c υ r r e n т l y ╔═══════════════════════════════╗ ♥ grαчsσn pσwєll ♥ LookingLovelyin her Classroom with her Fifth Years xxxғeelιngxxx Calm xxxтнιnĸιngxxx ❝ This one's always interesting. ❞ ╚═══════════════════════════════╝
spaceAmata sat, perched as ever on her desk, and watched as her students came in and took their seats. She waited a moment for them to get situated and to take out their things before beginning the lecture."Afternoon, class. Today we'll be talking about a very interesting artifact, the Sword of Godric Gryffindor. As always, the notes on this subject are on the board for you to copy. The sword is, of course, not a legend itself, since we know very well that it exists. But, its history is something of a mystery. Being 1,000 years old tends to do that to an artifact, after all. It's hard to know the true history of anything that old. Some versions say that Gryffindor won the sword in a bet, some say he stole it from Goblins. The most common, however, says that he commissioned the sword from goblin craftsmen. Now, the reason for the discrepancy could be that, in goblin culture, when something is made by them for a non-goblin, once that person dies, the object then reverts back to goblin ownership. Of course, the sword was enchanted by Gryffindor to be summoned through the Sorting Hat so that, should a true Gryffindor ever be in need of it, it was there for them. So, whether or not the sword was returned to the goblins by Gryffindor or not, it eventually ended up back in the hands of wizards. This is considered theft by the goblins."She paused a moment to give them time to take their notes before asking,"Any thoughts, questions?"She was curious as to what the students would have to say; the subject of the sword and the goblins ownership of it tended to make for an interesting discussion.
Sometimes I feel like I wannaleave this place for good... Under the ground, I'll livedown therewithout a sound! And neverhear these hissingvoicesall the same- I'll disappear, 'cause livingmakes me feel ashamed. I must believe there's more above us and below; I must believe, stranded with this b***h called hope! It keeps me here when all I wanna do is go; It keeps me here when all I wanna do is disappear.
E L E A Z A R D R A V E N B R A D L E Y Ravenclaw │ Fifth Year │ Halfblood │ Adopted
Eleazar had the general attitude that Gryffindors were not always the wisest when it came to making long term decisions. Surely Gryffindor should have known the goblins would consider his sword theirs after his death? Did he really expect a notoriously stubborn group of creatures to just let that go and give up? He should have planned better.
OOC:
Username
If this is it, all we have and ever will- If this is it, time is running out and standing still! I'll leave today, 'cause there's nothing left to keep me here... I'll fade away; I'll turn my back and disappear. The citymoves: lunges up right from the ground, The seethingEarth, it opens up and spits us out. This vicious child; nature never wanted us! This vicious child; a cancerburning black into its heart...
Homework:Describe characteristics which you believe would make a person worthy of finding the Sword of Gryffindor and a situation in which it might appear to them.
Attendance Records
Alice Lancaster Present: 1/4 Absent: 3/4
Eleazar Bradley Present: 2/4 Absent: 2/4
Rosabella Winthrop Present: 1/4 Absent: 0/4
Salem Abraxas Present: 1/4 Absent: 0/4
Posted: Sun Mar 01, 2015 10:45 pm
Lesson 3: The Goblet of Hufflepuff
Hufflepuff:
spaceProfessor Helga Hufflepuff was a witch of medieval times and was one of the four founders of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. While the other founders chose to have special students, Hufflepuff accepted them all, but the students of her house are described as loyal and hard-working. It is unknown when she died. Helga's portrait remains at Hogwarts.
The Goblet:
spaceThe Cup of Helga Hufflepuff was long regarded as a treasure of the wizarding world, being passed down from generation to generation through Hufflepuff’s family. It was said to be possessed of many magical attributes, although the exact nature of these is unknown. The best guess anyone can fathom is that, because Hufflepuff was well known for being adept at homemaking magic, particularly in regards to food, it might have, at some time, served some purpose in the Hogwarts kitchen. However, knowledge of the cup fell out of wizarding knowledge throughout the years, and the only person who might have been able to tell others its purpose was killed by Tom Riddle, also known as the Dark Lord Voldemort, in his quest to collect artifacts of the Hogwarts founders to make into Horcruxes. Hepzibah Smith, the last known descendent of Hufflepuff’s line, was shopping at the infamous Borgin and Burkes (what a descendent of Hufflepuff was doing in such a place is a question many have asked, but there seems to be no answer) when Riddle came in. She bragged to Riddle of her possession of the cup and the locket of Salazar Slytherin, both of which would become Horcruxes. Riddle attempted to purchase the cup from her, but when she would not relent, saying that she couldn’t bear to part with it, he killed her and took both artifacts.
Homework:Consider possible uses for Hufflepuff's cup and what magical properties it might have possessed.
(( OOC: )) If you are quoted, your student is registered for this lesson. If he or she does not attend at least one class, his/her house will be docked ten points at the end of the term. Exceptions can be made provided you contact Cara MiaKitty and are able to provide a reasonable excuse.
This lesson was updated late, so students will have until Thursday to post and be counted as arriving on time rather than the usual Wednesday cutoff.
c υ r r e n т l y ╔═══════════════════════════════╗ ♥ grαчsσn pσwєll ♥ LookingLovelyin her Classroom with her Fifth Years xxxғeelιngxxx Calm xxxтнιnĸιngxxx ❝ This one's always interesting. ❞ ╚═══════════════════════════════╝
spaceAmata sat, perched as ever on her desk, and watched as her students came in and took their seats. She waited a moment for them to get situated and to take out their things before beginning the lecture."Afternoon, class. Today we'll be talking about a very interesting artifact, the Cup of Helga Hufflepuff. As always, the notes on this subject are on the board for you to copy. The cup is, of course, not a legend itself, since we know very well that it exists. But, its history is something of a mystery. Being 1,000 years old tends to do that to an artifact, after all. It's hard to know the true history of anything that old. Unlike many similar artifacts, the lore on this object is scarce. It could be said that this is because, unlike some of the other founders, Hufflepuff was not prone to bragging, and her contributions to Hogwarts and history are of a quieter sort, more subtle and modest. There was nothing flashy about her; she was a hardworking woman, and valued such traits. That her most famous artifact is a mere cup is a testament to that. Now, it is perhaps because of this that no one really knows what the original purpose of the cup was. There are many theories, but none concrete. Knowing what you do about Hufflepuff and using the notes on the board, would anyone care to offer up a theory?"She paused a moment to give them time to take their notes before asking,"Any thoughts, questions?"She was curious as to what the students would have to say; this wasn't like most questions. It was very open-ended, and the answer could be anything, or nothing. She was curious to see how creative this bunch was.
spaceProfessor Rowena Ravenclaw (fl. c. 993 – 1000) was a Scottish witch, who lived in the early Middle Ages. Noted for her intelligence and creativity and regarded as one of the greatest witches of the age, Ravenclaw was one of the four founders of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry along with Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff and Salazar Slytherin, as well as the namesake of the Ravenclaw House. Ravenclaw was "beautiful yet slightly intimidating."
The Diadem:
spaceThe famous Diadem of Rowena Ravenclaw was said to be a magical artifact that Ravenclaw had imbibed with the power to increase the wearer’s cleverness. Ravenclaw’s daughter Helena, now better known as ‘The Gray Lady’ and ghost of Ravenclaw house, was jealous of her mother’s wisdom, and stole the diadem from her mother and hid away in Albania. Shortly after, Ravenclaw fell ill, and sent a man who had once been in love with her daughter to find her and make her return. Helena refused and so angered him that he stabbed her to death, and, filled with regret over his actions, killed himself. He would become The Bloody Baron, ghost of Slytherin. However, before the Baron found her, she had hidden the diadem in a hollow tree, and even as a ghost did not reveal its location for centuries. The diadem received a new nickname for her trouble, becoming known as The Lost Diadem. However, many years later, Tom Riddle would convince Helena to admit the Diadem’s location. He travelled to Albania and found the Diadem. He killed an Albanian peasant and used this death to convert the Diadem into a Horcrux before returning to Hogwarts under the guise of applying for the position of professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts. He hid it away in The Room of Hidden Things, one of the many incarnations of the Room of Requirement. Pressed for time and thinking no student would be clever enough to discover the room, he failed to ensure any further magical safeguards. The Diadem would remain lost for many years to come, until Harry Potter was able to discern its location. Like Hufflepuff’s cup and Slytherin’s locket, the diadem was destroyed in the battle to defeat Voldemort once and for all.
Homework:Explain whether or not you believe that there is any merit to the belief that wearing Ravenclaw's diadem might increase a person's cleverness or intelligence.
(( OOC: )) If you are quoted, your student is registered for this lesson. If he or she does not attend at least one class, his/her house will be docked ten points at the end of the term. Exceptions can be made provided you contact Cara MiaKitty and are able to provide a reasonable excuse.
murruelecreuset
Alice Lancaster
The Forgotten Weasley
Eleazar Bradley
kiska166
Rosabella Winthrop
Clockwork Muse
Salem Abraxas
Posted: Mon Mar 09, 2015 12:49 am
c υ r r e n т l y ╔═══════════════════════════════╗ ♥ grαчsσn pσwєll ♥ LookingLovelyin her Classroom with her Fifth Years xxxғeelιngxxx Calm xxxтнιnĸιngxxx ❝ This one's always interesting. ❞ ╚═══════════════════════════════╝
thє rαín ís f α l l í n ' σn mч wíndσwpαnєsდ დ დxxxxxxxxxxxx вut wє αrє h í d í n g ín α s α f є r p l α c єდ დ დxxxxxxxxx undєr cσvєrs stαчíng d r ч αnd w α r mდ დ დxxxxxx чσu gívє mє f є є l í n g s thαt í α d σ r єდ დ დxxx ═════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
spaceAmata sat, perched as ever on her desk, and watched as her students came in and took their seats. She waited a moment for them to get situated and to take out their things before beginning the lecture."Afternoon, class. Today we'll be talking about a very interesting artifact, the Diadem of Rowena Ravenclaw. As always, the notes on this subject are on the board for you to copy. I'm sure you've all heard of the fabled Diadem, a jeweled circlet that was said to increase the cleverness of the wearer. Its story is perhaps the best preserved of all those relating to the artifacts the founders left behind, primarily because two of the most important figures in it, Rowena's daughter Helena and her lover, are still around to tell the tale, as ghosts of Hogwarts Castle. However, I should warn you all, The Grey Lady typically does not care to share her tale with strangers, and the Bloody Baron even less so. Still, enough has been told that we know the facts outlined in today's notes, that Helena stole her mother's diadem and hid it away, only to reveal the location many years later to the man who would become Voldemort. It was then destroyed in the battle to defeat him."She paused a moment to give them time to take their notes before asking,"Any thoughts, questions?"She was curious as to what the students would have to say; this wasn't like most questions. It was very open-ended, and the answer could be anything, or nothing. She was curious to see how creative this bunch was.
╚═════════════════════════════════════════════════ xxxდ დ დít stαrts ín mч t σ є s, mαkєs mє c r í n k l є mч n σ s є xxxxxxდ დ დw h є r є v є r ít gσєs, í α l w α ч s knσw xxxxxxxxxდ დ დthαt чσu mαkє mє s m í l є, plєαsє s t α ч fσr α w h í l є xxxxxxxxxxxxდ დ დjust t α k є чσur t í m є , w h є r є v є r чσu gσ
xxxxxWhen Hogwarts founders Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin first formed Hogwarts, they personally selected the students who would go to each of their houses. After a certain point, they realized that they weren’t going to live forever, and that they needed to find a way to sort the students once they were gone. According to legend, Godric Gryffindor, struck by a moment of genius, removed the wizard’s hat from his head and he and the other four founders ‘put some brains in its head,’ which has long been believed to be a reference to enchanting it to both become sentient and gifting it with the ability of read minds. As few wizards have ever worn the hat more than once, its selection process has remained shrouded in mystery, despite the fact that every wizard or witch to attend Hogwarts was sorted by it, and thus subjected to that process. According to every source, it is supposed to place students as the founders would have, that is, by placing brave students in Gryffindor, kind students in Hufflepuff, smart students in Ravenclaw and ambitious students in Slytherin. However, evidence suggests that there is more to the process than this. Examples include the sorting of Hermione Granger and Neville Longbottom. Both students were sorted into Gryffindor, despite little evidence that either of them possessed the traits that would have led Gryffindor to covet either of them at the time. Granger, well known for being the smartest witch in her year, was quiet and bookish, almost certainly better suited for Ravenclaw. Longbottom was shy and clumsy, and most likely would have been chosen by Hufflepuff, and indeed is believed to have requested the hat place him there. In both cases, later in life they would come to exemplify those qualities which Gryffindor valued in his students. This would suggest that perhaps the Hat sorts students, not for the traits they possess, but those that they have potential for, which must be nurtured. It can be argued that perhaps, had Granger been sorted into Ravenclaw, she would have remained quiet and bookish, and never risen to her potential in the areas of bravery. Similarly, Longbottom, without the influence of the stigma of Gryffindor house, might have remained shy and unsure of himself. As both students played important roles in the defeat of the Dark Lord Voldemort, one reasons that perhaps the Hat was aware that the cultivation of these traits, they would have never lived up to their full potential, and leads one to question what might have happened in that fateful era without their presence in Gryffindor House. On the inverse, it seems that you need not possess those traits at all, as Peter Pettigrew was sorted into Gryffindor. In later years, he would show to be quite the coward, selling out friends James and Lily Potter to the Dark Lord Voldemort out of fear for his own life. Perhaps this is because the hat placed him for his own preference, as he is known to have admired Potter and his friends Sirius Black and Remus Lupin. It might also be surmised that the hat placed him in the hopes that his weakness would be overcome and he would grow out of his cowardice. Unfortunately, we know this was not the case. The hat’s assessment of Pettigrew seems to have been one of its rare misjudgments.
Homework:Recount your own sorting, and discuss what traits you believe contributed to your placement.
(( OOC: )) If you are quoted, your student is registered for this lesson. If he or she does not attend at least one class, his/her house will be docked ten points at the end of the term. Exceptions can be made provided you contact Cara MiaKitty and are able to provide a reasonable excuse.
mc2
Cathaline League
Diamond Wales
Elijah Pemberton
Jade Galakslyph
Eugene Windsor
kiska166
Rosabella Winthrop
Posted: Fri May 15, 2015 8:46 pm
c υ r r e n т l y ╔═══════════════════════════════╗ ♥ grαчsσn pσwєll ♥ LookingLovelyin her Classroom with her Fifth Years xxxғeelιngxxx Calm xxxтнιnĸιngxxx ❝ So nice to be back. ❞ ╚═══════════════════════════════╝
spaceAmata entered the classroom with a gentle smile, eager to start the new term. She assumed her typical stance, sitting on the edge of her desk, back straight, and looked over the classroom a moment before beginning."Hello, everyone, in case you've forgotten over the Summer, I'm Amata Harlowe, your Mythology professor. You can call me Professor Harlowe. Now, when you arrive in my class, the first thing you should do is copy down the day's notes from the board. I'll give you a few minutes to do that, and then we'll begin a discussion on the lesson's subject. I'd like you all to know that this lesson operates mostly on a discussion basis. That is, I will give the information that the lesson covers, and then I'll open the floor for discussion. Any student who contributes will earn house points, provided that their contribution is not offensive or rude or disruptive. Please respect your fellow students and their opinions, even if you don't agree with them."
spaceAmata paused, giving them a moment to let that sink in. Not that she expected problems from any of them, but one could never be too sure, after all. After a decent pause, she began a short lecture."You are all, of course, familiar with the Sorting Hat. You have all had it placed upon your head, heard its voice whisper in your ear, assessing your personality, your brains and heart, and had it proclaim which house shall be your home. However, in spite of almost every witch and wizard to live in the United Kingdom for the last thousand years having come into contact with the hat, it still remains a mystery. Its methods are complex, its thought processes unknown. Though it knows exactly how the mind of every person in this room works, or at least how they worked on their first night in this castle, there is not a person in this entire castle who can say that they truly understand how the hat works. It is a complete mystery. At times, its choices seem obvious. Harry Potter was, of course, a Gryffindor. But, Potter would tell many people in later years that the Hat had almost insisted on placing him in Slytherin. It was only Potter's preference that he go into, in his words, 'absolutely any other house,' that prevented this from taking place. Now, to my Slytherins, please don't take offense at this. Remember that, at the time, Slytherin's reputation was standing in the shadow of the Dark Lord Voldemort and the first Wizarding War. Anything young Harry Potter had heard of the house was from the lips of people who feared that its reputation might prove true. Other examples of seemingly obvious sortings abound. And yet, there are examples of sortings that leave historians scratching their heads and asking, why? Why was Dumbledore, one of the brightest wizards of our age, a Gryffindor, and not a Ravenclaw? Why was the cowardly and easily influenced Peter Pettigrew placed in the house known for bravery? There are many theories, and few answers. It remains a subject of mystery. Interestingly enough, few people have ever asked the Hat. Now, does anyone have any questions, wish to share the story of their own sorting perhaps?"Amata stopped there, feeling as though she'd been talking her student's ears off. She did hope that this lecture was at least as interesting as the first lesson for Mythology two; students did tend to find the Sorting hat interesting, after all, right? She certainly had.
Homework:Recount your own sorting, and discuss what traits you believe contributed to your placement.
Attendance Records
Cathaline League Present: 0/4 Absent: 4/4
Student Name Present: 0/4 Absent: 4/4
Student Name Present: 0/4 Absent: 4/4
Student Name Present: 0/4 Absent: 4/4
Posted: Fri May 22, 2015 5:19 pm
Lesson 2: The Sword of Gryffindor
Gryffindor
xxxxxProfessor Godric Gryffindor was a wizard of medieval times and one of the four founders of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He was good friends with Salazar Slytherin but opposed him when he later thought that they should not accept Muggle-born students at Hogwarts. It is unknown when he died. Gryffindor's birthplace became known as Godric's Hollow, in his honour. Godric Gryffindor's portrait still remains at Hogwarts.
The Sword:
xxxxxThe Sword of Gryffindor is a magical artifact. Originally crafted by goblin Ragnuk the First, the sword was sold to Godric Gryffindor, who presumably used it throughout his life in battles, in addition to his wand. Since Gryffindor’s death, there has been a lot of controversy surrounding the sword. Goblins hold that, once the original purchaser has died, ownership of any goblin made artifact reverts back to the goblins. However, the sword is regarded as a personal effect of Gryffindor, and has changed hands many times throughout the years. According to lore, the sword can, at any time of great need, be summoned by any who possesses the traits of a true Gryffindor, using the Sorting Hat as a portal, no matter its location. Examples of this occurring take place during Harry Potter’s lifetime, such as when he was able to summon the Sword to kill Slytherin’s Basilisk and when Neville Longbottom summoned it to kill Voldermort’s snake Nagini. The sword is said to only absorb that which makes its blade stronger, being incapable of rusting or staining. It is believed that, when Potter stabbed the Basilisk, it absorbed the snake’s venom, making it capable of destroying Horcruxes, hence why it was effective against the snake.
Homework:Describe characteristics which you believe would make a person worthy of finding the Sword of Gryffindor and a situation in which it might appear to them.
(( OOC: )) If you are quoted, your student is registered for this lesson. If he or she does not attend at least one class, his/her house will be docked ten points at the end of the term. Exceptions can be made provided you contact Cara MiaKitty and are able to provide a reasonable excuse.
c υ r r e n т l y ╔═══════════════════════════════╗ ♥ grαчsσn pσwєll ♥ LookingLovelyin her Classroom with her Fifth Years xxxғeelιngxxx Calm xxxтнιnĸιngxxx ❝ This one's always interesting. ❞ ╚═══════════════════════════════╝
spaceAmata sat, perched as ever on her desk, and watched as her students came in and took their seats. She waited a moment for them to get situated and to take out their things before beginning the lecture."Afternoon, class. Today we'll be talking about a very interesting artifact, the Sword of Godric Gryffindor. As always, the notes on this subject are on the board for you to copy. The sword is, of course, not a legend itself, since we know very well that it exists. But, its history is something of a mystery. Being 1,000 years old tends to do that to an artifact, after all. It's hard to know the true history of anything that old. Some versions say that Gryffindor won the sword in a bet, some say he stole it from Goblins. The most common, however, says that he commissioned the sword from goblin craftsmen. Now, the reason for the discrepancy could be that, in goblin culture, when something is made by them for a non-goblin, once that person dies, the object then reverts back to goblin ownership. Of course, the sword was enchanted by Gryffindor to be summoned through the Sorting Hat so that, should a true Gryffindor ever be in need of it, it was there for them. So, whether or not the sword was returned to the goblins by Gryffindor or not, it eventually ended up back in the hands of wizards. This is considered theft by the goblins."She paused a moment to give them time to take their notes before asking,"Any thoughts, questions?"She was curious as to what the students would have to say; the subject of the sword and the goblins ownership of it tended to make for an interesting discussion.
c υ r r e n т l y ╔═══════════════════════════════╗ ♥ grαчsσn pσwєll ♥ LookingLovelyin her Classroom with her Fifth Years xxxғeelιngxxx Calm xxxтнιnĸιngxxx ❝ So nice to be back. ❞ ╚═══════════════════════════════╝
spaceAmata entered the classroom with a gentle smile, eager to start the new term. She assumed her typical stance, sitting on the edge of her desk, back straight, and looked over the classroom a moment before beginning."Hello, everyone, in case you've forgotten over the Summer, I'm Amata Harlowe, your Mythology professor. You can call me Professor Harlowe. Now, when you arrive in my class, the first thing you should do is copy down the day's notes from the board. I'll give you a few minutes to do that, and then we'll begin a discussion on the lesson's subject. I'd like you all to know that this lesson operates mostly on a discussion basis. That is, I will give the information that the lesson covers, and then I'll open the floor for discussion. Any student who contributes will earn house points, provided that their contribution is not offensive or rude or disruptive. Please respect your fellow students and their opinions, even if you don't agree with them."
spaceAmata paused, giving them a moment to let that sink in. Not that she expected problems from any of them, but one could never be too sure, after all. After a decent pause, she began a short lecture."You are all, of course, familiar with the Sorting Hat. You have all had it placed upon your head, heard its voice whisper in your ear, assessing your personality, your brains and heart, and had it proclaim which house shall be your home. However, in spite of almost every witch and wizard to live in the United Kingdom for the last thousand years having come into contact with the hat, it still remains a mystery. Its methods are complex, its thought processes unknown. Though it knows exactly how the mind of every person in this room works, or at least how they worked on their first night in this castle, there is not a person in this entire castle who can say that they truly understand how the hat works. It is a complete mystery. At times, its choices seem obvious. Harry Potter was, of course, a Gryffindor. But, Potter would tell many people in later years that the Hat had almost insisted on placing him in Slytherin. It was only Potter's preference that he go into, in his words, 'absolutely any other house,' that prevented this from taking place. Now, to my Slytherins, please don't take offense at this. Remember that, at the time, Slytherin's reputation was standing in the shadow of the Dark Lord Voldemort and the first Wizarding War. Anything young Harry Potter had heard of the house was from the lips of people who feared that its reputation might prove true. Other examples of seemingly obvious sortings abound. And yet, there are examples of sortings that leave historians scratching their heads and asking, why? Why was Dumbledore, one of the brightest wizards of our age, a Gryffindor, and not a Ravenclaw? Why was the cowardly and easily influenced Peter Pettigrew placed in the house known for bravery? There are many theories, and few answers. It remains a subject of mystery. Interestingly enough, few people have ever asked the Hat. Now, does anyone have any questions, wish to share the story of their own sorting perhaps?"Amata stopped there, feeling as though she'd been talking her student's ears off. She did hope that this lecture was at least as interesting as the first lesson for Mythology two; students did tend to find the Sorting hat interesting, after all, right? She certainly had.
xxxxxWhen Hogwarts founders Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin first formed Hogwarts, they personally selected the students who would go to each of their houses. After a certain point, they realized that they weren’t going to live forever, and that they needed to find a way to sort the students once they were gone. According to legend, Godric Gryffindor, struck by a moment of genius, removed the wizard’s hat from his head and he and the other four founders ‘put some brains in its head,’ which has long been believed to be a reference to enchanting it to both become sentient and gifting it with the ability of read minds. As few wizards have ever worn the hat more than once, its selection process has remained shrouded in mystery, despite the fact that every wizard or witch to attend Hogwarts was sorted by it, and thus subjected to that process. According to every source, it is supposed to place students as the founders would have, that is, by placing brave students in Gryffindor, kind students in Hufflepuff, smart students in Ravenclaw and ambitious students in Slytherin. However, evidence suggests that there is more to the process than this. Examples include the sorting of Hermione Granger and Neville Longbottom. Both students were sorted into Gryffindor, despite little evidence that either of them possessed the traits that would have led Gryffindor to covet either of them at the time. Granger, well known for being the smartest witch in her year, was quiet and bookish, almost certainly better suited for Ravenclaw. Longbottom was shy and clumsy, and most likely would have been chosen by Hufflepuff, and indeed is believed to have requested the hat place him there. In both cases, later in life they would come to exemplify those qualities which Gryffindor valued in his students. This would suggest that perhaps the Hat sorts students, not for the traits they possess, but those that they have potential for, which must be nurtured. It can be argued that perhaps, had Granger been sorted into Ravenclaw, she would have remained quiet and bookish, and never risen to her potential in the areas of bravery. Similarly, Longbottom, without the influence of the stigma of Gryffindor house, might have remained shy and unsure of himself. As both students played important roles in the defeat of the Dark Lord Voldemort, one reasons that perhaps the Hat was aware that the cultivation of these traits, they would have never lived up to their full potential, and leads one to question what might have happened in that fateful era without their presence in Gryffindor House. On the inverse, it seems that you need not possess those traits at all, as Peter Pettigrew was sorted into Gryffindor. In later years, he would show to be quite the coward, selling out friends James and Lily Potter to the Dark Lord Voldemort out of fear for his own life. Perhaps this is because the hat placed him for his own preference, as he is known to have admired Potter and his friends Sirius Black and Remus Lupin. It might also be surmised that the hat placed him in the hopes that his weakness would be overcome and he would grow out of his cowardice. Unfortunately, we know this was not the case. The hat’s assessment of Pettigrew seems to have been one of its rare misjudgments.
Homework:Recount your own sorting, and discuss what traits you believe contributed to your placement.
(( OOC: )) If you are quoted, your student is registered for this lesson. If he or she does not attend at least one class, his/her house will be docked ten points at the end of the term. Exceptions can be made provided you contact Cara MiaKitty and are able to provide a reasonable excuse.
