Albus S. Potter - Slytherin or Gryffindor?

[StarryVeil]

Originally Posted by Merrylore

There were lots of names the boy could have been given - Arthur Fred, Remus Arthur, Sirius Remus (if the eldest had been named James Arthur).

Yes, which is why I mentioned that my statement is based on the idea that Dumbledore and Snape were the only two candidates for the second son's name. Since we're talking about the arrangement of "Albus" and "Severus".

Plus, I don't think Arthur, Fred, or Remus needed to be honored through Harry's kids' names. They had other people to be honored by.

Originally Posted by ccolinsmith

Harry's comments to Al ("You were named for two Headmasters") do not indicate that the naming attempted to honor to one more highly than the other.

I would have to respectfully disagree with you on that. I think there definitely was a process of prioritization in the naming of Harry's children. The first son is named after the two men he loved most, the second son after two men who'd made big contributions to the war against Voldemort (and, in DD's case, also a personal connection of sorts). James Sirius, not Sirius James. Lily Luna, not Luna Lily. Just as Sirius James and Luna Lily wouldn't make sense, IMO, Severus Albus instead of Albus Severus doesn't make sense.

Anyway, coming back to the topic at hand, in my opinion, the initials are just a coincidence and don't really provide much of a hint about which house Al was going to be sorted to.

[LionsDisciple]

Originally Posted by ccollinsmith

But if Al were to speak with Neville, he would get an entirely different story about what the hat does with personal choice. As we learn from Pottermore, Neville argued with the hat for 5 minutes, telling it not to put him in Gryffindor because he didn't think he was brave enough and begging the hat to put him in Hufflepuff instead. We know how that worked out.

While I am not saying that you are wrong, arguing from a psychological standpoint, there is a very big difference between Neville arguing with the hat and Harry arguing with the hat.

Remember that the hat looks at the absolute deepest levels of a person's mind and character, often deeper then they themselves are capable of understanding, in order to place them. Neville wasn't arguing with the hat because he didn't want to be a Gryffindor, or because he thought that there was something wrong with Gryffindor. He was arguing with the hat because he thought that he wasn't good enough for Gryffindor. Deep down I think that actually being in Gryffindor was everything that he was hoping for, but he felt that it was more then he could have hoped for.

The hat was able to see a part of Neville that Neville himself did not, and thus placed him where he would be happies.

Harry on the other hand, wasn't arguing that he wasn't good enough for Slytherin, or that he felt he wasn't suited for Slytherin. He just didn't want to be in Slytherin. He hated the idea. The hat took this into account, because it was a matter of personal choice, rather then a matter of a lack of confidence.

As for Al, I really think that he would be a Gryffindor, the reason being that he DOES remind me of both Harry and Neville at this point. Remember that courage is not the absence of fear, but rather of pressing onward despite the fear. Al is clearly afraid of going off to Hogwarts, but he is going to do it anyways because it is the right thing to do, and because he knows he has to.

This idea that Al's story cannot be an interesting one without him being a Slytherin is short-sighted. There are a dozen different stories that could be written that would be much better suited for an Al=Gryff story. Perhaps a story of him struggling to make his own name for himself and not be constantly in the shadow of his fathe. This would work better if all the early signs pointed to him being the same as his dad, a Gryffindor, excellent at flying and DADA, ect. until the end when he proves that he is a different person. How about a story about overcoming social boundaries where somehow, by the end of the story, he manages to become friends with Scorpius as good as Harry was with Ron?

My point is, there are a dozen different angles that could be played with the Al=Gryffindor story...

[ccollinsmith]

"'Priority' of Names:    

---

Originally Posted by StarryVeil IMO, Severus Albus instead of Albus Severus doesn't make sense. On what grounds, precisely, does it not make sense? Harry's words appear to be quite egalitarian: "You were named for two Headmasters of Hogwarts. One of them was a Slytherin and he was probably the bravest man I ever knew." Harry's words, so far as I can tell, make no distinction between the two Headmasters, and really, his words are the only thing we have to go on concerning his attitude to the naming. Consequently, I think the rhythm and sound of the name is as good an explanation as any for the order of names. If "Severus Albus" worked better than "Albus Severus," then I think that's the order we'd have - not because Harry would be prioritizing Severus over Albus but because the name just sounded better. Fortunately for Al, it doesn't. So Al gets to be an ASP instead of a SAP. Naming after parents is an entirely different matter. Obviously, he's going to place parents' names first - even if the reverse order sounded better. By lucky happenstance, "James Sirius" probably does sound better than "Sirius James," while "Lily Luna" probably sounds better than "Luna Lily."

Originally Posted by StarryVeil

Anyway, coming back to the topic at hand, in my opinion, the initials are just a coincidence and don't really provide much of a hint about which house Al was going to be sorted to.

There is, to my knowledge, no independent evidence indicating a) that the initials mean something or b) that the initials do not mean anything. Unless JKR indicates specifically that the initials do not mean anything, then I think the initials are open to explication... or to no explication. JKR would have a definitive answer to this question, of course, but I believe she has thus far remained silent. (I would imagine, though, that she's well acquainted with the ASP theory - given that it dates back to 2007, and she's pretty well-read on fan theories).

Originally Posted by LionsDisciple

Harry on the other hand, wasn't arguing that he wasn't good enough for Slytherin, or that he felt he wasn't suited for Slytherin. He just didn't want to be in Slytherin. He hated the idea. The hat took this into account, because it was a matter of personal choice, rather then a matter of a lack of confidence.

Actually, what I was saying was that Harry was not correct in his interpretation of how the Sorting Hat takes choice into account. As Pottermore demonstrates, the Hat does not take choice into account at all... unless there is the possibility of a hat stall.

Harry was a potential hat stall. Neville was not. Harry was equally suited to Slytherin as he was to Gryffindor (and JKR has indicated in her Pottermore announcement interviews that the Slytherin suitability came from Harry himself, not just from the scarcrux). This is why the Hat took choice into account. If Al is not a potential hat stall, he will not be given a choice, just as Neville was not given a choice.

So if the Hat sees Al as a Slytherin (or a Ravenclaw or a Hufflepuff), and does not see an alternate House as having equal or near-equal suitability, then there is no amount of begging that will get him out of the House that the Hat wants to place him in. If the Hat sees multiple possibilities for Al, and Al has a strong preference for or against one of those possibilities, then the Hat will take choice into account.

Originally Posted by LionsDisciple

As for Al, I really think that he would be a Gryffindor, the reason being that he DOES remind me of both Harry and Neville at this point. Remember that courage is not the absence of fear, but rather of pressing onward despite the fear. Al is clearly afraid of going off to Hogwarts, but he is going to do it anyways because it is the right thing to do, and because he knows he has to.

Obviously, there is sufficient canon to indicate that Gryffindors are as nervous as anyone else when they face the Sorting Hat (see Ron Weasley, for example). So I agree that Al's pre-sorting nerves say nothing about what House he will be sorted into.

Originally Posted by LionsDisciple

This idea that Al's story cannot be an interesting one without him being a Slytherin is short-sighted.

Of course there are stories that JKR could write that would be interesting, no matter where she placed Al. She's a good writer.

But... my preference is for a Slytherin sorting, for the reasons I stated. (And really, this thread is largely about the personal preferences of each individual poster, given the miniscule amount of information that we have on Al).

So in short: I prefer the Slytherin sorting because I think Slytherin is a fascinating House with a potentially exciting future. I would love to see Al get to be a part of that future, and perhaps become Slytherin's next Merlin. Gryffindor can't give him that.

But I'm also amenable to a Trio comprised of Al-Rose-Scorpius - so long as the Trio contains representatives from both Gryffindor and Slytherin. I definitely want to see cross-House friendship.

[Liez]

How he was so nervous about school reminded me of Harry when he was starting, with the big difference being Albus had a family to confide in (which made his feelings very obvious) while Harry was more alone with his thoughts.

I agree "Albus Severus" does sound better, and it makes sense since Harry definitely liked Dumbledore better than Snape, even though the amount of respect he has for each of them are around the same.

[myosotis]

Something puzzles me. Why limit Albus S.'s choices to Slytherin or Gryffindor? Why not Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff? I could see him fit well in Hufflepuff.

[LionsDisciple]

Originally Posted by myosotis

Something puzzles me. Why limit Albus S.'s choices to Slytherin or Gryffindor? Why not Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff? I could see him fit well in Hufflepuff.

Honestly? Because unless you are doing it for the sake of building up Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff, there is no story-line reason to do it (and something as superfluous as building up the status of side houses are something MUCH better suited to secondary characters, hence why I am still rooting for a Ravenclaw Rose). There are good storyline reasons to make Albus a Slytherin, and good storyline reasons to make him a Gryffindor, but it would take away from time building up his story in order to try and make Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw important enough to warrent them being the house of the main character.

Also, there's just no reason to suspect that he has any of the traits recognizable in Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw. I'm sure he's a bright boy, like Harry was, but sheerly intelligent enough to be Ravenclaw, to the point where it dominates over the other four traits? I doubt it. Main characters who are like that are boring anyways.

As for Hufflepuff, they are hard working and loyal...okay...and where do you see evidence that Albus is as such? This is also my problem with people trying to read Slytherin qualities into him. There just isn't enough evidence to support that he would have any of these qualities. We see him for like 5 minutes, and he does nothing other then express a sense of worry to his father about being placed in Slytherin.

We BARELY got to see enough of him to note that he has at least some Gryffindor qualities, that being the fact that he is willing to do something which clearly frightens him, because he knows that he must. Even that is based on the judgment of a few minutes and not at all to be totally trusted.

[ccollinsmith]

Originally Posted by LionsDisciple

We BARELY got to see enough of him to note that he has at least some Gryffindor qualities, that being the fact that he is willing to do something which clearly frightens him, because he knows that he must.

The Slytherin for whom he is partly named has a LONG history of doing the same. It's not something only Gryffindors do.

[OldMotherCrow]

Originally Posted by ccollinsmith

Actually, what I was saying was that Harry was not correct in his interpretation of how the Sorting Hat takes choice into account. As Pottermore demonstrates, the Hat does not take choice into account at all... unless there is the possibility of a hat stall.

Harry was a potential hat stall. Neville was not. Harry was equally suited to Slytherin as he was to Gryffindor (and JKR has indicated in her Pottermore announcement interviews that the Slytherin suitability came from Harry himself, not just from the scarcrux). This is why the Hat took choice into account. If Al is not a potential hat stall, he will not be given a choice, just as Neville was not given a choice.

So if the Hat sees Al as a Slytherin (or a Ravenclaw or a Hufflepuff), and does not see an alternate House as having equal or near-equal suitability, then there is no amount of begging that will get him out of the House that the Hat wants to place him in. If the Hat sees multiple possibilities for Al, and Al has a strong preference for or against one of those possibilities, then the Hat will take choice into account.

I don't exactly agree with this assessment of how choice works. Simply making a choice says something about a character, in my opinion, which the Sorting Hat will inevitably take into account, and I think it unavoidable that the children will start thinking about what the Houses at the time of the Sorting. The Hat uses legilimancy (according to Pottermore) to see which House is most suitable, then I'd say whatever images float to the mind's surface are going to be the most prominent and influential when it comes to Sorting. The Hat may even influence what sort of things the kids think about during Sorting by its song, which it changes every year. But, anyway, the desire to make a choice is part of a kid's personality, so I believe that the very fact that they attempt to do so influences the hat's decision.

Originally Posted by LionsDisciple

Honestly? Because unless you are doing it for the sake of building up Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff, there is no story-line reason to do it (and something as superfluous as building up the status of side houses are something MUCH better suited to secondary characters, hence why I am still rooting for a Ravenclaw Rose). There are good storyline reasons to make Albus a Slytherin, and good storyline reasons to make him a Gryffindor, but it would take away from time building up his story in order to try and make Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw important enough to warrent them being the house of the main character.

I stated in this thread long ago that I liked the idea of a Hufflepuff Al, so I can't say I agree with you. I actually don't think there is much of a story in Gryffindor or Slytherin Al --at least, not simply by dint of House-- I would say it needs an interesting story to go with it-- you provided several interesting ideas up thread for a Gryffindor Al, but I can't say that somehow only Gryffindor or Slytherin are interesting and Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff House are boring. I like the idea of Hufflepuff because it is a shift from the expected (Gryffindor vs. Slytherin has already been done, in my opinion. If a new story arises, something different, with perhaps a broader view of House rivalry and unity, would be refreshing, in my opinion).

Since the Harry Potter series ended before Al was Sorted, my take on it was that for the end of that story it doesn't matter whether Al is Sorted into Gryffindor or Slytherin (or any other House, for that matter). I think the point of the conversation between Harry and Al was Harry telling Al that Al always has the ability to make choices for himself about what he will be like, and even should he get Sorted into a House he doesn't want (or find himself in any unwanted life situations) he still has control over who he is and what he does. In other words, choice is something ongoing, not something that begins and ends with a Hat Stall.

[leah49]

Originally Posted by NobodyImportant

I can see him anywhere but Gryffindor; their traits are supposed to be daring, nerve, courage, and chivalry. Albus was just so nervous and unsure of himself in the Epilouge. I don't know, I've always pictured him in Slytherin, though Ravenclaw or possibly Hufflepuff would be okay too.

There's not enough of him to judge whether he's nervous all the time or if it's just because he's going to school for the first time. Harry was the same way when he went for Sorting.

Originally Posted by snapes_witch

Oh, I expect she got a bit of a chuckle out of that. He could just as easily been named Severus Albus Potter!

SAP. Yep, that works.

Originally Posted by MerryLore

There were lots of names the boy could have been given - Arthur Fred, Remus Arthur, Sirius Remus (if the eldest had been named James Arthur).

Arthur isn't dead so I don't see Arthur as a possibility (Of course, neither is Luna, but Harry and Ginny don't have many females to choose from--Tonks? Leave that for Teddy). I think Harry would respect George to name his son Fred and even Teddy to give his son the name Remus. Teddy's middle name was Remus so there was that honoring him.

[SlyEd]

I can see Albus S. Potter in Slytherin. His both parents and his older brother are Gryffindors but that doesn't mean anything. Sirius was only gryffindor in whole slytherin family.
Plus, don't forget Harry had a lot of predispositions to become Slytherin, so who knows maybe Albus got born with those slytherin characteristics like speaking parseltongue.

[MerryLore]

Originally Posted by leah49

Arthur isn't dead so I don't see Arthur as a possibility (Of course, neither is Luna, but Harry and Ginny don't have many females to choose from--Tonks? Leave that for Teddy). I think Harry would respect George to name his son Fred and even Teddy to give his son the name Remus. Teddy's middle name was Remus so there was that honoring him.

I dunno - personally I think it's ok to name your baby after your dad, even if he's still living. I also think it's acceptable to name the kid after someone you care about, living or dead, although if you think the name will be used by someone else more closely related, the polite thing to do would be to use it as a middle name. But, in keeping with the above guidelines, Al could have been named Albus Alastor. Has a nice ring to it.

I think Severus was chosen to a way to redeem Snape, since Al is named after both Snape and Dumbledore, and the conversation between Harry and Al was a way to redeem Slytherin, and the house considered as worthy as Gryffindor. I think Harry and Hermione both spent their careers fighting for muggle born rights, and house elf rights, and one of the best ways to accomplish this is to get to know the people you're been fighting and help both sides understand each other. Having little Al in Slytherin and him getting to know Scorpius would be a step in this direction. Personally, I really do think Al was a Slytherin.

[snapes_witch]

Originally Posted by SlyEd

I can see Albus S. Potter in Slytherin. His both parents and his older brother are Gryffindors but that doesn't mean anything. Sirius was only gryffindor in whole slytherin family.
Plus, don't forget Harry had a lot of predispositions to become Slytherin, so who knows maybe Albus got born with those slytherin characteristics like speaking parseltongue.

Harry's Slytherin predispositions and the ability to speak parseltongue were due to Voldemort's soul piece and he lost them when the soul piece was killed therefore leaving nothing for ASP to inherit.

[ccollinsmith]

Originally Posted by snapes_witch

Harry's Slytherin predispositions and the ability to speak parseltongue were due to Voldemort's soul piece and he lost them when the soul piece was killed therefore leaving nothing for ASP to inherit.

The parseltongue, yes. But JKR indicated during the Pottermore announcement interviews that the two Houses are actually very close in many respects and that she envisioned Harry as easily belonging to either House.

I think it's clear that Harry himself - and not just the Voldemort soul piece - possessed the seeds of greatness ("greatness" is the Slytherin core value). And judging by the Hat's sorting conversation with Harry, it seems that the Hat prefers Slytherin for him because it sees that potential for greatness. Now, seeking greatness, as Slytherin does, is full of potential snares and temptations (such as confusing blood purity with greatness - hence the Crabbe/Goyle conundrum - or confusing magical power with greatness), and it is significant that Harry attains greatness in the end by NOT seeking it, but rather by sacrificing himself.

So anyway, I agree with the previous poster that Harry himself possessed some Slytherin proclivities and that these proclivities could potentially be inherited by Al. But I similarly do not think that Harry was out of place in Gryffindor, where he was able to achieve greatness more organically.

For additional information on Slytherin's focus on the seeds of greatness, see the House History.

[snapes_witch]

Originally Posted by ccollinsmith

The parseltongue, yes. But JKR indicated during the Pottermore announcement interviews that the two Houses are actually very close in many respects and that she envisioned Harry as easily belonging to either House.

I think it's clear that Harry himself - and not just the Voldemort soul piece - possessed the seeds of greatness ("greatness" is the Slytherin core value). And judging by the Hat's sorting conversation with Harry, it seems that the Hat prefers Slytherin for him because it sees that potential for greatness. Now, seeking greatness, as Slytherin does, is full of potential snares and temptations (such as confusing blood purity with greatness - hence the Crabbe/Goyle conundrum - or confusing magical power with greatness), and it is significant that Harry attains greatness in the end by NOT seeking it, but rather by sacrificing himself.

So anyway, I agree with the previous poster that Harry himself possessed some Slytherin proclivities and that these proclivities could potentially be inherited by Al. But I similarly do not think that Harry was out of place in Gryffindor, where he was able to achieve greatness more organically.

For additional information on Slytherin's focus on the seeds of greatness, see the House History.

Oh, okay. I mistakenly thought JKR'd said the sorting hat was feeling Voldemort's soul piece when it wanted to sort Harry in Slytherin.

[ccollinsmith]

Originally Posted by snapes_witch

Oh, okay. I mistakenly thought JKR'd said the sorting hat was feeling Voldemort's soul piece when it wanted to sort Harry in Slytherin.

Well, you know JKR. She may have made a contradictory statement at an earlier date. However, in the Pottermore interviews she made a point of indicating that getting sorted into Slytherin was not a bad thing, and she pointed to Harry's Slytherin eligibility as an example.

So it follows that getting sorted into Slytherin would not necessarily be a bad thing for Al either, given that the Hat would not put him there unless Slytherin provided an environment in which he could potentially thrive.

[Goddess_Clio]

Originally Posted by OldMotherCrow

I stated in this thread long ago that I liked the idea of a Hufflepuff Al, so I can't say I agree with you. I actually don't think there is much of a story in Gryffindor or Slytherin Al --at least, not simply by dint of House-- I would say it needs an interesting story to go with it-- you provided several interesting ideas up thread for a Gryffindor Al, but I can't say that somehow only Gryffindor or Slytherin are interesting and Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff House are boring. I like the idea of Hufflepuff because it is a shift from the expected (Gryffindor vs. Slytherin has already been done, in my opinion. If a new story arises, something different, with perhaps a broader view of House rivalry and unity, would be refreshing, in my opinion).

I think I agree with OldMotherCrow the most, here. There are ways to make a Slytherin Albus or a Gryffindor Albus interesting as a character in a story but I think having all your hero characters being sorted into two of the four houses gets really boring really quickly. Sorting a character into the last house one expects them to be sorted into, though, leaves a lot of room for story development and character development which is what fiction is all about and would, might I add, create a lot more interest in the story because something unusual happened right off the bat (assuming the story begins in that character's first year with their sorting being towards the beginning of the story). A story about a Hufflepuff Albus would be far more interesting to me than either of the other two "conventional" options because it would be shocking and unexpected.

I've been reading the James Potter series by G. Norman Lippert and his first book begins with James Sirius being concerned about his own sorting (Slytherin or Gryffindor? Gryffindor or Slytherin?) and it was kind of anticlimactic to find out that he was (shock! ) sorted into Gryffindor... I immediately felt like, "Oh. Been there, done that, literally read the book." The remaining story was interesting because James was wrestling with personal identity issue surrounding his father also being a Gryffindor but equally disappointing was that Hermione and Ron's daughter was sorted into Gryffindor, Teddy Lupin was (shock! ) in Gryffindor, Victoire, I believe, was a Gryffindor... booooooring.

We don't know much about Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff and a story told from a character sorted into those houses at this point would be far more interesting to me that another story told from the POV of another Gryffindor.

[MrPotter98]

I believe he will be in Gryffindor just like the entire family and more like his father...

[ccollinsmith]

Originally Posted by OldMotherCrow

I don't exactly agree with this assessment of how choice works. Simply making a choice says something about a character, in my opinion, which the Sorting Hat will inevitably take into account, and I think it unavoidable that the children will start thinking about what the Houses at the time of the Sorting. The Hat uses legilimancy (according to Pottermore) to see which House is most suitable, then I'd say whatever images float to the mind's surface are going to be the most prominent and influential when it comes to Sorting. The Hat may even influence what sort of things the kids think about during Sorting by its song, which it changes every year. But, anyway, the desire to make a choice is part of a kid's personality, so I believe that the very fact that they attempt to do so influences the hat's decision.

I don't think we're on completely different pages here. You seem to be referring to an organic process in which the Hat determines suitability - not to a mechanized process in which the Hat basically allows the kid to dictate the House (which is often how I see "choice" discussed). I was pointing out that the latter is not how the Hat works.

Rather than use the word "choice," I would say that you are essentially discussing what I would call House "suitability"... so perhaps we are simply using different terminology for a similar process.

Originally Posted by OldMotherCrow

I stated in this thread long ago that I liked the idea of a Hufflepuff Al, so I can't say I agree with you. I actually don't think there is much of a story in Gryffindor or Slytherin Al --at least, not simply by dint of House-- I would say it needs an interesting story to go with it-- you provided several interesting ideas up thread for a Gryffindor Al, but I can't say that somehow only Gryffindor or Slytherin are interesting and Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff House are boring. I like the idea of Hufflepuff because it is a shift from the expected (Gryffindor vs. Slytherin has already been done, in my opinion. If a new story arises, something different, with perhaps a broader view of House rivalry and unity, would be refreshing, in my opinion).

I agree that Gryffindor and Slytherin are not the only two options, and I certainly would not have a problem with a Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff sorting for Al (or even, really, for a Gryffindor sorting... since I assume that any story JKR might write about Al would be interesting).

I disagree, though, that Slytherin has been done already. Slytherin has been "done" only as a caricature. In the Pottermore interviews, Rowling states that we see Slytherin in the books only through the biases of her Gryffindor protagonists and suggests that the view of Slytherin in the books is therefore skewed, or at least insufficient and incomplete. I would like to see a story that presents a less skewed view of Slytherin - whether that's via Al's story or someone else's. What I'd really like to see is Slytherin reclaiming and living up to the best parts of its heritage (such as Merlin).

Al's story is a possible jumping off point for such a story simply because the issue of his sorting is raised in the Epilogue - though I tend to agree with you that the Epilogue is not primarily intended to get us to debate whether Al will end up in Gryffindor or Slytherin.

[myosotis]

Originally Posted by LionsDisciple

Honestly? Because unless you are doing it for the sake of building up Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff, there is no story-line reason to do it

No, I was just trying to be fair-minded by giving him the possibility of getting in any of the 4 houses. I agree that there is no reason in the storyline that Al should be in Ravenclaw. Gryffindor is logical for him, both his parents, grandparents et al. went there, his brother is there. Looks like it runs in the family.

I'm sorry but I don't see anything in the storyline that puts him in Slytherin, apart from the fact that his older brother teases him about it and scares him with it.

On the other hand, he shows traits of solidarity and loyalty, which are Hufflepuff traits. Gryffindors are loyal, but as far as solidarity vs. personal glory is concerned, Hufflepuffs beat Gryffindor. Gryffindors like to shine, to stand out, to be recognized as the best - individually. For Hufflepuff, it's the House, the group, that counts, not personal glory. From what little we see of him, I don't think Al is after personal glory either. He just wants to belong. That's the reason I'd put him in Hufflepuff if he doesn't get into Gryffindor. That is just my opinion.

ETA:collinsmith, I agree with what you say.

[ccollinsmith]

Originally Posted by myosotis

On the other hand, he shows traits of solidarity and loyalty, which are Hufflepuff traits. Gryffindors are loyal, but as far as solidarity vs. personal glory is concerned, Hufflepuffs beat Gryffindor. Gryffindors like to shine, to stand out, to be recognized as the best - individually. For Hufflepuff, it's the House, the group, that counts, not personal glory. From what little we see of him, I don't think Al is after personal glory either. He just wants to belong. That's the reason I'd put him in Hufflepuff if he doesn't get into Gryffindor. That is just my opinion.

ETA:collinsmith, I agree with what you say.

Thank you.

BTW, one of the surprise revelations of Pottermore was that Slytherin, too, is focused strongly on loyalty and solidarity - though equally focused on glory as Gryffindor is. A section of the House History/Welcome Letter indicates that Slytherins are "brothers" and that Slytherins watch out for other Slytherins.

There's a pretty serious downside, though, to Slytherin loyalty and solidarity. Slytherins are encouraged to assume that there's "something great" about anyone sorted into Slytherin (the assumption being that the Hat wouldn't put an individual into Slytherin unless the individual possesses seeds of greatness). Since the solidarity/loyalty is focused on an assumption of potential greatness, then Slytherin solidarity/loyalty is more prone imo toward something like the blind loyalty that we see in the DE debacle. ("Hey, there's something great about Tom Riddle, and we Slytherins need to stick together").

I think Hufflepuff solidarity/loyalty is focused more on loyalty to the actual people within the House than on loyalty to some assumed quality among the people within the House. I think this gives Hufflepuff solidarity/loyalty less potential for being corrupted into blind loyalty.

Anyway, it would be interesting to see where the Hat takes all of this with Al. He is also probably a pretty intelligent kid, since his father comments that whatever House he gets sorted into will have gained an excellent student.