The Hogwarts Houses are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Every student at the school belongs to one of the Houses, which he or she was Sorted into by the Sorting Hat.
The Houses were set up by the founders of Hogwarts, Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw and Salazar Slytherin to reflect what each found most desirable in a student of magic. Each house has its own qualities and characteristics.
- Gryffindor is the home of the brave, loyal, and just.
- Slytherins are cunning, self-interested, and power hungry. It is also known as the house that produces the most dark wizards and witches. But not all Death Eaters come from Slytherin, as Peter Pettigrew, one of Gryffindor's Marauders, became a Death Eater betraying James and Lily Potter. Supposedly Slytherin only accepts Pure-bloods, but that fact is disapproved, since the Sorting Hat wanted to place Harry, who with Muggle maternal grandparent, is not pureblooded, in Slytherin.
- Ravenclaw is the home of those who enjoy learning and the clever and wise. Hufflepuffs are hardworking and fair. It is the least mentioned House, with the exception of Harry's fourth year, where Cedric Diggory, Hogwarts' other Triwizard Tournament champion, came from Hufflepuff. Also in the first Quidditch game in the third book, where Hufflepuff beat Gryffindor, due to Harry being affected by the dementors.
- It seems as if a student has none of the distinguishing characteristics of the other Houses, they are placed in Hufflepuff. Students have been known to fit into two Houses well. Two examples are Harry, himself, whom the Sorting Hat wanted to put him in Gryffindor or Slytherin. Another example is Hermione Granger. We found out during the fifth book that the Hat had wanted to put her in Ravenclaw.
