Ravenclaw, where his genius would be appreciated and he would be among other minds like his own, like Bruce's.
"Ravenclaw would suit you too," continued the hat, "you are creative and have vision, along with wit and genius...yes...but Slytherin could be great for you"
Tony waited in uneasy anticipation as he heard the students in the hall start to get bored and chatter was beginning to break out among the tables.
"Take your time." He told the hat sarcastically
"Well if you're sure...SL-RAVENCLAW!"
The hat changed its mind mid sentence. Tony wasn't sure how to react to the news, as polite applause started from the blue and bronze table where he now was supposed to join. He was happy that he would be close to Bruce who seemed like he had the potential to be a really close friend. Tony slipped off the hat and ran a hand through his hair, trying to make it look presentable again. He smiled broadly adding a tad of confidence to his walk and went down to sit across from Bruce. He shot a smirk at Steve and Thor at the Gryffindor table and winked at Natasha over at Slytherin. He wondered what his father would think but thought again and realized that his father wouldn't really care, as he was too busy with his company. Tony hoped that he would be satisfied with Ravenclaw and he had an inkling of a feeling that he would like it in the famed tower with loads of books and potential knowledge sources, he'd have to start looking into muggle technology and magic combinations right away, of course, he could see that Hogwarts needed to upgrade and he was the perfect man for the job.
Sam was the last of them to be called. In fact, he was the last student to be called. This was not entirely helpful to his nervousness and with every sorting of the next student on the list the knot in his stomach grew tighter and more painful. He felt kind of lost, not knowing much about the houses and his friends already being sorted. The students, most of them, were already bored and tired of the sorting and with him being the last one they just wanted to get it over with and eat dinner already. Sam felt too nervous to be hungry, and he knew it was silly to be nervous but he couldn't help feeling that this would greatly impact his time at Hogwarts. He really wanted to be with Steve or Clint in either Gryffindor or Hufflepuff. But...Gryffindor sounded special to him somehow and he recalled Tony or Thor saying something about how Gryffindor was the house of the brave and courageous and something about that seemed special to Sam. When he put the hat over his head he wasn't entirely sure what to expect. Yes, he had heard the hat call out a name for each and every student that had placed it on their heads but he wasn't entirely sure what when on when the hat was 'sorting'.
"Ah, you're the last one aren't you, boy?" said a voice in his ear, or was it inside his head? He couldn't tell.
"Um, hi" he said inside his head, not sure quite exactly what to do.
"Not very eloquent are you, laddie?" The hat paused, "hard-working though, and determined, very determined….and brave. I think I know just where to put you."
Sam tried not to hold his breath, he prayed desperately for Gryffindor, shutting his eyes tightly and clenching his jaw and fists.
"GRYFFINDOR!"
Sam's body sagged in relief and he gave a shaky smile as he shrugged the hat off and stood up. The Gryffindor table cheered and Sam could see Steve and Thor grinning and clapping in his direction. He went to join them. Relief coursed through his blood and he suddenly felt a warmness in his heart at being welcomed so happily by some of his new friends. He hoped that Steve and Thor, and himself, could still remain friends with those who had been sorted into other houses...Clint and Bucky in Hufflepuff, Bruce and Tony in Ravenclaw, and Natasha in Slytherin. He felt something in his gut about that particular group of people, something that told him that they would be friends for a long time, regardless of house placements. He felt warm and content and excited to begin his time at Hogwarts.
Reviews are welcome.