Summary
Those who love theHarry Potterseries also probably love the concept of various houses for the students of Hogwarts. Most people who’ve delved into the series at all have taken a test of their own at some point to see which Hogwarts house they’d belong to. One of the key houses that people hope to be a part of thanks to the core cast of theHarry Potterseries is Gryffindor.
The house that’s dripping with red, gold, and lion decor is one of the most striking in the entire series. Some of the most famous witches and wizards in theHarry Potteruniverse called Gryffindor their home at one point, and things were no different when Harry and his friends entered the school. Some might wonder what it is that makes someone the perfect Gryffindor, but luckily, there are plenty of key traits that those in Gryffindor house tend to exhibit in their daily life.
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What Are The Strengths Of Gryffindors?
While thehistoric strengths of a Gryffindorwill show themselves differently through the actions of different characters, there are a few that are held in the highest regard. Some of the most important traits that make someone a true Gryffindor are their bravery, their sense of honor, their loyalty to those around them, and their ability to be bold regardless of the situation they find themselves in. Moments in which key members of the Gryffindor house demonstrate these traits will no doubt have already come to mind.
Bravery is one of the most revered traits in the entire series, and the core trio of the films demonstrates it time and time again. The fact that Harry Potter, a teenager who hasn’t even completed a full magical education, is happy to go up against the most feared dark wizard of all time Lord Voldemort demonstrates more bravery than most people could dream of. InHarry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone, Ron demonstrates his courage and his immediately-forgotten-about brilliance when the trio is forced into a deadly game of wizards' chess. Loyalty is additionally demonstrated, though primarily through Harry, when it comes to trusting in Dumbledore andthe Order Of The Phoenix to build an armyand battle against Voldemort.
Gryffindors also value honor, something that becomes clear in the way that the students of Hogwarts react when it is learned that Harry’s name was chosen by the Goblet of Firefor the Triwizard Tournament. Even Harry’s own best friend reacts with anger that his friend would somehow cheat to get his name into a tournament for some more glory. With honor also comes boldness, something that is harder to come by, but something that is still valued. Realistically, Neville Longbottom demonstrates a lot of boldness throughout the series, being willing to constantly take risks even if it means being at odds with his friends or the most vile wizard of all time.
What Are The Weaknesses Of Gryffindors?
While Gryffindors may seem like the ultimate Hogwarts house,that couldn’t be further from the truth. In reality, the famous Gryffindor house is filled with students with many of the same key weaknesses that present in some major ways. Some of the biggest weaknesses include recklessness, being self-righteous, having short tempers, and having a tendency to always want to be the hero.
It shouldn’t surprise anyone that Gryffindors can be fairly reckless. Sometimes, recklessness is required when it comes to bravery, especially for younger people. Many Gryffindors throughout the series throw themselves into danger without fully grasping how dangerous a situation is, something that is on display inHarry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenixwhen Harry and his friends head to the Ministry of Magic andend up battling Death Eaters. It’s also possible that some might just chalk up the main heroes being short-tempered to teenage hormones, and that might be fair, but adults like Minerva McGonagall and Albus Dumbledore both demonstrate similar short tempers on rare occasions. A little bit of fire is just another thing that makes a witch or wizard a strong Gryffindor, even if it can be a shortcoming.
It is easy to view Gryffindors are overly heroic people, being willing to put themselves in harm’s way when their presence may not be required. Neville’s boldness puts him in contact with being overly heroic when it isn’t necessary as seen inHarry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone. Neville attempts to stop his friends from sneaking out past the curfew and ends up petrified for his troubles. Many of the other houses also take issue and view Gryffindors as self-righteous people.Everyone’s favorites Ron Weasleyand Hermione Granger are actually great examples of this very thing as both are often at odds for believing the other is completely correct when both parties are at fault for something.
Who Are The Most Famous Gryffindors?
Across the long history of Gryffindor House, there have been countless famous members of the house, though only a few of them have any actual relevance to theHarry Potterseries. Fans of the series will know that Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley are three of the most famous members in the story. Following them, famous faculty members like Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall, Hagrid, and even house ghost Nearly-Headless Nick were all members of Gryffindor at one time. It is also worth mentioningthe founder of Gryffindor itself, Godric Gryffindor.
Harry Potter and his friends, Ron and Hermione, become rather famous Gryffindors thanks to them leading the fight againstVoldemort’s second rise to power. All three are either viewed as bright wizards or important parts of Gryffindor during their time at Hogwarts. Obviously, Harry Potter is most famous for being the boy who lived, but he and his friends become famous all over again for being the ones who stood against and defeated Voldemort at the Battle of Hogwarts. Notably, both Harry and Ron’s parents were Gryffindors, and so were many of their close friends.
Albus Dumbledore might actually be the most famous in-universe and he just so happened to be a Gryffindor like other already-mentioned members of Hogwarts staff. He was such a promising and powerful wizard that he nearly turned down a much darker path but instead rose up to challengethe great evil of his era in Gellert Grindelwald. He would go on to become Headmaster of Hogwarts where he could oversee Harry’s time at the school and prepare him for his turn to take on the greatest evil the wizarding world has ever known in Voldemort.
