Quick Quill Quotes - Week #1 is Now Closed.

[darkravenwrote.livejournal.com]

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It's Wednesday!


Some of us are feeling tired and run-down. Some of us can't wait for the weekend to finally come. And some of us have already thrown our plot bunnies into the ether.

But never fear, Quick Quill Quotes is here!

Take up your Biros and Ballpoints! Brandish your sharpener and retrieve that dreaded red marker from its dusty corner! Flex those fingers!


The current week's theme is: The Sorting Hat

This can be anything related to The Sorting Hat. Has the school term just begun? Have you agonised over some rhyming couplets? Is there a feast in full swing? What about the houses, are they brimming with new potential or being turned into soap operas by old faces?

We’ll love to read anything you give us!

So give us a snippet of a current piece you're working on, don't be shy! Whether there's only one word related to the theme or it's a devoted sonnet, we want to hear about it.

Don’t have anything related to this weeks theme? No problem. A new drabble within the word limit is an excellent contribution as well! Only got 50 words? So what? Every word counts!

Entering and Rules

The snippet or drabble must be 400 words or under. It should be a new drabble OR from a current work. It should also, however loosely, be related to this weeks theme.

To participate, simply leave your contribution as a comment below.

Posting will close Tuesday 10th September at 00.00 GMT

Don't be afraid to cheer on your fellow writers!

Good Luck!

Note: For those of you rushing to complete your school assignments, this post is currently part of the ‘Welcome To Hogwarts’ fest.

Comments

[xonceinadream]

Draco stands in the Headmistress' office, wondering what in the world that he's doing in here. He isn't in trouble he was told before McGonagall had been called away for some important business. Draco sighs, settling himself into the chair for a wait before his eye hits the Sorting Hat. The idea pops into his mind immediately and he can't stop himself from going over to it. Swallowing hard, Draco looks over at the door, his hand snatching out and grabbing the Sorting Hat to put it on his head before he can change his mind.

Draco Malfoy. To what do I owe the pleasure?

Draco bites his lip, tilting his head to the side. He's undecided, unsure of what to even respond but it seems that the Sorting Hat understands.

You're a proud Slytherin. That's nothing to be ashamed of. Just because you're a Slytherin doesn't mean that you are somebody who is meant to be bad. You can be a heroic Slytherin.

Letting his head fall, Draco reaches up to keep the hat on his head. It's been something that's been worrying him, the fact that he's still proud that he was sorted into Slytherin even after everything. He's going to make the house of Slytherin proud though!

Don't worry. You're not the only one who's ever been concerned and you won't be the last. Besides, the last person who asked me wasn't even a Slytherin.

Draco is just about to try to get more information, curious, when the door opens and he's back in his seat with the Sorting Hat on the stool as quick as a flash.
-
Just a quick drabble that I came up with for the theme. It gives me major inspiration though. It was supposed to have more Draco/Harry undertones but I wrote what I wrote.

[slashedsilver.livejournal.com]

Drabbles are good for sparking off longer fic ideas! :) Poor Draco. Was this set during sixth year?

[a-clairvoyante.livejournal.com]

This made me smile :)

[obliqueo.livejournal.com]

Sorting head, at your service. Glad Draco chose to consult with it.

[brinimc.livejournal.com]

Little chibi!Draco was so excited! Finally, the day had come. Today was the day he was going to make his father proud. Today he was going to be Sorted into Slytherin. Chibi!Draco always tried so hard to please his father. But it was never enough. Either his head wasn't big enough, his chin wasn't pointy enough or his giant!eyes didn't have quite the same menacing look his father could pull off so well.

Chibi!Draco would hard contain his excitement as he sat in the little three-legged stool. If he was a little less controlled he probably would have been bouncing around or swinging his legs. But heaven forbid his father hear! That kind of emotion was reserved for the Hufflepuffs. No really, their table plaque even said, "Reserved for Emotional Sissies." Of course that could be cause a few Slytherins had decided to make a joke...

Here is comes! Chibi!Draco couldn't keep the smile off his face as the Sorting Hat slowly came over his head. Before it could even settle however, the voice cried, "Slytherin!" Draco beamed as he rose from the stool.

Even though he knew his father wasn't there, chibi!Draco couldn't resist looking for a familiar face before heading to his seat. Instead his eyes settled on a pair of BIG GREEN EYES starring back at him. Chibi!Draco remembered him from the train. Whoever he was, he was probably going to end up in Gryffindor. Before joining the rest of his classmates, in what will be his family for the next seven year, chibi!Draco couldn't shrug a small feeling of disappointment that he didn't maybe try to make someone else other than his father happy.

Like himself.

[slashedsilver.livejournal.com]

Aww, you made me feel for chibi!Draco :'( *sniffles* I hope this is part of something longer you're writing, because -- chibi!Draco needs a hug! Or a Harry!

[slashedsilver.livejournal.com]

Draco was aghast. Too horrified even to take a bite of the pumpkin pie, which under normal circumstances, would have been his favourite. In this new and terrifying world, though, it just tasted like cardboard and stuck in his throat like sawdust.

The Sorting Hat, that betrayer, had sorted him into Gryffindor. Gryffindor! How was he ever going to live it down? How could he ever tell -- and no, that was a thought he didn't want to allow in his head. Draco shook it vigorously out of his head. For a Gryffindor, he noted mournfully, he was kind of cowardly.

[brinimc.livejournal.com]

Aww! It's okay, Draco! Neville was too and- oops, that probably doesn't help, does it? Hmm... I'll be over here... xD

[obliqueo.livejournal.com]

Hee! Sorting Hat know know the best. Now I wonder if Harry was in Slytherin.

Drabble: "It's a girl"

[livejournal.livejournal.com]

User drarryisgreen referenced to your post from Drabble: "It's a girl" (http://drarryisgreen.livejournal.com/61564.html) saying: [...] No copyright infringement is intended. Notes: Written for prompt #36 at and Quick Quill Quotes [...]

[a-clairvoyante.livejournal.com]

The young Godric adored playing by the banks of the great lake near the valley he lived in. Especially if it was summer.
He was a stubborn child and today he had jumped along all the hour long walk even though his mother had forbidden him to leave the house.
He was pretty sure his mother had somehow known of the thunderstorm that had met him on the last hill. He hadn't even gotten a single glimpse of the lake; the clouds were that heavy.
Now he sat shivering in a small and ruinous hut and was a bit anxious since he could see a shape making its slow ascent up the hill.
He was a brave boy, but hiding was ok every once in a while he thought and crawled under some foliage.
And not a second to soon! A stranger was seeking shelter under the porous roof. He wiped his coat, his attentive eyes browsing through the hut. He gave a small smile and sat down to eat a slice of bread he'd produced from his pocket.
"I know you're there, my boy. But you can stay were you are. I'll leave soon anyway.”
He took a last bite of his bread and took of his brown hat.
“You can have it, it'll keep your head warm and I have another one.”
The stranger smiled again, conjured a similar hat out of nowhere and left.
Godric counted to ten three times and took a deep breath.
Curious as he was he couldn't contain himself another minute. He had to try on the hat.
It was brown and old. The wrinkles looked like a face which amused the boy greatly, but the hat was way to big on his small head. As soon as he didn't hold it up anymore it slid over his eyes and he couldn't see a thing anymore.
A bit sad he decided to leave the hat behind. Maybe the stranger would be back again and his mother was certainly waiting for him already.
Little did he know the hat would be waiting for his return.

[slashedsilver.livejournal.com]

Oh, very interesting! I've never really wondered about where the Sorting Hat came from. Plus, nice anticipation created at the end!

[josephinestone.livejournal.com]

Oooh; I like it. I'm stumped on what to write about the hat.

[eidheann_writes]

"Better be--" The silence filling the room in the middle of the sorting had everyone watching the Hat with bated breath. The first year sitting underneath was shivering in his robes, and with the hat covering his entire head, looked like nothing so much as a scarecrow on a windy autumn day. The face in the hat scrunched, then frowned, then scrunched again. Professor McGonagall glanced at the Headmaster, sitting serenely at the head table, rolling a sherbet lemon in his mouth and twisting it in ways remarkably reminiscent of what the Hat was doing at this moment. He met her eye and twinkled at her.

She cleared her throat, hoping to prompt the Hat to continue it's sentence and complete the Sorting. Finally, with a loud cough, the hat yelled "Hufflepuff!"

The silence continued unbroken as the hat was slowly lifted off a platinum blond head before there was a thunk from the direction of the head table. Professor Sprout had fainted at the thought of having to house a Malfoy.

[ashindk.livejournal.com]

Aww! Hufflepuff Draco! I really want to know more about him!

[dracogotgame.livejournal.com]

Quickie for the QQQ :)

Hello there.

What the…who are you?

Surely, you’ve guessed. We both know you don’t lack intelligence, child.

The Hat.

Indeed.

You can read my mind.

An occupational hazard.

Are you…can you hear everything I think?

I understand your reticence. These are certainly things you’d prefer hidden. Fear not, young man. I will keep your secrets- as they are.

I don’t trust you.

Not many do. I am after all a sentient, mind reading hat.

What happens now?

Now, we try to find you a place.

There is no place for me.

There is always a place. Now, let’s have a look. Intelligence I see, and a hunger for knowledge. Almost Ravenclaw material except…

Except?

Except knowledge is not what you want, is it? What you desire is greatness, and knowledge is the path to power. That’s what you truly desire.

Is that wrong?

Morally questionable, perhaps. But not wrong, no.

Why shouldn’t I have my turn? All of them here got a fair deal, a good life. I survived mine.

And now they should survive you.

That’s not what I…

Lying is redundant. I can hear what you think, remember?

I tire of your babbling. Let’s move on.

Of course. This is fairly easy, actually. Your place is in Slytherin.

What’s that?

The House of ambition and power. You will find like minds there. Allies and if you should allow it, friends.

I don’t need friends.

No, I didn’t think you did.

That sounds right. Yes. Put me there.

You may also find your calling in the House of Knowledge. Perhaps Ravenclaw would be a better…

No. I want Slytherin.

Are you sure?

Can’t you tell?

I may only guide, the final choice must be yours. Very well then- in Slytherin, you shall be.

That’s good. That will work out just fine…

May you find what you seek. However, before we part I should tell you that we have something in common.

We do?

I don’t trust you either.

You don’t know me.

Oh, but I do.

I didn’t choose my life.

The anger and darkness you nurse in your heart is your choice, young friend. Make no mistake about that.

You have no right.

Do you?

This is tiresome. Do your job, hat. I have other things to attend to.

I’m sure you do, Tom Riddle. I’m sure you do.

[fantasyfiend09.livejournal.com]

Ooooh. Very interesting idea! I loved hearing this discussion. :D

[fantasyfiend09.livejournal.com]

Slytherin, Slytherin, Slytherin. That's what Father wants. I know it! Not Hufflepuff. Oh God, he might not let me come home for Christmas if I'm wearing yellow and black. Maybe Raven—No! Just focus on Slytherin and be sure to make Father proud.

Taking a deep breath, he walked up to the stool and placed the shabby hat on his head. He knew it was the same one that had put his Father in Slytherin years before. He waited as the brim flopped over his eyes, but there was no voice shouting out his House.

Hmmm... The voice was in his head as if it were his own thoughts. Stubborn, brave, determined... You'd do well in Gryffindor.

Slytherin! I need to be in Slytherin!

The voice chuckled in his mind. I'm afraid you are far too reckless for that House. No, Gryffindor is where you belong.

Wait! I'm not that reckless, I—

"Gryffindor!"

There was clapping and some murmuring as Scorpius lifted the hat off his head and set it onto the stool.

He was a Gryffindor. The Sorting Hat had put him in Gryffindor.

He looked over at the Gryffindor table and saw Victoire and Dominique moving apart to make room for him. At least he already had friends there.

But what will Father say? He took a deep breath and assured himself it would be all right. His father would love him no matter what.

Besides, his step-dad was a Gryffindor, and Father loved Harry almost as much as he loved Scorpius. He stood up straighter as he walked over to join his house mates.

Really, it was his Father's fault for marrying a Gryffindor in the first place. It was clearly Harry's influence that had placed him. Father had no to blame but himself if he didn't like the results of his son's Sorting.

[dracogotgame.livejournal.com]

Ahahaha! So cute. I loved Scorpius' personality. So paranoid and snarky and cute. I'm sure Father will be fine with his sorting. He does like his Gryffindors. I bet Harry will be overjoyed too :D

Too cute, lovely!

[darkravenwrote.livejournal.com]

Ok, so this is actually the opening to one of my drabbles, but as I'm writing them currently as one big piece, this totally counts :D Even if it is lowering the lovely happy register you guys have set up in here. But I knew i'd feel guilty if i didn't take part in my own bloody post so...here we go

Professor McGonagall is as charismatic as always when she takes up the mantle of the welcome back speech. Her voice is firm and no nonsense and sets a good tone for the year to follow. She is stern but forcefully softening herself. Harry has known her long enough by now to know it is all a defence mechanism, her coping procedure already settling into place for when she glances back at the gaps around the Great Hall that are far louder than the constant murmuring that rustles from the gaggle of bodies present.

For when the Sorting Hat yells Slytherin and the little First years cry pitifully, as thought they were being cursed and sent to the gallows, before trudging to the emptiest of the four house tables.

[slashedsilver.livejournal.com]

:( Poor baby Slytherins. *scoops them all up and hugs them*

You're absolutely right, though. This is definitely what's going to happen. It just makes me think it's about time that Hogwarts did something about that Sorting.

Thanks for writing it! Can't wait to see the rest of this big piece :)

[cyn-ful.livejournal.com]

Harry looked around nervously. He was not sure what to expect when the hat was dropped over his head. His last sight was of Severus looking at him.

"Mr. Potter, my my, a boy in disguise, yet you can't fool me. I assume that since you are on my stool you are no longer feel a part of Gryffindor? No, you still do. I see it all here. I feel your need to go to Slytherin, but is it what you truly want? Are you ready for greatness?"

All Harry could do was hope that the hat would hurry up. He knew that Severus was counting on him to be resorted, but he wasn't sure if the hat would do it.

"Alright then, let's give it a go... SLYTHERIN"

A hush fell over the tables as Harry got up and walked over to the Slytherin table. He put his head down so he couldn't see the disappointed faces of his friends.


Cyn/Slytherin

[dracogotgame.livejournal.com]

Riveting! Any more where this came from? :)

[witchyemerald.livejournal.com]

From my current fest fic

“Yes, you may have kneeled and held your arm out, Draco, but you didn’t accept it for his twisted cause. You did for the safety of your family. And I can not fault you in trying to protect your loved ones.”

“Careful Potter, you’re making me out to be a bleeding heart Gryffindor,”Draco said, lightly teasing trying to lift the mood.

“Merlin forbid, I would think that, with how fast the sorting hat placed you.

[meglw0228.livejournal.com]

"What are we going to do with the Sorting Hat this year?"

All the Heads of House and teachers turned to look at the old hat at the new Headmaster's words.

"I know Hogwarts used it previously to sort new students, but with the new structure of the houses it won't work in the current form."

Harry stood up from his seat and walked over to the shelf with the Sorting Hat. He had returned to Hogwarts three years previously to teach Quidditch, and with a new Headmaster this year, he had been hired as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. "Why don't we try adding some new spells to it, change the way it sorts. If we can get the spells right, we could eliminate the need for the new tests at the beginning of the school year."

The Headmaster frowned. "Well, if you think it can work, we can try it."

Harry grinned. "I'm sure with the help of all these bright minds we can do it! Besides, the Sorting Hat is as much a staple to Hogwarts as the House ghosts or the paintings or the moving stairs. To do away with any one of them, it just wouldn't feel like the Hogwarts we know and love."

[tryslora]

[I was going to write a drabble, but it ended up being over the 400 word limit, so here's a snippet from it instead...]

Dear Daddy and Papa,

I have arrived safely at Hogwarts, although the train ride was terrible and did you know that Miles Longbottom gets motion sick? Everyone knows now. And of course Mara cleaned it all up properly, and I made certain that no one could smell it. We shall be taking care of him all year, I’m certain.

We had our feast and the sorting hat. It’s quite tiring listening to everyone in the alphabet get sorted first, isn’t it? I counted, and there are 29 people in my year with a name that comes before Malfoy-Potter and only thirteen that come after.

The hat is quite long-winded, isn’t it? I hadn’t believed Daddy when he said it spoke to him, since Cecilia never said a thing about it, and you know that Aidan Flint would have talked about it constantly if it had had a conversation with him. But it did talk. At length. It had quite a lot to say about you, Daddy, and about you, Papa. It went through every single house and asked what I thought of them, and I thought my answers back to it, although I must admit, I was getting quite put out by the end. I could see people starting to fidget while I was getting sorted! I paid attention to every single one of them; how dare they not pay proper attention to me! So what if it took a long time.

I thought it was going to throw up its hands and stick me in Hufflepuff because it kept changing its mind. Not that that would be a terrible thing. Both Mara and Miles are in Hufflepuff, and I would love to be with them. It considered Ravenclaw, and June was already placed in Ravenclaw, so that would have been fine. When it started nattering on about each one for the second time, though, I am afraid I lost my temper.

I stood up in front of everyone and yelled, “Just bloody sort me already!”

It yelled out Gryffindor.

Love, Beryl

[obliqueo.livejournal.com]

SPECIAL OFFER BEFORE VALENTINE'S DAY

Still waiting for your true love? Wonder if he/she is the right one? No more doubts,
Sorting Hat, at your service!
Once a life time chance to identify your soulmate, form a bond even stronger than veela's!
Put it on NOW





"This sounds more like a condom ad." said Seamus, and Dean laughed loud but soon covered his mouth as girls went by and lined up.
Girls were more open to the idea, it seemed.
Harry was too embarrassed to seek help from Sorting Hat. Besides, there were no boys in the queue, it would only make you look desperate and unattractive. What if Malfoy saw you? You would never get away with it. No, stop, no more thoughts on Malfoy!

Suddenly, the great hall was in silence when Neville Longbottom lifted the hat on his head. He blushed, muttered a thanks to the hat, and rushed away.

Well then.
Neville is a true Gryffindor, and Harry was only sorted in thanked to his endless begging. He would do it in Slytherin way, covered in invisibility cloak and relayed on Perfects to clean the way during curfew.



"The time was already up, Mr. Potter," said Sorted Hat, "Only those who have courage to seek my help in public shall be granted the answer."

Harry begged, again. He was in shame, but he wouldn't give up so easily. Even though he was afraid to hear the name it gave, he still came. What if he was not the one you had assumed? What if he was not the one you had a crushed on? what if he was not attended to Hogwarts? What if this person is a girl? He had just discovered that he was gay!

"Almost see your 11 years old self?" Harry swore that he could feel Sorted hat smirked.

"You do things in a Slytherin way, Mr. potter. You shall have a Slytherin answer."

"Do you remember which house you had been told that you would be great? That it would help you on the way to greatness? There are more than one way to achieve to greatness, Mr. Potter."

Harry smiled. He had gotten the answer he want, in a Slytherin way.



pardon for SPaG, not beta-ed,

[slashedsilver.livejournal.com]

Obq!!! This is so awesome ♥ The Sorting Hat as a means to finding your twoo wuv is absolutely brilliant!

[susannah-wilde.livejournal.com]

WiP, also unbeta'd

The Hat is frayed and the stitches have begun to unravel, allowing the magic to escape, but still Professor McGonagall takes the dust off with a simple cleaning charm before placing it on her desk.

“It’s time, Albus,” she says to the portrait hanging right behind her, but the man looks down at her and shakes his head.

“Perhaps one more year, Minerva? It’s still too soon to abandoned tradition—“

“The Hat has become unreliable, Sorting the students into Houses that don’t reflect their personalities. A new hat needs to be found, and the best option we have is yours, Albus.”

Again, the old headmaster shakes his head. “No.”

“Then I shall destroy it to get rid of the Sorting system.” She picks up her wand to inciendo the Hat, but stops when the portrait begins to speak.

“Find a new Hat, Minerva, one worthy of continuing tradition.”

[kitty_fic]

Oh no! I didn't realize it closed :(

:P Darn it! XD