Gryffindor House Explained: What Nobody Tells You

Gryffindor is not the house of the good guys. It's the house of people who act before they think. That has caused as many tragedies as heroic deeds.

When someone says "I'm a Gryffindor," they're almost always picturing Harry, the scarlet and gold, the sword. Almost nobody pictures the full list of people who slept in that tower.

What the Sorting Hat Actually Asks For

In the Sorting Hat's song in Philosopher's Stone (Sorcerer's Stone in the US), ch. 7, Gryffindor is described with three things: daring, nerve and chivalry. Nothing about kindness. Nothing about justice. Nothing about being right.

What the Hat looks for in Gryffindor is a reaction: when there's danger, you walk toward it. That can save someone's life or it can be a monumental blunder. The house doesn't guarantee what you'll do with that impulse.

The Uncomfortable List

The easy example is Peter Pettigrew. Wormtail was a Gryffindor, roommate of James, Sirius and Lupin. The man who handed the Potters over to Voldemort came out of the same common room as the heroes (Prisoner of Azkaban, ch. 19).

But the interesting cases are the "good" ones.

Sirius and James. In Prisoner of Azkaban (ch. 18) we learn about Sirius's "prank." He sent Snape down the tunnel under the Whomping Willow, knowing Lupin was down there as a werewolf. James had to go and pull him out. Then in Order of the Phoenix (ch. 28), in Snape's worst memory, we watch James hang him upside down in front of half the school, out of sheer boredom. Brave, loyal to each other, cruel to everyone else. Harry doesn't walk away from that memory the same.

The trio. Harry, Ron and Hermione go down alone to find the Philosopher's Stone because no adult will listen to them. It works. Years later, in Order of the Phoenix (chs. 32 to 35), Harry rushes to the Ministry over a vision he never checks. He arrives, walks into the trap, and Sirius dies. It's a textbook Gryffindor disaster: loads of courage, hardly any information.

The Courage That Counts

Now the other side. At the end of Philosopher's Stone (ch. 17), Slytherin is winning the House Cup. Dumbledore starts handing out last-minute points: to Ron, to Hermione, to Harry. And finally, ten points to Neville Longbottom for standing up to his friends when they tried to sneak out at night.

Those ten points break the tie. Gryffindor finishes with 482 and Slytherin with 472. The clumsy boy who never won anything gave his house the Cup by telling "no" to the three people he admired most.

Dumbledore puts it better than anyone: it takes a great deal of courage to stand up to your enemies, but even more to stand up to your friends.

Neville's story ends in Deathly Hallows (ch. 36). Harry looks dead in Hagrid's arms. Voldemort offers forgiveness to anyone who joins him. Neville steps forward, shaking, and says no. Voldemort sets the Sorting Hat on fire on his head. Neville pulls Gryffindor's sword out of it and cuts off Nagini's head.

He wasn't brave because he felt no fear. He was brave because fear didn't make the decision for him.

Book vs. Movie

Neville gets more scenes in the movie. In Deathly Hallows, Part 2 he blows up the castle bridge with Snatchers on it, something that doesn't happen in the book.
The Marauders barely exist on screen. The Whomping Willow prank and much of James and Sirius's cruelty get cut, so in the movies Gryffindor comes out cleaner than it really is.
Neville's points are in the movie, and the feast scene stays almost the same.

What Almost Nobody Notices

Gryffindor is also the house that loses the most points. In Philosopher's Stone (ch. 15), Harry, Hermione and Neville lose 150 points in a single night for being out of bed. Recklessness comes at a price.
The sword doesn't belong to Gryffindors by blood. It shows up for whoever needs it and deserves it. Harry pulls it out in the Chamber of Secrets, and Neville in the battle. Neither of them saw himself as a hero.
Neville wanted to be a Hufflepuff. According to Rowling, Neville asked the Hat to put him in Hufflepuff and the Hat refused. It saw something in him that he couldn't see yet.

Is It Worth Being a Gryffindor?

Yes, if you read it honestly. Getting Gryffindor doesn't mean "you're the hero." It means that when life asks you a hard question, you'll answer fast. Sometimes that saves someone. Sometimes it lands you in trouble. The saga asks you to learn to hesitate for a second, and then to take the step anyway.

Want to know which house you'd get based on your choices, not your favorite color? Take our house quiz. And the next part of the series is Slytherin House: Why It Isn't the House of the Villains, the house that carries the worst reputation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Gryffindor the best house?

Not according to the books. Every house has its virtues and its flaws. Gryffindor gets the spotlight because Harry is there, not because the Hat considers it superior.

Who are the most famous Gryffindors?

Harry, Hermione, Ron, Neville, Ginny, the Weasley twins, Dumbledore, McGonagall, Sirius, James, Lily, Lupin and Hagrid. And Pettigrew, proof that the house doesn't guarantee loyalty.