Gryffindors and Ravenclaws make a perfect adventure couple, ready to battle the odds with bravery and brains. That’s why you see these opposing personalities together.
For those unfamiliar with the Hogwarts sorting system, let me recap the main traits of these two houses:
Gryffindors are known for their bravery, code of chivalry and daring nerve (which often borders on recklessness.) They seek adventure, love the thrill of a challenge and aim to do whatever they believe is right.
Ravenclaws are clever, intelligent and creative. They are forever curious, constantly learning about their world by inventing, experimenting and diving into their books.
From the start, it may seem like these two would want nothing to do with each other. The Ravenclaw may think the Gryffindor is too headstrong and doesn’t think enough, the Gyrffindor thinks the Ravenclaw is aloof and thinks too much. They’ve got completely different M.O.’s
And it’s true, they may not have the same near-automatic attraction as their SlytherPuff counterparts. In fact, many of these couples start off as people who can barely tolerate each other.
But they share a key value—namely their willingness to push forward into the unknown for answers, glory or something more in their life. Gryffindors and Ravenclaws are intense seekers who are willing to push boundaries to solve a problem.
Don’t believe me? Check out these Gryffindor/Ravenclaw power couples:
1. Rick O’Connell (Gryffindor) and Evelyn Carnahan (Ravenclaw) from the mummy
Rick and Evie are a classic 90’s romance couple. Seriously, the Mummy is a romance movie underneath all those adventure tropes.
Rick is a foulmouthed, swashbuckling treasure-hunter who’s always getting himself into a scrape. He’s a man of action, relying on his instincts and quick reflexes to avoid near-death experiences. He’s not asking questions about curses or ancient magic and he’s not turning around because someone’s too scared.
Evie, on the other hand, needs to know all the answers. She’s a proud librarian and deeply passionate about all things Egypt. She doesn’t care if that makes her eccentric. She loves to share what she knows—fun facts about embalming included.
Oddly enough, Evie finds her biggest fan in Rick O’Connell. He comes to trust her skills and intelligence, even deferring to her when he’s out of his depth. He recognizes a fellow adventurer who’s just as fearless as him.
So, take that, Bainbridge Scholars!
2. Clarke Griffin (Gryffindor) and Lexa kom Trikru (Ravenclaw) from the 100
Clarke Griffin stands up for what she believes in, even if it costs her safety and friends. When she finds out that the Ark spaceship’s oxygen system is flawed and could lead to countless deaths, she charges ahead to tell people and assumes they’ll help. Instead, she’s arrested for treason and sent down to a post-apocalyptic earth with a hundred other juvenile delinquents.
Clarke quickly takes on a leadership position, not because she’s some kind of Chosen One, but because she can’t sit back and do nothing when things are wrong. She’s idealistic and stubborn, firmly rejecting the violence that threatens to break out in the uncharted lands.
Her daring, relentless actions to expand and defend the 100’s camp put her face-to-face with the leader of the Grounders already on earth, Lexa kom Trikru. Unlike Clarke’s blazing approach, Lexa hangs back to assess and learn about her enemy by pretending to be a captured slave in the same prison cell.
She’s aloof, emotionally detached and an extremely pragmatic tactician. She can be ruthless and cutting in her solutions (she’d make a good fit for Slytherin, too) because she wants to solve the problems that plague her people, and sometimes violence is the only thing works in her world. Lexa trusts her experience and her system, but she’s willing to test Clarke’s plan and find new ways to lead.
Lexa and Clarke may butt heads in their decision-making, but their shared values and willingness to try new tactics and create new alliances make them a Dual-Commander Power Couple, thrones and all.
Well, at least for a few episodes before the show runners decided to bury their gays and lost me as a viewer. #LexaDeservedBetter
3. Leslie Knope (Gryffindor) and Ben Wyatt (Ravenclaw) from Parks and Recreation
Leslie Knope is a powerhouse, fueled by waffles and a do-good instinct in the small town of Pawnee, Indiana. She’s relentless in her efforts to improve the Parks and Rec department and serve the people the way she believes the government should by giving everything her all.
Leslie is never discouraged by the obstacles she faces, whether it’s the ambivalence of the townspeople or her own failures. She just keeps driving forward.
Then Ben Wyatt, the no-nonsense state auditor, rolls into town to announce that Pawnee’s finances are a wreck. Honestly, he had no idea what he was getting into.
He and Leslie immediately clash as he pushes to slash budgets and shut down the government to fix things. Ben’s focus on the solutions and numbers comes off as callous to Leslie, and Leslie’s optimism in spite of the numbers in front of them strikes Ben as naïve.
But over time, Leslie and Ben develop respect for one another. They realize they’re after the same things—the improvement of Pawnee—and begin to see each other as worthy partners.
Ben, while confounded by Leslie’s entire being, is in awe of her drive and the amount of effort she puts into her work. Leslie acknowledges Ben’s intelligence and finds that he has the same passion for creating a government that can do some good for the people. They just achieve that goal differently and together.
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This post was first published December 22, 2019. Last update: May 12, 2022.