Note: I do hope you read this! And I hope you review, leaving your opinions. This is more of an essay than a fanfic, but I hope you enjoy it and find it enlightening, nonetheless.

The common misconceptions about the sorting hat and the Hogwarts houses

Written by a very analytical Harry Potter fan who by no means owns Harry Potter.

Common misconceptions

All right. So here are things people think about the different Houses of Hogwarts, and even after Pottermore it hasn't improved much:

If you're a Ravenclaw, you are most likely smart, enjoy reading, you love learning, you're possibly competitive about what grades you get, and some people might call you "cold hearted" at times or possibly "distant". A lot of people might call you "eccentric".

If you're a Slytherin, you always put yourself first because you are cunning and ambitious. You're destined for greatness and have the means to get there, but you are probably selfish and not really loyal.

If you're a Gryffindor, you're courageous, noble, chivalrous, and all that jazz, but you're probably a bit on the reckless side. A common flaw in Gryffindors is their arrogance. They're very competitive and will forever hold a grudge against the Slytherins.

…

Oh wait. Right. You probably forgot that there's one more House worth mentioning. I mean, come on, the other three are the "Big Three" Houses. After all, who wants to be in Hufflepuff?

If you're a Hufflepuff, you're in the House of the leftovers. You're not smart enough for Ravenclaw, not ambitious or cunning enough for Slytherin, and you're not brave enough for Gryffindor. And come on, Cedric Diggory, the only epic Hufflepuff, ended up dying. So this is obviously not a good House.

This view of the Houses is not 100% correct.

While this view of the Houses may have certain elements of truth in it, it is not all correct. It is important to note first of all that in the Harry Potter books, we've got the perspective of the Gryffindors and how they view other Houses. The Slytherins are portrayed as the nasty selfish House because, you know, there's a bunch of Death Eater's kids there and all of them had rivalry against Harry. I mean, they hated him. So after the war, how much better can Slytherin really get? They're still all going to put ambition before other people, so they have to be selfish.

The only Ravenclaws we really get to know are Cho Chang and Luna Lovegood. Luna is portrayed as a rather eccentric, cool sort of character that we all can't help but like. So, Ravenclaw? It can't be all that bad if we're coming from Harry's perspective.

Gryffindors are all awesome and brave, so Gryffindor is definitely a good House.

Hufflepuffs… we don't know too many Hufflepuffs except for Cedric. And people always seem to forget that Tonks was a Hufflepuff.

All right, guys. That is the perspective from the books. A Gryffindor's view of the Houses of Hogwarts isn't going to be the perfect one. Also, the Houses did go through a change after the Battle of Hogwarts. Slytherin isn't a House full of Death Eaters and cowardly, selfish, power hungry individuals, for instance.

THE HOUSES OF HOGWARTS ANALYZED

Let's start at Slytherin, shall we?

So, first and foremost, what does the Sorting Hat have to say about Slytherin? Here is every single word the Sorting Hat has said about Slytherin:

Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folks use any means
To achieve their ends.

…And power-hungry Slytherin
Loved those of great ambition.

…For instance, Slytherin
Took only pure-blood wizards
Of great cunning just like him.

Right there, that's all the words the Sorting Hat has ever said about Slytherin. We can't forget that the Sorting Hat wanted to put Harry in that House. It can't be all that bad. Now, it is obvious from these bits about Slytherin that they are definitely cunning and ambitious people. And now, I must raise a question.

If a person is cunning and ambitious, does that mean that the person must therefore be selfish and/or cowardly? That is the common misconception of Slytherin, after all.

It is safe to say while it is more likely for a selfish and/or cowardly individual to come from the Slytherin House, not all Slytherins are selfish and/or cowardly. Cunning and ambition are perfectly good traits. Without people with ambition, where would we be today?

The Pottermore welcome message cleared most of the myths surrounding the Slytherin House, and I know that most people would find Slytherin a perfectly respectable House. A true Slytherin is somebody who would say that ambition and cunning are more important than all the other qualities in a person. They may acknowledge other qualities as important, but a true Slytherin would say that ambition and cunning are ranked as #1 on the "important qualities to have in life" scale. Here is a snippet from Pottermore from the Slytherin welcome message (feel free to skip as it holds spoilers from Pottermore):

"Because you know what Salazar Slytherin looked for in his chosen students? The seeds of greatness. You've been chosen by this house because you've got the potential to be great, in the true sense of the word. All right, you might see a couple of people hanging around the common room whom you might not think are destined for anything special. Well, keep that to yourself. If the Sorting Hat put them in here, there's something great about them, and don't you forget it."

That doesn't sound all that bad, now does it?

Now, there is another "common misconception" that people may have about Slytherin. Some people think Slytherin is cool because, you know, when most people think Slytherin they think "dark", "cunning", "snake-like", and probably "Severus Snape"! Some people think of themselves as Slytherins when, well… they're not really a Slytherin.

It is important when deciding which House you are in to ask yourself these questions:

Which House's qualities do I hold most dear?

Which House's qualities do I most act upon?

What sort of qualities do I look for in a person?

Chances are, if you value loyalty more than cunning or ambition when it comes down to it, you're more of a Hufflepuff than a Slytherin. If you value courage in a person more than cunning or ambition, then you're more of a Gryffindor than a Slytherin.

Be very careful.

Let's move on to Ravenclaw, now shall we?

So, what does the Sorting Hat have to say about Ravenclaw?

Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
if you've a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind;

… For Ravenclaw, the cleverest
Would always be the best;

…Said Ravenclaw, "We'll teach those whose
Intelligence is surest."

That right there is all the Sorting Hat had to say about Ravenclaw in the books. It sounds like a cool House to be in. And it really is a great House. Some people call Ravenclaw the House for the way-out-there eccentrics like Luna Lovegood, or perhaps very nerdy people who strive for good grades all the time, stick close to the rules, and read. A lot. There's also a myth about Ravenclaw that they're more likely to be Slytherin-ish and seem to be more inclined to being condescending, egotistical, and/or distant. Standoffish would be a good word here.

A true Ravenclaw would know this is not the case.

What makes a Ravenclaw a Ravenclaw?

A Ravenclaw ranks intelligence as the #1 most important thing. They may not have the best grades, they may not be "eccentric" like Luna Lovegood, they may not be nerdy, they may not be the most book-ish person out there, but when it comes down to it they believe in this one saying with their whole entire being:

"Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure."

That is what makes a Ravenclaw a Ravenclaw.

Now, something very common is that you'll see the good majority of Harry Potter fans proclaiming themselves to be Ravenclaws.

Now, think about this for a second. Most avid Harry Potter fans probably like reading. People who like reading, well, read lots of books. They probably care about grades and don't mind studying as much as others. They're probably most likely to be nerdy. Or geeky. They're the sort of people you find on making Harry Potter fanfics because they want to create, to play in the world Jo created. And for some people, that means that they're probably apt to be a Ravenclaw. I mean, if you like creating and thinking and riddles, you've got to fit into this House.

Whoa, wait a second. If that were true, Hermione would be a Ravenclaw right now.

So why wasn't she a Ravenclaw?

Because, in the long end, intelligence wasn't the most important value to her. It was courage.

Before you Sort yourself into Ravenclaw, ask the questions I mentioned above:

Which House's qualities do I hold most dear?

Which House's qualities do I most act upon?

What sort of qualities do I look for in a person?

If you find that you actually tend to find loyalty more important when it comes down to it, and you look for loyalty in a person when you're trying to find someone you can trust, you're probably more of a Hufflepuff than a Ravenclaw. If you tend to find ambition more important when it comes down to it, and you look for ambition in a person when you're trying to find someone you can trust, you're probably more of a Slytherin than a Ravenclaw.

That said, there is a fine line between a Ravenclaw and a Slytherin. But when it comes down to it, there's a simple way to tell whether or not you're a Slytherin or a Ravenclaw.

A Slytherin would want to use the intelligence to get closer to their one ambition, or to gain.

A Ravenclaw would want intelligence simply to possess it.

Be very careful. But to those of you who happen to be a true Ravenclaw, that is something to be proud of. It is a wonderful House.

Also, addressing the myth that a Ravenclaw is going to be condescending and/or cold and/or standoffish…

Due to the fact that Ravenclaws prize their intelligence as they're best attribute and the thing to strive for, it may be more likely to find a condescending, cold, and/or standoffish individual in the Ravenclaw House, though I think 85% of the time, you'll find that this myth doesn't hold true for all Ravenclaws.

Let us move on to Gryffindor, shall we?

I am not going to say much about Gryffindor. I'm pretty sure we know more about this House than all the others. But let us see what the Sorting Hat has said about Gryffindor anyways:

You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart;

… By Gryffindor, the bravest were
Prized far beyond the rest;

… Said Gryffindor, "We'll teach all those
With brave deeds to their name."

I am fairly sure we knew this about Gryffindor already. Gryffindors are brave, chivalrous, and noble.

But let me just boil it down fairly quickly:

Just because you are brave, chivalrous, protective, and/or reckless does not make you a Gryffindor automatically.

To be a Gryffindor, you must value courage as #1. I'm sure you guys are seeing a common here in how people are Sorted, aren't you?

It is all about your value-system and what you hold most dear. We as people act on what we feel is most important. Therefore it is what we feel is most important that sets us apart from others. That is what makes a Ravenclaw different from a Gryffindor, Slytherin, or Hufflepuff. It is all about our values when it comes down to it. I will defend this point more later.

For now, before you Sort yourself into Gryffindor, remember that you to be a Gryffindor you must value courage, nobility, and chivalry as most important.

Which House's qualities do I hold most dear?

Which House's qualities do I most act upon?

What sort of qualities do I look for in a person?

If you find yourself valuing loyalty over courage (although the two do seem to go hand in hand, it is which you value most important that seals the deal), then you are more of a Hufflepuff than a Gryffindor.

Be careful.

And now for Hufflepuff. Dear, dear Hufflepuff.

Now, don't be ashamed to admit it: many people find it rather… well, not so impressive to be Sorted into Hufflepuff. I know that some of you reading this probably think this one thing when being Sorted online (especially during your Pottermore Sorting, if you've taken it):

Just not Hufflepuff. I can deal with being Sorted into [fill in the blank here], but just not Hufflepuff, because I just know I'm NOT a Hufflepuff. Please not Hufflepuff.

That said, what does the Sorting Hat say about Hufflepuff that so turns people off about it?

You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true
And unafraid of toil;

Well, so far those aren't bad qualities, are they? Hmmm, let us read on.

For Hufflepuff, hard workers were
Most worthy of admission;

So Hufflepuffs have got good work ethics. That seems nice. Let us read more.

Said Hufflepuff, "I'll teach the lot
And treat them just the same."

Ah, see. "I'll teach the lot". So, people are under the impression that Hufflepuff is "the lot". The "leftovers"?

Because of this, there is a very common misconception that Hufflepuffs are not smart enough for Ravenclaw, not brave enough for Gryffindor, and not ambitious or cunning enough for Slytherin. So they're really a bunch of… nobodies, really. Nothing spectacular there.

Either that, or people are turned off about hard-working. They see hard-working and then they forget that, hey, to be a Hufflepuff, you've got to be loyal and true as well. And you've got to be accepting, just like Helga was.

Which brings me to my next point.

Still, it is clearly stated that Helga Hufflepuff did have values. She chose the students that were loyal and willing to work. Loyal, true, and hard working. Sounds like a good bunch of qualities. But then, when all the other Founders decided to get picky, Helga said she was willing to teach the rest and treat them just the same. This just goes to show that in Hufflepuff, you'll find the most accepting people.

I've got a question. Do you think if there was no Sorting Hat and if Godric Gryffindor were to meet eleven-year-old Neville Longbottom, would Godric accept him into his House?

Well, if Godric didn't first ask about which House Neville wanted to be in and which quality Neville valued as most important, I doubt he'd have made it into Gryffindor.

So, what sort of people do you find in Hufflepuff?

Obviously, there are traits that will get you into Hufflepuff. Loyal, true, and willingness to work hard are the qualities most valued by Helga. And perhaps if there is another student who doesn't know WHERE he or she belongs and does not know which qualities exactly are most important, that student will find themselves in Hufflepuff. I believe that goes along with the books and what the Sorting Hat said.

If you look at who exactly was Sorted into Hufflepuff, we see Tonks (Yes, Nymphadora Tonks was Sorted into Hufflepuff), Cedric Diggory, and a few other names that were mentioned a couple times such as Hannah Abbott (who would later marry Neville Longbottom) and Susan Bones among others.

We know more about Tonks and Cedric than any other Hufflepuff, so let us focus on them.

Were Tonks and Cedric not smart, brave, or ambitious?

Yes, they were. Tonks was obviously not "dumb" and it is even more apparent that she was very brave. She had an ambition: she wanted to become and auror. She had to work hard to become one, granted. But she go there. The same goes for Cedric.

So what makes a Hufflepuff a Hufflepuff?

Once again, it's all about the values.

Which House's qualities do I hold most dear?

Which House's qualities do I most act upon?

What sort of qualities do I look for in a person?

If you find that you value loyalty, willingness to work hard, the willingness to accept people and not judge on the spot, and fair play as more important than such things are courage, ambition, and intelligence, you're probably a Hufflepuff. And this is not something to be ashamed of by any means.

There is a common misconception that if you value courage as the number one important thing, then technically you value loyalty as the most important thing too, because courage and loyalty go hand in hand.

My fellow friends, there is a difference between a Gryffindor and a Hufflepuff, and it is not that one is braver than the other.

A Gryffindor is always brave no matter what, and it is their courage that drives them to action.

A Hufflepuff is always loyal, and it is their loyalty that drives them action.

In a Hufflepuff, it is their loyalty that causes them to step up and be brave.

A Hufflepuff agrees with this statement:

What is courage without loyalty?

How the Sorting Hat Sorts

The Sorting Hat places people in Houses based on their values.

Why do I think this?

Well, I think this way because first and foremost, it goes along with the books. Secondly, as humans it is what we hold dear that drives us to action. If we find courage as #1, we will always first act courageously in whatever situation we may be in first. We see this in Harry. In a situation, it is always his courage that drives his action.

And if you look at Tonks, you'll find it is her loyalty that drives her. This is not to say that Harry wasn't loyal. I think we all agree that most of the time, Gryffndors are very loyal. But if you ask any Gryffindor which is more important, courage or loyalty, the Gryffindor will answer "courage".

If you look at the very Founders, I think we all realize that Helga, Salazar, and Rowena had such qualities as bravery, loyalty, and ambition in them. Helga had ambition - she wanted to teach wizards and witches magic. That is ambition right there. In fact, all four founders had the same ambition.

Rowena was brave, I'm sure. I'm pretty sure all the professing Ravenclaws in the world would agree with me on that statement. It is her intelligence that leads her to action.

Then it all does boil down to what you value as most important.

Let us look at Neville Longbottom's Sorting.

Neville, from the start, wanted to be put in the House of the brave. But he thought he wasn't brave enough. It is obvious that Neville obviously weighed courage as the most important thing. He told the Sorting Hat to put him into Hufflepuff. Undoubtedly Neville would do well there. However ,the Sorting Hat saw that Neville valued bravery as most important, and in the long end it would be Neville's bravery that would drive him to action. Therefore, the Sorting Hat places him into Gryffindor.

Pottermore as well Sorts you according to your values. Remember this question (if you happened to get it)?

"In a fire, in which order would you save a nearly perfected cure for dragon pox that the headmaster has been working on for years, student school records dating back 1000 years and Merlin's book?"

That is a question that is weighing your values.

I believe that is why the Founders Sorted people like they did. They wanted people who held the same values as they did.

I am also sure that is why Dumbledore once said, "Sometimes I think we Sort too soon."

Peoples' values change as they grow. Sometimes they don't. Sometimes a Ravenclaw forever remains a Ravenclaw. But sometimes we come to a turning point in our lives where we do change.

That is why we see Peter Pettigrew Sorted into Gryffindor. He did value bravery as most important when he was eleven years old. He liked being surrounded by brave people. He wanted to be accepted by those people.

However, it is obvious that his values changed.

Like I said before, it is peoples' values that drive them to action.

That is why online Sorting quizzes are usually… bad.

What does your favourite colour, of all things, have to do with what House you're in?

Also, some Sorting quizzes are under the impression that if you're a Gryffindor, you're probably athletic.

And some Sorting quizzes seem to seriously think that Hufflepuffs are not brave.

My favourites by far are the ones that portray Slytherin as the "evil" House.

As you can see, there are certainly large misconceptions about the Houses of Hogwarts.

The pottermore sorting quiz discussed and analyzed

First and foremost, I agree that the Pottermore Sorting quiz is not completely accurate. No quiz ever will be. And I'm not saying this to put down the effort that went into making the Pottermore Sorting quiz.

So, I'm sure you've heard about the many avid Harry Potter fans currently facing a so-called identity crisis because of the Sorting quiz on Pottermore. Or perhaps you are one of those people.

Breathe. Relax.

Yes, J.K. Rowling herself made the questions. But ask yourself this question:

Can a quiz of seven questions Sort you into the House that 100% accurately describes the values you hold dear?

No quiz can. What Jo was trying to do was create a quiz that would make it so it wasn't so "obvious", yet still accurate, and that wasn't so long it gives you a headache. She had to make it so it wasn't 100% obvious (although some questions are obvious) as to which House the answer will get you into. Why?

For years, Harry Potter fans have been self-Sorting themselves already.

So what will those Harry Potter fans be thinking while taking the quiz?

"Hmm… Which answer would get me into [insert desires House name here]?"

Perhaps they aren't thinking that right out. They'll see a question such as this one (which, by the way, is another question evaluating your values):

Which of the following would you most hate people to call you?

Ordinary

Ignorant

Cowardly

Selfish

This is their thought process:

"All right. Let's be honest with myself. I hope I get into Ravenclaw. A Ravenclaw would say ignorant here, obviously. I mean, that is what I would choose, right? Yeah, I'm a Ravenclaw."

-insert hesitation here-

"I almost would choose selfish."

-insert more hesitation-

"Selfish seems like a Hufflepuff thing to say, though. And I'm a Ravenclaw."

-clicks "ignorant"-

This isn't wrong. It's natural to think this way when you've been a self-proclaimed [insert House name here] for years. But when you are taking Sorting quizzes, you have to ask yourself:

What values do I honestly hold most dear?

Do NOT think:

What values would a [fill in House name here] choose?

Anyway, back to the original point I was trying to make. The Pottermore Sorting quiz is one of the best Sorting quizzes out there, yes. It tries and finds out which House's values we find most important, which makes it the most essential Sorting quiz out there.

But even though it is made by J.K. Rowling herself, it's not going to be 100% perfect. I think it will shed light on certain values we never knew we thought were important, and perhaps even if we're Sorted into the "wrong" House, we'll find ourselves able to fit in nicely to whatever House we may have been Sorted into—

After all, every person holds the qualities of all the Houses. So even in the "wrong House", if you let yourself, you'll have a fun time with other people around you in that House and perhaps even learn something about yourself.

Long story short, there is no need to get worked up over getting Sorted into the "wrong House" on Pottermore.

The wrong house

Now, there are many people who feel they have gotten Sorted into the wrong House on Pottermore. And this is perfectly fine. Some of them probably did, and it's not J.K. Rowling's fault. The Pottermore Sorting quiz is good. It is chalk full of psychology.

However, some people get rather… put off about the House they get Sorted into and they do one thing that it kind of rude, really:

They stop trying to earn House points for their House and ditch their account.

Now, I can understand being disappointed and ranting about it. But ditching your account? The House you are Sorted into does not affect your Pottermore experience that much. But if it is how other people might view you as a person after you are Sorted into the "wrong House"…

Get this into your head:

THERE IS NO BAD HOUSE.

You shouldn't be ashamed of the House you are Sorted into, even if it is the "wrong House". People ought not judge others for the House they were Sorted into. I thought we were above this whole thing, now? But perhaps not.

Perhaps thinking you are a Slytherin and being Sorted into Hufflepuff is worth ditching your Pottermore account and then not attempting to help that House earn House points.

Sorry, but it is sad that so many people hate on Hufflepuff. Many people who got Sorted into Hufflepuff ditched their account and stopped trying to earn House points for it. That has unfortunately made it even harder to Hufflepuff to win the House Cup. For now, if you are in a House you are not satisfied with, wait until you can delete your account and get re-Sorted when you next can. There is nothing wrong with doing so. But please, don't just ditch it. That makes it unfair for the other members in that House that feel at home.

In my mind, it is actually quite, well, immature to ditch. Don't ditch. Delete and then wait until you can be re-Sorted. That makes it much fairer for everyone. I am very much for fair play.

And being ashamed of the House you're in, even if it is the wrong House? That sends the message that the other people in that House ought to be ashamed too. Don't be "ashamed". Be patient.

I hope this was helpful.

I do hope this was enjoyable and helpful to those of you who read this. Also, let it be known that I am in fact a Hufflepuff (although I have not yet been Sorted on Pottermore). And I am a Hufflepuff because loyalty, fair play, being accepting, and hard work are most important for me. Those things drive me to action, and those things are the qualities I look for in other people –although that's not to say I think the people who don't value these qualities as most important are not people shouldn't trust. Everybody has a different view on things.

I know that if I am Sorted into a different House on Pottermore, even Slytherin, I will not ditch my account and I will be courteous and loyal to that House. After all, while it was a brilliant quiz, no quiz can ever delve into our hearts and minds. We would need the real Sorting Hat to do that, don't you think?

Although I am secretly hoping that maybe some people will agree who didn't before that Hufflepuff is a fine House.