Albus S. Potter - Slytherin or Gryffindor?

[myosotis]

Originally Posted by ccollinsmith

Thank you.

You're welcome.

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.

Excellent argument. Hufflepuffs care about the group, not any individual - not even Cedric Diggory - or, for that matter, Dumbledore or any individual Headmaster or Headmistress.

They will do anything to protect the group, be it their own House, Hogwarts in general or the side they're fighting on in general. They don't mind if they don't get individual recognition, or even if they have to lay down their lives as long as their group survives and wins.

It is rather funny that they share certain traits with Slytherin. But it seems they do. I was floored the other day when a friend of mine took the Sorting Hat test on Pottermore and got a Hat Stall. The Hat asked her whether she'd like to be in Slytherin or in Hufflepuff. To her, those two Houses are such opposites to each other!

It just proves, to me at least, that I wasn't so far out when I suggested Al be Sorted into Hufflepuff.

[leah49]

Originally Posted by MerryLore

I dunno - personally I think it's ok to name your baby after your dad, even if he's still living.

I agree, but in this story the only time anyone was named after anyone was living was eldest children of a gender with the middle name of their parent's first name. Just following the theme of children being named after the dead.

[HersheyLipGloss]

I think that Albus will be in Hufflepuff because of his loyalty to his family- he didn't want to disappoint them, but, also, he kept saying he wanted to be in Gryffindor to be like the rest of his family. Even though Gryffindors disapprove of originality, I don't think they approve of blending in.

[levantine118]

He will be a Gryffindor for sure. Harry went through the same process and he's as Gryffindor as it gets!

[joebthegreat]

[staff edit]

Originally Posted by HersheyLipGloss

I think that Albus will be in Hufflepuff because of his loyalty to his family- he didn't want to disappoint them, but, also, he kept saying he wanted to be in Gryffindor to be like the rest of his family. Even though Gryffindors disapprove of originality, I don't think they approve of blending in.

Draco wanted to be in Slytherin because of his loyalty to his family. Ron wanted to be in Gryffindor because of his loyalty to his family. It seems to be common for kids to want to go into their family's house.

Anyway.

I don't think we've seen enough about Albus to be able to decide what house he'll go to. They're all possibilities.

What we should really be asking ourselves is the following: What does it MEAN if Albus goes to Slytherin? Will it be the prelude to Albus as a dark lord, or an example of the goodness of Slytherin? Will it be a way to set James and Albus against each other? What traits would Albus grow to have as a Slytherin? How would he grow in that house?

I think Albus would get placed into Slytherin or Hufflepuff (if a sequel was ever written). From a pure storytelling perspective, it would be boring to watch another Potter kid go through Gryffindor. If we're going to explore new parts of the same world, we can't shoehorn our new characters into the old routines.

[HazelCloak30067]

I think he would be a Slytherin. I'd be pretty funny imagining James's reaction. Also, Albus seemed to relax alot after Harry talked to him, so I don't think he'd mind if he was

[Peakes]

We don't really know enough about Albus' character to say. If it came to a Harry-like standoff between Gryffindor and Slytherin, and Albus gets to sway the decision, then I suspect he would choose Gryffindor.

The first words we hear from him in 19 Years Later are "I won't! I won't be in Slytherin!". He seems pretty dead set against it just as Harry did. In fact, I don't think the Sorting Hat would even consider it.

[EsmeeLeFay]

I can understand Albus` reluctance to be in Slytherin because he does not want to disappoint his family and he wants to be in Gryffindor to be loyal with his family. But as Harry tells him that Slytherin house would have gained an excellent edition and he was named after an amazing Slytherin -
So I would like to see Albus in Slytherin
He may be against it at first but might begin to understand that being in Slytherin would be as good as being in Gryffindor and would still makes his family very proud
Plus, it would be pretty awesome to see Albus befriend Scorpius.

[BrightestWitch]

I think that Albus will be in Gryffindor. I know many fanfictions have had Albus in Slytherin, but I'm against it. Though... I do think it would be quite interesting if Albus befriended Scopius.

I will be fair though; some tiny part of me realizes that Jo MAY have been hinting Albus going to Slytherin, because she introduced Scorpius. Not only that, but she had Harry and Draco make a polite gesture at each other, showing that they have stopped their rivalry against each other (though Ron didn't). This COULD show their acceptance of each other.

Now the complaint for Gryffindor: Harry was worried about getting into Slytherin, too. Also, Jo made it obvious that Al really wanted to get into Gryffindor, just like Harry. He surely felt pressured by James, and with a taunting older brother like him, one always has insecurities. Ron also felt nervous that he wouldn't get into Gryffindor, all of his brothers did, and he really hoped he would, and he got in! Of course Al would feel nervous, when one wants something really badly, they always have that dread of not getting it.

It could be just pride, but I honestly feel like Albus should be in Gryffindor. If he weren't, it would be okay, because it would emphasize house bonding, and truly show that not all Slytherins go bad. (In fact a lot of them don't; there's just the hatred against them). Al is a gryffindor in my opinion!

[S_mackrell]

I think just the fact that he made such a big deal about it, and that nearly the whole chapter pretty much surrounded him and the house conflict, is a pretty big hint/forshadow/watev that Albus (little ASP) will be in Slytherin.

Is Albus blending in like the rest of the familiy? No, he stands out, he is different. Something is surely different about him or such a big fuss wouldn't be made, he would blend in and go quietly to Gryffindor. Just like everyone else, Boring, and the racism against Slytherin continues, the unfinished plot about house unity falls flat. JKR says for her the most intersting of Harrys kids is Albus, what was so special about a kid who is a carbon copy of Harry squealing about how he WONT be in Slytherin, just to end up in Gryffindor? Nothing unless there is a story behind it

I just get this feeling he is in Slytherin, I would be awfully awfully disapointed if he isn't

[Barbara_O]

If Albus goes into Gryffindor and Scorpius (naturally) goes into Slytherin, this could be the setting for a reconciliation between the two houses. If they should happen to become friends that is.

Wouldn't it be ironic if Albus went to Slytherin and Scorpius to Gryffindor, though?

[HermioneLandry]

He would probably go into Gryffindor, because of the legacy. Harry was admirable though explaining that Slytherin has its own qualities, but because a lot of the series depicts Slytherin house as one that desires success at any cost, and also of the potential for those in Slytherin house to embrace the darker side of magic, then Albus Severus Potter will choose Gryffindor.

I agree though that it would make for an interesting twist in future scenarios if he did wind up in Slytherin.

[levantine118]

I believe he would have been sorted into Gryffindor. That conflict stirring inside him shows how much of a Gryffindor he is, like his father.
It is what we grow to become, and not what we are born to be, that defines us.

[Divvie]

I agree that he would have been sorted into Gryffindor.

The whole "endorsement" that Harry gives in his little "it doesn't matter" speech highlights bravery - which is a self-declared value of Gryffindor House.

So the message to his son was that bravery matters ... I don't see any reason why AS wouldn't follow his apparent inclination to the House that values it accordingly.

[cardinalguy]

Originally Posted by Divvie

I agree that he would have been sorted into Gryffindor.

The whole "endorsement" that Harry gives in his little "it doesn't matter" speech highlights bravery - which is a self-declared value of Gryffindor House.

I always had the impression that Albus doesn't consider himself very brave, and is thus unworthy of Gryffindor. I see him as a bit cautious (compared to James, who I see as daring and somewhat reckless like his namesake). Al's look-before-you-leap demeanor would inspire many taunts from his brother, who would likely see cowardice in Al's cautiousness. A hardcore Gryffindor (I believe someone would have mentioned it if he weren't), James would tell his timid brother he was destined for Slytherin, whose knack for self-preservation gives them similar cautiousness (and a rep among Gryffindors as a bunch of cowards). Harry's endorsement mainly debunks the Slytherin/coward stereotype (and arguably says that one could still be a good Gryffindor even if not technically a Gryffindor) but does nothing to help Albus, who still feels unworthy. Only when Harry tells him he could choose and that Harry, himself, had done so is Al assuaged.

I think that Albus, not bold enough to completely challenge the Hat by demanding Gryffindor, simply asks "not Slytherin," inadvertently paralleling his father. What the Hat ultimately decides I feel is up in the air; I just feel it's not Slytherin.

[Jenna_Keatley]

Originally Posted by Barbara_O

Wouldn't it be ironic if Albus went to Slytherin and Scorpius to Gryffindor, though?

Oh my goodness, that made me laugh so hard! It would indeed be quite ironic, though I think it would do a lot to mend some fences. With so many death eaters coming from the Slytherin house in the two generations prior to these two characters, it definitely seems as though a large portion of the wizarding world has equated Gryffindor with "good" and Slytherin with "evil." The end of book 7 really felt like a turning point for the wizarding world as a whole, and I hope that old feuds and prejudices were set aside, and that the reputations of the four Hogwarts houses could be based on the original values of those houses once again.

That being said, the only house I don't see any child of Harry and Ginny being sorted into is Ravenclaw. If Albus is a lot like Harry, then he probably has a good chance of being either Gryffindor or Slytherin, for various reasons, and the sorting hat would probably take his preference into consideration. On the other hand, if he's more like his mother, I could see the decision coming down to Gryffindor or Hufflepuff. To be completely honest, I'm not entirely sure why the Weaseleys were pretty much exclusively Gryffindors anyway. Some of them seemed more like Hufflepuff candidates to me.

[MsJPotter]

=Divvie;6027729]
The whole "endorsement" that Harry gives in his little "it doesn't matter" speech highlights bravery - which is a self-declared value of Gryffindor House.

Wow, self-declared? It could be I suppose. Then that would mean that Ravenclaws were not that smart, Hufflepuffs were not that loyal and Slytherins were not that ambitious. All these traits are defined by the Sorting Hat which was enchanted by the original founders to pick out children with just those qualities. It just goes to show, it's what the students say that counts in the end. So yes, Little Al would definately be a Gryfindor.

[Daggerstone]

Originally Posted by MsJPotter

It just goes to show, it's what the students say that counts in the end. So yes, Little Al would definately be a Gryfindor.

Actually, that would depend on how truthful Ms Rowling was in claiming Pottermore was the online equivalent of Encyclopedia-That-Shall-Not-Be-Named.

Apparently, Harry was a Gryf-Slyth Stall; for all we know, "Little Al" might not even be in the running and would end up in Hufflepuff...

[ccollinsmith]

Originally Posted by Daggerstone

Actually, that would depend on how truthful Ms Rowling was in claiming Pottermore was the online equivalent of Encyclopedia-That-Shall-Not-Be-Named.

Apparently, Harry was a Gryf-Slyth Stall; for all we know, "Little Al" might not even be in the running and would end up in Hufflepuff...

Exactly. Harry expresses an opinion about how the Hat works, but (according to JKR at least) Pottermore provides more objective and detailed information. According to Pottermore, only hat stalls get to choose.

[OldMotherCrow]

Originally Posted by ccollinsmith

Exactly. Harry expresses an opinion about how the Hat works, but (according to JKR at least) Pottermore provides more objective and detailed information. According to Pottermore, only hat stalls get to choose.

I confess, I do not remember that bit of information from Pottermore. The new information from Rowling said that a Hat Stall was a Sorting that went on longer than five minutes-- apparently, the debate between the Hat and person taking a long time to resolve. I don't remember anything that said that only Hat Stalls get to choose. Did I miss something?