5 Reasons Harry Potter Should Have Been In Slytherin (And 5 That Say Gryffindor)

Harry Potter came to Hogwarts that first year worried he might be sorted into Slytherin. As the Sorting Hat sat on his head, he begged not to be sorted in Malfoy’s house. And lo and behold, Gryffindor it was. There was much celebration and jubilation that night.

But why was The Boy Who Lived so worried? Did he sense that the failed Killing Curse that He Who Must Not Be Named zapped him with while he stood in his crib gave him some kind of connection to the Dark Lord? Indeed, his wand is the brother wand to Voldemort’s. Here are the traits for both houses, 5 reasons Harry should have been in Slytherin, and 5 that shout Griffindor.

10 Slytherin – Links To Evil

The night Voldemort killed Harry’s parents, he intended to kill Harry with the Killing Curse. But it backfired and destroyed Voldemort. But that scar is proof positive of a link between the two. It throbs and aches when Voldemort is near. Indeed, there are times when Voldemort enters Harry’s mind and dreams.

And then there is the fact that Voldemort’s wand is the brother wand of Voldemort’s. As Ollivander said “Curiouser and curiouser”. Harry himself often wonders about it, doubting his place in Gryffindor.

9 Gryffindor – Recklessness

Something goes wrong in the Chamber of Secrets. Harry and Ron don’t make it through the wall onto Platform 9 3/4. They miss the Hogwarts Express. So what do they do? They commandeer Arthur Weasley’s amazing flying Muggle car and set off to chase behind the train.

Only thing is that neither one of them can drive. And it ends badly for both them and the Whomping Willow. Plus (horror of horrors) they were spotted by two Muggles. Gryffindors are brave, sometimes to the point of recklessness. And the flying car episode is a prime example that proves Harry (and Ron) fit right in.

8 Slytherin – Resourcefulness

Slytherins are resourceful. They find quick and clever ways of overcoming difficulty. Take a case in point: In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Professor Slughorn has returned to Hogwarts to teach Potions. When Ron falls foul of a love potion meant for Harry, Harry drags his moonstruck friend to Professor Slughorn’s quarters in search of an antidote.

After the problem is sorted, they drink a toast. The only thing is Ron gets a dose of poison and is flat on his back foaming at the mouth. Harry dashes to the potions cabinet and figures out an antidote, while Slughorn fumbles. Quick and clever, we think.

7 Griffindor – Courage

Let’s face facts here. In Goblet of Fire,  Fleur Delacour is supposed to be the Champion representing Beauxbaton in the Triwizard Tournament. Only thing is, she’s not very good.

In the Second Task when four people are stashed underwater, each of the four champions is supposed to rescue one. Harry’s designated rescue is Ron. Fleur’s is her sister Gabrielle. When Fleur fails, Harry ends up saving both Ron and Gabrielle, hotly pursued by some nasty look water monsters. That is above and beyond courage, we say. So Griffindor it is.

6 Slytherin – Determination

Slytherins are determined. They never give up. In Deathly Hallows Part II, Harry is determined, against all the odds, to leave school, hit the road and find those all-important Horcruxes. Nothing will stop him. Nobody can talk him out of it.

Now, where does determination end and stubbornness begin? It’s a fine line that Harry seems to step over on occasion. Take the time in the Half-Blood Prince, when Bellatrix Lestrange shows up, torches the Weasley’s home, the Burrows and then runs off. What does Harry do? Why he is bound and determined to give her what she deserves and chases after her. Determination (Slytherin) meets recklessness (Griffindor).

5 Slytherin – Leadership

When a sadistic and power-mad Dolores Umbridge takes up the post of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher in the Order of the Phoenix, it’s clear from the very beginning that she has no intention of teaching the students anything practical. There is probably a sinister hidden agenda behind her methods.

Dumbledore’s Army is formed and the Room of Requirement is there to fill the need for a place to train. And who leads this effort? None other than Harry Potter. He teaches, encourages, organizes and inspires the students. That’s true leadership Slytherin style, we think.

4 Griffindor – Short-Tempered

Oh boy. We have so many examples of Harry being short-tempered. Take the time in the Prisoner of Azkaban when Harry storms out of the Weasley’s house, briefly encounters Sirius Black in dog mode and then clambers onto the Knight Bus.  Then, in the Order of the Phoenix, he feels his friends and Dumbledore are ignoring him. And that sets him off again.

Basically, Harry has this resentment and anger left over from losing his parents and having to put up with the Muggle Dursleys’ nastiness. If he feels abandoned or left out, he tends to get very angry and lash out. One vote for Gryffindor.

3 Slytherin – An Affinity With Snakes

Parseltongue, the ability to communicate with snakes is a trait passed down to the heirs of Salazar Slytherin. But it’s clear, almost from the beginning of the franchise that Harry is a Parseltongue. In Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, he gets up close and personal with a snake at the zoo, landing Dudley in the snake pit.

Then in the Chamber of Secrets Harry is seen to communicate with a snake during his duel with Malfoy. It makes many people suspicious of him. And it has to be said, it worries Harry quite a bit. It’s just another connection to Voldemort.

2 Gryffindor – Chivalry

Gryffindors are chivalrous, willing to sacrifice themselves for the good of others. In Deathly Hallows Part II, during the Battle of Hogwarts, Voldemort issues an ultimatum: Turn over Harry Potter or die. Harry volunteers to go to Voldemort in order to save his friends. He is accompanied by the presence of his dead parents and Sirius Black. He, of course, lives to win the day.

On a minor level, chivalry can be said to encompass the courteous behavior of men towards women. Just look at Harry’s treatment of the likes of Cho Chang and Luna Lovegood. He oozes chivalry. What about Hermione? Not so much.

1 Gryffindor – Daring And Bold

Gryffindors are daring and bold, willing to take risks. And Harry? Well, in Half-Blood Prince, Harry drinks Felix Felicis, or “liquid luck” and boldly stalks Professor Slughorn when he takes a ramble. Harry wants to persuade Slughorn to reveal his memories of Tom Riddle and Horcruxes. Slughorn is more than resistant.

They end up at Hagrid’s cottage, where Slughorn and Hagrid have a few. As Hagrid sleeps, Harry finally persuades Slughorn to give up his memories. More than a little daring and bold.

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