DUMBLEDORE'S ARMY

The Sorting Hat's Song
In times of old when I was new
And Hogwarts barely started
The founders of our noble school
Thought never to be parted:
United by a common goal,
They had the selfsame yearning,
To make the world's best magic school
And pass along their learning.
"Together we will build and teach!"
The four good friends decided
And never did they dream
That someday they might be divided,
For were there such friends anywhere
As Slytherin and Gryffindor?
Unless it was the second pair
Of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw?
So how could it have gone so wrong?
How could such friendships fail?
Why, I was there and so can tell
The whole sad, sorry tale.
Said Slytherin, "We'll teach just those
Whose ancestory is purest."
Said Ravenclaw, "We'll teach those whose
Intelligence is surest."
Said Gryffindor, "We'll teach all those
With brave deeds to their name."
Said Hufflepuff, "I'll teach the lot,
And treat them just the same."
These differences caused little strife
When first they came to light,
For each of the four founders had
A House in which they might
Take only those they wanted, so,
For insistance, Slytherin,
Took only pure-blood wizards
Of great cunning, just like him,
And only those with sharpest mind
Were taught by Ravenclaw
While the bravest and the boldest
Went to daring Gryffindor.
Good Hufflepuff, she took the rest,
And taught them all she knew,
Thus the Houses and their founders
Retained friendships firm and true.
So Hogwarts worked in harmony
For several happy years,
But then discord crept among us
Feeding on our faults and fears.
The Houses that once, like pillars four,
Had once held up our school,
Turned upon each other and,
Divided, saught to rule.
And for awhile it seemed the school
Must meet an early end,
What with dueling and with fighting
And the clash of friend on friend
And at last there came a morning
When old Slytherin departed
And though the fighting then died out,
He left us quite downhearted.
And never since the founders four
Were whittled down to three
Have the Houses been united
As they once were meant to be.
And the Sorting Hat is here
And you all know the score:
I sort you into Houses,
Because that is what I'm for,
But this year I'll go further,
Listen closely to my song:
Though condemned I am to split you,
Still I worry that it's wrong,
Though I must fulfill my duty
And must quarter every year
Still I wonder if sorting
May bring the end I fear.
Oh, know the perils, read the signs,
The warnings history shows,
For our Hogwarts is in danger
From external, deadly foes
And we must unite inside her,
Or we'll crumble from within
I have told you, I have warned you...
Let the Sorting now begin.