Name: Crimson Quill (Signed) · Date: 26 Jun 2017 08:12 AM · For: Are You Sure?

Hey Kaitlin,

So here I am to review this little one-shot. So I really enjoyed this story! I loved how you started it with the chatter of the other children, I've really created a buzz created by the sorting. I thought this scene was so effective because it shows the contrast between Dumbledore and other students like I love this concept that he was different from even a really early age. I always struggle with imagining a young Dumbledore but I really thought your depiction of him was great!

Omg, I have to say that I was really impressed with your sorting hat song. It was really creative that you managed to come up with it. I was honestly debating if it came from the books or not but it see you only used a couple of lines was amazing. I really enjoy this aspect to your writing, I feel that you have so much creative in your work. Your ablity to come up with plotlines and all those details are excellent. It's such a stregth of your which is why reading your stuff is such a pleasure.

Back to this story, I really like about how you've made him this very self aware character and older than his years. I thought the fact he asked to be in Gryffindor was really intereating because he doesn't feel brave. I can't imagine him being in any other house but slytherin does make sense a bit too.

 The meeting was awesome as we know from canon they have been friends for a really long time. I just felt their exchange was really perfectly done and the fact that Dumbledore would see pass the surface with people at 11 years old. Great job with this piece! 

- abbi xx    

Name: nott theodore (Signed) · Date: 26 Jun 2017 03:01 AM · For: Are You Sure?

Hi Kaitlin!

 

Ooh, this was a really interesting story. You know, I've read a lot of fanfiction and a surprising amount about Albus Dumbledore (I blame Laura entirely for that one), but u don't think I can remember ever having read a story that focuses on Albus Dumbledore's sorting ceremony. It's actually a really fascinating idea for a story because it gives you such a great opportunity to explore his character, and all the different aspects to it. He's definitely somebody thay I've always been able to imagine the Sorting Hat taking a long time to decide on because he has such a complex personality. 

 

I liked the fact that from the very beginning of this story, Albus Dumbledore was marked out as different. We don't know much about him at this age, but you've taken the details that we do have to describe his appearance here and his intellect is obviously already far superior to that of his fellow first years. 

 

One thing that I found fascinating in this story is the weight which you placed on the more self-important and arrogant sides to his personality. He doesn't come across that way in the books - at least when we see him portrayed as the wise, benevolent headmaster - but from what we know about his time at Hogwarts and his friendship with Gellert Grindelwald, I can easily believe that he would hold himself apart, slightly superior, to the people around him. It's fascinating because I don't often see that side to him portrayed but I definitely think there's potential for it to be there.

 

The Sorting Hat song was great! You're far braver than I am to attempt one of those - I'm always certain that I'd manage to mess it up with some stupid rhymes :P

 

The actual Sorting scene was really interesting; I liked the fact that the hat took so much time to consider Albus and work out which of the houses he would best belong in, because I can see those elements of his character and that he would do well in different houses. Evaluating him at this age makes it kind of surprising that he would end up in Gryffindor, because it does seem to be the least likely house for him, but I loved the explanation that he chose to go there because he wanted to learn bravery. That was really interesting and original and I can definitely get behind that! I also liked the ending, with Albus meeting Elphias and us seeing the beginning of that friendship.

 

Sian :)

Name: melian (Signed) · Date: 26 Jun 2017 01:33 AM · For: Are You Sure?

Kaitlin! That was a real treat.

 

First of all, can I just say right off the bat that you’ve captured eleven  year old Albus perfectly? I seriously can’t imagine him any way but how you’ve just portrayed him. A little aloof, thinking about the mechanics of everything, the hows and whys and not bothering with the mundane. I especially liked how you spelt out his name, then described it as self-important as the boy felt. I can really picture the young Albus being sure of himself to the point of cockiness, not caring what anyone else thinks.

 

And him asking to be in Gryffindor? I found that most interesting. With what we know of Dumbledore, I’m inclined to agree with you and say that he would have suited Slytherin to a tee. All that pulling the levers behind the scenes to get the outcome he desires most. The Gryffindor in him is what makes those desires unselfish. I liked though that he wanted to learn to be brave. To be honest, it’s a brave thing to say or to even think at that age. The ability to recognise that shortcoming in oneself and wanting to take steps to overcome it is quite startling for an eleven year old, I think. But then Albus was a startling child, so it totally fits.

You also get mega kudos for writing a Sorting Hat song. They’re not easy to do, and you did an excellent job with this one. Good work!

 

Cheers Mel

 

 

Name: Rhaenyra (Signed) · Date: 08 Dec 2016 07:44 PM · For: Are You Sure?

I have read (and written) multiple sortings, but I don't believe I've ever found somebody brave enough to write the Sorting Hat's entire song for the year they've chosen.  I've seen maybe four or eight lines, but no more.  This fact alone made this story stand out.

 

I love the reasoning you gave for putting Dumbledore in Gryffindor.  At first glance, it seems like there are so many ways his sorting could have gone.  Some make more sense even without reasoning like this.  (Or, as a non-Gryffindor might think, as a result of favouritism among the houses.)  Having an 11-year-old recognize his biggest weakness and wanting to correct it is very unique and would not seem to fit with just about any other character.  For Dumbledore, however, it is easy to picture him as an old soul.  (Perhaps because he is 100 when we meet him and he is known for his grey beard.)

 

I quite liked the interaction with Doge at the end.  Dumbledore using tact and kindness to help another student who was feeling down and left out certainly is in character.

 

I quite enjoyed this. :)

Author's Response:

Hey there! 

Thanks so much for stopping by! <3

Ah. I'm so glad you saw that. I was super nervous about trying to do the song, but I felt like it was important to the story. I'm not too great at poems, but I think it came out okay.

I always felt like Dumbledore would be wise beyond his years (although not necessarily having the most common sense), so I thought him being self aware might be somewhat believable. 

And I felt like I had to include Doge. I remember Doge telling Harry the story at the wedding, so I just wanted to tie it in a bit. 

Thanks again! 

~Kaitlin

Name: Stella Blue (Signed) · Date: 13 Nov 2016 10:19 PM · For: Are You Sure?

*Transferred from HPFF*

MORE GIFT TAG ♥

I've never seen anything like this story before so I had to read this one! No one ever writes 11-year-old Dumbledore.

Omg, I am an idiot. Confession: when you mentioned the strange boy with auburn hair I was like "oh, I wonder who that is?" ... I forgot he had auburn hair. I forgot that he didn't have white hair when he was 11. XD *dies*

Hahaha, the lies about the sorting test (from siblings, etc) seems to be a tradition through the ages!

Albus is so entitled and sure of himself even at that age! Ha, of course he wants to show off his magical skill :P I honestly love reading Dumbledore like this, so incredibly different from the one we know from the books, but it's also possible to see how this bright, arrogant kid ended up as the wise, regretful old man of the books.

I love that you wrote a sorting hat song! I liked it. And I find it easy to believe that the sorting hat would re-use an occasional line from time to time. After 1000 years of coming up with songs it probably struggles to come up with totally original ones, so the reused last line absolutely fits :D

I love your reasoning as to why Albus ended up in Gryffindor, and I can absolutely see that being the case, especially that he had done enough introspection by that point to see that about himself. He would have been a really good Ravenclaw or Slytherin, for sure.

Aww, and I love that you included his friendship with Elphias Doge at the end (and a hint that Albus displayed characteristics of Hufflepuff as well).

This was so great! I would never have expected to find a story like this and it was such a joy to read. :)

Author's Response:

Hey Kristin! 

Thank you for this lovely review! 

Ha. I forgot about his hair too. It took me awhile to realize he wasn't always ancient. 

Definitely a tradition. 

Oh for sure. I imagine the sorting hat probably repeated lines.

Glad you caught the hints of Hufflepuff there at the end. I really was happy to add that little bit with Doge because that was a part I really enjoyed in cannon.

~Kaitlin