The Houses Competition Year 7: Round 4
Title: Firm Decisions
House: Gryffindor
Position: Potions
Standard
Prompt: 7. [Trope] Different House Sorting
WC: 1486
Beta: bea writes and charlotteredmond99
A/N: AU, canon-devergence
The energy around the room is frantic and, as usual, the first-years wait with bated breath while everyone else who has seen this ceremony before, can't wait to eat. It doesn't matter that this decision made at eleven could alter the course of someone's life. In fact, at eleven, all most people just wanted to belong.
The first person that creates an impression is a little girl. She is more hair than anything else and has slightly large front teeth. Some of the Ravenclaw's perk up at her surname: "Granger", in their minds she is probably of old potion stock.
Hermione, on the other hand, is trying to fake confidence she doesn't feel as she walks towards the Hat. The Sorting Hat, regardless of historical importance, makes her fear lice and the last time she caught lice, her mum spent hours gently combing and applying shampoo over her hair to get it all out.
"Hello," the Sorting Hat says. They have a cheerful voice.
The voice does little to calm Hermione, who tenses up even more as she sits under them.
"Please put me somewhere that will want me," she whispers.
Hermione ignores the comments about how smart she is. Hermione knows this, but she just wants to belong somewhere that loves her, even if she wouldn't have any of it. She doesn't want Gryffindor, not when someone like Ron would make her feel unwelcome. While she would accept that Slytherin would never want her and she would be more than happy with Ravenclaw. But her wish isn't to solely study, it is to be a part of a group that sees her.
"Are you sure?" The Hat asks, it knows how impressionable the minds of youngsters are and tries to match them into environments where they would flourish.
Hermione nods, hoping the Hat hears her physical affirmation.
The brim of the Hat opens up widely and they yell "Hufflepuff!"
Hermione drops the Sorting Hat back onto the stool and runs towards the sea of black and yellow who cheerfully envelop her into their fold. Hermione feels safe and takes that as a positive sign.
Draco Malfoy knows exactly where he belongs. He belongs to where every single one of his ancestors has called home during their schooling. Perhaps, in another lifetime, the Hat would have seen the blond hair, pale gray eyes and called a spade a spade. Malfoy's belonged in Slytherin after all.
However, if the Hat remembers correctly, this little boy is half Black and the Black family is always interesting to peer into.
The Hat settles itself on Draco's head and Draco shudders at the feel. The voice of the Hat feels too invasive for comfort.
Draco murmurs "Slytherin" under his breath confident that he would get what he wants. He is after all a Malfoy and Malfoy always gets what they want.
But the Hat doesn't see this confidence as loyalty and questions whether the boy truly does belong in Slytherin. In the Hat's eyes, Draco has already mastered all of what Slytherin can teach him. While the House is noble and honourable, the Hat feels that it may not best fit the young man and against Draco's wishes the Hat yells out "Gryffindor!"; since all it takes is five random seconds of confidence to be brave. Draco doesn't know this yet and the Hat knows that it is a lesson the boy must learn.
It takes everything Draco has not to cry as the Sorting Hat is lifted off his head. Percy Weasley leads the gentle applause and pushes his brothers to make space for Draco to sit. Percy whispers into Draco's ear that everything will be fine. Draco doesn't believe a single second of what is happening but endures the shame anyway.
Harry is nervous that this is all some elaborate prank. That the entire Great Hall and Sorting Ceremony is some very vivid dream. It must be; because nothing can feel this warm nor smell this comforting.
Harry wants to just know more about this; more about everything really and he keeps an ear open as his year mates chatter loose pieces of fact and fiction gleaned from relatives and acquaintances.
He walks up to the Sorting Hat with two thoughts: not Slytherin and more. While Harry cannot really define what that "more" means. He knows it feels important and personal.
The Sorting Hat doesn't spend a long time torturing Harry. This isn't a boy who has had much choice in life and therefore, the Hat only sees it fair that they offer this boy a choice. While Harry, to most, holds the hopes and dreams of the Wizarding World on his shoulders, the Sorting Hat hopes that by providing the boy–Harry– with a choice, that he will at least remember sometimes that it is ok for his life to be his own.
The Sorting Hat relents to Harry's choice of not being put into Gryffindor on account of the young Malfoy sitting in the lion's ranks. While they put up a valiant argument for Slytherin, Harry merely shrugs it off. Harry doesn't want to be in the house that raised the person who killed his parents. The Hat doesn't like it, but they had promised to give Harry a choice and Harry not approving of their choices is part of the process of Harry making his own.
The Sorting Hat can feel the room become more tense with each passing minute. But the Hat doesn't rush Harry. This is the first of many choices Harry will have to face and whether the Wizarding World likes it or not, this choice won't change the fact that they have put the pressure of martyr on his shoulders.
Harry chooses Ravenclaw simply because the Hufflepuff motto of "I'll take the rest" reminded him too much of being discarded. Also, Ravenclaw seems like the most obvious place to start his education, especially since it is amongst others who are just like him and eager to learn.
The Ravenclaws are a surprisingly emotional lot and welcome Harry with snaps and claps. They ask him a million and one questions from the moment he reaches their table and seems genuinely interested in his answers and thoughts.
Ron Weasley gives a nervous smile to the last of his cohort still waiting to be Sorted. He is excited to join his brothers and to live with the comfort of their presence once again. Ron can't wait to beat Percy at chess and consistently look over his shoulder as the twin's plan and execute elaborate pranks. Ron just wants to be part of his family again.
The Sorting Hat vehemently disagrees the moment he is put on Ron's head. Ron is stubborn, the Hat will give him that much. But the Hat is older and therefore, more experienced. The Sorting Hat has sorted more generations of Weasley's than Ron can even count back too. The Sorting Hat is firm in its decision.
"You need discomfort to grow, " they say firmly.
Ron wants to scream. Under the Hat, Ron's face does grow red, but still, the Hat does not relent on this decision.
The Hat believes that Ron has been comfortable in a place of familiarity for too long. While this is what most people do need out of their Hogwarts experience, the Sorting Hat does not believe that this familiarity will benefit Ron.
Ron needs to go somewhere that challenges both himself and his perceptions. Besides, the ties of a family should be stronger than the houses they are divided into. Without an ounce of remorse, the Sorting Hat bellows and places Ron into Slytherin.
Ron pulls the Hat off and storms to the quiet sea of green and silver. Ron can hear the protests of his brothers for a re-sort but the Hat is firm and if Ron can't spend five minutes convincing the Hat to place him somewhere familiar, he doubts that anyone else can.
Slytherin welcomes Ron into their fold with eyes of pity and Ron hates it.
The Sorting Hat very rarely is wrong in their decisions. This cohort proves it. Hermione, Draco, Ron and Harry flourish under their houses. They learn new things about themselves, go on adventures different to those of another lifetime and against all odds, become friends.
The act of growing up isn't easy for any of them, but it isn't all that troubling either. There is no absolute good and evil. Harry still enjoys Quidditch but he has more patience for Hermione's academic rants. Hermione learns how to be a friend and while it takes some effort, it is to her that troubled first year's look when they need an ear. Ron loves Slytherin and building a network that supports him outside his family. As for Draco, this time he chooses with his heart and not his lineage. That slight change in fate makes all the difference.