Feeling PSIC? Pottermore: (Almost) A Year On.
I don't think it would be much of an exaggeration to say that the fan reaction to Pottermore has been insane. From the initial announcement, to the long and frustrating wait for the owls, to the grand, public opening, Pottermore has been an emotional rollercoaster for Potterheads worldwide.
And whilst this is the end of an era, with not only all of the books, films & games finished, but JKR herself also moving onto new stories and into new genres, it's also just the beginning. Embracing the digital age with open arms, Rowling & co. are breathing new life into both the stories and the community surrounding them. Between the gorgeous graphical interface & chapter illustrations, the extra snippets of HP-related information and everything else, we're rediscovering the Potterverse all over again, in a completely new and much more intimate way.
As of yet, no part of Pottermore has captured this spirit better than the Sorting. I'm sure we all remember that truly magical moment, when Professor McGonagall flew in through our windows on the wings of our owls, placed the Sorting Hat perfectly onto our heads, and affirmed what we'd always known to be true deep inside.
Except when she didn't.
Whilst PM, for the most part, has been a wonderful, revolutionary online experience for millions of people (myself included), if you're anything like me, one of the less magical things about PM was probably the Sorting. You see, throughout my years as a HP fan (which is basically my whole childhood and teenage years) I have always strongly identified with Hufflepuff. I've taken a bajillion unofficial Sorting quizzes online, many of which were at least 20 questions or longer, and I got Hufflepuff almost every time. And I embraced this. I've always had a thing for underdogs, as it were, and I liked the idea of belonging to a house with a reputation for good, loyal people, even if they weren't as recognized or esteemed as the other houses. I even had an official Hufflepuff scarf, which I wore during my Sorting.
Having answered my questions as honestly as I could, trying to be as unbiased as possible—like a good Hufflepuff should—I tentatively clicked the final button, and then ... BAM! I was a Ravenclaw. Just like that.
I literally sat staring at the screen for ten whole minutes immediately after my Sorting, then began pacing around the room, wondering where I'd gone wrong in life. I even seriously considered making another account to retake the test, and get the “right” result. I was officially suffering from Pottermore Sorting Identity Crisis; I was PSIC.
And I wasn't the first (and I'm sure I won't have been the last, either). All across the world, there were Gryffindors being Sorted into Slytherin, Slytherins being Sorted into Gryffindor and so on. Hufflepuff suffered the worst, though, especially during the first wave of beta testers, and immediately after the public opening. Many, many young witches and wizards just couldn't handle being lumped in with “a load of old duffers”, and made new accounts, as I'd considered.
It didn't stop there, though. Some were so PSIC that they either abandoned PM altogether, resolving to simply never log on again (as did one of my real-life friends, on receiving Hufflepuff), or decided to start losing points for Hufflepuff on purpose. Of course, other houses suffered from these things too, but none as much as the poor Badgers, which was probably a significant contributor to them coming last in the first House Cup challenge, despite having the most members.
But I digress. The point is, the Sorting turned out to be a much more emotional and polemic experience than anticipated. I think that out of all the features PM has incorporated, the Sorting has arguably had the greatest impact of them all. Whilst the lucky ones had their suspicions confirmed, and enjoyed a very warm, natural Sorting, others were alienated, confused, and even upset. PSICness strikes hard and fast, leading many a Potterhead to question their very foundations as a person.
However, if you are suffering from Pottermore Sorting Identity Crisis, then don't worry. PSICness is common following a Sorting, and it does get better. My personal advice—and how I dealt with PSICness—is to accept your fate. Instead of focusing on why the quiz, to you, is so clearly wrong, think about why it might have been right. Though I was very shocked to be Sorted into Ravenclaw, after mulling it over for a while, it did make sense.
Sure, you might reject your result entirely, believing that no one, especially a seven question quiz, can know you better than you. But are you really the best person to decide your true house? I mean, if you're PSIC, then there's a very high chance you're probably massively invested in a certain house, or have certain prejudices against your result (especially if it's Hufflepuff). You're not exactly an impartial judge, unlike a computer. Or maybe you really just don't know yourself as well as you thought you did. Neville Longbottom desperately wanted to be a Hufflepuff, but was Sorted into Gryffindor, and ultimately for the better, too. Hermione seems like a shoe-in for Ravenclaw at first glance, but was also Sorted into Gryffindor. Even Merlin turned out to be a Slytherin. Furthermore, JKR herself did design the quiz, and if there's anyone who knows what house you'd best be suited to it's her.
That said, even though the Sorting Hat's decision is final, JKR has implied that the Sorting Hat has been wrong before, if only rarely. And of course, as stated above, it could easily be argued that a 7 question online quiz isn't infallible. So there is a chance, both in the HPverse and the real world (if only slight, in my personal opinion), that you have been sorted into the wrong house.
If you really, truly, 100% believe beyond a shadow of a doubt that this is the case, then just relax. It's not the end of the world. Remember, the magic is inside of you, and Pottermore's just a website. If you honestly have an unwavering faith in your true Gryffindor spirit then you are a Gryffindor (or w/e), and no one can change that. You can still enjoy Pottermore, just look at your house as a representation of another side the Sorting Hat perhaps saw too much of you that time, especially those Gryfferins and Slytherdors out there. After all, Slytherin and Gryffindor are very alike; Harry himself was almost a Slytherin. Just don't give up on PM altogether. It's a really great site with lots of interesting new stuff to read and do, and I think you really would be missing out for no real reason
I don't advise trying to undermine the Sorting Hat, however, by making another account, and fishing for the “proper” result. I mean, you obviously can if you want, but the Sorting Hat's decision is supposed to be final, even if it is (or is thought to be) wrong. I think real HP fans would respect that. Besides, if you're just going to ignore the Hat's decision, what's the point of even being Sorted in the first place?
To those who may be reading this prior to being Sorted, my only advice to you is to go with an open mind and an honest heart. Be ready for the possibility of being sorted into any of the houses, even if you don't like all of them. After all, each has it's own strengths and weaknesses. And if you answer with total honesty, avoiding the temptation to try and manipulate the answers, then it's more than likely that you'll be Sorted into the house you really belong to.
Whatever house you got, or are yet to get, and however you deal with any PSICness, I hope to see you all on PM in the future; feel free to add me.
Happy Sortings,
~Green Zubat, a. k. a. WolfsbaneThorn9797