There’s something that just feels heroic about a GryffinPuff relationship. It doesn’t have the fiery “charge-into-battle” vibe of a Gryffindor/Gryffindor couple, or the “loyal-to-the-end” feel of a Slytherin/Hufflepuff duo, but there’s something in this match that exudes a quiet confidence.
This is the couple that probably does charity runs and neighborhood petitions on the weekend while others are out to brunch. This is a couple where each person pursues their own goals, fights for their own cause, and will tag in at the drop of a hat to help their partner fight the good fight.
Once they’ve chosen a cause or charge, the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff are devoted. They’re in it for the long haul and are more than willing to fight for what they’ve built together, whether that’s their relationship, a project, or a revolution.
I might be getting ahead of myself! Here’s a quick recap for anyone trying to remember the Hogwarts Houses (you know, before JK Rowling kept tweeting nonsense and threatened to ruin the entire series. But I digress.)
Gryffindors are known for their bravery, chivalry, nerve and daring. Symbolized by the lion, they’re showy and bold, and they are comfortable with positions of leadership. This is the person who stands up against injustice, charges ahead, and may not always think things through.
Hufflepuffs are prized for their loyalty, sense of fair play, and a commitment to hard work. They value love and fairness, and prefer to focus on caring for their community, but hell hath no fury like an angry badger when under threat.
Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs share a common idea of morality (thought what that entails could differ, there is a right and a wrong for these two) and are willing to enter the right to fight for justice and do some good. Gryffindors gain strength from the Hufflepuff’s dedication and sense of purpose while the Hufflepuff is emboldened by the Gryffindor and more willing to take risks knowing they have a comrade at their side.
So, let’s get to some pop-culture examples of Gryffindor/Hufflepuff couples! I’m sure you’ve seen some of these before:
Olivia Pope (Gryffindor) and Fitzgerald Grant (Hufflepuff)
Olivia Pope exudes power. She’s the leader of gladiators, the fixer, the well-dressed woman with all the connections and all the answers.
Olivia is direct and passionate. She charges ahead like the Crusader she is to fight for her client, stand up to corruption, and win. She’s prone to monologuing, beating her opponent down with a well-formed case until they get out of her way. She takes risks (even if she’s convinced that it’s a sure thing) and cannot abide by cowardice in herself or her team.
Throughout the series, Olivia is conflicted on whether or not she should keep fighting for Fitz or if she should fight for the bigger cause and future of American politics. Despite her feelings, she’s willing to sacrifice her happiness for the greater good. But she’s only human. And she knows, just like Cyrus and the rest of them know, that Fitz gives her a sense of direction while she provides him with a backbone against the opposition.
Her dedication to her cause to fight for justice and what’s right is also what makes the fact that she chose to wear the “black hat” to win Fitz the White House harder to bear. Had she been a Slytherin, it wouldn’t have mattered. The end would justify the means. But for a Gryffindor, that “white hat” is everything.
Fitz, for all of his difficulties in the cutthroat life of politics and corruption, believes in that white hat. He has a strong moral core and does his best to be just, loyal, and fair as president. That’s why his failures – whether they be in his marriage to Mellie, his inability to fully commit to Olivia, or the eventual realization of how he ended up in office – nearly cripple him. It isn’t Right. It’s cheating. And he’s stuck between a rock and a hard place where one party will be wronged no matter what he chooses.
That’s a Hufflepuff’s worst nightmare when they care about both parties. And Fitz is known to be a bipartisan politician. He wants to help the people. He didn’t run for president to be powerful, but to be helpful.
Unfortunately, he’s also helpful to corrupt individuals. Being kindhearted, stubbornly loyal, and a believer in fair play, he can be seen as a target for the more conniving groups. He finds himself trapped between what he wants to fight for and his duty. And he’ll work it. Fitz will toil to care for what he’s built and he’ll suffer (and drink) as long as he’s able to continue his role, even when the answer is to break away and take a stand.
That’s one reason why Olivia plays such a key role in his entire career. When Fitz knows she’s with him (and on his side – not because they’re together, but because he’s fighting for the right thing), he’s emboldened. He’s willing to take those risks and step on a few toes, throw his weight around, and get people to move out of his way to get the job done.
Lois Lane (Gryffindor) and Clark Kent (Hufflepuff)
I know, I know. Superman screams chivalry and bravery when he’s flying around with the red cape, punching bad guys and saving civilians.
Superman may be a Gryffindor, but Clark Kent? Clark is ALL Hufflepuff.
Think about it. Clark Kent is all about doing the right thing, even if that means doing it quietly, behind the scenes, and never getting the credit. He’s doing it because it’s what good people do. Being a superhero is a thankless task and it’s hard work, but somebody’s got to do something to protect Metropolis (and Earth) from the bad guys. And Clark has a strong desire to protect his community.
It’s also telling that his entire moral code comes from his adoptive parents in Smallville. He takes on their beliefs about kindness, loyalty, fairness, and the fact that good people do exist in the world. He was taught to use his powers to help and protect humanity, and that’s exactly what he’s going to do.
As Superman, Clark could easily abuse his power and strongarm people to bend them to his will. He could be a much better liar as Clark Kent the reporter for The Daily Planet, too. But that doesn’t occur to him. It’s not fair, and it’s not right. Simple as that.
Lois Lane also prefers the direct path, but in a distinctly Gryffindor way. She’s spunky, thrives on the adventure and action of reporting, and is always rushing to the frontlines to get her story.
Lois is no shrinking violet. This reporter is bold. She speaks her mind and will not bow to corruption or look away when bullies hurt innocent people. Powers or not, she’s going to take a stand and find the truth. She’s compelled to do what’s right, even if it costs her.
As a reporter, she knows something is up with Smallville Clark Kent, but she can’t put her finger on what. He’s not lying, per se. And she recognizes that he’s a standup guy even if he seems a bit shy and awkward behind his glasses. In fact, she often fights for people like Clark who can’t seem to stand up to the bullies themselves (oh, if only she knew what he could do!)
While they’re on the same side working for the Daily Planet (and being, you know, Team Earth), tension arises when Lois’s quest for the truth and answers on superheroes collides with Clark’s need to keep his true identity hidden to protect the city.
On the plus side, most versions of Superman show that Lois is a source of Clark’s strength, just like his humanity is. And Lois, while not a damsel, can take comfort in the fact that her boyfriend is Superman when she’s charging off into a gangster’s hideout.
Steve Trevor (Gryffindor) and Diana Prince (Hufflepuff)
Another superhero couple! I told you GryffinPuffs were heroic.
Diana Prince is another Hufflepuff that does a very good job at seeming like a Gryffindor when she’s about and about as Wonder Woman. Yes, she’s incredibly brave and daring. But have you noticed how she’s never going into a fight to be brave?
As a superhero, she’s surprisingly not combat-focused (I am basing this mostly off of the 2017 movie, so who knows what will change once Wonder Woman 1984 is out!) Oh, she’s ruthless and can take down entire armies by herself. And she trained hard under Antiope, so she’s no stranger to hard work. But you’ll notice that Wonder Woman is only drawn into the fight when people are threatened or forsaken. That’s when she picks up the gauntlet. As she says herself: “I will fight for those who cannot fight for themselves.”
Diana fights for people. To her, the villagers abandoned across No Man’s Land are just as important as the larger war effort. That’s what pushes her to enter the battlefield, even if no one is willing to follow. It’s the same drive she had to leave Themyscira. She believes in love and kindness as strength, and she could not live with herself if she just let that be ripped to pieces when it was her duty to protect it.
Diana inspires the jaded Gryffindor Steve Trevor. Steve is…tired. He won’t give up because he can’t stand by and do nothing when people are dying and will keep dying if no one steps in to do something about it. At first, he thinks Diana is sheltered and naïve. She thinks too much of people and hasn’t seen the true horrors that they’re capable of. But he still connects to her cause, her dedication. He believes in her, even if it defies the rest of what he’s seen. He’s willing to take that chance and fight for the good in this world.
Despite all that he’s seen, Steve still has a fire burning in him to do some good and damn the consequences. He improvises his missions (even going off book, occasionally, like when he steals Doctor Poison’s notebook to stop her from producing more weapons) and is at home in the thick of the action. He’s a pilot, a spy (which could make him a solid Slytherin, too), and can rally a ragtag team at a moment’s notice to fight for his cause.
Steve and Diana are a true battle couple. They trust one another to follow through and do their part, and there’s never a doubt in their commitment to the cause. Instead, they’re more often trying to keep one another from dying for the cause (*cries* here’s waiting until 1984 to see if this new Steve is the same or a reincarnation).
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