Fans Share Obscure 'Harry Potter' Lore On Sorting Hat

From Redditoru/ibid-11962:

Rowling stated Hermione Granger and Neville Longbottom came closest to being Hatstalls. The Sorting Hat spent nearly four minutes deciding between Ravenclaw and Gryffindor for Hermione. For Neville, the Hat aimed for Gryffindor because he feared that house's bravery. Neville asked for Hufflepuff instead. Their quiet argument won over the Hat.

From Redditoru/nxtm4n:

Professor McGonagall was a Hatstall; she took over five minutes to be Sorted between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw.

From Redditoru/tectonictigress:

A hatstall means a sorting takes over five minutes. The Hat debates until it reaches a choice, considering the person's preference but not always following it.

From Redditoru/ibid-11962:

Rowling said Minerva McGonagall and Peter Pettigrew were the only known Hatstalls. McGonagall made the Hat agonize for five and a half minutes over Ravenclaw versus Gryffindor. The Hat placed Pettigrew in Gryffindor after Slytherin debated with that house. The stubborn Sorting Hat still rejects that its decision on Pettigrew was wrong, citing Pettigrew's death as questionable proof.

From Redditoru/ibid-11962:

Rowling said Legend claims the hat once belonged to one of the four founders, Godric Gryffindor. All four founders jointly enchanted it to sort students into their namesake houses, based on each founder's preferences.

From Redditoru/ibid-11962:

Rowling said The Sorting Hat is one of the cleverest enchanted objects witches and wizards meet. It holds the four founders' intelligence, speaks through a rip near its brim, and performs Legilimency to read a wearer's mind and guess their abilities or mood. It even reacts to the wearer's thoughts.

From Redditoru/ibid-11962:

Rowling said The Sorting Hat refuses to admit sorting mistakes. The Hat sticks to its original choice when Slytherins act selfless or selfish, when Ravenclaws fail exams, when Hufflepuffs are lazy but smart, or when Gryffindors show cowardice. Still, the Hat has made few errors over centuries.

From Redditoru/nxtm4n:

Professor Flitwick was a Hatstall between Ravenclaw and Gryffindor.