The Sorting Hat

[yolandacarroll]

No: HPFGUIDX 87355

Kneasy wrote:
<snip>
> OK, what are the characteristics of the members of the various 
Houses 
> at Hogwarts?
> 
> Gryffindor - Brave, courageous
> 
> Slytherin -  Ambitious, and not overly scrupulous about achieving 
their 
> ambitions
> 
> Ravenclaw - clever, clever, clever
> 
> Hufflepuffs - loyal and apparently not too bright; could even be 
the 
> remedial class
> 
> By my reckoning Hermione should be in Ravenclaw
<snip>
> thing from JKR?). She's obviously one of the star pupils; so why 
is she 
> in Gryffindor?

Yolanda here:
Actually, I see Hermione as being a Gryffindor.  
In PS/SS, Hermione was the one who stunned Neville.  
She's quick with her wand.  In other words quick 
to *act*.  In CoS, she came up with the whole 
Polyjuice potion plan, then helped to carry it out.  
She planned everything out, stole the ingredients, 
drugged the pastries to knock out Crabbe and Goyle, 
stole larger robes from the laundry, and brewed the 
Polyjuice potion.  She may have also brewed the 
potion she drugged the pastries with, but I can't 
remember whether that was stated or not.

Sure it was a smart plan, but look at what she 
*did*. Stealing potions ingredients from Snape by 
itself qualifies her as brave.

Hermione's reaction to the "Heir of Slytherin" 
crisis was to *do* something.  She was more active 
than Harry or Ron.  

Hermione is smart, but her courage puts her in 
Gryffindor.  The sorting hat assigns you according 
to your most outstanding or dominant trait.  This 
does not mean that you do not have other talents.

Why can't someone be smart and brave?  All the 
intelligent kids don't have to be in Ravenclaw.  
What about the prefects for the other houses?  
Aren't they good students?  I don't know if we 
can count the Slytherin prefects.  I admit that 
their appointment appears to be based on favoritism 
and in-house politics.

Look at Harry.  Harry is brave and is in Gryffindor, 
but he was also described as having "not a bad mind" 
and "resourceful" which would lean toward Ravenclaw's 
trait of "clever".  Harry is also very loyal to his 
friends and when motivated (Patronus in POA and 
Summoning charm in GoF) works very hard.  Aren't 
those traits of Hufflepuff?

Look at Cedric Diggory.  He was a prefect so he must 
have been a good student.  He was a tri-wizard champion, 
so I for one do not doubt his bravery.  Diggory was 
also sorted into Hufflepuff.  Why?  Hufflepuffs are 
known for loyalty and hardwork. Let's look at Digggory's 
personality and see if it fits that description.  In POA, 
he wanted a re-match when he realized what had happened 
to Harry.  Diggory wanted to "earn" his victory against 
Gryffindor (hardworking).  In GOF, he re-paid Harry for 
telling him about the dragons, by helping him figure out 
the golden egg clue.  He owed Harry one and he paid him 
back (loyalty).  

Hufflepuff is the house that you get put in if you don't 
fit in to any of the other three.  That sounds like an 
awful big group to be labeled "slow".  Just because 
someone isn't brave, clever, or amibitous that does not 
mean the are "rememdial".  

> Neville is a Hufflepuff to the bone; poor scholar, not naturally 
> adventurous, basically good and modest. And he sticks with his 
friends.

Neville also stood up to his friends and was awarded 
10 points for it in PS/SS.  Dumbledore said, it takes 
more courage to stand up to your friends, than your 
enemies and he's right.  Peer pressure is a powerful 
thing.  Neville stood up to two of his roommates and 
the girl who's helping him out in potions.  I would 
categorize that as brave.

Yolanda