The world of Harry Potter is full of fantastical creatures, powerful spells, dark wizards, noble heroes, and an abundance of magic beyond belief. The franchise mostly takes place inside the walls of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, a magical boarding school where students are divided into four different Houses depending on their main traits, interests, and desires. Although profiling and dividing students seems like a very backward notion, it also adds to the immersive quality of Hogwarts and makes it easier for fans to understand these characters on a deeper level.
Each Hogwarts House plays a significant role in the story, although one easily outranks the others, at least in terms of plot relevance, by being the one Harry Potter belongs to. However, is Gryffindor truly the best Hogwarts House? After all, each Hogwarts House has individual strengths and appeals, from their common room locations to their customs and beliefs and even their trademark colors. And while every Harry Potter fan probably has their favorite, one Hogwarts House arguably towers above the other three, although it might not be the one most people might expect.
4 Gryffindor
The Brave and Chivalrous
CloseGryffindor is the main Hogwarts House throughout the Harry Potter movies. As the House of Harry, Ron, and Hermione, Gryffindor gets the most attention, with multiple scenes showing its common room and numerous characters going on about how it's great to be a Gryffindor. All the typical heroes in the story are Gryffindors, from Dumbledore to Sirius Black and both of Harry's parents. However, it's noteworthy that the saga's most detestable villain, Peter Pettigrew, is also a Gryffindor. Harry's arrival drastically improves his House's performance in the House and Quidditch Cups, and Gryffindor comes out victorious in the first three House Cups and three out of seven Quidditch Cups.
Upon closer examination, it's not hard to realize Gryffindor is the most uninteresting Hogwarts House. Their main traits are also not the best; yes, they are brave and chivalrous, but they're also impulsive to the point of hot-headedness. They act without thinking and often cause more problems than necessary. They are also very proud and, unlike Slytherin, act like they're not. It often seems that fans are only supposed to like Gryffindor because it's Harry's House, and they often do as children. However, growing means realizing Gryffindor is the worst Hogwarts House; even their common room is the most boring, lacking any of the cool, distinctive features of the other three.
3 Ravenclaw
The Wise and Creative
CloseRavenclaw is the house of knowledge. They value wisdom above everything and are highly knowledgeable, always striving to learn more. They are also creative, witty, and somewhat boastful. They seem to be the kind of people who encourage internal competition to the point where the password to their common room is a riddle; if someone can't solve it, they must wait until someone else arrives. The Harry Potter saga has only a few important supporting characters who are also Ravenclaws, with Luna Lovegood being the most noteworthy. As Hogwarts' resident oddball, Luna often states how cruel her fellow Ravenclaws are to her, adding another dubious layer to their reputation.
Overall, Ravenclaws seem to be quite mean to those they consider different. Their high intelligence is certainly an asset to the Wizarding World, but not if it comes at the expense of their empathy. However, Ravenclaw is still a fascinating house with an elusive reputation that makes it seem more exclusive than the others—a reputation they surely appreciate and possibly encourage. Their common room is the most beautiful, located in one of the castle's towers and is arguably the most graceful and awe-inspiring, with its high arches and spacious circular rooms. The common room's location mirrors Ravenclaw's perception of themselves as being above the other Hogwarts Houses, which is not a great look.
2 Slytherin
The Cunning and Ambitious
CloseBy far the most misunderstood Hogwarts House, Slytherins are the unsung heroes of the Potter saga. Slytherins are cunning, ambitious, vain, determined, and nearly unstoppable when they set their mind to something. Although they can be proud, Slytherins can usually back it up with their deeds. Above all, they are resourceful, which can easily make them seem ruthless and uncaring. Nearly every major Slytherin in the Potter saga is either outright evil or at least antagonistic, including the main villain, Lord Voldemort, and most of its one-dimensional acolytes, the Death Eaters. However, the house also has the story's two most complex characters, Draco Malfoy and Severus Snape.
The Potter movies and books make no attempt to hide their feelings towards Slytherin, overtly painting them as selfish, wicked, and cruel. However, Slytherin might just be the most realistic Hogwarts House; after all, humans are not perfect and are not only one thing. Slytherins can have dark instincts, but that doesn't make them entirely evil; they're the most fluid of the four, much like real people, who are constantly shifting and changing. Slytherin also has the coolest common room, a dimly-lit, Gothic-style dungeon located beneath the castle with incredible views from the famous Hogwarts lake. Slytherins are the most honest of them all; they embrace their tumultuous reputation, unlike the other houses, which try to hide behind their more impressive traits.
1 Hufflepuff
The Kind and Selfless
CloseSeeing Hufflepuff outranking the other Hogwarts Houses isn't something most fans would expect—and yet, the House of the Badger is objectively the best. Hufflepuffs are the ugly ducklings in the Potter saga, often dismissed as dumb and useless by the others; they're bad at Quidditch and always rank dead last in the House Cup. However, the truth is that Hufflepuffs are simply good people: they're kind, loyal, supportive, and selfless. Unlike the glory-seeking Gryffindors or the cunning Slytherins, Hufflepuffs are not in it for recognition; they just want to help in any way they can, even if that means staying out of the way. Although it's the house with the least representation in the story, Hufflepuff does have Cedric Diggory, whose death is among the most tragic in Harry Potter.
If Slytherin is the most realistic house, then Hufflepuff is the most idealistic. They are what everyone should strive to be, especially to improve the world and make it a better place. Their common room is also the best, located next to the kitchens and resembling a badger's sett. Cozy, warm, and simple yet striking, the Hufflepuff common room is unassuming and reliable yet full of surprises, much like the people that inhabit it. It's also apparently the safest common room, with no strangers successfully entering it. Hufflepuffs are brave without being reckless, clever without being boastful, and determined without being ruthless. In short, Hufflepuffs are the perfect balance between all the other houses, and it's high time fans give them the respect they have always deserved.
All 8 Harry Potter movies are available to stream on Max.
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