Every Harry Potter fan remembers the moment they were introduced to the series. I’m no exception; I’ve been a Harry Potter fan since a day care friend gave me the first three Harry Potter books as a gift for my ninth birthday, thus beginning a life-long love for not only the series, but for reading as a whole. I’ve read the series at least seven times through, and I’ve gone as Harry Potter – not Hermione or Luna, which would make much more sense– for three Halloweens. J.K. Rowling’s amazing talent for storytelling is even what inspired me to begin writing in the first place, eventually leading me down my current career path as a writer and content creator.
For as long as I can remember, people have associated me with “giant Harry Potter nerd,” and it quickly became one of my identifying characteristics. Not sure what to get me for Christmas? Harry Potter merch. Need someone on your team for Harry Potter trivia? I’m your girl. Want to watch the movies with someone who quotes every line at the same time as the actors say it? Yep, you guessed it – me.
So naturally, when I learned that J.K. Rowling had a website called Pottermore* where you could take an official quiz to determine your Hogwarts House, I had to check it out for myself. I took the quiz and was sorted into Hufflepuff (shout out to all my fellow Puffs!). Since then, I have had nearly every important person in my life – and even some people I barely knew –take the quiz to determine their house, too. I’ve had people take it as soon as I’ve met them. I’ve had people take it in the midst of party busses and bars. “Screw your zodiac sign, tell me your Hogwarts House,” was even my Tinder bio for the brief period I was on the app. Trust me – it’s a good conversation starter, and great way to weed out the people who think they’re too cool to read.
Why do I do this? Partly because I’m curious, and partly because people ask me how they can take it if they never have before. But mostly, it’s because it allows me to get to know people quickly. Call me crazy, but I whole-heartedly believe that your Hogwarts House says almost everything about your personality that I need to know. I believe it can tell you just as much – if not more – about a person than their zodiac sign.
The quiz actually includes many deep questions that require a bit of soul searching and even helps you get to know yourself a little better. For example, one of the questions is something along the lines of, “What is your biggest fear?” with options such as “being lonely” or “being forgotten.” It’s not just some silly quiz that spits out randomized results like a BuzzFeed quiz – it requires some true introspection and self-awareness, and ultimately reflects a great deal of your personality.
So without further ado, here’s what I think getting sorted into each house really says about you.
Gryffindor
Gryffindors are known for being brave, daring, and chivalrous. This is the house everyone wants to get sorted into the first time they take the quiz because it’s the house Harry, Ron, and Hermione belong to and the house we know the most about. Every Gryffindor I’ve ever met has a tiny bit of a superiority complex because they believe they got sorted into the “best” house. Are you probably a pretty cool person? Yes. Does that make you better than any of the rest of us? No.
Ravenclaw
Ravenclaws are set apart by their cleverness, wisdom, and intellect. You know that one friend who freaks out about failing a test and ends up with a 93%? Definitely a Ravenclaw. While Ravenclaws tend to be only thought of as “book smart,” they also have great “street smarts,” too. It’s easy to think of these intellectual types as hoity-toity, but every Ravenclaw I know is down-to-earth, the kind of friend you go to when you’re in an emotional panic and need someone to help you think through the situation logically. Honestly, Ravenclaw is an underrated house and deserved more recognition in the books and movies.
Hufflepuff
I might be biased here, but I think Hufflepuffs get an unfair bad rap. I’ve heard Hufflepuffs described as “really nice, but kind of boring and stupid.” In reality, we’re known for our loyalty, hard work, dedication, patience, and a strong moral compass. Hufflepuffs make great friends, the kind that you can go months without talking to but can pick back up again like no time has passed. I believe every Iowan has a bit of Hufflpuff in them because of our trademark “Iowa nice.”
Slytherin
This is the one where I have to remind myself repeatedly remind myself not to judge a book by its cover. Slytherins are ambitious, cunning, and are known for their strong sense of self-preservation. These traits are often assumed to mean “selfish” or “I’m willing to step on anyone’s toes to get to where I want to go.” In reality, it just means they’re always watching out for #1 – themselves. They’ll opt do what’s best for them, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they do it at the detriment of others. Many of the closest people in my life are Slytherins, including my best friend, sister, and boyfriend. In my experience, Slytherins are capable of putting others before themselves, but only for people they truly care about. In other words, they’re selectively nice; ready to be either a Hufflepuff-quality friend or a total Malfoy-esque prick, depending on how you treat them in return.
*now called Wizarding World to include Fantastic Beasts