The Story Of Delilah Snape

Chapter Ten

We filed into the hall as Professor McGonnagal instructed us. I looked up in wonder at the thousands of floating candles that hovered above the four long tables lined with students who eyed us up curiously, whispering to eachother. Another table lay at the end of the hall, this one lined with teachers, Dumbledore smiled fleetingly at me and Harry as we gazed around the room. As we reached the end of  the hall, a small four legged chair came into view. Atop the chair sat a ragged, dirty hat. I stared around the room and it seemed everyone was looking at the hat expectantly. Perhaps we have to pull a rabbit out of it, I mused. As I stared, the hat gave a twich. A tear near the brim of the hat opened wide like a mouth and the hat began to sing.

'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 smarted hat than me.

You can keep your bowlers black, 

And your tophats sleek and tall,

For I'm The Hogwarts Sorting Hat

and I can cap them all.

Theres nothing hidden in you head

The Sorting Hat cant see,

So try me on and I will tell you, 

Where you ought too be.

You might belong in Gryffindor,

were dwell the brave at heart,

There daring, nerve and chivalry 

Set Gryffindors apart;

You might belong in Hufflepuff,

Where they are just and loyal,

Those patient Hufflepuffs 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 thier kind;

Or perhaps in Slytherin

You'll make your real friends, 

These cunning folks use any means,

to acheive thier ends.

So put me on! Dont be afraid!

And dont get in a flap!

You're in safe hands (though I have none)

For I'm a thinking cap!'

The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finnished it's song. The hat bowed to each of the four tables and then was still.

"So we just have to try the hat on?!" Ron whispered to Harry, "I'll kill Fred he was on about wrestling a troll!" 

I laughed under my breath as Ron threw a glare over his shoulder at a grinning Fred. Proffesor McGonagall stepped to the side of the hat, holding a roll of parchment.

"When I call your name, step forward and sit on the stool and put on the hat to be sorted." she said, "Abbot, Hannah!"

A pink faced girl with pigtails stumbled out of the line, put on the hat, which fell over her eyes, and sat down. A moments pause-

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.

She flew off to the table clapping the most animatedly.

"Bones, Susan!"