The sorting hat
The famous Hogwarts Sorting Hat gives an account of its own genesis in a series of songs sung at the beginning of each school year. Legend has it that the hat once belonged to one of the four founders, Godric Gryffindor, and that it was jointly enchanted by all four founders to ensure that students would be sorted into their eponymous houses, which would be selected according to each founder's particular preferences in students.
The Sorting Hat is one of the cleverest enchanted objects most witches and wizards will ever meet. It literally contains the intelligence of the four founders, can speak (through a rip near its brim) and is skilled at Legilimency, which enables it to look into the wearer's head and divine his or her capabilities or mood. It can even respond to the thoughts of the wearer.
The Sorting Hat is notorious for refusing to admit it has made a mistake in its sorting of a student. On those occasions when Slytherins behave altruistically or selflessly, when Ravenclaws flunk all their exams, when Hufflepuffs prove lazy yet academically gifted and when Gryffindors exhibit cowardice, the Hat steadfastly backs its original decision. On balance, however, the Hat has made remarkably few errors of judgement over the many centuries it has been at work.
"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,
But don't judge on what you see,
I'll eat myself if you can find
A smarter hat than me.
You can keep your bowlers black,
Your top hats sleek and tall,
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
And I can cap them all.
There's nothing hidden in your head
The sorting Hat can't see,
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be.
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart;
You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuff are true
And unafraid of toil;
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
If you've a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind;
Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folk use any means
To achieve their ends.
So put me on! Don't be afraid!
And don't get in a flap!
You're in safe hands(though I have none)
For I'm a Thinking Cap!"
One thousand years ago this story starts
There were four sorcerers with strong and kind hearts
Bold Gryffindor from wild moor
Fair Ravenclaw from glen
Sweet Hufflepuff from valley broad
Shrewd Slytherin from fen
They had a dream to teach all that they knew
Witches and wizards came far and it grew
‘Til a castle stood tall by the shores of a lake
And a thousand years later the magic remains
(Chorus)
Old Hogwarts Sorting Hat sing me a song
Speak in my head tell me where I belong
And when things look bad and there’s no where to run
Unite all the houses and we’ll fight as one
Brave Godric Gryffindor favoured the strong
Those who had courage and knew right from wrong
And Rowena Ravenclaw taught only the best
So kind Helga Hufflepuff would teach all the rest
But Salazar Slytherin had is own plans
He thought the Muggle-borns didn’t understand
The subtleties of magic and so he devised
The Chamber of Secrets with a monster inside
(Chorus x2)
Unite all the houses and we’ll fight as one.