House Animals Changed
written by Lizzie Scamander
Do the animals symbolising each Hogwarts house really suit? Of course I respect J.K Rowling's choices, but if you consider... Was the badger really the right animal to represent Hufflepuff? Is the eagle fitting for Ravenclaw? I in no way mean to offend anyone's opinions on this, and of course I still love J.K Rowling's choices for the house representations, so please don't think I mean to try and prove J.K Rowling as wrong! I just have a second opinion on the house animals, so if you want to hear it, read right on! By the way, the animals included in this opinion-piece are all forest animals, to keep it organised and from running too astray. Hope you enjoy it!
Last Updated
05/31/21
Chapters
1
Reads
2,237
The Four Representations
Chapter 1
Lion for Gryffindor, snake for Slytherin, eagle for Ravenclaw and badger for Hufflepuff. Of course they all suit because they were J.K Rowling's choices, and you always picture them as the house emblems because of this, but pretend that these house symbols hadn't been decided yet and it was your choice on what animals represented the different houses. What would you choose? Here's what I would:
I'll start with my own house. Hufflepuff, the kind, loyal, and hard-working house. The badger, because of its relation to Hufflepuff, now regarded as a friendly, warm-hearted animal. But although I love badgers, is that really their personality? Think of the honey badger for example. Or
to see what a badger can sometimes be like.
Obviously I still love the animal representation of Hufflepuff house, but badgers can actually be a little fierce, the very opposite of Hufflepuff! If I could choose, instead of the badger, maybe I would select a bear? I know, at first you think "Seriously?" but then bears are actually big gentle giants! For example, bears rarely attack people, only if they are provoked or feel endangered, or when they are being protective of their cubs. Bears are clumsy, cute, and gentle, and they always remind me of Hufflepuff. I can just imagine a big chubby bear sitting in the Hufflepuff common room reading a book!
Next there's Ravenclaw. Clever, creative, pragmatic Ravenclaw. And then there's the eagle. The eagle does suit, but it always confused me because the house is called 'Ravenclaw' and the symbolising animal is an eagle? So I thought that maybe to represent Ravenclaw there could be a owl? I know, owls are all over Hogwarts, but it does fit! Owls have always been regarded as wise animals, and after all, in the good old classic Winnie the Pooh there is 'Wise Old Owl'. Because of it's name, it seems Ravenclaw's animal representation has to be a bird, don't you think?
to see a very beautiful owl, which, according to me, anyway, depicts Ravenclaw quite well!
Now Slytherin. Slytherin, the ambitious, clever, and resourceful house. Of course a snake depicts it perfectly, but I also thought maybe a fox? Foxes are cunning and smart, don't forget the saying - 'sly old fox' though of course I'm not suggesting that Slytherins are sly! But I think foxes would be a good representation of Slytherin, right?
to see into a bit of a fox's daily life.
And now lastly Gryffindor. Gryffindor, courageous, noble, and chivalrous. The lion is a perfect representation of Gryffindor of course, but I think a stag would suit Gryffindor too. I know this is typical, as James Potter could transform into a stag animagus and Harry Potter's patronus was a stag, but a stag does suit Gryffindor quite well. The kings of the forest! The valiant beautiful animal! Stags are wonderful creatures, and no one can really deny it.
to see more about this Gryffindor animal representation.
So yes, there's my opinion on what animals could represent the Hogwarts houses if J.K Rowling's choices hadn't been made! Feel free to tell me your own opinion, I'd love to hear it! For now, go Gryffindor, go Slytherin, go Hufflepuff and go Ravenclaw!
I'll start with my own house. Hufflepuff, the kind, loyal, and hard-working house. The badger, because of its relation to Hufflepuff, now regarded as a friendly, warm-hearted animal. But although I love badgers, is that really their personality? Think of the honey badger for example. Or
to see what a badger can sometimes be like.
Obviously I still love the animal representation of Hufflepuff house, but badgers can actually be a little fierce, the very opposite of Hufflepuff! If I could choose, instead of the badger, maybe I would select a bear? I know, at first you think "Seriously?" but then bears are actually big gentle giants! For example, bears rarely attack people, only if they are provoked or feel endangered, or when they are being protective of their cubs. Bears are clumsy, cute, and gentle, and they always remind me of Hufflepuff. I can just imagine a big chubby bear sitting in the Hufflepuff common room reading a book!
Next there's Ravenclaw. Clever, creative, pragmatic Ravenclaw. And then there's the eagle. The eagle does suit, but it always confused me because the house is called 'Ravenclaw' and the symbolising animal is an eagle? So I thought that maybe to represent Ravenclaw there could be a owl? I know, owls are all over Hogwarts, but it does fit! Owls have always been regarded as wise animals, and after all, in the good old classic Winnie the Pooh there is 'Wise Old Owl'. Because of it's name, it seems Ravenclaw's animal representation has to be a bird, don't you think?
to see a very beautiful owl, which, according to me, anyway, depicts Ravenclaw quite well!
Now Slytherin. Slytherin, the ambitious, clever, and resourceful house. Of course a snake depicts it perfectly, but I also thought maybe a fox? Foxes are cunning and smart, don't forget the saying - 'sly old fox' though of course I'm not suggesting that Slytherins are sly! But I think foxes would be a good representation of Slytherin, right?
to see into a bit of a fox's daily life.
And now lastly Gryffindor. Gryffindor, courageous, noble, and chivalrous. The lion is a perfect representation of Gryffindor of course, but I think a stag would suit Gryffindor too. I know this is typical, as James Potter could transform into a stag animagus and Harry Potter's patronus was a stag, but a stag does suit Gryffindor quite well. The kings of the forest! The valiant beautiful animal! Stags are wonderful creatures, and no one can really deny it.
to see more about this Gryffindor animal representation.
So yes, there's my opinion on what animals could represent the Hogwarts houses if J.K Rowling's choices hadn't been made! Feel free to tell me your own opinion, I'd love to hear it! For now, go Gryffindor, go Slytherin, go Hufflepuff and go Ravenclaw!
