a House 'neath a soft yellow moon

During my lunch break earlier this week I decided it was time to go to Pottermore and get Sorted. I don't know why now; I've had my account since 2013 (I was not one of the people that got in early), but I was stalled at Philosopher's Stone Chapter 4 and couldn't make my way to Hogwarts so I gave up.

But they changed things so you no longer have to physically follow Harry on his journey toward Hogwarts. You can just go right in! I didn't know that until I decided to look into it on my lunch break.

Oh, I remember now. It's because I didn't expect Tom Felton to sit through the whole first half of the book when he got Sorted this week.

Poor kid...

Anyway. I got my wand (hawthorn and dragon heartstring, 14 1/4 in, surprisingly swishy -- just been reading up about it and apparently I'm troubled yet powerful and it's a good wand for the Dark Arts) and then I put on the Sorting Hat. Or took the Sorting Quiz. It's the same.

Gotta admit, it's not just that I couldn't get past the hut on the rock that I had never been Sorted. It's because I made a choice in 2005 to accept where I was Sorted in the Harry Potter fan community I was involved in, even though I was initially unhappy with it. And I accepted being a Hufflepuff so whole-heartedly that it's become a big part of my identity throughout lo these many years.
I've made great friends in Hufflepuff.

In retrospect, not sure ALL of these are Hufflepuff friends.

I have multiple Hufflepuff shirts.

Oh, 2007 me.

Oh, 2013 me. Wait, this is the same shirt. Guess I don't have any photos of my other Hufflepuff shirt, but rest assured it's really cool. Says "I'm a Keeper" on the front ant "Hufflepuff Quidditch Team" on the back.

I proudly proclaim that I am a Hufflepuff and I staunchly defend the House against its detractors.

This video, for example, makes me so mad:

Oooh, so mad at the stereotyping going on there. And do you really think that all we're good at is finding? I may find my wand pointed at you!

So I didn't make getting Sorted a priority because I was concerned that it wouldn't keep me in Hufflepuff. Being a Hufflepuff is who I am. It's important to me to be a good example of what Hufflepuff can be. When I remember to.

But I guess it was time, or I guess I was bored, because I let JKR's official test tell me where I truly belong.

And it turns out I'm in Ravenclaw.

And it turns out I'm not unhappy about it.

Not saying sometimes we Sort too soon, because before I accepted being a Hufflepuff I was pretty sure I was a Ravenclaw. But I've been happy to be a Hufflepuff and to exemplify the best (and, unfortunately, worst) of the House.

Now I have motivation to keep the loyalty and true friendship that I've learned in Hufflepuff as I rediscover passion for learning and hone my intelligence...or something. Go Ravenclaw.

So both Tom and I (his friends call him Tom) have had a surprise in our Sorts recently. I'm much happier about it than he is...though I am a little concerned that I have no Ravenclaw paraphernalia to support the #ProudestHouse contest going on at Pottermore right now. Maybe I'll have to work into my House Pride.