Gryffindor

**Gryffindor** , or Gryffindor House, is one of the four Houses of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry. It was founded in the late 10th century alongside Hogwarts by Godric Gryffindor. Gryffindor decided to sort the students via the Sorting Hat, instructing it to choose students possessing characteristics he valued the most. These values included; courage, bravery, determination, daring, nerve, and chivalry.

The emblem of Gryffindor is the Lion, and its colors were scarlet and gold. The lion was chosen after Godric Gryffindor's animagus and patronus forms, which was a Lion. The House Ghost is Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington, a former student who was in the house.

Gryffindor's House element is fire, given the scarlet and gold colors, corresponding roughly with fire. The fire also corresponds with the mane and tail of the Lion. Gryffindor's official motto is "*Forti Animo Estate*", which is displayed in the Common Room.

## Reputation

Gryffindors and Slytherins had shared a fierce house rivalry since their founders, Godric Gryffindor and Salazar Slytherin, respectively, had a severe falling out over Slytherin's emphasis on blood purity. Due to this feud, many chose to side against anyone who associated themselves with Slytherin. Because of this, members of other houses might have felt that Gryffindor received favouritism.

Overall, however, the houses of Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tended to side with Gryffindor in its rivalry with Slytherin. This caused a larger rift between Gryffindor and Slytherin, strengthening the feud the two Houses carried with them for over a millenia.

## Gryffindor Tower

### Common Room:

Gryffindor Tower was located on the east side of the Hogwarts castle, housing many students who were sorted into the Gryffindor House. The entrance to the tower is located behind the portrait of the Fat Lady in a pink silk dress. For those with the right password, the Fat Lady will swing open to reveal a round opening in the wall. The Common Room itself is filled with armchairs, a spacious fireplace, as well as several tables. The fireplace was connected to the Floo Network as well, allowing people to communicate with others through the fireplace.

A notice board hung from the left wall from the entrance, which was used for public announcements. The announcements could range from Hogsmeade weekend trips, notices for students buying/selling supplies, as well as sign ups for student clubs.

The common room itself is described as very spacious and comfortable place for students to study, celebrate, and relax. Each wall is covered in portraits of the previous Heads of Gryffindor, allowing students to converse and gain better insight on the history of their House.

### Dormitories

Across from the main entrance of the Gryffindor Common Room entrance are two staircase leading to the tower itself. The boys' staircase led to seven boys dormitories (one for each year) and the girls' staircase led to seven similar dormitories. While anyone could go up the boys' staircase, the girls' staircase was charmed so that if a boy set foot on it and persisted several steps, a wailing klaxon went off and the staircase would temporarily turn into a slide, sending the boy sailing back down to the common room.

According to *Hogwarts: A History*, the founders believed that girls were more trustworthy than boys, so that while the girls' staircase was enchanted to prevent boys from getting in, the boys' staircase did not carry a reciprocal enchantment. Each dormitory was a round room with windows looking out onto the grounds, and containing four-poster beds.

## See Also

* Godric Gryffindor
* Slytherin
* Ravenclaw
* Hufflepuff