The Ultimate Guide to Choosing & Understanding Your Harry Potter House

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Plus, fun facts about the Hogwarts houses, sorting ceremony & more
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Are you a fan of Harry Potter , but unsure which house you belong to? Maybe you’ve taken online quizzes to find your house, but the results never seem right to you! That’s where we’ll be stepping in—to help you find your real Hogwarts house based on your personality traits, ambitions, interests, and more. Plus, we’ll give you a full rundown of all the Hogwarts house traits and how the sorting system works, as well as fun facts and quizzes that any Potterhead would love.

Finding Your Harry Potter House: Overview

Learn the traits of each house and decide which one best aligns with your personality, actions, and core values. For instance, Gryffindor values bravery and loyalty, Ravenclaw values wisdom and creativity, Hufflepuff values kindness and justice, and Slytherin values ambition and resourcefulness.

Section 1 of 6:

How to Know What Your Harry Potter House Is

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  1. Think of which traits you value and use the most in your life, like bravery, wisdom, cunning, kindness, or fairness. If you’re struggling to identify with a particular trait, think about what you like doing in your free time. Do you like to go on adventures, read books, play strategy games, or do community service? Once you’ve nailed down your core characteristics, check which house traits they aligns with. [1]
    • Keep in mind that your defining personality might not decide your house. Think about what traits you value most in yourself and others, rather than your strongest or most dominant traits.
    • For example, most people would describe Hermione Granger as smart and intelligent above all else, making her a seeming shoo-in for Ravenclaw. However, she values bravery and friendship more than intelligence or academic achievements, which places her in Gryffindor.
    • You might also be a mixture of two houses, which is totally fine! You could be, for example, a Slytherclaw or a Gryffinpuff.
  2. Every witch or wizard character in Harry Potter is assigned to a house. So, if there are any characters you really see yourself in, that might be a big clue as to which house you belong to. For instance, if you relate a lot to Neville Longbottom’s character and think you’d make the same choices as he does throughout the series, you might be a Gryffindor just like him! Other characters you might relate to for each house include: [2]
    • Harry Potter, Gryffindor:
      • Harry’s personality reflects Gryffindor well—bravery, courage, and fearlessness. For example, he goes into the Chamber of Secrets to save his friend’s sister and almost gets himself killed. If you tend to act similarly to Harry, you may be in Gryffindor!
    • Luna Lovegood, Ravenclaw:
      • Luna is very educated in magical creatures, and she and her family enjoyed researching and learning more about them. Luna was also very creative, curious, and eccentric—all defining qualities of a Ravenclaw. If you see yourself in Luna, you might be a Ravenclaw!
    • Cedric Diggory, Hufflepuff.
      • Cedric proved himself to be very kind, level-headed, and humble throughout The Goblet of Fire . For example, Cedric kindly and humbly tells Harry to take the cup first when the pair are about to win the tournament. He also gives Harry a clue to one of the challenges in order to keep things just and fair. If you’d behave like Cedric, you might be a Hufflepuff!
    • Draco Malfoy, Slytherin.
      • Draco showcases ambition in the series, which we can see in his desire to outperform Harry to become a respected wizard and esteemed Quidditch player. He also prioritizes self-preservation—he’ll choose what guarantees safety for him and his family over the well-being of others or doing what’s “good.” If you relate to Draco, you might be a Slytherin!
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  3. Sometimes, the people closest to us can see us more clearly than we see ourselves. Your close friends and family experience your personality from an outside perspective and may bring up viewpoints about your traits that you aren’t even aware of yourself! Find a friend who knows you really well (and who also knows Harry Potter really well), then ask them which house they think you’d fit into.
  4. 4
    Consider which house you want to be in. As any true Potterhead knows, the Sorting Hat would take your preferences into consideration when assigning you to a house. In the Harry Potter series, it’s up to the Sorting Hat to decide which house each Hogwarts student belongs in. While the Sorting Hat will ultimately choose the best house for each student by analyzing their deepest qualities, values, and aspirations, it may consider a student’s preferences if one or more houses would be suitable for them. [3]
    • For example, the Sorting Hat was having trouble deciding whether to place Harry Potter himself into Gryffindor or Slytherin. When Harry expressed a desire to be in Gryffindor, the Sorting Hat obliged.
    • So, while you shouldn’t place yourself in Hufflepuff without embodying any of its traits just because you like it, feel free to consider your house preferences if you feel on the fence about which one you belong to. The Sorting Hat would do the same!
  5. Online quizzes are a fun and interesting way to quickly determine what your Harry Potter house might be—or to verify that your idea of your house is correct. However, these quizzes don’t know who you are in your heart, so they’re sometimes inaccurate, which is why it can be nice to decide on your own Hogwarts house. If you decide to take a quiz to find your house, take as many as possible, then see which result you got the most often—this result is the most likely to accurately reflect your true house!
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Section 2 of 6:

Harry Potter House Traits

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  1. People in Gryffindor are generally fearless and courageous, which explains why the lion is their house symbol. The Gryffindor house values bravery above all else, but especially bravery in the face of fear. In other words, you can still feel fear and anxiety and be a Gryffindor—you just have to be willing to face your fears and be brave enough to still do the right or moral thing. [4]
    • Traits: Bravery, courage, chivalry, determination, loyalty, justice.
    • Symbol: Lion.
    • Colors: Scarlet and gold.
    • Element: Fire.
    • Notable Characters: Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger.
    • Gryffindor Celebrities: Simone Biles, America Ferrera, Oscar Isaac. [5]
    • Sorting Hat Quote: You might belong in Gryffindor, / Where dwell the brave at heart, / Their daring, nerve and chivalry / Set Gryffindors apart.
  2. Ravenclaws are not only wicked smart, but they also value intelligence and wisdom over most (if not all) things. At the end of the day, they want to be known as “the clever one” in their social circle. Ravenclaws are more than book smart, however, as they also value intellectualism, creativity, curiosity, and thinking outside of the box. They’re known to embrace eccentricity and individuality—and they tend to have a competitive streak. [6]
    • Traits: Intellectual, creative, open-minded, witty, wise, independent, intuitive.
    • Symbol: Eagle.
    • Colors: Blue and bronze (books), blue and silver (films).
    • Element: Air.
    • Notable Characters: Luna Lovegood, Cho Chang, Gilderoy Lockhart.
    • Ravenclaw Celebrities: Lena Dunham, Uzo Aduba, Lin-Manuel Miranda. [7]
    • Sorting Hat Quote: Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw / If you’ve a ready mind / Where those of wit and learning / Will always find their kind.
  3. Hufflepuffs tend to be kind, fair, and easygoing. They famously have very even temperaments with very tolerant and patient attitudes. A Hufflepuff is also likely to be the hardest working of all the houses, since they value hard work and a strong work ethic. They may also be especially good-looking (but humble) or have a gift for working with plants. [8]
    • Traits: Hardworking, loyal, just, tolerant, kind, modest, patient, empathetic.
    • Symbol: Badger.
    • Colors: Canary yellow and black.
    • Element: Earth.
    • Notable Characters: Pomona Sprout, Nymphadora Tonks, Cedric Diggory.
    • Hufflepuff Celebrities: Chris Pratt, Kristen Bell, Hailee Steinfeld. [9]
    • Sorting Hat Quote: You might belong in Hufflepuff / Where they are just and loyal / Those patient Hufflepuffs are true / And unafraid of toil.
  4. Although Slytherins are often seen as the “villains” of the Harry Potter franchise, they can be misunderstood and all lumped under one stereotype. In reality, Slytherins are defined by their ambition, their cunning nature, and their strong leadership skills. They want to achieve their goals above all else—which can make them seem a bit cutthroat, but they really just have big dreams that they want to make come true. [10]
    • Traits: Ambition, cunning, resourcefulness, self-preservation, shrewdness, pride.
    • Symbol: Serpent.
    • Colors: Green and silver.
    • Element: Water.
    • Notable Characters: Draco Malfoy, Severus Snape, Horace Slughorn.
    • Slytherin Celebrities: Taylor Swift, Kim Kardashian, Ariana Grande. [11]
    • Sorting Hat Quote: Or perhaps in Slytherin / You’ll make your real friends / Those cunning folk use any means / To achieve their ends.
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Section 3 of 6:

How the Hogwarts House System Works

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  1. 1
    The Houses are living and learning communities for students. The primary aim of the house system is to give students an automatic community in which to live, bond, make friends, and attend classes. Each group of students that shares both a house and year will live together in a dormitory and attend (mostly) the same classes. [12] Every house also has its own Head of House (a professor who oversees the house) and House Ghost, both of whom were part of that house as pupils. [13]
  2. 2
    Every student is sorted into a house when they arrive at Hogwarts. On their first day at Hogwarts, students are sorted into houses by the infamous Sorting Hat. The enchanted hat is placed onto each student’s head before announcing which house the student will join. Then, the student joins their chosen house for a meal in the Great Hall. The Sorting Hat is also known to sing a different song about the school’s founding and the four houses during the Sorting Ceremony each year. [14]
    • Originally, the four founders of Hogwarts (and the namesakes of the houses) would hand-select students for their houses. When it came time to decide how houses would be chosen after the founders died, Godric Gryffindor took off his hat and enchanted it—creating the Sorting Hat.
  3. 3
    Houses have friendly (and heated) rivalries between them. Hogwarts itself encourages competition between the four houses by organizing regular contests. The House Cup is awarded at the end of each school year, with the winner being decided by which house has earned the most points throughout the year. These points are awarded (or deducted) based on the attitude, behavior, and academic achievements of students. [15]
    • Quidditch matches are also played as house versus house, with each house having its own Quidditch team made up solely of members from their house. [16]
    • While most of the competition between houses is meant to be friendly and collegial, the most bitter rivalry exists between Slytherin and Gryffindor. Students in these houses seem to naturally loathe each other, likely stemming from the rift between former friends Godric Gryffindor and Salazar Slytherin. [17]
    • While Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff don’t share the same level of rivalry, there are some accounts that the humble Hufflepuffs become easily annoyed by the Ravenclaw habit of boasting about their intelligence, wit, and wisdom.
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Section 4 of 6:

Fun Facts About the Harry Potter Houses

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  1. 1
    Each house's common room has a different way of getting inside. You probably know that every Harry Potter house has its own common room for students to hang out and study in. However, did you know that the entrances to each room are different—and that they’re designed to keep out students who don’t belong to that house? [18]
    • Gryffindors simply have to give a password to the portrait of the Fat Lady in front of their common room door.
    • Slytherins also give a password, but to a hidden stone wall near the dungeons.
    • Hufflepuffs have to tap a barrel that’s near the school kitchens to the rhythm of ‘Helga Hufflepuff.’
    • Ravenclaws have to answer a riddle told to them by an enchanted door knocker.
  2. 2
    Every Hogwarts house has its own ghost. Hogwarts is home to a total of 325 ghosts, who are said to be the spirits of deceased witches and wizards who are still bound to the living world. Each house has its own ghost: Slytherin has the Bloody Baron, Hufflepuff has the Fat Friar, Ravenclaw has the Grey Lady, and Gryffindor has Nearly Headless Nick. [19]
    • The Bloody Baron: He appears covered in bloodstains and bound in chains, due to his murder of Helena Ravenclaw (after which he took his own life).
    • The Fat Friar: A jolly monk-like ghost who was executed for suspicious tricks, like curing pox and pulling rabbits out of a Communion cup.
    • The Grey Lady: Helena Ravenclaw, the sad and solemn daughter of the house’s founder.
    • Nearly Headless Nick: The cowardly and self-conscious spirit of a nobleman who was executed for a botched spell that led to a noble lady growing tusks.
  3. 3
    Hufflepuff was founded on inclusivity and equality. When the four founders of Hogwarts were designing their self-named houses, most of them wanted to be extremely selective about who they allowed into their houses. Helga Hufflepuff, however, stated that she’d “take the lot and treat them just the same,” opening her house to witches and wizards of every type of background. Unsurprisingly, the modern traits associated with Hufflepuffs include friendship, equality, loyalty, and fairness. [20]
  4. 4
    The theft of Rowena Ravenclaw’s diadem led to her death. Rowena Ravenclaw, the founder of Ravenclaw house, wore a beautiful diadem that was said to give wisdom to whoever wore it. Rowena’s daughter, Helena (who later becomes the Grey Lady), eventually grew envious of her mother’s world-renowned intelligence. So, one day, Helena stole Rowena’s diadem and ran off with it. Rowena soon fell ill, but she wanted to see her daughter one last time, so she sent a man to find her and bring her home. [21]
    • Unfortunately, that man turned out to be the Bloody Baron, who was deeply infatuated with Helena. When Helena refused to come home, the Bloody Baron stabbed and killed her.
    • After Helena’s tragic murder, Rowena Ravenclaw died of a broken heart.
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Quiz

wikiHow Quiz: Which Harry Potter Character Am I?

You’ve always dreamt of getting your Hogwarts letter. You know what House the Sorting Hat would put you in and where you would visit in Hogsmeade. But have you ever imagined who you'd be in the Wizarding World? Would you be the boy who lived or the brightest witch of her age? Answer these questions about your magical preferences and personality to learn which Harry Potter character you resemble most.
1 of 14

You’re at Ollivander’s getting your first wand. Which wand speaks to you?

Section 5 of 6:

Harry Potter & Hogwarts Quizzes

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  1. Can’t get enough of the world of Harry Potter ? We don’t blame you! Lucky for you, we have a complete collection of the most magical quizzes to do with the wizarding world. Pass the time until your Hogwarts letter arrives with any number of these stupefy -ingly splendid quizzes:
Section 6 of 6:

Frequently Asked Questions About the Hogwarts Houses

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  1. 1
    Can a person exhibit traits from multiple Hogwarts houses? Yes, it’s completely possible to exhibit traits from multiple Hogwarts houses. Even the Sorting Hat is sometimes unsure about which house best fits a student, but it usually opts for the one that best represents the student’s prominent values. If you feel split between two houses, you could call yourself a Gryffinclaw, Slytherpuff, etc. These are referred to as “Hybrid Houses.” [22]
  2. 2
    Is it possible to change houses once sorted? No, once you’ve been officially “sorted” by the Sorting Hat, you cannot change your Hogwarts house. The hat’s decision is final and permanent, and there’s no record of any student being able to switch their house during their time at Hogwarts.
  3. 3
    Where can I find official Hogwarts house merchandise? There are several places to find official Hogwarts house merchandise (as opposed to the plentiful amounts of unofficial merchandise that’s sold by individuals, rather than the companies that produce Harry Potter ). Some of the most common places to purchase official Harry Potter house merchandise include:
  4. 4
    What app tells you what Harry Potter house you are in? There are several apps that can help you find your Harry Potter house, but the most popular one is the official Wizarding World app . Other options include the Hogwarts House Quiz app and the Sorting Owl Quiz app.
  5. 5
    How do you find your house in Hogwarts Legacy ? In Hogwarts Legacy, the Sorting Hat will ask you some questions at the beginning of the game before suggesting a house for you. Then, you’ll be prompted to go with the house that the hat suggested or choose which house you want to be in. You can decide between Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, or Ravenclaw. [23]
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  • Question
    Why do my friends think I might belong to a different Hogwarts house than Slytherin, and how should I respond?
    Community Answer
    Trust your own understanding of yourself; if you strongly identify with Slytherin, maintain that confidence. While your friends may see qualities of Ravenclaw or Gryffindor in you, it's important to embrace your Slytherin traits proudly if that's where your heart lies.
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    Can I be an INTJ and still belong to Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff?
    Samantha
    Community Answer
    Your personality type doesn't determine your Hogwarts house. For instance, I'm an INFJ and my friend is an ENFP, yet we both belong to Hufflepuff.
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    How can I determine if I belong in Hufflepuff instead of Ravenclaw?
    SunPuppy
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    If you prioritize friendships, fairness, and hard work over intelligence, you may align more closely with Hufflepuff values.
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      Tips

      • Being a mix of 2 houses is fine, as many people are! If you want to choose a dominant house, think about which traits you value over the others.
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      Tips from our Readers

      The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.
      • Don't let anyone else determine which house you are. You know yourself best, so whichever house you think you are in is your house! You can ask people who are more knowledgeable about the houses for their opinion, but stay true to yourself!
      • In the end, your house is your choice. Pick a house with the traits that you value and want to develop, even if you think you also have other houses' traits.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.harrypotter.com/features/hogwarts-house-meanings
      2. ↑ https://collider.com/harry-potter-characters-houses-list/
      3. ↑ http://harrypotter.com/features/does-the-sorting-hat-sort-too-early
      4. ↑ https://www.harrypotter.com/features/hogwarts-house-meanings
      5. ↑ https://ew.com/article/2016/09/01/harry-potter-150-more-celebrities-sorted-hogwarts-houses/
      6. ↑ https://www.harrypotter.com/features/hogwarts-house-meanings
      7. ↑ https://ew.com/article/2016/09/01/harry-potter-150-more-celebrities-sorted-hogwarts-houses/
      8. ↑ https://www.harrypotter.com/features/video-what-it-means-to-be-hufflepuff
      9. ↑ https://ew.com/article/2016/09/01/harry-potter-150-more-celebrities-sorted-hogwarts-houses/
      1. ↑ https://www.harrypotter.com/features/all-the-different-ways-you-can-be-a-slytherin
      2. ↑ https://ew.com/article/2016/09/01/harry-potter-150-more-celebrities-sorted-hogwarts-houses/
      3. ↑ http://harrypotter.com/features/everything-we-know-about-the-hogwarts-common-rooms
      4. ↑ https://www.harrypotter.com/features/hogwarts-ghosts
      5. ↑ https://www.harrypotter.com/fact-file/magical-miscellany/the-sorting-ceremony
      6. ↑ https://www.harrypotter.com/features/the-house-cup-wordsearch
      7. ↑ https://www.harrypotter.com/fact-file/magical-miscellany/quidditch
      8. ↑ https://screenrant.com/harry-potter-gryffindor-slytherin-similarities/
      9. ↑ https://www.harrypotter.com/features/10-cool-hogwarts-facts-to-impress-your-friends
      10. ↑ https://www.harrypotter.com/features/hogwarts-ghosts
      11. ↑ https://www.mugglenet.com/2016/03/hufflepuff-house-pride-day-the-difference-between-hard-work-and-wisdom/
      12. ↑ https://www.harrypotter.com/features/stories-of-the-hogwarts-founders
      13. ↑ https://www.mugglenet.com/2016/06/hybrid-hogwarts-houses-are-hogwash/
      14. ↑ https://www.ign.com/wikis/hogwarts-legacy/Which_House_Should_You_Choose

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To determine your Harry Potter house, compare yourself with each of the four houses. People in the Gryffindor house tend to be brave, courageous, and fearless. A person in the Slytherin house is likely to be ambitious and a strong leader. The Hufflepuff house values kindness and fairness. Finally, the Ravenclaw house values intelligence and wisdom. Taking an online quiz or asking someone else can also help you determine your house. To learn more about the four houses, scroll down!

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