Netflix recently released the first trailer for The School for Good and Evil, an adaptation of the book series about a magical school for kidnapped children. And with the release of the newest installment of the Fantastic Beasts franchise earlier this year, it’s clear the concept of boarding schools for burgeoning witches and wizards has yet to dwindle in popularity.
Of course, the Wizard World of Harry Potter is still a relatively new fictional universe, having debuted in the 1990s. Meanwhile, there are other stories of witches and wizards that date back thousands of years. With so much history of magic-wielding characters, it's fun to imagine how Hogwarts' infamous Sorting Hat might have sorted them had they attended Scotland's preeminent spellcasting academy in their youth.
Sophie and Agatha (The School for Good and Evil)
In the world of The School for Good and Evil, every four years, two children are kidnapped from a small village and taken to a magical school, best friends Sophie and Agatha have been waiting to be chosen. They are taken to the school and, upon arrival, things don’t go as planned for the both of them.
Agatha, while showing traits of all the Hogwarts houses, aligns with Gryffindor the best. She is not just brave but found to be daring and courageous throughout the series. Whereas Sophie, her complete opposite, tends to show traits of a Slytherin. It might not be apparent from the get-go, but she has always been ambitious and determined in what she wants.
Gandalf (The Lord of the Rings)
Gandalf the White, formally Gandalf the Grey, is one of literature's most famous wizards, his story being told in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, both of which were adapted into successful movie franchises.
Gandalf is a powerful wizard who helps Thorin's company, the Fellowship of the Ring, and others on their fantastical adventures, simultaneously pursuing his own never-ending quest for arcane knowledge. If Gandalf were to be sorted into a Hogwarts house, it would be Ravenclaw. While many of his characteristics match those of other houses — courage, loyalty and cunning — it is his strong desire to seek out new wisdom and knowledge that makes him as powerful as he is.
Bonnie Bennet (The Vampire Diaries)
The main witch from The Vampire Diaries series, Bonnie helps the town of Mystic Falls' supernatural community on several occasions. She learns to harness her powers and becomes one of The Vampire Diaries' most powerful witches by the end of the series.
Due to her bravery in casting dangerous spells just to help her friends, even to the extent of putting her own life in danger, Bonnie is a Gryffindor. She is constantly helping others in the show and putting herself in the line of fire to do so. While loyalty is typically a trait of a Hufflepuff, Bonnie's tenacity and lion-hearted courage make her in a shoo-in for the House of Godric.
Sabrina Spellman (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina)
From The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, the reimagined TV Sabrina Spellman is a half witch, half mortal. She attends normal high school to study normal things and the Academy of the Unseen Arts to study magic, all while fighting evil that threatens her, her family and her friends.
Sabrina would prove a challenge for the Sorting Hat as she exhibits strong traits of all the Hogwarts houses. She is brave against evil forces, cunning in finding ways to live both as a witch and mortal, and extremely loyal to her friends. Yet it is her intelligence that help her with all those tasks, her wisdom that helps her fight and her wits to find clever loopholes... like a true Ravenclaw.
Rumpelstiltskin (Once Upon a Time)
In Once Upon a Time, Rumpelstiltskin, aka "The Dark One," has many magical abilities. These powers matched with his ambition make Rumpelstiltskin a powerful and dangerous villain in both the Storybrooke world and the Fairy-tale world.
He is continuously conceiving master plans and yet he has some points of goodness in him. Cunning and ambitious, his whole character is driven by a consuming desire to find his son. He will do whatever he needs to get what he wants, and that determination and craftiness lands him in the Slytherin house.
Samantha Stephens (Bewitched)
Samantha is the paradigm of a perfect 1960s American housewife. She also happens to be a witch. Being one of TV’s first witches, Samantha in Bewitched is famous for her nose-twitching magic. She solves many family problems throughout the show, relying on her magic powers only as a last resort.
While she possesses great intelligence to problem-solve and is independent to fix everything herself, she shows great kindness and loyalty to her family. She shows compassion to everyone and will stand up for what she believes is right for her loved ones. Her steadfastness and sincerity make Samantha a classic Hufflepuff who will do anything to help others in need.
The Halliwell Sisters (Charmed)
The 1990s cult classic TV series Charmed follows a trio of sisters who discover they’re powerful witches. The Halliwells use their witchcraft to battle demons and deal with other magical beings, learning more about their powers along the way, all while living their regular lives as sisters.
Prue, the oldest sister, could be a Hufflepuff with her loyalty and the maternal role she takes, but she is a highly ambitious and determined person, making her a perfect Slytherin. Piper, the middle sister, is highly clever, quick to find solutions to both magical and everyday family worries, landing her as a Ravenclaw. Phoebe, the youngest, is a free-spirited woman who isn’t afraid to have some fun. She’s a great candidate for Gryffindor with her bravery and boldness.
Merlin (Merlin)
Merlin in Merlin is nothing but a servant to Prince Arthur. At least, that’s what Arthur thinks. Merlin has a huge secret, however, as he is a great sorcerer. He conceals his magical abilities for his own safety, all while using them to keep Prince Arthur alive.
Merlin the Magician is canonically a Slytherin alumnus in the Wizarding World, but this reimagined version of the character doesn't fit the mold. This iteration of Merlin has the intelligence of a Ravenclaw and the courage of a Gryffindor, but he ultimately would be best suited for House Hufflepuff. Everything he does is for others, most of all Arthur, with whom he becomes close friends. Indeed, it's his loyalty and his devotion to protecting his friends that land Merlin's Merlin in the house of the badger.
Nanny McPhee (Nanny McPhee)
Nanny McPhee is a last resort, hired by widowed father Cedric Brown to look after his seven boisterous children who have a history of chasing away every nanny thrown in their way. Nanny McPhee uses magical powers to teach the kids lessons and get them to work together.
While Nanny McPhee is smart and creative in her lessons with the children, making her great as a Ravenclaw. While she is brave and courageous like a Gryffindor. But more than those houses, she makes the most sense as a Hufflepuff alumna. She bonds with each child she looks after and will do anything to help and better them. Her hard work and undying loyalty are her most prominent traits, and she's make Helga H. proud.
Mary Poppins (Mary Poppins)
Mary Poppins is a nanny hired to look after Jane and Michael Banks, the ill-behaved children of wealthy and somewhat negligent parents. Mary and the children work together to brighten the busy Banks parents' attitude, with fantastic adventures fueled by Mary's mysterious magical abilities.
Ms. Poppins would be a perfect addition to the Ravenclaw house. She’s not only clever and witty but also creative in her lessons, making sure to put all these traits into her job as a nanny. She’s a confident woman who knows how to look after her charges well, using wit and intelligence every step of the way in her guidance of Jane and Michael.