Q 01/05

What animal is Gryffindor's mascot?

A) A lion

B) A stag

C) A griffin

D) A phoenix

Answer · why

A) A lion

A lion: Luna Lovegood, a Ravenclaw, cheers the house on at Quidditch in a lion-head hat that really roars.

Q 02/05

What are Gryffindor's house colours?

A) Red and black

B) Scarlet and silver

C) Red and gold

D) Crimson and white

Answer · why

C) Red and gold

Red and gold: at Harry's first end-of-year feast, a burst of last-minute points from Dumbledore snatched the House Cup away from Slytherin.

Q 03/05

Who is Head of Gryffindor House?

A) Albus Dumbledore

B) Minerva McGonagall

C) Rubeus Hagrid

D) Remus Lupin

Answer · why

B) Minerva McGonagall

Minerva McGonagall: she catches first-year Harry flying against orders and, instead of punishing him, makes him Seeker and buys him a racing broom.

Q 04/05

According to Rowling, Gryffindor corresponds roughly to which element?

A) Air

B) Earth

C) Water

D) Fire

Answer · why

D) Fire

Fire: Rowling says the four houses loosely match the four classical elements, and that each house's colours were chosen to suit its element.

Q 05/05

What animal is Hufflepuff's mascot?

A) A hare

B) A bear

C) A badger

D) A mole

Answer · why

C) A badger

A badger: Rowling's notes in an annotated first edition say she first planned a bear, and wonder whether the house would get more respect if she had k...