Sirius's sorting

[Aberforth]

When students are sorted the sorting hat looks into their minds and sees what characteristics they have and what potential they possess. THey are only 11 when this happens.

Is it possible that a persons character may change whilst at school?

Plus, the hat must have some percentage error. Even if it is 1%, that makes 10 people in the school incorrectly sorted.

Besides, talent and potential are nothing without making the right choices and working hard to achieve your potential. Wormtail did become an animagus, which suggests a certain amount of bravery and a little talent as it is difficult and illegal. Naturally, compared to James, Sirius and Lupin he is a little lacking, but they were the best in their year.

[darkcloak]

I entirely agree Aberforth and have said so in the 'Prefects duties' topic

IMO the sorting hat sees potential but it doesn't know what people will do with it.

The sorting hat may have put Percy into Gryffindor because he had the potential to be brave, but he has yet to make the choices in his life which will actually confirm this.

[Athena Appleton]

Plus, the hat must have some percentage error. Even if it is 1%, that makes 10 people in the school incorrectly sorted.

Because you like to pick on me for minor details (:grin:) I have to ask: why are you so sure there's about 1000 students at Hogwarts?

[Violet]

This comes from the following article saying that Sirius was in fact in Gryffindor!
http://www.the-leaky-cauldron.org/extra ... y2004.html


Sirius Riddle: What houses were Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, James Potter and Remus Lupin in? Everyone tells me they were all Gryffindor, but I won't believe it unless I hear it from Ms. Rowling herself!
JK Rowling says: This is JK herself saying that they were indeed in Gryffindor!

[Aberforth]

Plus, the hat must have some percentage error. Even if it is 1%, that makes 10 people in the school incorrectly sorted.

Because you like to pick on me for minor details (:grin:) I have to ask: why are you so sure there's about 1000 students at Hogwarts?

I think I have seen that figure somewhere and I started a thread with the number of pupils as one of the questions. Maybe I got carried away with myself.

I am hurt that you feel I pick on you for details * offers ice-cream sandwich*.

[Aberforth]

Violet - that is a great find. So many questions have sprung up in my mind now though. Argh

That webchat has cleared up s few things too though - if indeed it really was JKR.

[Athena Appleton]

*takes the ice cream sandwich* YUM!!!

I think we all bring some of our expectations of our own school lives into the books. I am pretty sure I read where you said you went to a school with around 1000 pupils, which would make 300 relatively small. I went to a small school, so 300 students is a big school in my eyes. I don't think an actual number, or even a guestimate, is mentioned in the books. The closest I've seen is "several hundred" mentioned occasionally. technically, 300 qualifies as "several" (1 is "a", two are "a few", three or more are "several")...

If there are the lower end of several hundred, around 300 to 350, a 1% error is only around 3 or 4 students...

[paintballdecoy]

Yes JKR said herself that they were in Gyffandor, plus Hermione say James Potter on the plaque for Quidditch Seeker.

Although the written evidence does point towards Sirius being in Slytherin

[Violet]

I think that the main reason we thought sirius to be in slytherin was because of hagrid'd comment in the firsrt book " there wasnt a wizard that went bad that wasn't in slytherin" and the fact that he has a really eveil family. but well just goes to show that the sorting hat can definately see through family traits

[Athena Appleton]

Yes JKR said herself that they were in Gyffandor, plus Hermione say James Potter on the plaque for Quidditch Seeker.

The thing about James being a seeker, based on the plaque, that's only in the movie (I think)... if I'm wrong, please let me know where you found that...