We Are All Part of the Same House – A Poem

While I was

getting my coffee

this morning, I

noticed the barista

was wearing a

locket. Looking closer,

I read the

word “Slytherin” in

a flowing script.

Underneath, the serpent

that represented the

house was curled,

as if lying

in wait. I

pointed to it.

“Where did you get that?”

She looked at

me with shrewd

eyes as if

taking stock of

my worth. She

nodded, assessing me

as one who

was completely worthy.

“I got it at Comicon, but I’m sure there is an Etsy shop.”

I held up

my right wrist

and showed her

the scar that

was tattooed there.

She reached out

to touch it.

“Is it a real tattoo?”

I nodded, smiling.

Like recognizes like.

“What house are you in? Did you get sorted on Pottermore?”

I nodded, smiling.

“I was one of the first million people allowed to access the site.”

“So what house?”

“I got sorted into Ravenclaw, but I think I belong in Gryffindor.”

“Oh, no, you have to trust the Sorting Hat. It knows.”

“But I have the scar…”

She gave it

another hungry look.

“That’s a symbol for the whole series. It’s Harry’s story, right? But if the Sorting Hat and JK Rowling put you in Ravenclaw, that’s where you belong.”

I must have

looked put out

so she sang:

“Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw, if you’ve a ready mind, where those of wit and learning, will always find their kind.”

I recognized the

song. It’s what

the Sorting Hat

first sung when

Harry was sorted.

She looked at

me with a

strong, searching look.

“Are you wise? Do you crave knowledge? Are you drawn to air? That’s the element associated with Ravenclaw, you know.”

Something occurred to

me and I

pointed to the

necklace she wore.

“Were you sorted into Slytherin?”

I asked her.

She nodded, a

spark lighting up

her eyes. They

looked as if

they were filled

with glitter magic.

“Yes, I was. I wasn’t happy about it at first, I wanted Gryffindor, everyone does. But we’re all parts of the same house, you know. However, it’s our differences that make us strong.”

I wasn’t sure

if she was

referring to Harry

Potter, or something

deeper than that.

I took my

coffee and bade

her a nice

day. She put

her hand out,

catching my wrist.

“Trust in the Sorting Hat. It knows where you belong. We all have to belong somewhere.”

I nodded and

made my way

to work. I

looked online for

a Ravenclaw necklace.

My acceptance of

my house within

the world of

Harry Potter was

a small thing,

but  at the

thought of stretching

my wings like

an eagle, and

soaring into the

air, my heart

soared with it

and I knew

where I belonged.