Why is Percy in Gryffindor?

[sistermagpie]

No: HPFGUIDX 144594

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "esmith222002" <c.john at i...> 
wrote:
>
> Shouldn't he be in Slytherin? Thirst for power? Abuse of power? 
Ability 
> to befriend those in power? Lack of family loyalty? Attempts to 
divide 
> family?


Magpie:

Slytherins aren't loyal to family?  Could have fooled me!:-D

I think Percy makes a perfectly believable Gryffindor.  He rushes in 
to dangerous situations at times, and seems to *think* he's acting 
in the right.  He also seems to like to study boring subjects and 
work hard, which could put him in Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff.

I think Percy's leaving his family is about something other than 
simple lust for power and ambition, as is his love of Crouch.  In 
fact, reading GoF it's sort of interesting to parallel Percy and 
Barty, especially given that Percy also had a troubled relationship 
with his own father and wound up "on the other side" from him, just 
not a DE.  

Also, I think it's important to remember that one's house doesn't 
mean that you always act on the things the house is known for.  I'd 
bet that often if someone is the opposite of something that's their 
house as well, because they're still ruled by a devotion to that 
idea.  I think Lockhart was a Gryffindor, myself, though we don't 
know that.  But we do know that Neville, who at first seems timid, 
is in Gryffindor--as is another boy in fifth year who looks very 
scared that Harry watches at the Sorting.  Peter seems like the 
important Coward of the series, betraying his friends out of fear 
and still wanting protection from them etc.  Crabbe and Goyle appear 
to be the opposite of cunning but are in Slytherin.  Luna appears to 
reject a lot of intelligent things (Hermione does seem to be right 
when she says Luna only believes things because there's no proof), 
yet still seems to belong in Ravenclaw.  Zach Smith seems to have 
trouble trusting people and is naturally suspicious, but that makes 
him perfectly Hufflepuff to me.:-)

-m