He had been wrong before. Hundreds of years of service, and oh, he had been wrong. He had taken risks. He had questioned himself. He had attempted to calculate the future. Even those who seemed clean-cut had hidden facets of themselves beneath the surface. Sometimes he wondered if they sorted too early, if eleven was too young to decide what truly belongs in one's heart.
The Sorting Hat's job is to sort, that much is obvious. To divide the students between the four houses. Those filled with courage and boldness, those filled with loyalty and understanding, those filled with intelligence and creativity, and those filled with resourcefulness and determination. The brave, the honest, the wise, and the ambitious. One cannot survive without the other. Each are invaluable in their own right.
But there was more to his job, he understood. More than he would prefer, a house defines a person just as much as a person is meant to define a house. The people he places together sometimes matter more than where he places them. While he would never admit it, sometimes he had stretched his qualifications because he believed that someone needed to learn the talents of another house. His gamble sometimes paid off while other times it didn't, to disastrous consequences.
Albus Dumbledore had always convinced himself he was a born Gryffindor, bold and true, but the hat knew otherwise. He had been but moments from not being placed there. His drive to succeed and certainty in his skills made him ripe for Slytherin House. But he asked, and the hat never disappointed a child who asked.
His brother was far easier, he expected the sister would have been as well. Gryffindor through and through, no matter what Aberforth told himself. When the call came he went without question, into the line of fire for a cause he thought might be dead.
Tom Riddle only wore the sorting hat for seconds before it declared him Slytherin. Those few moments were more than the hat ever wanted to see from his mind. It was the emptiest, darkest pit that the hat had ever seen. No love, no affection, only desire and a blinding ambition for it. He barely fit the mold for Slytherin; he barely fit the mold for human, but there was nowhere else he could venture.
His dear Newt Scamander was Hufflepuff, and one of the finest he'd seen. True and courageous like a Gryffindor, inquisitive and imaginative like a Ravenclaw, determined and adaptable like a Slytherin. All of those paled in comparison to his heart whose core was filled with loyalty and openness.
There were times the sorting hat wondered if he had been wrong placing Minerva McGonagall in Gryffindor House. She would have done well in Ravenclaw with her remarkable intellect and talent, but deep down he knew it was undeniable. Even as a child, she had a sparking fire fueling her and courage in spades. The model Gryffindor.
Rubeus Hagrid was half-giant but all Gryffindor. Sometimes hybrids were difficult to read and Rubeus had been no different. He was no Ravenclaw, despite his surprisingly inherent wisdom, and he did not have the disposition for Slytherin. Rubeus should have been an obvious Hufflepuff with his good-nature and compassion, but the hat could see beneath all of that. In his heart of hearts he was a Gryffindor.
The Black family had long been firm sponsors of Slytherin House. He did not question when Andromeda and Narcissa had been sent there, filled with charm and brilliant self-preservation skills. Bellatrix disturbed him to his core as much as Tom Riddle had. Her mind was not empty like his was, but chaotic. She had nearly been a hatstall, not because she was difficult to place but because he could barely sort through her mind. She was sent to Slytherin the moment he calmed his senses enough.
Lucius Malfoy, Roldophus Lestrange, and Walden MacNair joined them, and as years went on so did Gregory Goyle, Vincent Crabbe, and Marcus Flint. Not for the first time, the sorting hat found himself wondering about the character and image Slytherin had begun to adopt. The story that every dark witch or wizard ever had found their start there was abhorrently incorrect, but the hat understood where the rumor came from. Riddle had created a reputation for himself and had brought many of his old schoolmates along for the ride.
As many characters he cast into Slytherin, he cast into Gryffindor. Kingsley Shacklebolt, pure of heart and intention, was an easy choice. Frank Longbottom, a practicality and honesty only seen within the walls of Gryffindor Tower. Alice Fortescue, kind and stubborn like her son Neville, was undeniably a lioness. Molly Prewett, relentlessly loyal, was sorted beside Arthur Weasley who's curiosity almost earned him a spot in Ravenclaw. Fabian and Gideon Prewett, Molly's brothers, were filled with identical idealism and amusement. Marlene McKinnon, doomed to face a violent end, faced the world with compassion and heart. She intended to live life one day at the time.
Others, no less special and powerful, were sent to Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. Xenophilius Lovegood shocked Hogwarts when he ended up in Ravenclaw and then shocked it again when he more than proved his worth. Ted Tonks' genuine kindness and spirit earned him a position in Hufflepuff House. Emmeline Vance valued intelligence over tenacity so she went to Ravenclaw over Gryffindor. Benjy Fenwick had courage in spades but his rare sense of openness placed him squarely in Hufflepuff.
The year of 1971 was a momentous one, because it was the year the sorting hat took more risks than ever before.
Sirius Black came first. He was cunning in the same manner that his cousins, parents, and ancestors had been. He was self-reliant and prideful, supposedly the perfect recipe for Slytherin. But Sirius Black has something different about him. Buried beneath the surface was a fiery, explosive defiance that the sorting hat had only seen once before, within the mind of his original owner, Godric Gryffindor. As much as he had valued courage and conviction, Godric was passionate. Oh yes, Sirius Black was ambitious and willing to do anything to achieve his goal. He was also intelligent and loyal. But Sirius was a true lion. He was still sorted into Gryffindor and not just because of his natural traits. He needed someone to cultivate that daring, that nerve beneath the surface. He would need the Gryffindor House to quell his ruthlessness and nurture his principles.
Lily Evans was next. She was a different kind of difficult. Much like with her son twenty years later, the sorting hat knew she would do well in any house.
Slytherin, she whispered.
Why? The hat responded.
Because that's where my friend wants to go. She answered.
So you would follow him blindly? He asked. Maybe she was not as fit for Gryffindor as he had expected.
No, but he needs me.
She was honest and loyal. Perhaps Hufflepuff? But her intelligence...Ravenclaw would be a nice fit. She was trying to protect her friend.
Aren't you going to answer me? Send me to Slytherin.
A bold one, a loyal one, a stubborn one. Was there cunning within her? Certainly, but he could not deny his every instinct. She had the heart of a lion with fire flowing through her veins, just Minerva.
For the first time in his tenure, he did not listen to the child's request.
Trust me, child. He told her. You will be where you are meant to be.
She thought for a moment. Alright, Mr. Hat. I'm sure wherever you send me will be right.
He called out Gryffindor with conviction. Lily hopped down. She was the first child to glance back at him and wave.
Remus Lupin came after her. He had expected to find a Hufflepuff by his demeanor or a Ravenclaw by the way he glanced around the hall with curiosity. Instead he found an undeniable Gryffindor. Undoubtedly a lion's loyalty, fierce and protective. The drive to fight for his principles, rather than himself. Curiosity but more cleverness and ingenuity. A Gryffindor to the core of his very being. He would do well. Perhaps he would be a guide for young Sirius, a reserved foil to his passion.
Then came Peter. Oh, Peter Pettigrew. The boy who didn't seem to fit anywhere. The hat made a gamble on him and it did not succeed. He was not naturally brave but certainly had the potential to be. His cowardice could compromise his loyalty. He was not particularly wise or academically gifted. The only thing he seemed to have an abundance of was self-preservation. But the hat feared for him if he was to be placed in Slytherin. His heart was good, if not filled with courage or conviction. This was one of the few times the sorting hat found himself considering the reputation of the house within his decision. The boy could was already teetering on the edge, one strong push could doom him. Peter Pettigrew would be sorted into Gryffindor in an effort to save him. It would fail.
James Potter was a hilarious kind of easy. Potters had always been Gryffindor and this one was no different. He could be self-serving and he was remarkably bright, but his motives were more often than not Gryffindorian in nature. At times he embodied everything that could be wrong with a Gryffindor. James was stubborn, reckless, dangerously idealistic, dense, and blunt, but he was also passionate and brave. He was a Gryffindor, through and through.
Finally it was Severus Snape. Over the years, the sorting hat wondered what would have happened if he sent Severus Snape somewhere else. His attempt to save Pettigrew had failed, but would the same effort have protected Severus from destruction? But he knew it was no use. If Minerva McGonagall was the model Gryffindor, Severus Snape the was the model Slytherin. He was ambitious, cunning, clever, prepared, and resourceful. Everything he had ever done, the sacrifices, the betrayals, the triumphs, had been in service of himself. He could pretend that he had grown to believe in Dumbledore's missions but he would be lying. This remarkable self-preservation and ambition is not necessarily a bad thing, in some people. Andromeda Tonks became furiously protective of those she loved. Draco Malfoy ended up using his innate ambition for good in later years. Regulus Black saw the error of ways; nothing could stop him until he achieved his goal. It's only that Severus Snape never tried to turn his motivation to something bigger than himself.
No, the sorting hat did not make a mistake when he sent Severus Snape to Slytherin House. Even the boy's own consciousness had been conflicted. Like Lily had, he begged to stay with his friend but it was much less passionate. He seemed almost angry at her instead of willing to compromise his own wishes for her.
The next years were not nearly as tumultuous as that time had been. Except, of course, for Regulus Black. The hat deliberated for days and years after about whether he had made the right choice. The younger Black sibling did not have the fire of his brother; he had an honest heart and an indisputable potential for greatness. He sorted Regulus into Slytherin but almost asked Dumbledore to switch him after the fact. Regulus' path was unclear but the hat could tell he had firm morals that would eventually sway his decisions. It was not a matter of pride or courage, but of morality and loyalty. He considered Hufflepuff far more than one would expect. The boy was uncertain and could use a push in the right direction. But the hat spoke too soon. The surface of his mind was the Black family and his goodness was buried deeper than Sirius' had been. So the boy stayed in Slytherin because "the hat is never wrong."
Nymphadora Tonks went to Hufflepuff just like her father. She was not lacking in courage or intelligence, but her profound patience and sense of justice out weighed anything else. Cedric Diggory followed her with eager dependability. Oliver Wood's somewhat insane passion for Quidditch was tempered by his commitment to morality, earning him a spot in Gryffindor House. Cho Chang was more proactive than her counterparts but no less creative and level-headed.
One by one the seven Weasley children were all sorted into Gryffindor. The hat hated when people assumed one was automatically placed because of their family or blood status. It was not completely independent (he had sent a number of muggle-born Slytherins to Ravenclaw to protect them from unsavory housemates) but was by no means a deciding factor. Each child of Molly and Arthor made it into Gryffindor on their own merits.
Bill was bold and uncompromising. His determination could have made him a contender for Slytherin but his selflessness prohibited it.
Charlie was almost sent to Hufflepuff until the hat saw his will and the spirit fueling his clearly powerful loyalty.
Percy would have made a fine Ravenclaw and a successful Slytherin. He was the Weasley that the hat questioned the most, but Percy asked. His inquisitive voice first tried to understand the mechanics of the hat and then requested Gryffindor so that he could be with his brothers. Given his boldness for requesting it, the hat complied without further question.
The twins went together even to the sorting hat and made a big show of trying to fit it over both their heads at once. Once Minerva broke them up it was easier to see the differences. Fred's defiance was his strength; George's quiet determination was his. They were both Gryffindors but different people.
September of 1991 brought surprises, including the final Weasley brother, Ron. Ron was different than his siblings. Not outwardly brave at first, his true worth lies below the surface. He was loyal to fault but impulsive and reckless. Amongst the accolades of Gryffindor laid it dangers. Ron could be cocky, dense, and stubborn but oh was he a Gryffindor! In another life he would have been a wonderful Hufflepuff, his compassion and loyalty was certainly strong enough. Even his wits would earn him a spot in Ravenclaw. A boy that gifted at chess deserves a spot amongst the brightest of the school. Ron Weasley was actually one of the hat's favorite students ever to sort, because while he could fit the molds of multiple houses, he was so beautifully Gryffindor. His morals ruled his actions, not his own interests, his loved one's desires, or what was the logical choice.
Minerva McGonagall was Godric's love of bluntness and action. Sirius Black was Godric's fiery passion. Ron Weasley was Godric's morals, what he believed was the model of a good friend.
Alongside him came Hermione Granger. She was fearless but had a merciless streak. Her outward confidence and surdity masked insecurity. The hat deliberated for a few moments, longer than he did for Ron. Her intelligence and curiosity almost sent her directly to Ravenclaw but she didn't have the reverence for knowledge they had. Hermione most certainly had an unquenchable thirst for information but she only wanted it so she could use it. A true Ravenclaw desires knowledge for knowledge's sake. Hermione Granger did not. She wanted action. She wanted change. She wanted to be great. Her ambition could place her in Slytherin; her compassion could place her in Hufflepuff; the hat decided on Gryffindor. Above all else, Hermione Granger was an idealist and a fighter. She intended to be bold and brave no matter how difficult. Her ambition, her ruthlessness, her cleverness could be her undoing, but, like with Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew, the hat chose to place her where her better senses could prevail.
The story of Harry Potter's sorting is well known. It was a near hatstall as he went back and forth between Slytherin and Gryffindor. Later in his tenure, the hat wondered if he had been sensing the piece Tom Riddle's soul beating within Harry when he advocated Slytherin. Harry had certainly been determined and clever throughout his difficult journey, but he had never overtly shown Slytherin characteristics. Though this may just confirm the sorting hat's theory, the house makes the wizard more than he had ever thought before. Harry was extremely talented and good-hearted, embodying many of the traits his original owner had intended his students value. But what made him a true Gryffindor was what was in his deepest heart. There he was courageous, willing to give up anything for what he believed to be right. Even if the boy hadn't asked he would have placed him in Gryffindor.
The hat considered Draco Malfoy's sorting to be one of his greatest failures. In his arrogance of recognizing Draco's heritage and natural ambition, he immediately placed him in Slytherin. The hat had barely touched his head when he declared it. Was he what doomed the boy to his fate? He had the qualities of a Slytherin, yes, but he also had the natural brilliance of a Ravenclaw and had the potential to have the defiance of a Gryffindor if cultivated enough. Had he thrown the boy to the dogs just like he had Severus Snape? Far worse, he suspected. Draco had been filled with doubt from the beginning, only indoctrinated into those beliefs because of his familial ties. Severus had not truly believed Tom's doctrine but had only changed sides when it suited him, even with Dumbledore and the Order's influence. Draco had none of that. If he had been placed in Ravenclaw perhaps he would have been saved.
Hannah Abbott, loyal and honest to a fault, went to Hufflepuff. Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnegan, already best friends and both filled with boldness and confidence, went to Gryffindor. Terry Boot, eloquently intelligent and creative, went to Ravenclaw. Daphne Greengrass and Blaise Zabini, with cunning and ambition but still lacking cruel hearts, went to Slytherin. He spent time on Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown but determined their passion and nerve to outweigh anything else. Padma Patil had never understood why her sister didn't love school as much as she did. She was heartbroken when she was sorted into a Ravenclaw without Parvati but quickly realized it was where she belonged. Ernie MacMillian and Susan Bones were natural Hufflepuffs with their genuine dedication and patience.
Then came Neville Longbottom. He argued, oh, how he argued. Neville wanted Hufflepuff, but the longer he argued the more the hat knew he belonged in Gryffindor. Nearly every student who'd asked for anything had ended up in Gryffindor, except a few extremely well-spoken Ravenclaws. Neville Longbottom was the best of both his parents, even if he couldn't see that at the time. He was stubborn, his argument proved that, but honest, showing it as he openly expressed his fears. Neville Longbottom, the almost-boy-who-lived, was Gryffindor to the core. Where he lacked in confidence and nerve, he more than made up for it with the spirit of his soul. After all, "Courage is not the absense of fear, but rather the judgement that something is more important than fear."
There were many more after the September of 1991, but no class was so difficult or so questionable.
The final Weasley child, the first girl in seven generations, was possibly the easiest choice of all of her siblings. Ginny Weasley easily found her way into Gryffindor, her nerve and courage greater than the hat had seen in centuries. Even with her mind addled by a poisonous diary, a fact the sorting hat would blame himself for not noticing, she was born to be Gryffindor. He hoped she knew she was meant to be there, possibly even more than her brothers.
Colin Creevey was an unexpected Gryffindor, but he proved himself many times. He was fearless in walking the castle to find the creature petrifying students in his first year. He joined Dumbledore's Army without a second thought. He refused to leave when the rest of the school was evacuated, even if he paid for it with his life.
Luna Lovegood was mocked just like her father had been when she was sorted into Ravenclaw, but both she and the hat knew the truth. Ravenclaw isn't for bookworms or geniuses, otherwise Hermione Granger would have been destined for it; it is meant for those who understand the value of knowledge. Luna Lovegood's mind was one of the most beautiful he had ever seen. Wisdom and imagination beyond her years, with an almost mystical belief in herself. The hat loved her.
But the hat loved each of his students.
He remembered each of his students by name. He remembered their house. He remembered their friends. He remembered their enemies. He remembered why he had chosen their house in the first place. He remembered when he had been either proven right or so wrong.
He was not blind to the world. He understood what a Hogwarts House had begun to mean. When the end of the Second Wizarding War came he decided things needed to change. He started taking more time with each student, so that no one would ever be forsaken like Draco Malfoy had been. He would always consider every house first. He would choose based on more than just their first impression, just as he had with Sirius Black.
When Teddy Lupin had the sorting hat placed on his head, the choice had ended up being between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff. So much of him was like his father, but what came from his mother seemed to be more important to him.
Victoire Weasley became the first Weasley in centuries to not be in Gryffindor when she was placed in Ravenclaw. Her sister, Dominique defied tradition further when she landed in Slytherin with a determined explosion. Fred Weasley followed his namesake and uncle's footsteps and went to Gryffindor while his sister Roxanne began a notable career in Hufflepuff
James Sirius Potter was as easy as his grandfather had been, both of them actually. He was squarely Gryffindor, but his brother, Albus, took after their father in difficulty.
What will it be then, young Mr. Potter? Gryffindor like your parents? He asked the boy.
Albus considered for a moment, so like his grandmother. My dad said you listen to suggestions. Is that true?
Only if one is bold enough to give one. He answered coyly.
Most of my family has been in Gryffindor, except some of my cousins. I suppose it would be nice to keep with family tradition, he analyzed, but I'm not convinced I want to be just like them. Besides, it would be nice to get away from James for a change. What do you think, Mr. Hat?
Oh, Mr. Hat, just like his grandmother. He knew where this one belonged.
I'd say...RAVENCLAW!
Rose Weasley was as brilliant a Gryffindor as her parents had been, the hat knew. She was filled with parent's flaws, but, just like them, she made up for it with true boldness and courage. Her motivation was pure. She wanted to do something wonderful for the world, she just hadn't figured out how; she was unafraid of what was to come. When her best friend in the world was sorted into a different house she raged for hours and tried to break into Ravenclaw common room and someone had to come kick her out, Oh, she was just like her parents.
Scorpius Malfoy hadn't been nearly as agreeable, but the hat was determined to not fail him as he had failed his father. He did not belong in Slytherin, that was for sure. He was resourceful and clever, but not ambitious or cunning. He intended to make his way in the world honestly. Scorpius was certainly intelligent and had specks of bravery floating through hims. If forced into the situation, the hat knew Scorpius would make the right choice. After listening to him for a long time, the sorting hat knew his answer. Scorpius Malfoy would be one of the first of his family to be placed in Hufflepuff, for the just and fair.
A year later, Louis Weasley joined him in Hufflepuff and then Lily Luna Potter the next. She was so much the embodiment of Hufflepuff, that the hat wondered if she was somehow Helga reincarnated. Hugo Weasley was sorted into Ravenclaw along with his cousin, Molly. Lucy joined Dominique in Slytherin.
The Weasley family, historically one of his favorites, was spread across Hogwarts and he could not be happier. They were living proof that a house wasn't good or bad, they just were.
The sorting hat is one of the oldest functioning artifacts in the British Wizarding World. The fact that he was still in service was astounding to experts.
Hundreds of years ago when he was created by the four founders they each imbued him with a part of their magic so that he would never run out. A part of each of them lived on within him, the parts worth remembering. But no one would believe him when he said Salazar didn't have any hatred towards muggle-borns but only wondered if they should get specialized support because they hadn't grown up in the magical world. They didn't believe him when he said Salazar and Godric had actually been good friends and their rivalry had all been in good fun. When he claimed Salazar had been in love with Helga and they dreamed of settling down together before she got sick and passed. When he explained that Rowena had wanted her students to be creative rather than just have the ability to memorize facts. When he said Godric wanted those who fought for a purpose rather than just for the sake of fighting. When he recalled Salazar wanted those willing to do what was necessary, not monsters with no morality. When he exclaimed at Helga was willing to take anyone because she believed those left behind would be the purest of heart. When he remembered that the founders split up the houses so students could learn the way they needed to learn and have the specific support they needed, not to create divisions and rivalries.
Their magic made him eternal. It made him have a mind of his own. Godric had granted him the power of delivering the Sword to a true heir of Hogwarts, not just of Gryffindor as the legend states.
Godric was a knight. Salazar was a politician. Rowena was a strategist. Helga was a humanitarian.
They needed each other.
One could not exist without the other.
NOTE: This is my intepretation. Some of it is canon and some of it is not. I tried to not be biased to my own house, Hufflepuff, so it might sound lamer than the others.