I don’t see how self-awareness makes any sort of difference?
Either explanation fits 100% of the known facts. Harry assumes the Hat pranked him because that’s what he wants to believe. But that Harry was actually sorted into Slytherin is considered more likely by several intelligent characters in the story. Regarding Quirrell’s belief of this, Harry even admits:
Professor Quirrell was wrong, but wrong in such a convincing way that Harry was starting to think that it simply was the rational judgment given the evidence available to Professor Quirrell. There were times, never predictable times but still sometimes, when you would get improbable evidence and the best knowable guess would be wrong.
What evidence does Harry have that Quirrell lacks? The only relevant special knowledge he has is that the Sorting Hat had some extra ability to appreciate humor at the time of his sorting, and wanted to steer him to Hufflepuff. I don’t consider that strong evidence. However it is the reason that I even allow a 50% chance that the prank really did occur, as opposed to being 80%+ certain that Harry is actually Slytherin.
And what sort of evidence did Quirrell have that Harry lacked? A knowledge of how Dumbledore works, how the various factions in the school mesh, and the history of the Sorting Hat’s lack of screwing around when it comes to the business of sorting. Harry knows all those now, but he’s already fixated on his previous answer and doesn’t want to abandon it.
We’ve been given more than just clues—we’ve been told directly by two characters that Harry is actually Slytherin, indirectly by at least one, and have Harry’s actions to judge him by. When the most intelligent and rational character in the fic considers this the simplest/most probable answer, I don’t think it’s that complicated or speculative. It may very well be a large flashing neon sign by the author saying “Hey! Consider this hypothesis! This one right here that I’ve repeated several times and pointed out how likely it seems!”
I don’t see how self-awareness makes any sort of difference?
You said:
a neutral interpretation of the facts would’ve placed at least an equally high probability on someone meddling with his sorting, as on the Hat played its first prank in over 600 years.
But you did not consider that since the Sorting Hat was sentient for the first time in its existence, it would be very likely to do other things for the first time in its existence.
The only relevant special knowledge he has is that the Sorting Hat had some extra ability to appreciate humor at the time of his sorting
Seriously? Harry knows the entirety of his conversation with the Hat, which no one else knows. In that conversation the Hat used all of Harry’s knowledge and vocabulary to try to convince him to go to Hufflepuff, Harry obstinately refused, the Hat got pissed at Harry’s obstinacy, and then, with Harry demanding to go to Ravenclaw, and the Hat admitting that only Harry’s choices can determine where he belongs, the Hat says “You deserve the scary thing I’m about to do to you” and calls out “Slytherin!” and lets Harry stew on that for eight full seconds before calling out “Ravenclaw!”
That is hardly a mere “extra ability to appreciate humor”.
the most intelligent and rational character in the fic considers this the simplest/most probable answer
Yes, he does, but he does not have all the information necessary to come to an informed conclusion. Harry does, and so do we. Harry and we are the only ones privy to his conversation with the sentient Sorting Hat.
And when thinking about the above passage on a more “meta” level, if Eliezer had intended us to have any lingering doubts about the Sorting, he would not have have flatly had our protagonist say “Professor Quirrell was wrong,” and he certainly would not have gone on to point out, in the very passage you quoted, that Quirrell did not have all the evidence available to him, so as to corroborate his statement.
I know you want this to be a mystery, but there are plenty of other mysteries in this story to wonder about that are far more deserving of your attention than this matter, which was settled many chapters ago.
I don’t see how self-awareness makes any sort of difference?
Either explanation fits 100% of the known facts. Harry assumes the Hat pranked him because that’s what he wants to believe. But that Harry was actually sorted into Slytherin is considered more likely by several intelligent characters in the story. Regarding Quirrell’s belief of this, Harry even admits:
What evidence does Harry have that Quirrell lacks? The only relevant special knowledge he has is that the Sorting Hat had some extra ability to appreciate humor at the time of his sorting, and wanted to steer him to Hufflepuff. I don’t consider that strong evidence. However it is the reason that I even allow a 50% chance that the prank really did occur, as opposed to being 80%+ certain that Harry is actually Slytherin.
And what sort of evidence did Quirrell have that Harry lacked? A knowledge of how Dumbledore works, how the various factions in the school mesh, and the history of the Sorting Hat’s lack of screwing around when it comes to the business of sorting. Harry knows all those now, but he’s already fixated on his previous answer and doesn’t want to abandon it.
We’ve been given more than just clues—we’ve been told directly by two characters that Harry is actually Slytherin, indirectly by at least one, and have Harry’s actions to judge him by. When the most intelligent and rational character in the fic considers this the simplest/most probable answer, I don’t think it’s that complicated or speculative. It may very well be a large flashing neon sign by the author saying “Hey! Consider this hypothesis! This one right here that I’ve repeated several times and pointed out how likely it seems!”
You said:
But you did not consider that since the Sorting Hat was sentient for the first time in its existence, it would be very likely to do other things for the first time in its existence.
Seriously? Harry knows the entirety of his conversation with the Hat, which no one else knows. In that conversation the Hat used all of Harry’s knowledge and vocabulary to try to convince him to go to Hufflepuff, Harry obstinately refused, the Hat got pissed at Harry’s obstinacy, and then, with Harry demanding to go to Ravenclaw, and the Hat admitting that only Harry’s choices can determine where he belongs, the Hat says “You deserve the scary thing I’m about to do to you” and calls out “Slytherin!” and lets Harry stew on that for eight full seconds before calling out “Ravenclaw!”
That is hardly a mere “extra ability to appreciate humor”.
Yes, he does, but he does not have all the information necessary to come to an informed conclusion. Harry does, and so do we. Harry and we are the only ones privy to his conversation with the sentient Sorting Hat.
And when thinking about the above passage on a more “meta” level, if Eliezer had intended us to have any lingering doubts about the Sorting, he would not have have flatly had our protagonist say “Professor Quirrell was wrong,” and he certainly would not have gone on to point out, in the very passage you quoted, that Quirrell did not have all the evidence available to him, so as to corroborate his statement.
I know you want this to be a mystery, but there are plenty of other mysteries in this story to wonder about that are far more deserving of your attention than this matter, which was settled many chapters ago.