1995 Sorting Hat's song

The 1995 Sorting Hat's song was a song composed by the Sorting Hat, presumably between 1994 and 1995, and performed on 1 September, 1995.

Lyrics
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 they Might some day 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, so I can tell The whole sad, sorry tale.

Said Slytherin, "We'll teach just those Whose ancestry's 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 instance, Slytherin Took only pure-blood wizards Of great cunning just like him.

And only those of 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 Maintained 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, like pillars four Had once held up our school Now turned upon each other and Divided, sought to rule.

And for a while it seemed the school Must meet an early end. What with duelling 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 now 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 fulfil my duty And must quarter every year Still I wonder whether sorting May not bring the end I fear.

Oh, know the perils, read the signs, The warning 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.