# I had a horrible thought about Harry Potter **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 12, 2004, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-had-a-horrible-thought-about-harry-potter/249965 "2004-06-12T13:37:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![kellner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c2a13f/32.png) [@kellner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kellner)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2004, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-had-a-horrible-thought-about-harry-potter/249965/61 "2004-06-14T17:32:22Z")
> [@Who\_me?](#): > > I believe that it’s settled that James Potter was Gryffindor. The way we know that is that we are told he was the seeker for the Gryffindor Quiddich team. I know that many sites list this as an established fact but the only cite I have ever seen refered to [this interview](http://www.scholastic.com/harrypotter/author/transcript2.htm): > [@](#): > > Q: What position did James play on the Gryffindor Quidditch team? Was it seeker like Harry, or something different? > JK: James was Chaser. Call me paranoid, but I can read this in more than one way. ---
**Author:** ![nocturnal\_tick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3d9bf3/32.png) [@nocturnal\_tick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nocturnal_tick)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2004, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-had-a-horrible-thought-about-harry-potter/249965/62 "2004-06-14T21:07:38Z")
> [@](#): > > Q: What position did James play on the Gryffindor Quidditch team? Was it seeker like Harry, or something different? > JK: James was Chaser. See I never got that if he was Chaser, why he: played with the snitch in the part involving Snape’s memories in the Pensieve. He would have made a damn better seeker. > [@Draelin](#): > > Lily, on the other hand, couldn’t possibly have been a Slytherin, because she was Muggle-born. Anything else is up in the air. When Slytherin was still about, it was that no “mudbloods” could join the house, but since the Sorting Hat took over the job I’d say it was fair game. Don’t rule it out just yet. I always thought that the exams were taken in alphabetical order, or at least not by houses. I didn’t think you could judge houses like that. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2004, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-had-a-horrible-thought-about-harry-potter/249965/63 "2004-06-14T21:13:33Z")
> [@nocturnal\_tick](#): > > When Slytherin was still about, it was that no “mudbloods” could join the house, but since the Sorting Hat took over the job I’d say it was fair game. I agree with this. After all, the Sorting Hat thought about putting Harry into Slytherin. He’s not pureblood since Lily was muggle born. ---
**Author:** ![nocturnal\_tick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3d9bf3/32.png) [@nocturnal\_tick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nocturnal_tick)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2004, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-had-a-horrible-thought-about-harry-potter/249965/64 "2004-06-14T21:18:49Z")
> [@Rhiannon8404](#): > > I agree with this. After all, the Sorting Hat thought about putting Harry into Slytherin. He’s not pureblood since Lily was muggle born. Not going against my own argument, but there are people who believe that since Lily was a witch, even though she was a mudblood, Harry is still pure blood. You’ll still have to argue it to them. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2004, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-had-a-horrible-thought-about-harry-potter/249965/65 "2004-06-14T21:20:39Z")
> [@](#): > > I would have a hard time believing Pettigrew was Hufflepuff. For one thing, IIRC, one of the attributes to being Hufflepuff is loyalty. And as I see it, he’s far from loyal. He’s also not exactly brave, powerful, or smart. But I think the point is that his main failing was in exactly the trait he should have held most dear. I still maintain that Black was in Slytherin, due to the “all the wizards who went bad” bit. Remember, Black was, at the time, believed to be Voldemort’s right-hand man, not exactly someone you’d gloss over in a generalization. I think it’s quite possible that, given his family history, he was Sorted into Slytherin, but then had a change of heart while at school. Dumbledore was Griffindor. Ron says so in the first book. I’m also _almost_ certain that the books say that James was Griffindor, but even if they don’t, the first movie is clear on that point (his name is on the trophy plaque for the Griffindor team). And I’m pretty sure that Arthur was as well: I think that there’s mention somewhere of “the whole Weasly family” being Griffindor. All of the Heads of Houses were originally in that house. So Snape was a Slytherin, McGonagal was a Griffindor, and Sprout was a Hufflepuff. We still don’t know who Ravenclaw’s head of house is (my house always gets short shrift), but I have a hunch it’s Vector or Sinestra. Likewise for the House Ghosts: Sir Nicolas was a Griffindor, the Bloody Baron was a Slytherin, the Fat Friar was a Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw gets ignored again (possibly Binns?) ---
**Author:** ![Katisha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bcef8e/32.png) [@Katisha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Katisha)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2004, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-had-a-horrible-thought-about-harry-potter/249965/66 "2004-06-14T21:28:42Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > All of the Heads of Houses were originally in that house. So Snape was a Slytherin, McGonagal was a Griffindor, and Sprout was a Hufflepuff. We still don’t know who Ravenclaw’s head of house is (my house always gets short shrift), but I have a hunch it’s Vector or Sinestra. I have the impression (from fandom) that it’s actually Flitwick but I don’t remember where this comes from and I don’t recall it being mentioned in the books… ---
**Author:** ![nocturnal\_tick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3d9bf3/32.png) [@nocturnal\_tick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nocturnal_tick)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2004, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-had-a-horrible-thought-about-harry-potter/249965/67 "2004-06-14T21:36:34Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I still maintain that Black was in Slytherin, due to the “all the wizards who went bad” bit. Remember, Black was, at the time, believed to be Voldemort’s right-hand man, not exactly someone you’d gloss over in a generalization. I think it’s quite possible that, given his family history, he was Sorted into Slytherin, but then had a change of heart while at school. Do you mean Black changed houses? Is that possible? I can’t remember the exact line, I’ll look it up before I go to sleep, but did Ron say that **almost** all the bad wizards came from Slytherin. Then would Sirius still be in the running for Gryffindor? Sirius just doesn’t show the traits for Slytherin IMO, because he is so much like James. Lupin was smart and so could have been Ravenclaw, and Pettigrew was almost a Slytherin/Hufflepuff hybrid. Loyal like a dog but with this creepy stalker element to his character. ---
**Author:** ![Sweetums](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Sweetums](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sweetums)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2004, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-had-a-horrible-thought-about-harry-potter/249965/68 "2004-06-14T21:53:10Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > All of the Heads of Houses were originally in that house. So Snape was a Slytherin, McGonagal was a Griffindor, and Sprout was a Hufflepuff. We still don’t know who Ravenclaw’s head of house is (my house always gets short shrift), but I have a hunch it’s Vector or Sinestra. Likewise for the House Ghosts: Sir Nicolas was a Griffindor, the Bloody Baron was a Slytherin, the Fat Friar was a Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw gets ignored again (possibly Binns?) Flitwick is the head of Ravenclaw house, this is mentioned in the books. I don’ t recall where. Rowling herself has supplyed the name of the Ravenclaw Ghost “the Grey Lady” , Thought I do not belive that she appears in any of the books. ``` When the first movie came out, Vanity Fair magizine di a series of layouts featuring the cast. One picture feature the house ghosts (including Johen Cleese as Nearly Headless Nick). Along with the Fat Friar, and Bloody Baron, the Grey Lady is pictured. Besides the sorting hat on the Harry Potter website put me into Ravenclaw, so I should know! :D ``` ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2004, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-had-a-horrible-thought-about-harry-potter/249965/69 "2004-06-14T22:06:01Z")
> [@nocturnal\_tick](#): > > …there are people who believe that since Lily was a witch, even though she was a mudblood, Harry is still pure blood. Hmmm, interesting thought. I’ve never heard anyone purport this. Also, I doubt purists like the Malfoys would agree though. I’m sure they believe that if your blood line is even touched by muggle blood you’re a mudblood. ---
**Author:** ![Wolfian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7ea924/32.png) [@Wolfian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolfian)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2004, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-had-a-horrible-thought-about-harry-potter/249965/70 "2004-06-14T22:06:27Z")
Sirius will return in a red robe and call himself Betelgeuse. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2004, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-had-a-horrible-thought-about-harry-potter/249965/71 "2004-06-14T22:19:10Z")
> [@](#): > > Flitwick is the head of Ravenclaw house, this is mentioned in the books. I don’ t recall where. FWIW, on [MuggleNet.com](http://MuggleNet.com)’s forums, you can set the page under the posts to display a house emblem. At the top of the page is a photo of a character or characters from that house. Flitwick is on the Ravenclaw page. ---
**Author:** ![look\_ninjas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b2d939/32.png) [@look\_ninjas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/look_ninjas)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2004, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-had-a-horrible-thought-about-harry-potter/249965/72 "2004-06-14T22:27:24Z")
> [@](#): > > “Better Hufflepuff than Slytherin,” said Hagrid darkly. “There’s not a single witch or wizard who went bad who wasn’t in Slytherin. You-Know-Who was one.” > > - _Sorcerer’s Stone_ > [@](#): > > “I tell yeh, if I’d got ter Black before little Pettigrew did, I wouldn’t’ve messed around with wands – I’d’ve ripped him limb – from – limb,” Hagrid growled. > > - _Prisoner of Azkaban_ So Hagrid’s the one to say all the bad wizards are Slytherin, and it’s pretty clear he knew that Sirius was one of the wizards to go bad. I wouldn’t say that’s definite proof that Sirius was a Slytherin - it’s been several years; maybe Hagrid forgot which house Sirius was in at school. Or he’s making a generalization without really taking the time to go back and think about every single Death Eater and what house they were in when they went to school. Hagrid’s not necessarily much more reliable than Ron, and it’s possible he’s mistaken. But those seem to be the relevant quotes. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2004, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-had-a-horrible-thought-about-harry-potter/249965/73 "2004-06-14T22:43:05Z")
> [@look!ninjas](#): > > So Hagrid’s the one to say all the bad wizards are Slytherin, and it’s pretty clear he knew that Sirius was one of the wizards to go bad. I wouldn’t say that’s definite proof that Sirius was a Slytherin - it’s been several years; maybe Hagrid forgot which house Sirius was in at school. Or he’s making a generalization without really taking the time to go back and think about every single Death Eater and what house they were in when they went to school. Hagrid’s not necessarily much more reliable than Ron, and it’s possible he’s mistaken. But those seem to be the relevant quotes. I think Hagrid tends toward exaggeration and selective memory. Not on purpose, though. He tells Harry that his parents were head boy and girl in their time (Book 1). Then we find out that Lupin was made prefect, not James (Book 3). It seems unlikely that James became Head Boy when he wasn’t even a prefect. I think Hagrid’s memories need to be taken with a grain of salt. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-had-a-horrible-thought-about-harry-potter/249965/74 "2004-06-15T00:47:22Z")
After seeing James Potter’s behavior in OotP, I’m going to need to see a VERY authoritative source before I’m willing to believe that he would run with non-Gryffindors. We have seen that inter-House visits appear to be so uncommon that Gryffindors don’t even know how to find the entrances to other houses; yet Sirius Black had no trouble finding Gryffindor tower in POA. This argues for Sirius being from Gryffindor. No idea yet how the Sorting Hat could have been so mistaken in Peter Pettigrew’s character, but perhaps it detected a potential at age 11, that failed of its early promise. Or, Wormtail may turn out to surprise us all in the final battle. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-had-a-horrible-thought-about-harry-potter/249965/75 "2004-06-15T00:50:16Z")
I can accept Flitwick as head of Ravenclaw, but I’m quite certain that that isn’t mentioned anywhere in the books, nor is the Grey Lady. And Mugglenet is fan-maintained, right? So that would still leave us without official confirmation from JK, if that’s the only source. As for Sirius, I’ll agree that Hagrid isn’t the most reliable source (likely Lily was Head Girl, even if James wasn’t Head Boy, and that’s what’s confusing him), but “not a single wizard who went bad” seems pretty unambiguous, and Slytherin seems consistent with his family, so until we see anything to contradict Hagrid, I’m going with what he said. Based only on the main books (not _Quidditch Through the Ages_ or _Magical Beasts and Where to Find Them_, though I would doubt that either of them touches on the subject), the only Hogwarts faculty/staff whose house is known are Dumbledore, McGonagal, and Hagrid in Griffindor, Sprout in Hufflepuff, and Snape in Slytherin (plus the ghosts, if we count them as “staff”). We have no indication as to the house of Flitwick, Binns, Trelawney, Vector, Sinestra, Kettleburn, Hooch, Pomfrey, Filch, Pince, or any of the DatDA teachers (nor of any of the yet unnamed Hogwarts professors: We know there are more because Ancient Runes and Muggle Studies are as yet unaccounted for, and there are suggestions that some subjects have more than one professor). Presumably Firenze did not attend Hogwarts, but if he did, his house is not known, either. And **nocturnal\_tick** , I don’t think that Black changed houses (I’m not sure if that’s possible, either… At the least, it seems to be discouraged), just that he changed opinions. As in, he got to Hogwarts, and is still in Slytherin, but discovers that mudbloods aren’t all that bad. Or alternatively, discovers that Slytherins aren’t all that good, but then again, Sirius himself isn’t all that good. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-had-a-horrible-thought-about-harry-potter/249965/76 "2004-06-15T01:06:07Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > We have seen that inter-House visits appear to be so uncommon that Gryffindors don’t even know how to find the entrances to other houses; yet Sirius Black had no trouble finding Gryffindor tower in POA. This argues for Sirius being from Gryffindor. Except that he helped write the Maurader’s Map, which means somehow he gained explicit knowledge of every nook and cranny of Hogwart’s, including secret passages. So I don’t think it would have been far fetched for him to have remembered where Gryffindor Tower (or any other house tower) might be. Also in PofA, Sirius gets a lot of help from Hermione’s cat, Crookshanks. If he can steal the passwords for Sirius, then he could certainly have shown him where the tower was if he didn’t already know. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Carnage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/max_carnage/32/12775_2.png) [@Max\_Carnage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Carnage)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-had-a-horrible-thought-about-harry-potter/249965/77 "2004-06-15T01:30:03Z")
Not that anyone asked but… In no way do I believe Sirius Black is dead. He’s seen worse than death in Azkaban and got out of there ok. I subscribe to the comic book rule of death: No body, no death. I absolutely believe that Harry will take up the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts professor by the end of book 7. He’s already started his own class. Dumbledore will recognize that the one who survived so many assaults by the most Dark Wizard around is only natural to teach others how to defend themselves. ---
**Author:** ![Selkie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbce88/32.png) [@Selkie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Selkie)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-had-a-horrible-thought-about-harry-potter/249965/78 "2004-06-15T02:08:01Z")
\ I could have sworn that somewhere one of the books explicitly states that Sinestra is the Head of House for Ravenclaw. Now this is going to bug me until I figure it out. \ \ \ Drat, now I’m going to have to skim the books looking for this totally useless piece of information. I’m pretty sure I remember it from one of the first two, though … ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-had-a-horrible-thought-about-harry-potter/249965/79 "2004-06-15T02:20:29Z")
What, so you can have a girlfriend from another House but not a friend? ---
**Author:** ![Apos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@Apos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apos)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-had-a-horrible-thought-about-harry-potter/249965/80 "2004-06-15T03:20:08Z")
Diceman: This is my interpretation. I think that… **Exactly** what I think. Just didn’t want to say it more clearly. I agree Dumbledore will die, but I just don’t see Lupin dying. Sirius is also dead dead. Rowling says that there is an important plot reason for him dying that isn’t yet clear to us, but hes dead, sorry. Personally, I doubt Sirius was in Slytherin. The sorting hat picks out people irregardless of what their family backgrounds are: based on their characters. Sirius never really liked his family or dark wizards. I bet it ws just one more thing that his parents were pissed about and caused Sirius to runaway from home pretty early on. > [@](#): > > I still maintain that Black was in Slytherin, due to the “all the wizards who went bad” bit. Remember, Black was, at the time, believed to be Voldemort’s right-hand man, not exactly someone you’d gloss over in a generalization. I think it’s quite possible that, given his family history, he was Sorted into Slytherin, but then had a change of heart while at school. Rowling has said many times that her characters, especially a drunken Hagrid, can be wrong or forgetting things. Plus, it was book one: she hadn’t had every single plot detail worked out, and clearly she doesn’t try to make everything fit what she’s had characters say before. > [@](#): > > If they were smart, they would have loudly said around one of Voldies spies, “By Golly, I sure hope Voldemort doesn’t step through THE DOOR OF ULTIMATE POWER. Yep, we sure would be screwed if he just stepped in…” Lol. Worthy or Hermoine. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-had-a-horrible-thought-about-harry-potter/249965.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-had-a-horrible-thought-about-harry-potter/249965.md?page=5)