Re-Sorting “Harry Potter” Characters into the Houses of Gondolin
Two of the most iconic fantasy series of all time are Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings. So I thought it would be interesting to mix them up a bit. In Tolkien’s works, the city of Gondolin is known for the Twelve Houses of the Gondolindrim. Given the importance of Houses in Harry Potter, I decided to re-Sort these characters if they had grown up in Gondolin.
1. Harry Potter – House of the Golden Flower
The most famous member of the House of the Golden Flower is Glorfindel, a great elvish hero. When Gondolin was attacked, he made the choice to sacrifice himself by staying behind to fight a Balrog on his own while others escaped. He perished in this battle, but due to his heroic deeds, he was resurrected by the Valar and sent back to Middle-earth. Given that Harry is also a self-sacrificing hero who came back from the dead, Golden Flower seemed to be the best fit for him.
2. Hermione Granger – House of the Tree
It was actually really hard to find a House that fit Hermione well, mostly because none of the Houses is known for intelligence and research. However, members of the House of the Tree are known for being scouts and the job of a scout is to look ahead and find out more information in order to help everyone else. That seemed to fit. Also, the members of this House are known for their eyes, which gleamed like cats in the dark, which reminded me of Hermione’s unintentional transformation in the second book.
3. Ron Weasley – House of the King
At first glance, it seemed like Harry should go into the House of the King. After all, he is the hero and leader of the series. However, the House of the King isn’t actually made up of the royal family. It’s actually for the guards of the king, his last and most loyal line of defense. Keeping that in mind, Ron, with his loyal and protective spirit, slotted into place easily. And besides, Weasley is our king.
4. Neville Longbottom – House of the Fountain
Glorfindel wasn’t the only great hero of Gondolin. The other was Ecthelion, of the House of the Fountain. He was known for being incredibly courageous and valiant. While the rest of Gondolin’s army retreated when faced with Gothmog, the Lord of Balrogs, he stayed and fought. This reminded me of Neville and how even when he thought that Harry was dead, he refused to give up, but instead still chose to face Voldemort head-on and kill Nagini. Additionally, Ecthelion and the rest of his House are known for their skill with swords, fitting in with Neville’s use of the sword of Gryffindor.
5. Severus Snape – House of the Harp
The leader of the House of the Harp was a traitor to the city and when Gondolin was attacked, worked to try to bring the city down. However, the House refused to follow its treacherous lord but instead stood to defend the city. This is why I selected this House for Snape since he also stood against his lord in order to fight for what was right. Also, most of the House of the Harp died from the poison breath of dragons. Nagini is not quite large enough to be a dragon, but she certainly comes close.
6. Peter Pettigrew – House of the Mole
The House of the Mole also had a traitor for a leader. In fact, Maeglin was a servant to the Dark Lord and let his forces into the city of Gondolin, similar to how Pettigrew let the Dark Lord into Godric’s Hollow. Additionally, unlike the House of the Harp, though, the House of the Mole did not turn against its lord but instead fought alongside the Dark Lord. Most of them were then forced to flee and hide in the dark places they could find, just as Pettigrew had to hide as a rat for 12 years. Also, moles and rats are both rodents and euphemisms for traitors.
7. Fred Weasley- House of the Hammer of Wrath
The members of the House of the Hammer of Wrath are known as skilled smiths and craftsmen. While it’s unlikely Fred ever picked up a hammer and anvil, he was an extremely skilled inventor. Furthermore, he and his brother did end up crafting items to use against Voldemort, their Defense Against the Dark Arts line. Considering that the House of the Hammer of Wrath was infamous for its hatred of Morgoth, the Dark Lord, I think they’d approve. On a sadder note, another thing Fred has in common with them is death. Not a single member of the House survived the Fall of Gondolin, all fighting until the very end.
