Which magical object sorts students into houses at Hogwarts in J.K. Rowling’s books?

The Sorting Hat sorts students into houses at Hogwarts in J.K. Rowling’s books.

At the start of a student’s first year, the enchanted hat is placed on the student’s head. It evaluates the student’s traits and places them in Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, or Slytherin. The ceremony establishes the student’s house identity, classmates, common room, and competition group.

The hat is presented as a magical object with a strong connection to the school’s founders. It can speak, sing, and make judgments about students. Harry’s sorting is notable because the hat considers placing him in Slytherin, but Harry’s preference contributes to the final decision to put him in Gryffindor.

The Sorting Hat is not the same as the Mirror of Erised, which shows a person’s deepest desire, or the Marauder’s Map, which displays people and locations at Hogwarts. Those objects have different functions and histories.