Sorting Guide

House Characteristics

Gryffindors ; Not all Gryffindors are brave risk takers. Take Neville for instance. He has a good heart, and when it gets tough we've seen that he has the heart to fight, but you wouldn't know it otherwise. This means that you have to take a look at all their answers, and not just simply at ones that reflect if they're "bold and brave". Think about how each answer relates to what they would do in the situation. Just because their life's dream isn't to skydive or win the Quidditch cup doesn't mean that they wouldn't face off with Voldemort for their friends or someone they love. Do they have strong conviction? Would they stand up for what they believe? Gryffindor's aren't all headstrong leaders. They can be quiet followers, whom just happen to have the will to fight for what they believe in with 110%.

Slytherins ; Not all Slytherin's are manipulative bastards. Cunning? Yes. Sleak? Most assuredly. Satan himself? Not quite. If you see an applicant state 'torturing puppies' as their favorite pastime, resist the urge to write Slytherin. They are not all evil. They are akin to Gryffindor actually, only they have less qualms about doing a little dirty dealing to get what they want. So instead, do not look for the completely evil. Look for intelligence and wit. Sarcasm and bite. Someone who is determined, any means to accomplish what they need. Someone is confident and sure of themselves (usually arrogantly so.) They may not be you're favorite house, but you have to give it to them for their gusto. Moral of the story? Evil, Insane and Blatantly "ooh, I'm SOOO BAD!!one1" does NOT equal Slytherin.

Ravenclaws ; Not all Ravenclaw's are uber brains. Not all of them study 24/7 and hate fun. They are studious and determined, but this does not define them. Take Hermione. She's smart, correct? Why is she not in Ravenclaw. Because as with all these houeses, one characteristic is not the deciding factor. It is a combination. In truth, being a Ravenclaw has less to do with whether or not someone is smart, than whether or not a scholarly streak is apparent. When you sort, consider this : Do they have a lust for knowledge? It doesn't matter what they like to learn about - cars, for all we care. The important thing is that they are learning it for the sole purpose of wishing to know. The desire to learn makes a Ravenclaw. The presence of intelligence and common sense, and curiosity makes a Ravenclaw. being a Ravenclaw is a state of mind, not an inborn talent.

Hufflepuffs ; Not all Hufflepuff's are cowards. They are quite the opposite. The will to work hard takes courage, because in the end you may fail. What matters is that they do try. They are like Gryffindor's in the sense that they will stand and fight when need be. Known for their loyalty, you can always count on a Hufflepuff. When reading an application, consider the following : Do they show work ethic? Do they put other's before themselves? And are they willing to go the extra mile? Hufflepuffs are not �the rest�; they are not the �leftovers�, they are the ones that everyone comes to in times of need of advice or a good friend. They are grounded, fair, and make the best of friends. Don't think they won't put a cap in your ass though. Badgers can bite.

Squib ; A squib is one of the following two types of people.
1.) Someone who obviously hasn't read the rules. Their questions aren't numbered (do they even have the questions?!) or underlined, they have 5 word answers, and whatever coherant forms of thought they manage to put down are not worthy of sorting. Their answer to the "Mirror" question is 'OMG TOM FELTON !!!1!one', and they try far to hard to be in a house ("I'm so bad. Make me Slytherin!" + "I'm soooo brave. I'd cut off my own head! I'm a Gryff!" + "I get STRAIGHT A's and now what Pi equals. Name me Ravenclaw" + "OMG, all my friends totally come to me because I am like, SOOOO HELPFUL! I do work all the time. I am the most nicest person ever. Hufflepuff".

No, thankyou.

2.) One who doesn't fit into any house. You can't really pull any traits out from their application, or none really shine through. In other words, someone bland. Yes, I know it sounds mean to put it like that, but you know you all think it too!

Squibs have one try to revise their application after being officially squibbed by a prefect. If after their second time they can't make the cut, they aren't allowed to try any more. Make those apps good!

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