The Sorting Hat puts people into different houses based on the loyalties that lie within their minds. Hufflepuffs are loyal to food. Slytherins are loyal to no one but themselves. Ravenclaws are loyal returners of library books. And Gryffindors are loyal to courage, bravery, and determination. They're loyal to loyalty itself.
It's no surprise that Harry, Ron, and Hermione are Gryffindors. They value loyalty above anything else, and they'd do anything for one another. Sirius Black was also in Gryffindor, as hardcore Potter fans know. If Harry'd known this during Prisoner of Azkaban, maybe a lot of the confusion about Sirius's identity could have been avoided.
Questions about Loyalty
- Why is loyalty such an important quality to Harry Potter?
- How do Harry and his friends show their loyalty to one another?
- What does Sirius do to win Harry's loyalty? Does Sirius deserve Harry's loyalty?
Chew on This
Loyalty's hard to earn with Harry Potter, because he's dealt with a lifetime of betrayals.
One consistent quality among all the bad guys in Harry Potter—regardless of their badness levels—is a lack of loyalty. Peter Pettigrew sold out his friends. Draco Malfoy is a little traitor. And the Dementors will suck the soul of anyone who gets in their way.