Hogwarts Houses: A Definition of Life Stages

I've just recently realized that the 4 Hogwarts houses (Gryffindor, Slytheirn, Ravenclaw & Hufflepuff) may be a perfect representation of one's life or stage in life.

What am I rambling about? Read on to find out.

DISCLAIMER:  I am probably just a normal Potterhead as much as the next guy and might not be accurate with some of the information I will share here, so PLEASE feel free to correct me GENTLY if any of it is wrong.  Also, all Harry Potter rights belong to J.K. Rowling of course.  I am simply sharing something I've realized while I was getting sorted (at Pottermore) a few weeks back.

Ever since Pottermore was launched, I've used 3 email addresses to sign up.  The first one, which I used when Pottermore membership was still on a queue and was just for the first million fans to sign up.,  I intentionally gave it up because I wasn't sorted into the house I like.  The second one I unintentionally forgot after not signing up for a few months.  The last one was just recently when I found out that old members had to sign up again to reclaim their old house or be re-sorted because it was a new site all together.

So, why did I say that the four houses may be a perfect representation of our lives?  It's because I've been sorted to three (3) different houses (already) and at different times in my life.   Looking back, I believe there was an underlying reason or some sort of dominant personality (during that time) that made it happen it.  The sorting hat ceremony is like a live personality test or a kind of test to find out where you are now in life. Much in the same way as Maslow's self-actualization theory.

Anyway, let me share with you which houses I was sorted into and how it was amazingly and so awesomely applicable to my life during that time.

1st House: Slytherin

Image from www.pottermore.com

If you know me really well, you'd probably be eyeing me right now while saying "predictable much?" According to Pottermore, Slytherins are proud, ambitious and cunning.  Dang! Nothing really good in there.  You now know why I created a new email address and tried creating a new account so I could be sorted into a house I like.  I am so like Harry with this one. Haha!

This was 2011.  When the site launched it's beta version and only the first million fans will get a chance to sign up.  I was one of the lucky ones, although it took weeks before I got into my sorting ceremony.

I was 24-25.  I was going through quarter life crisis during that time, but I was carefree and proud nevertheless.  Not only proud, I think a better term would be mayabang (conceited) --- I know, I know, Boo you, Alex! Who are you?   I had a pretty good job then, I was single, did not want to get attached and I was just owning life itself.  Ambitious? Oh very much! I remember trying to get involved in anything and everything just to get to where I was supposedly headed. And cunning, yes.  Too cunning actually.  When I look back, I actually feel so bad for the people I've crossed just to get what I want. I hope they've forgiven me already.  If not forgiven, at least co-exist with me without wanting to pull my eyes out anymore. Kinda like that awkward curt nod from Draco to Harry at Platform 9 3/4 nineteen years after.

2nd House: Gryffindor

Image from www.pottermore.com

Oh yes! Finally. got sorted in the house I like.  Who wouldn't like being sorted into Gryffindor? Much like Harry during this stage in my life, I probably would've done so much if I continued being the cunning and manipulative being that I was before.  Although, it wouldn't feel that much good on myself if I did it the Gryffindor way.  Doing it bravely, showing courage and having the right determination.

Eventually at 26-28 years old, I learned to suck it up and face my problems head on.  I kept very few close friends whom I know are the Hermione and Ron to my Harry.  I stood by my decisions may it be wrong in the eyes of others, but I always tried to make sure that I no longer step on people on the way.  At this point, I was determined to put and leave behind whatever broke me in the past and courageously move forward.  There will definitely be more problems in the future, but what the heck. Everybody has problems, face them, accept, solve and move forward.  Also, enjoy life once in awhile.  Sounds familiar? 

 “His hand closed automatically around the fake Horcrux, but in spite of everything, in spite of the dark and twisting path he saw stretching ahead for himself, in spite of the final meeting with Voldemort he knew must come, whether in a month, in a year, or in ten, he felt his heart lift at the thought that there was still one last golden day of peace left to enjoy with Ron and Hermione.”  - Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Source)

Third (Present) House: Huffflepuff 

Image from www.pottermore.com

A few months away before hitting the big 3-0, I got sorted into Hufflepuff! Some people don't get that much excited when getting sorted into this house.  They think they're the underdogs, but really, they're not. Well, maybe in Quidditch. :P

Anyway, I could't be more excited when I got sorted into Hufflepuff.  It was at this moment that I got the inspiration to write this blog post.  I mean hello! Tonks and Cedric Diggory were in Hufflepuff!  

 

After so many jobs and having to live on my own situations, I have definitely learned the value of hard work and patience. Hard work always pays off and lasts, we all know that saying "your reap what you sow." I learned to be patient not only with people, but also in waiting for the right opportunity because it doesn't always have to be a head to head battle. I learned how important it is to always try to respect everything else around you.  You don't have to agree to all of them, but show them much respect as you would want them to show you.  Most of all, I have learned to be loyal. Loyal to whatever God given talents I have and hone them so I could become better and also loyal to the people who really care for me and love me unconditionally. 

From the creator herself!

Fourth House: Ravenclaw (haven't been sorted in this house, ever)

Image from www.pottermore.com

I believe it takes a lot of learning and experience to be called a wise one.  I am not in that stage... yet. and I really do wish to get there.  Being a mother and all, I think it is important that you are able impart and show that level of wisdom and intelligence to your child.  It's a perfect way of showing them how much you love them more than yourself, a mother's love for her daughter.  Like how much Rowena Ravenclaw loved her daughter, Helena, despite her betrayal.

"I stole the diadem. I sought to make myself cleverer, more important than my mother. I ran away with it. My mother, they say, never admitted that the diadem was gone, but pretended that she had it still. She concealed her loss, my dreadful betrayal, even from the other founders of Hogwarts. Then my mother fell ill — fatally ill. In spite of my perfidy, she was desperate to see me one more time. She sent a man who had long loved me, though I spurned his advances, to find me. She knew that he would not rest until he had done so." - Helena Ravenclaw's ghost reminiscing on her past to Harry Potter (Deathly Hallows Part 2) (Source)

Who knows? When I reach that "life begins at 40" stage, I could go through the sorting ceremony again and maybe, just maybe I might get sorted into Ravenclaw.

UPDATE [06.04.2022] I just got sorted to Ravenclaw today. :)