Willow makes an absolute mess of boarding the boat, and has the time of her life while doing it.

Sadde is very careful not to suffer the same fate. He succeeds.

Alistair is surprisingly nimble!

The first years are led through the castle, until eventually they come to the Great Hall. There's a brief speech, rather dull, and they all get into line. 

"There it is, there's the Hat," he says, as he walks ahead of the other two. 

"The Hat?"

Sadde meanwhile is looking for Scott.

Scott exists!

"Hi! This is so exciting!"

"Hi! It is! I think there's a Hat."

"That's so cool," he claims. 

"Is that how they sort us? They have to do that first, right? Is it a magic hat?"

"I think—"

Someone shushes them, the hall falls silent, and the hat starts... singing.

Faces staring up at me
Few and far between
People in this gathering
Not as many as I've seen

But after night, morning comes
After night, dawn shines
And bit by bit we will rebuild
And soon I'll write new lines

But what, I ask, does the future hold?
What will we yet see?
That, I know, depends on you
And what you wish to be

Gryffindor may be your path
Bold and bright and brave
Valor and people to serve
Is what your heart does crave

Or maybe loyal Hufflepuff
Through blood, sweat, but no tears
Will you build a whole new world
Where we will know no fear

Perhaps your way is Ravenclaw's
Hoard knowledge in your mind
And by the power of your words
The future be defined

Lest we forget Slytherin
I beg you, hear my words!
With noble goals and good friends
Tomorrow will be spurred

With this verse I close my song
My message has been sent
I may help push you along
But you choose where you end

"Wicked." 

The first student to be subjected to the hat's scrutiny is "Argent, Alistair".

He sits on the seat, stock still. 

Hello. It's nice to meet you.

It's entirely my pleasure. What an interesting young man you are... but I do believe I know just where you belong, no two ways about it.

"Gryffindor!" it cries out loud.

He smiles, scampering off to his table, nearly throwing the hat back onto the seat. 

Deputy Headmaster Flitwick calls on a few more names and eventually reaches "MacDougall, Scott!"

He runs to the seat and fidgets as the Hat is placed on his head. 

So. Cool. 

A heart of gold, hmm, and a desire to help and please... But you don't seek glory or adventure, do you?

I want to be a good wizard. And for us to not fight goblins and stuff. Is there a House for that? 

Ah, now this is the question. Your care for people regardless of their origins would do you good in Hufflepuff, but perhaps you could effect meaningful change in Slytherin. There is a seed of ambition here, which could grow and flower in the house of the cunning, and they do so need a bright soul.

Oh, you already have one of those! Do you need two?

Do I? I confess I don't have the ability to remember individuals like that, so I would not know. Your choice, however, should be about where you believe you would shine brightest.

Oh, sorry, not yet, I meant Sadde Woods! He's after me, and he'll be a great Slytherin, he'll fix everything and have all the first years fixing things too.

What's Slytherin like to be in, and Hufflepuff? What are the kids there right now like?

Hufflepuff will give you a good group of friends, and you will always encourage each other to hard work and action. In Slytherin you will find few but true friends, and they will test you and push you to be the best you can be, or fail.