We all went through this at 11-years old, right? Your teacher places a magical hat your head, which tells you that your defining characteristic in life is to be brave or loyal or ambitious or intellectual. Of course if that were real life, parents and educators would be horrified -- but it's a fantasy that Harry Potter fans have thought about for years. Professor Elizabeth Gumnior, and Vanessa Zoltan and Casper ter Kuile of the podcast Harry Potter and The Sacred Text weigh in on the enduring appeal of J.K. Rowling's Sorting Hat.
