The Harry Potter Hogwarts house system is definitely filled with excitement and wonder. There’s something thrilling about the idea, and many fans have enjoyed sorting themselves into a house depending on their personality. However, the belief that people can be sorted into four groups based on a few personality traits is kind of outlandish. Also, the fact that students are sorted when they are so young is definitely problematic, because people change as they grow up.
Here are five Harry Potter characters who don’t belong in their Hogwarts houses as well as the reasons they were put there by the Sorting Hat in the first place.
DIDN’T BELONG: PETER PETTIGREW
Peter Pettigrew is the one character that is mentioned the most in the books as having been mistakenly sorted. As he was a Gryffindor, the fact that he was such a huge coward doesn’t make a lot of sense. Gryffindors are known for their bravery, so being weak and willing to always switch sides isn’t very Gryffindor of him. While the implication is that he should be in Slytherin, he probably could have been sorted into Hufflepuff, too.
WHY THE HAT PUT HIM THERE
The biggest reason why it makes sense Pettigrew was sorted into the wrong house is the reason that’s mentioned in the books. As Dumbledore says, he thinks that the sorting probably happens too early. In a way, Pettigrew could be seen as the Neville character who might have had the potential to grow into bravery and chivalry. Plus, Pettrigrew did become one of the Marauders. However, people change greatly from when they are eleven years old, and clearly, Pettigrew became more cowardly and evil as he grew older.
DIDN’T BELONG: NEVILLE LONGBOTTOM
Neville Longbottom is a character who definitely has a lot of bravery. While he might have started out as somewhat of a weak, timid character he grew into himself. By Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Neville had grown into being a capable, brave, and inherently good wizard. However, many things about Neville make more sense in Hufflepuff. He likely would have had a better time at Hogwarts there, too.
The Sorting Hat likely put Neville into Gryffindor for a couple of reasons. First of all, it’s clear that Neville has many Gryffindor traits such as bravery; even as a first year he had enough of it to stand up to Harry, Ron, and Hermione. The second reason could be that Neville asked the Hat to make him a Gryffindor. We know from Harry that the Hat can be influenced by the person’s wishes. Neville might have wanted to be in Gryffindor to impress his family.
DIDN’T BELONG: DUMBLEDORE
One of the big problems of the Harry Potter series is that almost all of the most talented and best witches and wizards are Gryffindors. There are a few from Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, but not many. There definitely isn’t a lot of room for nuance. The truth is that Dumbledore exemplifies some of the worst traits of Slytherins. He can be extremely cunning and clever, and he is definitely ambitious and manipulative.
This is another instance of the fact that Dumbledore was sorted rather young. While it’s hard to imagine Dumbledore as an eleven-year-old, given his complicated family history, he might have wanted to impress by being in the house most associated with bravery and doing the right thing. Plus, there is a side of Dumbledore that is brave and daring. He can also be chivalrous.
DIDN’T BELONG: LUNA LOVEGOOD
While there are overall too many of the main characters in the series sorted in Gryffindor, Luna is the rare exception where she should have been sorted into Gryffindor, too. Luna might have been really focused internally and in her mind, but she didn’t seem interested in learning in the same way many Ravenclaws are. But the biggest reason she should have been sorted into Gryffindor is that she was extremely loyal to her friends and also very brave.
WHY THE HAT PUT HER THERE
As we know from what the Sorting Hat said to Harry, the Hat seems to take into consideration how a student would do in a certain house. Luna does have some Ravenclaw traits for sure, such as originality and creativity. Given her strange beliefs and ways of going about the world, she would fit better in Ravenclaw where people are less focused on what others around them are doing and are more introverted overall.
DIDN’T BELONG: HARRY POTTER
This is another example that comes straight from the books. Harry is a hard person to sort because he does have a mix of traits. While he is definitely brave, reckless, loyal, and all of the Gryffindor traits, he is also ambitious, determined, resourceful, and a leader. It would have been really interesting to have Harry be a good wizard who defeats the Dark Lord while being sorted into Slytherin. While the books insist Harry’s Slytherin side was because of the Horcrux that was inside of him, the truth is really that he just has some of these traits.
There are many reasons why the Hat put him in Gryffindor. The first and main reason is the one we learn in the books. Harry wanted to be in Gryffindor, so the Hat put him there. The other reasons are easy to see as well. Harry belongs in many ways with the students in Gryffindor and would likely have stuck out and had a horrible time with the Slytherin students. Plus, given how he has so many Gryffindor traits that he continues to develop over the years, it’s hard to imagine him anywhere else.
