The four houses
- Gryffindor: bravery and daring. Founded by Godric Gryffindor. Lion, scarlet and gold. Head of house: Minerva McGonagall.
- Hufflepuff: hard work, loyalty and fair play. Founded by Helga Hufflepuff. Badger, yellow and black. Head of house: Pomona Sprout.
- Ravenclaw: wit and learning. Founded by Rowena Ravenclaw. Eagle, blue and bronze. Head of house: Filius Flitwick.
- Slytherin: ambition and cunning. Founded by Salazar Slytherin. Serpent, green and silver. Head of house: Severus Snape, later Horace Slughorn.
Running a sorting ceremony
For a party or class, call each person up, spin, and announce their house. To keep the houses the same size, add each house once per place: for 20 people, add each house 5 times. Press Remove Winner from List after each spin and only that one slice comes off, so the houses fill evenly.
Then use the houses for the rest of the event: house points for games, house tables for food, or a house quiz.
Wheel or sorting hat?
In the books the Sorting Hat takes your choice into account, which is how Harry avoided Slytherin. The wheel will not listen. If you want a say, spin twice and pick between the two results. Spin Wheel is not connected to Warner Bros. or the Harry Potter books. For even teams with any names, use the team picker wheel.
Questions
Is every house equally likely?
Yes. Each house has one equal slice, so each has a 1 in 4 chance.
Can I keep the houses even for a party?
Yes. Add each house once per place and remove each result as you go. The houses fill up evenly.
Why is Ravenclaw blue and bronze, not blue and silver?
The books say blue and bronze. The films used blue and silver. Either is fine for a party.
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