Not a single student was even born when the first book in the Harry Potter series hit the shelves, but 24 years later, this new generation is now asking themselves Which house do I belong to? They have a one-in-four chance of being right.

Harry Potter is both a book and movie series written by J.K. Rowling. It is hard to believe that her first book came out June of 1997! She continued writing books for that exact series up until 2007, marking her seventh book. To keep it short and simple for those who have no idea, this book series is all about wizards and their adventures in the wizarding world! They go to a wizarding school called Hogwarts. On their first night there, they get sorted into four different houses: Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw. Each house is represented by an animal.

“It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are,

far more than our abilities.”

To be a Gryffindor means to be brave and daring; to be a Slytherin means to be sly and cunning; to be a Hufflepuff means to be fair and loyal; and, to be a Ravenclaw means to be clever and wise. A magical sorting hat is placed upon a head, and it says which house it believes a person belongs to. Whilst Gryffindor is the main character Harry Potter’s house, that doesn’t mean it’s the best or that everyone belongs to it.

If readers were to be sorted into Hufflepuff, don’t be discouraged. The books make it seem as if Hufflepuff is really of no importance sometimes, but that’s not the case. Hufflepuffs stayed and fought with Gryffindors and are just as “battle-hungry.” Just because they aren’t necessarily called the “brave ones” doesn’t mean they’d “wimp out” of things. They show compassion and loyalty, but that doesn’t mean weakness. They are kind, but don’t let any guard down. Because of that, they can really step up to the plate and “show who’s boss.” Cedric Diggory is a great example of an amazingly brave and kind Hufflepuff! The founder of the Hufflepuff house is Helga Hufflepuff. Their symbol is a badger. 

Elkhart-East teacher Mr. Jesse Olson says, “I am a Hufflepuff, because they welcome everyone in without judgement and don’t pick on those of the other houses. I just have those types of qualities within myself.” What other house would be in if not Hufflepuff? Olson replied, “If I wasn’t in Hufflepuff, I would definitely be in Ravenclaw—never Slytherin! Although,” he adds, “it’d be cool to be more brave and be in Gryffindor, too!”

Then there’s Ravenclaw: the quick-witted. If or when sorted into Ravenclaw, these people are already seen as uniquely smart. Just like Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws are also humorous and quirky at times. They are also quite nice, enjoy a good time, and aren’t as stubborn or serious as one would think. Most Ravenclaws honor learning and are very academically motivated—never lazy. That doesn’t stand for everyone, though. To get into the Ravenclaw dormitory, they have to answer a riddle, which just shows how appreciably geeky they really are. Luna Lovegood was sorted into Ravenclaw and joined Harry multiple times without hesitation to fight at his side, which just shows how she’s just as brave! The founder of Ravenclaw is Rowena Ravenclaw. Their symbol is an eagle.

When sorted into Gryffindor, these people will be seen as honorable, and Slytherin’s arch-enemy. They are seen as noble and sometimes reckless. Gryffindors love a good adventure; they aren’t the type to sit down and let others do the fighting. They definitely love stepping up to the plate. Some Gryffindors, but not all, can also be known to be “short-tempered.” Some may think they’re self-righteous and arrogant, but maybe it’s out of jealousy, because the other houses aren’t called the “Honorable ones.” Once a Gryffindor has an idea in his head, it’s hard to convince him otherwise, but that doesn’t mean he thinks he’s “all that.” These people just have a lot of determination. Neville Longbottom is a great Gryffindor. Throughout all the books, he wasn’t super good in school, and people thought him as a coward. But, during the battle of Hogwarts—and when he and Luna joined Harry and his gang—he showed phenomenal bravery and skill. The founder of Gryffindor is Godric Gryffindor. Their symbol is a lion.

Last, but not least, is Slytherin. Slytherins get a bad rep, because many turn out to be evil or turn into death eaters—but many are good. Slytherins value resourcefulness and are extremely ambitious. Some love to think they are above the others and prize being leaders. Some will do anything to get their way and win—even fowl play and cheating, especially in Quidditch. To show that they aren’t all bad, some fought against Voldemort alongside Harry Potter and the rest of the school. Alongside Hufflepuff, Slytherins are very loyal to each other and their house. Most of the school bullies come from Slytherin house, because they like being in power and letting others know that. On the bright side, they share a lot of traits with Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. They think before acting, weighing all possible outcomes, and are also very fearless. Regardless of denial, they have more in common with the other houses than they’d like to admit. The founder of Slytherin is Salazar Slytherin. Their symbol is a snake. 

The mission for this generation is to determine which house—with its unique personality traits—best matches. Remember, if the hat fits, wear it!