The Hatting

A Witch's hat is a powerful symbol. It lets other people know that the person under it is indeed a Witch, while also conferring a certain responsibility upon said person.

Execution

The apprentice presents themselves just before dawn, on the morning after successfully passing their tests, at the entrance to the Grotto. At precisiely dawn they are greeted by the Witch who trained them and escorted to the centre of the grotto, where all the other Witches will be gathered. The observers gather in a loose semi circle facing the coven heads, who sit in simple wooden chairs in a small semi -circle facing the observers.
The Witch will present their apprentice to the coven heads and give recommendation as to which field of Witchcraft they think they would be well suited for. The coven heads then ask a question each of the apprentice:

1. Why do you wish to become a Witch?
2. What do you believe your strengths to be?
3. What do you believe your weaknesses to be?
4. What field would you like to pursue?
5. What makes you worthy to wear the hat?

The assembled Witches will be asked if they have any objections to accepting this apprentice into the Coven. It is very rare for any Witch to speak up here.
Once the apprentice has received their hat, they are named Witch and everyone present welcomes them.
They are then told certain secrets known only to Witches

Participants

No apprentices are allowed to attend the ceremony, apart from the one who is undergoing the hatting ritual. This is due to some of the secrets which are revealed during the ceremony. On the contrary, all Witches who are present at Coven headquarters at the time of a hatting ceremony are obliged to attend. Exceptions to this are debillitation, and the need to care for a patient.
The newly tested apprentice, the coven heads, and the Witch who trained the apprentice are the main participants of the ceremony, the others are mostly there to provide witness and welcome. Though any Witch present is given the opportunity to provide reason as to why the apprentice should not receive their hat.

Observance

The ceremony begins at dawn and lasts for about an hour. Afterwards there is a special breakfast picnic in the garden which last untill mid morning.