MWPP in Gryffindor (was: House Choice doesn't Equal Personality for Life

[Diana]

No: HPFGUIDX 86108

>   Joj:
> 
>   I personally think MWPP were all in Slytherin.  I like to 
imagine us finding this out when Harry asks Lupin point blank if 
they were.  JKR wouldn't have been so careful to not say they were 
in Gryffindor, if she was going to make it that way.  Why be so 
careful in all 5 books and all interviews, to never say what houses 
they were in, to do the obvious?  It's not her style.
> 

My reply:
I believe we do have evidence that James Potter was in Gryffindor.  
In the movie (I'll tie this to the book in a minute.), Hermione 
shows Harry a Quidditch trophy with his dad's name on it.  The 
trophy has Gryffindor on it, plain as day, along with McGonagall's 
name. 
Now, we know that JK Rowling had some say in the movies because all 
the books obviously haven't been finished yet and the filmmakers 
need to get important details right or it won't fit with future 
books and movies based on those books.  So, while JKR obviously 
didn't object to turning James Potter the Chaser (in the book) into 
a Seeker (in the film), I imagine she would have objected a great 
deal if they'd put James in Gryffindor when he was actually in 
another house.  Because if James wasn't in Gryffindor, then that 
strikes me as extremely important detail for Harry to find out 
later.  And if JKR was being extremely careful to NOT confirm what 
house MWPP were all in, then I can't see her letting that revealing 
detail in the movie go by unchallenged.  
  As for whether Lupin, Black and Pettigrew were all in Gryffindor 
with James, it stands to reason that they would be.  I'll explain. 
We know that all the students have lessons with members of their own 
house, as well as spend leisure time together in their shared common 
rooms.  Sometimes two houses have classes together, but this doesn't 
change my reasoning about MWPP all being Gryffindor.  James and 
Sirius were rarely out of each other's company, according to 
McGonagall, Rosmerta and Flitwick in the Leaky Cauldron in PoA, so 
they would more than likely be in the same house.  Otherwise, 
between lessons and Quidditch practice and games, James and Sirius 
wouldn't have much time to spend together in places where the 
professors could see them without them getting into trouble (such as 
when all students are supposed to be in their common rooms, not 
roaming around the castle).  Using the trio as an example, Harry 
usually has so much homework to do and so many Quidditch practices 
to attend that his leisure time is spent in the Gryffindor common 
room or out on the Quidditch pitch with his fellow team members.  
Hermione and Ron rarely leave Harry's side, not only because they 
are great friends, but because they have lessons together and spend 
leisure time in the common room together.  To me, it doesn't seem 
unlikely at all for the same scenario to have sprung up amongst 
MWPP.  
As for Lupin, I couldn't see anyone less likely to be in Slytherin 
than him.  I do believe he was in Gryffindor as well because he was 
part of James and Sirius' little clique.  Look at it this way, there 
doesn't seem to be a lot of cross-over close friendships between 
houses, not as portrayed in all five books books so far.  Slytherins 
hang around with Slytherins, Ravenclaws hang around with Ravenclaws, 
Hufflepuffs hang around with Hufflepuffs, and Gryffindors hang 
around with Gryffindors.  I can't imagined that's changed a great 
deal in the only 20 years since MWPP went to Hogwarts.  

Don't get me wrong, there are friendships between houses, such as 
Justin Finch-Fletchley, Ernie MacMillan, Hannah Abbott are friends 
with the trio, but they are surface friendships, not close 
friendships.  I can't see Lupin, Sirious and James forming such 
tight bonds if they were in different houses than each other.  
  Dating between houses seems quite common though, just judging by 
Harry & Cho, Ginny & Michael Corner, Percy & Penelope, etc.  
 
I firmly believe that Pettigrew was also in Gryffindor along with 
MPP because of several comments made by McGonagall, Serius and Lupin 
about how Pettigrew followed MPP around constantly and was 
considered a part of their clique.  Cliques do seem to divide along 
house lines.   After all, there is a lot of rivalry between houses, 
including Quiddtich matches (of which James as Chaser would have 
been acutely aware of), the points system with the awarding of the 
House cup at the end of the year to the House with the most points 
and the fact that the professors themselves seem to emphasize and 
even encourage the house rivalries.  
I can't find the first book or I'd scour it for clues that MWPP were 
in Gryffindor.  I will look through the other books, though and see 
if can get some canonical quotes to backup my beliefs that MWPP were 
all in Gryffindor.   

Diana L.