"It's one of the four houses, Scott."

"What does that mean, though. How do you know what Ravenclaws are like?" 

"When Deputy Headmaster Flitwick visited us to tell us about magic he explained it."

"He didn't tell me what Ravenclaws were like! He said my house was important and that sorting was going to be a surprise."

"Well I asked a lot of questions about a lot of things and he was sure I'd be a Ravenclaw and I asked what that was and he gave me a very short description and didn't want to tell me more than that. I know Ravenclaws are the ones who like books, Slytherins are the ones who like plans, Gryffindors are the ones who like throwing themselves at dragons, and Hufflepuffs are the ones who like work."

"I believe you may be glossing over some important details there, dear."

"So I have to be one of those?"

"Apparently, but they're not exactly what Sadde's implying, here."

"I think I'm a Hufflepuff, the others just sound kind of silly." 

"Gryffindors value bravery and chivalry, Ravenclaws value wit and intelligence, Slytherins value cunning and ambition, and Hufflepuffs value loyalty and hard work, if this changes your assessment."

"I think still Hufflepuff. Do Ravenclaws like knowing things, or just figuring things out?"

"It's probably fuzzy enough to include both, but as you said Flitwick was not terribly forthcoming about it."

"Did he tell you how the sorting works? He wouldn't tell me. Maybe it's in one the textbooks." 

"He said it was a surprise, so maybe we shouldn't look too hard." 

"He didn't," she agrees, "but it's probably magical."

"What do you think you'll be? Ravenclaw?" 

"Or Slytherin, I dunno."

"Slytherin sounds cooler. And I think Ravenclaw is probably less fun." 

"Why?"

"Maybe not if you're a Ravenclaw," he amends. "You seem fun."

"I don't think there's really a bad house, Scott. They all have good things about them." 

"I didn't say they were bad...all of them sound kind of bad." 

"I dunno what they're for," he shrugs.

"Flitwick was a Ravenclaw, what does he think about them? He must like Ravenclaw, but what about the others? I guess I'll ask when I get to Hogwarts."

He shrugs again. "We'll figure it out there. Ooor we can ask other children when we get to the train."