Anyone familiar with J.K. Rowling’s wizarding world is no doubt aware of the names of the four Hogwarts houses: Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff. However, there’s a good chance that unless you’re a die-hard Potterhead, you haven’t learnt about their key characteristics.
Gryffindors are good. Slytherins are bad. And then there’s those other two. Right?
It’s a bit more nuanced than that, but don’t worry. We’re going to break down the qualities of each Hogwarts house, exploring their origins and some of their most influential members.
What Is A House In Hogwarts?
Before we dive into the nitty-gritty of the topic, we should first establish what exactly a Hogwarts house is. What role do these groups play in the structure of the wizarding world and why are fans so obsessed with being a part of one?
At a fundamental level, the purpose of the houses is academic and communal, with students being allocated to one by the Sorting Hat (a talking hat enchanted by the founding members of the school) at the start of their first year. This allocation decides the living quarters of the students as well as many of the classes they are required to take.
There is also a points system that places a major emphasis on competition. Throughout the course of the year, students’ behaviour and achievements result in the gaining or losing of points, and the house that has accumulated the most by the end wins the coveted House Cup.
Though the concept of Hogwarts houses is relatively harmless, many people share the belief that members of a certain group are inclined to go down a pre-determined path — for example, Slytherins will become villains and Gryffindors heroes.
This results from the common personality traits displayed by students of the same affiliation, traits that fans can often relate to, explaining the widespread desire to find a group. Nevertheless, these patterns don’t hold true in all cases, as we will discuss.
What Does Gryffindor Mean?
The most famous of the Harry Potter houses is undoubtedly Gryffindor, to which the protagonist of the series belongs. Recognised by their fiery colours (scarlet and gold) and the symbol of a lion, this group is renowned for qualities such as courage and determination, which were valued by its founder, Godric Gryffindor.
Some famous members include Albus Dumbledore, Sirius Black, Peter Pettigrew, Remus Lupin, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger. For the most part, these individuals live up to the reputation of Gryffindor, performing heroic acts of bravery, but Pettigrew is a notable exception.
This is worth mentioning, as it demonstrates that not all of those sorted into this house (or others) are guaranteed to be archetypal, even if there is correlation.
What Does Slytherin Mean?
Intense rivals of Gryffindor, the house of Slytherin was founded by Salazar Slytherin, whose attitude toward half-bloods and Muggleborns (those who are not conceived by the partnership of a witch and wizard) gave the group a reputation for being elitist.
Two common traits of a Slytherin are ambition and leadership, which can be observed in the likes of Tom Riddle (later called Voldemort), Bellatrix Lestrange, Severus Snape, and Draco Malfoy. As is apparent from the names on this list, Slytherin has a history of spawning Dark wizards and witches, but characters such as Snape evidence that they do not always choose the side of evil.
The house is distinguished by its colours (green and silver) and the snake that adorns its crest.
What Does Ravenclaw Mean?
If there were ever a Hogwarts house that epitomised brain power, it would be Ravenclaw, which was founded by Rowena Ravenclaw.
Members of this group are seen by other students as studious and book smart, dedicating their efforts toward the acquisition of wisdom. In their pursuit of knowledge, many choose to disregard societal norms and can be perceived as eccentric, as is the case with known members ‘Moaning’ Myrtle Warren and Luna Lovegood.
When trying to identify a Ravenclaw, you should look for their emblem, the eagle, and the colours of blue and bronze.
What Does Hufflepuff Mean?
If it’s yellow and black that you see, a Hufflepuff it will be. Symbolised by the badger, the Hogwarts house founded by Helga Hufflepuff is much less defined than its counterparts. There’s no need to be overtly brave, cunning, or intelligent — a loyal heart and a tendency toward hard work are enough to convince the Sorting Hat that you belong.
In the eyes of many people who have read the books or watched the movies, Hufflepuff is regarded as undesirable, bland and relatively uninteresting. We, on the other hand, believe this is not the case.
All you need do is look at some of the greatest members of the house: Newton ‘Newt’ Scamander (a world-famous magizoologist), Nymphadora Tonks (an Auror), and Cedric Diggory (a Triwizard Champion).
Which Harry Potter House Are You?
Now that we’ve given you an overview of the four, you should have a reasonable idea of which Hogwarts house you belong to. However, if you want to make it official, you can try Rowling’s Hogwarts Sorting Experience, which presents a series of questions designed to assess your personality and place you in an appropriate group.
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