Hogwarts School

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is a school of magic that is the main setting of the Harry Potter fantasy novels by J. K. Rowling.

Hogwarts was founded over a thousand years ago - the precise date is uncertain - by the four greatest wizards of the age. The four school houses are named after them: Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin.

The animals that apear at the hogwart crest are a lion (Gryffindor), a snake (Slytherin), an Eagle (Ravenclaw) and a Badger (Hufflepuf)

They built this castle together, far from prying Muggle eyes, for it was an age when magic was feared by common people and witches and wizards suffered much persecution. For a few years, the founders worked in harmony together, seeking out youngsters who showed signs of magic and bringing them up to the castle to be educated.

But then disagreements sprang up between them. A rift began to grow between Slytherin and the others. Slytherin wished to be more selective about the students admitted to Hogwarts. He believed that magical learning should be kept within all-magic families.

He disliked taking students of Muggle parentage, believing them to be untrustworthy. After a while, there was a serious argument on the subject between Slytherin and Gryffindor, and Slytherin left the school.

The fanciful legend of the Chamber of Secrets. The story goes that Slytherin had built a hidden chamber in the castle, of which the others knew nothing. Slytherin, according to the legend, sealed the Chamber of Secrets so that none would be able to open it until his own true heir arrived at the school.

The heir alone would be able to unleash the horror within and purge the school of all who were unworthy to study magic."

Founded by Rowena Ravenclaw, Ravenclaw house boasts the sharpest and most intuitive minds of the wizarding world. Reflecting the same values Rowena Ravenclaw valued herself, most of the brightest witches and wizards of our time are known to have originated from this house who flies behind the symbol of the Eagle. Closely allied with the members of Gryffindor, Ravenclaw students possess a knack for learning.

Founded by the big-hearted Helga Hufflepuff, members of this house, while typically viewed by other students as 'left-overs', are known for being generous, fair and just. While their sporting prowess may not be as strong as others and while they may not win as many house cup competitions, one would never expect a Hufflepuff member to turn out bad. Their house symbol of the badger is symbolic of their giving nature (although some prefer to view it as an analogy of slow witted).

 Under the banner of the lion, Gryffindor students are brave, loyal and steadfast. Godric Gryffindor valued those same qualities in the students which he sought to teach. Considered to be one of the 'coolest' houses to be in alongside Ravenclaw, Gryffindor is a serious contender for the house cup. While Gryffindor students are wily and at times unpredictable, their courage and convictions are never questioned.

 Nearly every bad wizard has been traced back to the house created by Salazar Slytherin. With the serpent as the house symbol, Salazar Slytherin sought to teach pure-bloods only, believe them to be the only witches or wizards worthy of continuing in the study of magic. Unfortunately, this dispute between Salazar Slytherin and Godric, Helga and Rowena led to what can only be seen as a rivalry between Slytherin and Gryffindor, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. Students of Slytherin are notoriously sly and will do whatever it takes to achieve their goals. In short, they are firm believers that the end justifies the means.