Harry Potter: What do you think would have happened if he'd been in another House?

[Something Amyss]

He might not have been so douchey and self-righteous.

Let's say for example that he simply wasn't put in Gryffindor, in the second year he wouldn't have been able to get Gryffindors sword from the hat, and most likely wouldn't have been able to defeat the Basilisk.

Which might have been moot had he not had such an aversion to people like Snape.

Or even earlier, Ginny would have never been able to steal the diary back and wouldn't have been captured.

Of course, Tom Riddle might go looking for another target.

In the third book Sirius Black would have went into the Gryffindor common room, despite Harry not being there, so that'd cause a few changes.

Crookshanks was in cahoots with Sirius. It's quite possible that Crookshanks could have gotten passwords to one of the other common rooms, especially since people tend to pay no mind to the devilish little hairball.

If he was put in Slytherin then would he be mistrusted by the other students, especially in the second year (although he'd never have duelled Malfoy and so nobody else would know he could speak to snakes)?

Well, he was STILL the "boy who lived," even if he was a Slytherin.

So what do you think would have changed significantly? Even more so if he went into Slytherin?

One thing I'd like to avoid if possible is the fact that Hermione is pretty much the person who figures everything out, let's assume for the sake of discussion that Harry is capable of thinking as well.

What if they were still friends?

Things would clearly be more difficult, as they would no longer share the same houses, necessarily the same classes, etc. But they could still be friends. Or, if Potter turned evil because plot contrivance, he could always manipulate her. He seemed good at getting people to do what he wanted, anyway.

Didn't the sword materialise for him because he was showing loyalty to dumbledore (and bravery against tom riddle by speaking so highly of dumbledore)?

And because he was a "true Gryffyndor."

When it comes down to it, Harry spent the first 11 years of his like with a family who both disliked and feared him, he had no friends and nobody to confide in or support him. Realistically he'd not be quite so well adjusted socially as he is in the series, as he is quite trusting, very friendly, and fits in with the school as well as the average teenager would.

Although of course this is due to the type of book Rowling was writing. The idea of a student with neurological and trust issues is not really the theme she was going for.

Some of what you said there is stuff that's always bugged me about the series.

Harry has some affinity for Hagrid, which is understandable, but he then latches onto Dumbledore because of it, because ponies. He's told Slytherin House is evil, which he believes (because ponies) and asks not to be put in it because of basically a single line from someone. I know it's a children's series, but even children's books should have some sort of logic behind them. It's not so much that he's trusting, it's why he's trusting. He likes Ron because Ron sat with him on the train...Maybe enough for an affinity, but not a lifelong bond.

I agree, though, that if he could be well-adjusted with the Durselys being cartoonish supervillains, then he could be well-adjusted basically anywhere.

It's part of why this question is so interesting, though, to think about the ways that Harry went. Much of his path was decided by a series of whims. Sure, Draco was a dick and Snape was immediately out to make Harry look like a prat, but so many of the other choices were because ponies. And because it's practically required that he good guy house face the bad guy house. But you can do all these sorts of things and make sense.

And I know that the last couple of books can be taken as becoming disillusioned with one's childhood beliefs and growing to understand the world, but I don't think she thought that far ahead (nor do I think Harry truly does that).

 

[COMaestro]

In the third book Sirius Black would have went into the Gryffindor common room, despite Harry not being there, so that'd cause a few changes.

Crookshanks was in cahoots with Sirius. It's quite possible that Crookshanks could have gotten passwords to one of the other common rooms, especially since people tend to pay no mind to the devilish little hairball.

Yes, but the only reason Sirius went into the dormatories was to get Wormtail, who would be in Gryffindor house, not whichever house Harry would be in. Of course, most people probably would chalk it up to the behavior of a madman, rather than look for any rational reason he would be trying to get into Gryffindor and not at Harry.

OP, this is a really interesting question, but it would bring so many changes to the overall story it is hard to start. Especially since it has been so long since I've read the books, the order of minor events is not clear in my head.

I guess the logical place would be Harry's first meeting with Malfoy before they go in to be sorted. I still feel Malfoy would rub Harry the wrong way, but maybe he figures there's bound to be dicks in every house and doesn't hold it against Slytherin. Therefore he accepts the hats initial suggestion and joins Slytherin. In Slytherin, I feel there are two types of personalities: those who want to rule and be powerful and in charge of everything, and those who want to be better than most, but don't mind a person above them. For instance, Malfoy was of the first type, Crabbe and Goyle the second. Due to being "the Boy Who Lived" I think a lot of Slytherins would suck up to Harry, and since it would be the first time ever that this had happened to him, it would likely go to his head. He'd still butt heads with Malfoy, as neither is the follower type, and Harry would still think of him as a prat, even as Harry slowly became one himself without realizing it.

Snape would likely still treat him poorly, but not as bad as the original storyline. I think he blames Harry for Lily's death, and that would overshadow any feelings for Harry that he could have. Harry could potentially make some friends in Slytherin, but I feel most would be sycophants just wanting to be close to someone so famous and popular. As such, I think having a bunch of people look up to him and tell him he's amazing and talented (you know, if someone's sucking up to you) would start making him think he was better than most, which would start making him the prat that Malfoy is, as I mentioned before.

With luck, there would be a couple of true friendships. However, even if he continued to visit Hagrid, without continuing a friendship with Ron, he would not have been able to help get rid of Norbert, and therefore would not have been given detention in the forest and so would not have met Bane, learned about something drinking unicorn blood, etc. Same thing with discovering Fluffy. (Here's where order starts getting mixed up in my head.)

Assuming he does learn of all these things however (him and other friends find Fluffy, gets detention while trying to help Hagrid out in a way other than smuggling Norbert to the roof of Hogwarts), he still wouldn't know about the Philosopher's/Sorcerer's Stone since Hermione is the one who found out about it and she would likely be killed since Harry is the one who remembers she's in the bathroom. Therefore Harry would not see that Snape was bitten and come to the conclusion that he's trying to get at something the dog is guarding.

Due to not being on Gryffindor, Harry would not be made a Quidditch Seeker, as the Slytherin team still had theirs, therefore he would not have his broom cursed during a game, which is something that made Harry further suspect Snape. At this point, Harry has no one to really be suspicious of and therefore, when Quirrel goes after the Stone, he is stopped by the Mirror or Erised as Dumbledore designed. Likely he is caught there by the other teachers later and it is discovered that Voldemort is not as dead as the wizarding world had believed.

So that's my thought on the first book. There's no way to sum up the rest of the series quickly, I'd have to do a book by book and with all the permutations involved (esp since Hermione is dead), there's a LOT of rewriting that would have to be done. Suffice to say, I don't think the stories would have been as exciting if Harry had gone to another house, although I will admit, there would likely be a lot of drama once Voldemort became more prevalent (if he does at all anyway) with Harry being in Slytherin.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

He could've tripped, fell and broke his neck on the way up an unfamiliar set of stairs.

Worse yet, he could've been left a quadriplegic at Pomfrey's yearning for euthanasia. Or not. All due respect OT, but anything and everything that didn't happen could've happened.

 

[Dags90]

If he'd been in Hufflepuff, then he wouldn't matter. Because no one in Hufflepuff matters. They're the leftover house.

Spoiler: Hufflepuff dont care. Hufflepuff dont give a shit.

Plus Cedric Diggory was a Hufflepuff, and was co-Triwizard Tournament Champion for Hogwarts and he would've won even with Harry being helped along.

 

[x EvilErmine x]

It would have just been Neville Longbottom and the Philosopher's Stone then, wouldn't it?

Didn't she kind of set it up that it could have been one or the other?

Oh god I don't believe I'm doing this but...

Voldemort made Harry into his Nemesis by attacking his parents in Godric's Hollow when he was a baby. The Prophecy stated that 'The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches ... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies ... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal There is no mention of Harry specifically. Nevil's parents were both Auras that had escaped Voldemort three times like Harry's parents did.

But never the less, no it wouldn't work with Neville, because Voldemort would not have given him the power to beat him. Like he did when he 'marked' Harry. Neville just lost his parents to Bellatrix so he never possessed the power to defeat him.

OT

If Harry was not in Gryffindor then he would not have become such good friends with Hermione and Ron, both of whom are directly or not so directly responsible for saving Harry's life/enabling him to beat Voldemort. So it would be a very short book.

 

[Legion]

In the third book Sirius Black would have went into the Gryffindor common room, despite Harry not being there, so that'd cause a few changes.

Crookshanks was in cahoots with Sirius. It's quite possible that Crookshanks could have gotten passwords to one of the other common rooms, especially since people tend to pay no mind to the devilish little hairball.

Yes, but the only reason Sirius went into the dormatories was to get Wormtail, who would be in Gryffindor house, not whichever house Harry would be in. Of course, most people probably would chalk it up to the behavior of a madman, rather than look for any rational reason he would be trying to get into Gryffindor and not at Harry.

That was my point, yes. Everybody assumed that he was trying to kill Harry, so to go into the wrong common room would be an interesting idea. Although your response did give me an idea of why.

As you said, people assume that he is mad, and as he is on the run it is not unrealistic to assume that he'd not be up to date with current events. It is entirely possible that he'd assume Harry would be in Gryffindor due to his family being in it, as well as him being the enemy of Voldermort.

Not the most plausible scenario, but if a perceived madman did it, it'd not be an unlikely theory.

*snip*

All interesting points, and I can see what you mean. I think the problem lies mostly with the fact that Harry is surprisingly uninterested in the magical world for somebody raised in a world without it.

The only time he really seems to try and learn anything about it is when he needs to for one reason or another. Like the Patronus because of his strong reaction to Dementors, or most of the spells he learnt for the Tri-Wizard tournament. If he hadn't been forced into situations early on where he needed certain spells, he'd know very little.

The same goes with non-spell related things, he simply seems to know nothing about the world he lives in and shows no interest. Hermione is pretty much the magical encyclopaedia, even knowing more than Ron who was raised as a wizard.

I think that whenever I think about stuff like this, I tend to deviate away from how Harry was written, purely because I cannot see how he could show so little interest in the magical world around him. Although the reason is obvious: Rowling wanted to make a story about a normal child/teenager's life to a certain extent, as seen by the themes of procrastination, suddenly noticing an interest in the preferred sex, dealing with bullies etc.

OT

If Harry was not in Gryffindor then he would not have become such good friends with Hermione and Ron, both of whom are directly or not so directly responsible for saving Harry's life/enabling him to beat Voldemort. So it would be a very short book.

That's why I mentioned to assume that Harry is actually competent, heh. The amount of times Hermione alone saves the day it's kind of sad how much Harry gets praised over her.

That said, if he didn't rely on them, it is possible he'd become more independent and have to learn these things for himself.

 

[CommanderL]

If harry was in slytherin he would and be way more cunning He would become a chessmaster type of hero or villan Pulling this strings of everything

 

[Vegosiux]

The other house would be getting all the points, naturally. Huh, imagine that...50 POINTS FOR HUFFLEPUFF! that'd be rather fun to hear.

 

[RedDeadFred]

Well if he went to Slytherin I think we'd hear a lot more of this:

 

[Yoshisummons]

Then he would have been able to pull out the fork of truth which is the legendary weapon from hufflepuff or the magical glock used by ravenclaw that fires magic bullets.

 

[Thaluikhain]

in the very first book doesnt the sorting hat suggest slytherin for harry?..like it makes sense? (which it really doesnt)if harry had been in slytherine (or even the others) would he have been unable to be freinds with ron/herminone? I know its not a rule but it seems to be an unwritten one

He got friendly with Ron on the train before the sorting, they got friendly with Hermione after the business with the troll later on. Wouldn't have had to be Gryffindor for either of those.

I still feel Malfoy would rub Harry the wrong way, but maybe he figures there's bound to be dicks in every house and doesn't hold it against Slytherin.

I don't see why Harry must dislike Draco. I mean, one of the reasons that Draco is presented as wrong is that he despises muggles, and the wizards that associate with him.

Given that almost every muggle Harry has ever met either hates him for something that's not his fault, or supports/tolerates those who do, that viewpoint might not sound so unreasonable to him.

It would have just been Neville Longbottom and the Philosopher's Stone then, wouldn't it?

Didn't she kind of set it up that it could have been one or the other?

Oh god I don't believe I'm doing this but...

Voldemort made Harry into his Nemesis by attacking his parents in Godric's Hollow when he was a baby. The Prophecy stated that 'The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches ... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies ... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal There is no mention of Harry specifically. Nevil's parents were both Auras that had escaped Voldemort three times like Harry's parents did.

But never the less, no it wouldn't work with Neville, because Voldemort would not have given him the power to beat him. Like he did when he 'marked' Harry. Neville just lost his parents to Bellatrix so he never possessed the power to defeat him.

Er...maybe not. Neville lost his parents to the Lestranges after Voldemort's downfall. If Voldemort had gone after the Longbottoms first, one or more of Neville's parents (or maybe grandparents for all we know) might have died trying to save him the way Lily did with Harry.

 

[ClockworkPenguin]

He'd have been diagnosed with Lupus. Oh wait, that's not what we're doing? My bad

OT; the story would be the same, except Griffindor would appear to be the douchebags. Actually it would be more interesting. Assuming he became friends with Malfoy, you could have a big divided loyalties will he/wont he betray Harry theme, and someone like Neville or Hermione would make a more interesting antagonist than Malfoy, because they could be arseholes to Harry, yet it also be apparent that they are kind of justified in it.

 

[Brainwreck]

Harry Potter and the Great Purges.
It'd be pretty dark.

 

[Nekron_X]

Hmm...it depends more on his circumstances before Hogwarts then anything. The sorting hat takes the most prevalent traits that the children already have and uses that to sort him, so the difference in which house he is sorted into has to rely on that. If, for example, the the dursleys were more caring and friendly, showing they could take care of him like there own and the virutes of hard work, he may have gone into hufflepuff instead, since he'd be more outgoing, friendly and could trust others much more easily. if they instilled a sense of....curiosity i'll go with, and the drive to learn more about magic and the "new world" he's been thrust into, he could've become a Ravenclaw, or sense of gaining prestige and,as the hat says a thirst to prove himself powerful or great, then he could've been in Slytherin.It depends on everything that happens beforehand so him being sorted into another except maybe slytherin since that's partly suggested in canon, wouldn't change much except friendships, some of which he may still have anyway.

As to the others about the nobody noticing abuse or no social services coming, the dursleys are, at the very least if not respected, considered a good family among their neighbors, and they said in....i think the 2nd book though it may have been the third, that they told people he was going to....St.Brutus's Secure Center for Incurably Criminal Boys,and beforehand had told the neighbors for years on how much of a no-good criminal he is, so they all think that harry is a hopeless miscreant who's destroying a good family. Now, Arabella has no excuse, but just because she's a squib, doesn't mean she's lived in the muggle world and knows how things work, since she's shown as the crazy neighborhood lady who owns lots of cats, hence why the dursleys would stick harry with her,since no one else wanted to deal with him and he's going to say anything other than he's fine to her because he dursleys didn't care and he was essentially an outcast already and i doubt anyone would be willing to listen to Arabella anyway except for Albus who already suspected Harry would not be happy there anyway, but would be safe from any witches or wizards trying to hunt him down after Voldemorts fall. it's a case of better for him to be safe if not completely happy.

wow this ended up being a lot longer then i thought it would be...

 

[Veylon]

If Harry was in Slytherin he probably would've been power-hungerier than he was canonically. He's got a link to Voldemort any which way, so he probably would've tried to use it to his advantage instead of being appalled by it. The prophecy's still in effect, so he can't really be allies with Voldemort. He may well feign alliance in hopes of backstabbing him, though. He would know Voldemort's weakness and vulnerabilities more thoroughly than anyone and still has the familial incentive to use them.

I can easily see him still being rivals with Malfoy, as you can only really have one top dog. Of course, Harry's in Slytherin now, so he may not have much compunctions about pulling his punches or other notions of fair play. It'd be a bad few years of schooling for Draco if he doesn't knuckle under.

 

[The Funslinger]

My big "What If" for the HP series has often been "What if the Dursley's hadn't been a bunch of arseholes, and
treated Harry like an actual family member?"

He'd probably have been a fat bastard like Dudley, and been eaten by the Basilisk or something due to not being able to outrun it. Dumbledore implies as much when he says that at least Harry escaped the horrible damage they inflicted on Dudley.

Anyway, the Dursleys never beat Harry, so there's that. The baggy clothes are something I guess, but they wouldn't bound straight to a home visit. All their abuse of Harry was quite private. For instance, when they buy him an ice lolly at the zoo to keep up the public facade.

Besides, I think it implies quite a bit that Harry's teachers marked him as a troublemaker too, so would probably adopt a similar point of view to the Dursleys, what with him ending up on the school roof. Even more so when he's at Hogwarts and Vernon goes around saying he's in a criminal institution.

As for Mrs Fig, she wasn't there in any official capacity. She was just there because of Dumbledore. And Dumbledore wouldn't take Harry away from the Dursleys, because he had magical protection by being with his blood relatives.

 

[Olas]

I don't think his house would have affected him much in the first book, as long as he's still friends with all the same people. Then in book 2 he'd get eaten by the basilisk, the end.