Harry Potter: You chose Gryffindor, but do you really know where the house name comes from?

If you are returning to Hogwarts, the first thing you will be asked to do upon entering the castle will be to wear a janitor’s hat, which will send you to one of the institution’s four houses.

Named Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff, they all have very specific characteristics, histories, and origins.

Let’s take a look at the most famous of them today, which especially welcomed Albus Dumbledore, Rubeus Hagrid, Minerva McGonagall, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley and, of course, Harry Potter himself.

The House of Gryffindor, founded on the values ​​of courage, bravery and strength, was founded in the Middle Ages under its name: Godric Gryffindor. Considered an accomplished duelist, the latter also became known for his zeal in protecting Muggles from wizards. His first name, which in Old English evokes “divine strength”, therefore etymologically embodies his qualities of strength and courage.

But what about his last name? If Gryffindor obviously refers to a griffin—that hybrid creature of mythology—the Hogwarts house crest at least features… a lion on a field of red and gold.

A choice that may seem surprising at first, but remember that the griffin’s body and legs are those of a lion, an animal that perfectly embodies the virtues of the house of Gryffindor.

For a little anecdote, as we see from the second part of the Harry Potter saga, the office of director Albus Dumbledore – famous for his attachment to the Gryffindor house, which he himself attended – is sealed with a statue that represents… gold. Griffin (Golden Griffin).

A small Easter egg that is even more delicious in the original version. Since this is a door (in English, door) in the form of a Griffin, so the entrance to Dumbledore’s office is actually a Griffin’s Door.

(Re)discover all the hidden details of ‘Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets’…