Harry Potter: The Four Hogwarts Houses Explained

Which Hogwarts House Have You Been Sorted Into and What Does It Mean?

So, you've just been sorted into your Hogwarts House. It's an exciting time in any new witch or wizard's life, but it naturally comes with a lot of questions.

• What does it mean to be sorted into a particular House?
• What does it say about your personality? Your strengths and weaknesses?
• What is the difference between Hogwarts Houses?
• And, most importantly, your house is the best one out of them all, right?

This article explores some of the key traits that define members of each of the four Hogwarts houses: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. It lists the main characters associated with each house and delves into the strengths and weaknesses that define the culture of the four houses.

Gryffindor House

• Founder: Godric Gryffindor
• Head of House: Professor Minerva McGonnogall
• Ghost: Nearly Headless Nick
• House Colours: Red and gold
• Main Characters: Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Albus Dumbledore, Neville Longbottom, Fred Weasley, George Weasley, and Ginny Weasley

Gryffindor is arguably the most focused-on house in the Harry Potter series and gets the most page time devoted to explaining the story of its foundation and culture. This makes sense considering the three main characters of the series are all sorted into Gryffindor. However, among the series' fans, surprisingly few people are sorted into Gryffindor house, making it almost like an exclusive club. If you've just been sorted into Gryffindor, congratulations!

"You might belong in Gryffindor, where dwell the brave of heart. Their daring, nerve, and chivalry set Gryffindors apart."

— J.K Rowling, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

Gryffindor Traits and Strengths

• Courage: Gryffindors stand strong in the face of adversity and show bravery in everything they do. This can be overt (as in the case of Harry's bravery when facing Voldemort) or subtle (as in the case of Neville, who continues to persevere even as he struggles with intense fear).
• Daring: Gryffindors aren't reluctant to put themselves in physical danger when they feel there's a good reason. Harry, Ron, and Hermione run unflinchingly into danger time and time again.
• Chivalry: Gryffindors feel a strong sense of responsibility to protect the weak and will act nobly, putting others before themselves. This trait makes them highly charismatic and popular with others.
• Strong moral compass: Gryffindors tend to see the world as being split into right and wrong and will go to great lengths to pursue and defend the good while fighting the bad.

Gryffindor Weaknesses

• Hot-headedness: Because they're brave and daring, Gryffindors can sometimes react instinctively and ignore logic, leading to them being hot-headed and occasionally short-tempered. In The Philosopher's Stone, Harry chases Draco Malfoy into the sky on his broom over a fairly mild insult, despite the fact that he's never flown before and is putting himself in serious danger.
• Recklessness: In addition to being hot-headed, many Gryffindors can be reckless in the pursuit of their goals. This happens when their daring and courage are misused or taken too far.
• Arrogance: Gryffindors tend to be popular, charismatic, and good at most things that they do. Because of this, some Gryffindors can develop inflated senses of themselves and become arrogant.

Hufflepuff House

• Founder: Helga Hufflepuff
• Head of House: Professor Pomona Sprout
• House Ghost: The Fat Friar
• House Colours: Black and yellow
• Main Characters: Newt Scamander (featured in the Fantastic Beasts franchise), Cedric Diggory, and Nymphadora Tonks

Hufflepuffs are sometimes seen as the underdogs of the Harry Potter world. They're dependable and reliable, and relentlessly good, but rarely get the chance to take the centre stage alongside houses like Gryffindor and Slytherin. While this may disappoint some Hufflepuffs, it's important to remember that the contributions of Hufflepuff House across the series as a whole are undeniable. Hufflepuffs are among the first to stand up and support Harry during his hunt for the final Horcruxes during the battle of Hogwarts and prove their loyalty and dedication time and time again.

The best analogy for a Hufflepuff is a player on a sports team who passes the ball so that another can score a goal; while they're not the centre of attention and don't win fame and glory, they're still crucial for success. As a side note, J. K. Rowling herself has said that Hufflepuff is her favourite House, so if you've just been sorted into Hufflepuff, be proud of yourself!

"You might belong in Hufflepuff, where they are just and loyal. Those patient Hufflepuffs are true and unafraid of toil."

— J.K Rowling, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

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Hufflepuff Traits and Strengths

• Loyalty: Hufflepuffs make the most loyal friends a person can find. They also identify strongly with their House, as seen in The Goblet of Fire where the majority of Hufflepuffs turn against Harry because they think he's trying to undermine one of their own, Cedric Diggory.
• Dedication: Hufflepuffs are some of the most hard-working students and employees in the Wizarding World. While they may not have a Ravenclaw's natural love of learning and knowledge or a Slytherin's cunning and ambition, Hufflepuffs try their hardest in everything they do... and are rewarded for it.
• Honesty: Hufflepuffs feel a strong desire to speak the truth and behave honestly in everything that they do. Gryffindors also value this trait, which is part of what makes Hufflepuff-Gryffindor friendships so strong.
• Humbleness: Unlike the other houses, which are all prone to arrogance, Hufflepuffs rarely display this trait. They are modest and humble in everything they do and tend to avoid those who exude self-importance.

Hufflepuff Weaknesses

• Naivety: Hufflepuffs are generally optimists and are able to find the good in everything, but this does mean that they can be naive. If they're not careful, they can be easily tricked and taken advantage of.
• Low Self-Esteem: Because Hufflepuffs have a tendency towards modesty, they can sometimes fail to see their own worth. At best, this can cause them to simply underestimate themselves, but at worst, it can cause severe problems with a lack of confidence and self-worth.
• Lack of Ambition: Hufflepuffs are the antithesis of Slytherins. They struggle with ambition and can become stuck in situations that are beneath their capabilities or don't challenge them enough.

Ravenclaw House

• Founder: Rowena Ravenclaw
• Head of House: Professor Filius Flitwick
• House Ghost: The Grey Lady
• House Colours: Blue and bronze
• Main Characters: Luna Lovegood and Cho Chang

Of all the Hogwarts Houses, Ravenclaws get the least amount of attention in the Harry Potter series, and they have the fewest main characters. Many Ravenclaws are disgruntled by the fact that some characters who exemplify their primary House strengths and culture were sorted elsewhere (for example, Hermione and Dumbledore). Despite this, Ravenclaws have a strong sense of House identity and fellowship, and there are many online communities of friendly Ravenclaws willing to welcome a new member into their fold!

"Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw, if you've a ready mind, Where those of wit and learning can always find their kind."

— J.K Rowling, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

Ravenclaw Traits and Strengths

• Intelligence: While not all Ravenclaws are naturally intelligent, all members of the House have a strong thirst for knowledge and learning that places them among the best students in the Wizarding World, and this quality adds up to a generally high level of intelligence and knowledge among members of the House.
• Curiosity: One of the main traits that defines the Ravenclaw House is a desire for exploration, inquiry, and learning. Ravenclaws are generally highly curious about the world around them and are constantly asking questions to expand their understanding.
• Creativity: Ravenclaws tend to be "out-of-the-box" thinkers and as such can be highly creative. This creativity affects their spell-work and their way of relating to others and also means that many Ravenclaws are artistic and have unique approaches to solving problems.
• Individuality: Ravenclaws are highly individualistic and don't tend to follow the crowd or succumb to peer pressure. In essence, they do what they want to do. This is most obviously exemplified by Luna Lovegood, who wears radish-like fruits as earrings and is fiercely true to her own identity, even when people tease her for it.

Ravenclaw Weaknesses

• Disconnection From the Outside World: Because Ravenclaws tend to live inside their own heads, they can come across as vague, disconnected, or uninterested. Some are genuinely disdainful of others and the outside world, but most simply don't understand that their constant daydreaming is inappropriate in certain situations.
• Arrogance: Ravenclaws can be arrogant about their own intelligence and use it as a justification to view themselves as being better than others.
• Isolation: Some Ravenclaws purposefully isolate themselves from others... even from their fellow Ravenclaws. This isolation can occur for innocent reasons—for example, if they want to be alone to study for an upcoming test or read a good book—but it can also be a byproduct of arrogance. They may view themselves as being better than others and may be unwilling to associate with inferiors.

Slytherin House

• Founder: Salazar Slytherin
• Head of House: Professor Severus Snape
• House Ghost: The Bloody Baron
• House Colours: Green and silver
• Main Characters: Voldemort (Tom Riddle), Draco Malfoy, Severus Snape, Horace Slughorn, Albus Potter (featured in The Cursed Child)