It could just be me —I doubt it— but within the first few weeks of a new friendship, I always tend to ask the very important question: “What Hogwarts house are you in?” On the rare occasion, I get, “I don’t know. I don’t really like 'Harry Potter',” but normally it’s met with an, “Oh, I’m an [insert house here], obviously.” That new friendship just went to the next level. It skyrocketed to possible best friends. It leapt to future all-day "Harry Potter" marathons. It dove into lengthy discussions about whether or not Ginny doused Harry with a love potion. I instantly begin to figure out exactly what type of Hufflepuff you are, or Ravenclaw or Gryffindor or Slytherin. I immediately put you on a certain shelf in my mind. Maybe I am too into this. Probably not.

But here we go:

Wise ~ Curious ~ Intelligent ~Witty ~ Clever ~ Original ~ Egocentric ~ Detail-Oriented

“Wit beyond measure is man’s greatest treasure.”

I’ve found that one thing that all my friends sorted into Ravenclaw have in common: they are responsible. I find this to be the most distinguishing characteristic of the house. Ravenclaws understand the necessity of being responsible in their work and in their personal lives. In order to be wise, to be curious, to be intelligent, one must master responsibility.

When someone tells me they are a Ravenclaw, I just assume they are brilliant in school and are incredibly dedicated to their studies; but, really, it’s so much more than that. They’re hard working, intelligent, and passionate about much more than school and grades. They care about punctuality, originality, and the details of their work. They’re the ones that will go above and beyond to make sure everything they create is perfect. I actually get a little excited when someone tells me they are a Ravenclaw, because, surprisingly, I find them far more reliable than those from the other three houses. The Ravenclaws become the ones that make me accountable for absolutely everything I do and make sure I don’t give up. Thanks, you witty Ravenclaws.

Ambition ~ Cunning ~ Purity ~ Power ~ Triumph ~ Talent ~ Manipulative ~ Traditional

“Don’t be afraid to give up the good, to go for the great.”

Whenever I meet a Slytherin, I am either surprised, or think, “Okay, that makes sense”. Sometimes, I unfairly assume that they’re going to be rude or manipulative, but normally they aren’t. Yes, my Slytherin friends tend to be much more cunning and ambitious than my friends in other houses, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they can’t be caring and occasionally helpful.

What I have learned about my friends in Snape’s house is that they put themselves first, but is that a bad thing? Why does everyone need to put themselves last, when, in the end, you only have yourself? That idea might seem pessimistic, but who ever said you have to be optimistic to be successful? I mean, remember in Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone, when the Sorting Hat told Harry that “Slytherin will help you on the way to greatness, no doubt about that”? Great wizards and witches come out of Slytherin, whether or not they are great at something beautiful or great at something terrible.

Bravery ~ Courage ~ Chivalry ~ Pride ~ Arrogance ~ Fiery ~ Heroic ~ Valiant ~ Passion

“It is not the strength of the body that counts, but the strength of the spirit”

If I have learned anything from knowing Gryffindors, it’s that they are a very proud group. I’ve never met one that doesn’t say, “I’m a Gryffindor! What else would I be?!” or “Gryffindor, the only house there should be.” Needless to say, these are some very passionate and boisterous people. There’s never a moment to spare with Gryffindors and they may or may not bend the rules to take on adventures. Some would call them arrogant; others, courageous.

Some of my closest friends are Gryffindors and they always tend to be the ones that are willing to do new and exciting things with me or the ones that always speak their mind and say what everyone else was thinking. I am never surprised when someone announces he or she is a Gryffindor, because their characteristics are not easily hidden. They’re the type of people that attract others, warranted or not, and immediately do things that others would not. I envy the passion that Gryffindors feel and I will forever be thankful for those that are in my life, whether or not I also find them, occasionally, arrogant.

Loyal ~ Kind ~ Open-Minded ~ Lazy ~ Accepting ~ Stubborn ~ Patient ~ Tactful ~ Honest

"Be faithful in small things, because it is in them that your strength lies”

Disclosure: I am a Hufflepuff. With that being said, a lot of my friends are also Hufflepuffs. We are a tactful, caring, and loyal bunch, who also can be slow and stubborn. The people that I meet in our house always end up being the kindest, most accepting, and rational people I know. You can’t have houses like Gryffindor, Slytherin and Ravenclaw, without a house like Hufflepuff. A group of four always needs the nice one. There must always be the one person that consistently thinks of the greater good and dwells on how to make everything, and everyone, comfortable.

I know I’m biased, but I’m trying my hardest not to be. Hufflepuffs can definitely come off slow and are most certainly not as brave as Gryffindors, as intelligent as Ravenclaws or as cunning as Slytherins, but they are the sweet, open and patient friend that all those three come to when they are feeling down. They're the friends that are always there for you, that always have your back, and will always give you a hug. Hufflepuffs know the appropriate thing to say in difficult situations and they know how to make everyone feel happy. We might always be in the sidekick position, but we will never leave that side.

I love the Harry Potter series and I love how detailed and intricate J.K. Rowling made the characteristics of each house. What I find most interesting is the fact that although every house has certain traits that stand out, there are always those that could fit in elsewhere. Harry could have easily been put in Slytherin, Hermione could have been a Ravenclaw and Ron could have gone Hufflepuff, but it is their tremendous bravery that drove the sorting hat to put them in Gryffindor. Although I might be too into this, I love having friends from different houses, and somehow we all still manage to get along.