Gryffindor house

**Gryffindor** is one of the four Houses of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, founded by Godric Gryffindor. Godric instructed the sorting hat to choose a few particular characteristics he most values. Such character traits of students Sorted into Gryffindor are courage, chivalry, and determination. The emblematic animal is a lion, and its colours are red and gold. Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington, also known as "*Nearly Headless Nick*" is the house ghost.

Gryffindor corresponds roughly to the element of fire, and it is for that reason that the colours red and gold were chosen to represent the House. The colour of fire corresponds to that of a lion as well, with red representing the mane and tail and gold representing the coat.

## Traits

The Gryffindor house emphasises the traits of courage as well as "*daring, nerve, and chivalry,*" and thus its members are generally regarded as brave, though sometimes to the point of recklessness. They can also be short-tempered. Notably, Gryffindor house contributed many members to Dumbledore's Army and the Order of the Phoenix, although this may have been because the main members made it a point not to associate with other houses.

According to Phineas Nigellus Black, members of other houses, particularly Slytherin, sometimes feel that Gryffindors engage in "*pointless heroics.*" Another Slytherin, Severus Snape, considered many Gryffindors to be self-righteous and arrogant, with no regard for rules.

## Reputation

Gryffindors and Slytherins have 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 which Gryffindor felt was wrong. There might also be an element of
feeling wronged, as Harry and his fellow Gryffindors tend to win in a lot of circumstances which, when viewed from a neutral point of view, may be considered unfair. Examples of this include the last-minute points awarded by Headmaster Dumbledore at the Leaving Feast, which conveniently put Gryffindor ten points ahead of Slytherin in the 1991–1992 school year, the fact that no points were deducted for the rule breaking that happened during that night and both Harry and Alfie being permitted by Professor McGonagall to have their own broomsticks for the Gryffindor Quidditch team, even though first-years are not normally permitted their own broomsticks because of danger.

Members of other houses might have felt that Gryffindor received favouritism, considering that many saw Harry Potter and Alfie Campbell being the Hogwarts champions, despite being under-aged.

Overall, however, the houses of Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tended to side with Gryffindor in its rivalry with Slytherin. This was particularly notable during the Second Wizarding War — the members of Dumbledore's Army were from Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw, but the Army only had one Slytherin. (This, however, could also have been because news of the Dumbledorean Army was passed by word of mouth, and Harry, who had initially raised it, did not associate with any Slytherins other than Sayef.) During the Battle of Hogwarts, most of the Slytherin students were forced to leave while students from the other three houses were allowed to remain behind to fight against Lord Voldemort and his army. Most of the known Death Eaters (besides Peter Pettigrew, Quirinus Quirrell, and possibly others) have been Slytherin House members, and that might have been another reason as to why the other two houses sided with Gryffindor over Slytherin.

## Common room

The Gryffindor Common Room is located in one of the castle's towers (Gryffindor Tower), the entrance to which is located on the seventh floor and is guarded by an oil painting of the Fat Lady, who is garbed in a pink silk dress. She permits entry only after being given the correct (regularly changing) password. Behind her painting is a large common room, with a fireplace, and two staircases leading up to the girls' and boys' dormitories.

There is a spell on the girls' staircase that prevents boys from using it, however, there is no such enchantment on the staircase to the boys' dormitory, allowing girls to use it whenever they wish, due to the founders' belief that girls were more trustworthy. The common room is very comfortable, and members of the Gryffindor house meet there for study groups, celebrations, or relaxation. The walls are lined with portraits, each one depicting a previous or current Head of Gryffindor.

## Known Gryffindors

* Sir Cadogan
* Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington
* Albus Dumbledore
* Celestina Warbeck
* Rebeus Hagrid
* Minerva McGonagall
* Fat Lady
* Fleamont Potter
* R.J.H King
* Arthur Weasley
* Molly Prewett
* M.G McGonagall
* Mary Macdonald
* Remus Lupin
* Peter Pettigrew
* Sirius Black
* James Potter
* Lily Evans
* Bill Weasley
* Charlie Weasley
* Oliver Wood
* Percy Weasley
* Alicia Spinnet
* Angelina Johnson
* Fred Weasley
* George Weasley
* Kenneth Towler
* Lee Jordan
* Andrew Kirke
* Eloise Midgen
* Geoffrey Hooper
* Jack Sloper
* Ritchie Coote
* Vicky Frobisher
* Edward
* Emily
* Stewart
* Aamir Loonat
* Andrew Cleveley
* Angus Matlock
* Anna Murfield
* Carl Hopkins
* David Nolton
* Iain Claverdon
* Jason Swann
* Kenny Markham
* Michael Karume
* Nandini Johar
* Natalie Fairbourne
* Neil Randall
* Rachael Codnor
* Raza Mohammad
* Roderick Seaton
* Sean Ogbourne
* Terrence Fogarty
* Thelma Holmes
* Thomas Paley
* Wayne Portchester
* Yuvraj Suri
* Julie Parkes
* Michael
* Cormac McLaggen
* Katie Bell
* Dean Thomas
* Harry Potter
* Ron Weasley
* Hermione Granger
* Alfie Campbell
* Sam Ainsley
* Adam Spires
* Bailey (surname unknown)
* Lavender Brown
* Neville Longbottom
* Parvati Patil
* Seamus Finnigan
* Bem
* Fay Dunbar
* Kellah
* Colin Creevey
* Ginny Weasley
* Romilda Vane
* Demelza Robbins
* Dennis Creevey
* Natalie McDonald
* Jimmy Peakes
* James S. Potter
* Rose Granger
* Lily L. Potter
* Luke Campbell
* Which house are you in? Try this quiz: I got Gryffindor

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<a href="http://www.thealmightyguru.com/Reviews/HarryPotter/Docs/Quiz-House.html">Which Hogwarts house will you be sorted into?</a>