Gryffindor

Gryffindor is one of the four houses of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft, founded by Godric Gryffindor. Gryffindor instructed the sorting hat to choose a few particular characteristics he most values. Such character traits of students sorted into Gryffindor are courage, chivalry, and determination. The emblematic animal is a lion, and its colors are scarlet and gold. Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington is the house ghost.

Gryffindor corresponds roughly to the element of fire, and it is for that reason that the colors scarlet and gold were chosen to represent the house. The color of fire corresponds to that of a lion as well, with scarlet representing the mane and tail and gold representing the coat.

Traits
The Gryffindor House emphasizes the traits of courage as well as "daring, nerve, and chivalry," and thus its members are generally regarded as brave, though sometimes to the point of recklessness. They can also be short-tempered. Notably, Gryffindor House contributed many members to Dumbledore's Army and the Order of the Phoenix, although this may have been because the main members made it a point not to associate with other houses.

According to Phineas Nigellus Black, members of other houses, particularly Slytherin, sometimes feel that Gryffindors engage in pointless heroics. Another Slytherin, Severus Snape, considered many Gryffindors to be self-righteous and arrogant with no regard for rules.