Some jobs are dangerous. They require you to put your life on the line every time you show up for work. But working at the CIA means you're not just putting your life on the line; you're putting the country's. The characters of Homeland are well aware of the stakes of their job. Some want to enact real change in the world; others are in it for the thrill; and then there are those who want power. As Carrie, Saul, and others demonstrate, just because you work next to someone every day doesn't mean your goals are the same. In fact, sometimes they're at war.
In Harry Potter, students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry have a common goal of getting an excellent magic education. But that doesn't mean that Harry, his friends and enemies are motivated for the same reasons. At Hogwarts, students are instantly divided and sorted into four houses—Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff—based on their personalities and what drives them. For her last act as President, Elizabeth Keane should pile the Homeland cast into Air Force One and go to Hogwarts. Which houses would these deliciously intense characters find themselves sorted into? Here is Homeland Characters Sorted Into Their Hogwarts Houses.
Carrie Mathison - Gryffindor
Carrie Mathison and Harry Potter share the same philosophy—you can't save the world without breaking a few rules...or all of them. Everyone who works with Carrie knows her spot-on intuition is her biggest asset. But it also gets her into trouble when she tries to blitz past bureaucratic procedure. Gryffindor's color may be red, but they sure hate red tape. Do you think Carrie has time to get authorization to spy on Nicholas Brody? Not a chance.
In the name of being right, saving the day, or just a simple adrenaline rush, Gryffindors are their own worst enemy. Perhaps it wasn't the best decision for Carrie to begin an affair with the man she's surveilling. Or maybe she should have thought twice about going off her meds because she "thinks better without them". Even though the number of her bad decisions could populate a country, Carrie's saved her own more often than we can count.
Saul Berenson - Ravenclaw
Working at the CIA for thirty-five years and earning the title of Acting Director means you have to be smart. Ravenclaw smart. But Saul Berenson goes above and beyond even that. He thinks outside the box and sees things other can't. Saul is responsible for starting Carrie's career. Even when others dismissed her as a wild card, Saul recognized Carrie's unique talents. If Saul were to show up at Hogwarts, Dumbledore would resign right then and there, handing to title of Headmaster to Saul. For sure, Saul could devise a strategy to defeat Voldemort in five seconds flat.
It's a beautiful thing when a Ravenclaw finds a job they're perfect for. But it comes at a cost, and that cost is usually romantic. Saul may have had a loving marriage to Mira, but his primary passion was always the job. Mira wanted to be a wife, not a mistress, so they divorced. Ravenclaws can come across as cold and emotionless, but Saul has shown his big heart more than once in his father-daughter-spy relationship with Carrie.
Dar Adal - Slytherin
Some believe that in the interest of national security, underhanded measures sometimes need to be taken. Dar Adal is of that school thought. He also believes those same measures need to be taken in the interest of himself. In order to achieve his means, Dar doesn't care about how much blood gets on the floor. He's not going to clean it up anyway.
When Dar wants to take down Nicholas Brody, he has the stubborn roadblock of Carrie Mathison. She isn't just a thorn in his side; she's a broadsword. So what's a Slytherin to do but get his enemy committed to the psych ward? Eventually, Dar's crimes would catch up with him. But like a good Slytherin snake, Dar will poison you before you even know you've been bitten.
Max Piotrowski - Hufflepuff
Anyone interviewing Max for a job would think he's a Ravenclaw. With his introverted personality and technical expertise, Max seems like a natural fit for the brainy house. But most Ravenclaws wouldn't trust Carrie, or remain as loyal to her as Max has. There's little this Hufflepuff won't do for her, even if it's against his better judgment. Hufflepuffs will always follow the rules, unless they conflict with helping out a friend. Max has committed breaking and entering, broken dozens of hacking laws, and went undercover in an attempt to expose paranoia-creating journalist Brett O'Keefe. When everyone else has failed Carrie—even Saul—Max is always her shoulder to cry on.
Peter Quinn - Gryffindor
As one of the CIA's most skilled agents, Quinn put himself in harm's way with every mission. To be willing not only to do that, but thrive on it, takes the bravery of a Gryffindor. However, despite Quinn's efficiency in the field, he's no killing machine. Quinn's tasked with killing Nicholas Brody and opts not to go through with it, despite having the opportunity. The reason? Quinn cares about Carrie, who loves Brody. It's only a tender-hearted Gryffindor who will tell you that going violent and going rogue aren't always the same thing.
Not surprisingly, Quinn's final act is one of sheer courage. He manages to save President-elect Keane from a hotel with a planted bomb. When their getaway car is gunned down, Keane survives but it's the end of the road for Peter Quinn. He went out like a true Gryffindor champion.
Elizabeth Keane - Gryffindor
Elizabeth Keane will always listen to and respect her advisors, but chief among them is her own gut instinct. During her election and presidency, Keane would make some rather unpopular decisions. She was smart enough to recognize them as such, but still went through with them anyway because she thought that was the best play to make. Gryffindor mettle is the only thing that will get you through the death threats and assassination attempts Keane has suffered.
Having people line up to tell you you're unfit for your job can be just a little taxing. Sometimes Keane's response to her naysayers can be hotheaded and show precious little foresight. But that's what makes her a Gryffindor, along with her uncanny ability to make jaws drop. Viewers mouths are still agog after the Season 7 finale, in which Keane resigned as President. We'll miss her, but she'd make an excellent Minister for Magic...
Maggie Mathison - Hufflepuff
Unlike the Weasley family, who all ended up in the same house, Maggie Mathison and her sister Carrie are polar opposites. Carrie lives for risky adventure whereas Maggie, a doctor, prefers a Hufflepuffian life of simple, quiet safety. The only rule Maggie is willing to break is to illegally supply Carrie with anti-psychotic medication. While rules are meant to be followed, Hufflepuffs place loyalty above all else.
Maggie is also the primary caregiver to Carrie's daughter, Frannie. Hufflepuffs may be pushovers, but they will turn into a pitbull to protect a child. With Carrie's behavior becoming more erratic, Maggie takes her sister to court for custody. Before things get too ugly, Carrie realizes the best thing for her daughter is the loving comfort only a Hufflepuff can provide.
Jessica Brody - Hufflepuff
From the age of sixteen, Jessica dedicated herself to Brody with every fiber of her heart. Her devotion remained stalwart after Brody went MIA, and Jessica even looked down on Helen Walker, whose husband went missing with Brody, for remarrying. Eventually, Jessica herself would have a secret relationship with Mike, even though she's wracked with Hufflepuff guilt.
Jessica and Mike are legitimately in love, but when Brody returns after eight years, Jessica has to stick with her Hufflepuff loyalty and choose her husband. Alas, he is not the same man he was years ago, and their marriage doesn't survive. But as any Hufflepuff would agree, it's the effort that counts.
Dana Brody - Gryffindor
Dana Brody is one of the most hated characters in TV history. But after her father is suspected of terrorism and her family life is ripped apart, Gryffindor Dana doesn't care what you think. Like a certain Boy Who Lived, Dana's tumultuous childhood directly contributes to her rebellious nature.
No wonder she and her mom are constantly at each other's throats, or that Dana needs to take the edge off by going out joyriding with the vice president's son. The problem is that Dana and her teen problems are on the wrong show. Now if Dana were at Hogwarts, it would only be a matter of time before she and Harry went death-stare to death-stare in an epic angst-off.
Nicholas Brody - Gryffindor
Being in captivity for eight years left Brody brainwashed by terrorist Abu Nazir. The Sorting Hat has likely never encountered anybody who has lived Brody's traumatic life, so he's a little harder to sort. But one thing remains true—before and after the captivity, Brody was a man of bravery. Whether a dedicated Marine or working under Nazir's orders, nothing was too dangerous for Brody to say no to.
Brody presents himself to the world as a paragon of composure and the man does have a major talent for keeping his cool. But underneath it all lies some of that Gryffindor impulsiveness. His affair with Carrie was as sudden as it was shocking. After Brody's death, Carrie was never the same. Nor was the show.