Phin wished sorting went by first name instead of last name. If he'd had his way, he wouldn't be one of the first under the Sorting Hat. He was nervous. And the worst part was, he didn't even know what outcome he wanted. He supposed the good news was he was pretty sure he could make friends no matter what house he ended up in, and that would probably be okay. Phin also wished it wasn't so obvious who his family was--he stared straight ahead as he walked on shaky legs to the stool at the front of the Great Hall, doing his best not to look around so he wouldn't see his father at the head table, or Sirius, or anyone else he knew, who didn't matter nearly as much but Phin was nervous enough to think it would be embarrassing if any of them knew, anyway.
He took a deep breath, then sat down and tried not to jump when the hat was placed on his head. Don't be a sissy.
"Describe yourself in three words."
That... that wasn't such a bad way to start. Phin thought he could do this if it was simple like this. "Umm... Curious. Thoughtful? And..." He bit his lip. "...Open-minded?" Was that one word or two? Was that cheating?
"Would you rather be able to change into an animal, change your appearance, or see the future?"
Phin had to really think about this one. They all had their merits, he thought. He'd like to be taller, and it'd be nice if his ears didn't stick out so much. He thought Seers probably had interesting lives, though he didn't personally know any--he was pretty sure?--but then it had to be a pain to know when something bad was coming that you didn't have the ability to stop. But if he could turn into an animal... That would probably be the best thing. Maybe he'd be able to fly, or run really fast, or swim underwater without having to worry about coming back up for air. "I think I'd want to change into an animal," he said.
"If you could invent a potion, what would it do?"
"Oh, that's easy." Phin felt a little more confident now. This wasn't so bad. At the very least, the Sorting Hat wasn't asking him any questions that made him feel stupid. "I'd invent a potion that would let me do all the cool things animals can do--run fast, fly, swim underwater--without having to actually turn into one." He didn't actually know if there were already potions that did that sort of thing. Probably? Well, he'd invent a better one.
"Imagine you see someone cheat in class. What do you do?"
"I'd probably confront them? I think?" Phin shifted uncomfortably. Cheating was wrong, he was sure of that, but he thought it might depend on the circumstance. He wasn't sure what circumstances would make it right, but that was why he would rather confront the person first before going to a professor. He wanted to understand why someone was doing what they were doing before he got them in trouble. That only seemed fair.
"Who is your enemy and how will you defeat them?"
Phin did not want to answer this. He wondered if he could just not answer, if the Sorting Hat would let him just pretend he hadn't heard the question and move on. Phin sat as still as possible, as if this would make the thoughts go away, but an image of his mother came unbidden to his mind anyway. He felt instantly guilty, and just said, "I... I don't know how I'd defeat anyone. I don't think I should."
He took a deep breath, then sat down and tried not to jump when the hat was placed on his head. Don't be a sissy.
"Describe yourself in three words."
That... that wasn't such a bad way to start. Phin thought he could do this if it was simple like this. "Umm... Curious. Thoughtful? And..." He bit his lip. "...Open-minded?" Was that one word or two? Was that cheating?
"Would you rather be able to change into an animal, change your appearance, or see the future?"
Phin had to really think about this one. They all had their merits, he thought. He'd like to be taller, and it'd be nice if his ears didn't stick out so much. He thought Seers probably had interesting lives, though he didn't personally know any--he was pretty sure?--but then it had to be a pain to know when something bad was coming that you didn't have the ability to stop. But if he could turn into an animal... That would probably be the best thing. Maybe he'd be able to fly, or run really fast, or swim underwater without having to worry about coming back up for air. "I think I'd want to change into an animal," he said.
"If you could invent a potion, what would it do?"
"Oh, that's easy." Phin felt a little more confident now. This wasn't so bad. At the very least, the Sorting Hat wasn't asking him any questions that made him feel stupid. "I'd invent a potion that would let me do all the cool things animals can do--run fast, fly, swim underwater--without having to actually turn into one." He didn't actually know if there were already potions that did that sort of thing. Probably? Well, he'd invent a better one.
"Imagine you see someone cheat in class. What do you do?"
"I'd probably confront them? I think?" Phin shifted uncomfortably. Cheating was wrong, he was sure of that, but he thought it might depend on the circumstance. He wasn't sure what circumstances would make it right, but that was why he would rather confront the person first before going to a professor. He wanted to understand why someone was doing what they were doing before he got them in trouble. That only seemed fair.
"Who is your enemy and how will you defeat them?"
Phin did not want to answer this. He wondered if he could just not answer, if the Sorting Hat would let him just pretend he hadn't heard the question and move on. Phin sat as still as possible, as if this would make the thoughts go away, but an image of his mother came unbidden to his mind anyway. He felt instantly guilty, and just said, "I... I don't know how I'd defeat anyone. I don't think I should."