Why Was Wormtail In Gryffindor? [Harry Potter Explained]

Today Ben dives into the Wizarding World of Harry Potter to answer an age old question: Why was Peter Pettigrew AKA Wormtail sorted into Gryffindor?!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
FOLLOW US:
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Want to send us something?
Super Carlin Brothers
PO Box 4339
Roanoke, Virginia 24015
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Intro Music Created by RKVC

Intro Animation Created by J. Cutt Productions

Every time you give us a thumbs up a Narwhal gets its horn! (maybe..)

[SuperCarlinBrothers]

Join us for another LIVE trivia stream tomorrow, May 22 at 6pm Eastern!

[Psycoman]

I always thought that all Gryffindors were in Gryffindor for the same reason: bravery is not a character trait. Bravery is a choice to not give into fear. Being sorted into Gryffindor means you have a potential for great bravery, but it doesnt necessarily mean you aren't afraid. I always thought that Peter failed.

[RangerRuby]

The Harry Potter theories have been on fire lately, like for real tho...

[durian]

hey, sorting hat, how about this house called "Azkaban"

[rayrowley]

“There wasn't a single witch or wizard who went bad who wasn't in Slytherin”

Except when there was...

[jonbilgutay]

I think Wormtail is a 'cowardly lion'. He Does have the potential to be great, but his abilities are eclipsed by his fear.

[Jamie-fwkz]

I feel like when the hat can’t decide he’s like, Gryffindor!

[hugogamboas.]

Peter: *sits*

McGonagall: “so what house is it, hat?”

Hat: “no”

[melissad]

I always felt that Wormtail and Neville were mirrors of each other. Similar to how Harry and Neville are juxtaposed throughout the series. Wormtail is a character who is filled with fear and continually feeds those fears until he commits unbelievable atrocities. Neville is a character filled with fear who works hard to overcome it and take action until he does unbelievably brave and important feats. They both are placed GH (though they both could have been in other houses) but Wormtail ultimately failed to live up to these attributes by never trying to conquer his fear and running away from it.

[thisislydiarae]

I've always theorized that the hat sorted you based on what traits you VALUE the most, and not necessarily the ones you embody.
Like, Hermionie and McGonnigal are both very intelligent, but believe courage is more important. Or how Nevile wants to be brave more than loyal or hardworking.
Even Luna fits this; she may not value the traditional definition of wisdom, but rather the wisdom to understand that there are things we can't see or understand and that some things aren't worth worrying about.

[natebit]

So basically:
Peter sucks and didn’t even belong to be in Hogwarts.

[Vinvininhk]

"Can a man still be brave when he's afraid?"
"That's the only time a man can be brave" - A Game of Thrones
Perhaps Peter Pettigrew was sorted into Gryffindor because he has a lot of *potential* to be brave since he's scared of everything?

[ahmetnumanduman]

One of the reasons Neville and Peter went for different directions is their friends. Harry would never treat Neville as James and Sirius treated Pettigrew. Harry helped Neville to find his inner strength and respected him while James and Sirius just enjoyed taking Pettigrew's admiration and make themselves feel better.

[HGmolotov]

Tbf, whenever someone chooses a house on their own, they tend to go in gryffindor (harry refused Slytherin, Neville wanted Hufflepuff, Hermione is a bit of a stretch, but on the train she mentioned that she wanted gryffindor before saying that ravenclaw would be 'alright').

My theory is, because Peter is a known to tag along doing whatever his friends do, he wanted to be in gryffindor, not because it seemed like the house for him, but it's also where James, Sirius and Lupin* ended up.

*This would be the most important point, as lupin was the first person who showed him kindness on the train, becoming his first ever friend.

[biankasarakaszas]

"It's our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities" said Dumbledore, and I think this quote sums up Peter's situation nicely. He was coward, but the Sorting Hat saw the possibility who he could become with the right people around him., and that is why he got sorted in Gryffindor (to learn courage, take risks, learn new things - e.g. he himself would never had the idea to learn Animagus transfiguration, which saves his life at least 3 times). Bravery comes in many forms. Peter made the wrong choices, maybe even with his friends, who never accepted him as a true equal.

[noorykorky]

Also, Ben Carlin: "In his case it's not what House GETS Pettigrew; it's what House is STUCK with him."
Honestly, Ben, you made my day.

[jhardman]

Consider: If Pettigrew wasn't in Gryffindor, he wouldn't have become friends with James/Sirius/Remus, and it would have been impossible for him to betray them for Voldemort after he becomes a Secret Keeper. So if you think about it, the Sorting Hat kinda caused all that trouble.

[ajbaumhoff]

Y’all should do a series called “why you should never hire voldemort to plan your wedding” pointing out all the flaws in his plan

[TheDjbz]

He was resourceful and cunning enough to (with little/no preparation) escape Sirius when confronted and convince the World he was dead.
His *reason* may be cowardice but that doesn’t mean he’s not cunning and resourceful when he needs to be.

[kathrynlatham]

anyone else notice, in sorcerers stone ron tells harry “there’s not a witch or wizard that went bad that wasn’t in slytherin”. but at this point in the story it is believed that sirius killed 12 muggles+wormtail, and sirius was gryffindor. and wormtail who actually committed the murders was also in gryffindor