The Sorting

First year Hogwarts students are sorted into their houses immediately following their arrival at school.

• Do you think students are sorted too soon?
  
• How do Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville embody the character traits admired by Gryffindor?
  
• How do Draco Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle embody the character traits admired by Slytherin?
  
• Hufflepuff house is often looked down upon and made fun of by the fandom. What do you think are the strengths inherent to Hufflepuff house?
  
• Who best embodies the character traits admired by Ravenclaw?

All of the students seemed very concerned about the Sorting Ceremony and seemed to have little information about it.

• Why is the Sorting Ceremony such a closely guarded secret?
  
• Is it likely that the first years really didn’t have family members willing to tell them what the Sorting Ceremony entailed?
  

Neville’s family placed an extreme importance on whether or not he had magical ability. Although we know Neville’s parents were in the Order of the Phoenix, he had an uncle who was particularly hard on him and tried relentlessly to figure out whether or not he had magical ability.

• Neville’s Gran was so happy when Neville showed magical ability that she cried. What does this say about the Longbottom family’s opinion of non-magical people?