Sorting Hat - Grey's Anatomy Pt. 1

Sorting Hat time!  Everybody's favorite!  My favorite!

(Check out other installments here.)  

Grey's Anatomy returned yesterday and the only way to celebrate is to sort the characters into Hogwarts Houses.  

Gryffindor: bravery, nerve, daring, and chivalry

Slytherin: ambition, cunning, and resourcefulness (evil optional) 

Ravenclaw: intelligence, knowledge, and wit 

Hufflepuff: hard work, dedication, patience, and loyalty

Here we go.  (First, put on How to Save a Life.)

(Also: spoilers)

1. Meredith Grey

Me too, Mer, me too. 

Meredith is kind of hard to sort!  Over the years she's displayed traits of all of the houses.  She's definitely been cunning and manipulative (usually to advance at work and sneakily get good cases - something most of them did as interns and residents).  She shows hard work and loyalty more than many of her colleagues.  She's very smart, and she's obviously very brave.  

I think I'll narrow it down to Gryffindor or Hufflepuff.  It's got to be one of those. 

Since Meredith grew up with abandonment issues, she's very loyal.  (I think that usually happens in real life with people who grew up in a negative situation - they continue it or they become a 180 of it.  Meredith develops into the latter.)  She and Cristina are inseparable.  She is always there for everyone, even if it means breaking rules (like, um, giving Adele meds instead of the placebo).  She gave part of her liver to her father, mostly out of love for her sister.  She's fiercely loyal.  

But she's also brave.  "Nerve" is something Meredith Grey does not lack.  I mean, she grabs a bomb while it's in someone's body cavity ffs.

She definitely displays traits of Hufflepuff, but I think her fondness for breaking the rules and her sometimes reckless bravery put Meredith in Gryffindor.

2. Cristina Yang

Slytherin.

I love Cristina, but there is no denying that she's a bit manipulative when it comes to her career.  And she's hella ambitious.  She definitely goes to Slytherin.  It's okay!  There are good people in Slytherin.  She can be Professor Slughorn's pal.

Ah, I wish she'd come back to the show.

3. Dr. Bailey

         

Dr. Bailey is my favorite, pretty sure.  I <3 her.

Of course, that makes me want to put her in Gryffindor.

BUT.  We've got to be fairrr.  She's brave, sure, and ambitious, and smart.  But more than anything she is loyal and hardworking.  She rivals Richard as the backbone of the whole hospital.  No one doubts her reliability.  Sometimes she's scary (she was nicknamed "The Nazi"), but even when she's goin' a little crazy, it's out of a desire to help her residents and colleagues do better.  Or to keep her patients alive (and she's cried with/over patients many times, a nod to her devotion).

From all that, I think it's clear that Bailey goes to Hufflepuff.

4. Derek 

You won't.

Sore spot, I know.  I know!  But it feels wrong not to include him here.

I don't really know where to put him.  He's brave (I mean, he disregarded his own safety to save people from that accident.), he's smart.  He'd do fine in Gryffindor or Ravenclaw....

but I think he goes to Hufflepuff.

Dude is the definition of loyalty.  You know, after he cheats on his wife.  No, but really, while that wasn't justified, it had a complicated backstory.  But yeah.  He doles out hugs and advice to people who need it, he's incredibly friendly and charming, and he really just wanted to build a good life with good people.  In the last episode of the latest season, Meredith says Derek wanted his home filled with people and memories more than anything else.  That seems Hufflepuff-like to me.  He was a hard worker, he was devoted, and he loved fairness (remember how pissed he was when Meredith messed around with the trial to benefit Adele?).  I think he'd place people above everything - daring acts, smarts, and his career.  Def Hufflepuff.

5. Richard Webber

    

Ah, Webber.  Everybody's dad.

This is another tough one.  Of the three houses that aren't Slytherin, I guess I'd eliminate Gryffindor first?  Yeah, let's go with that.

So it's down to Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw.

Richard is devoted to the hospital and to everyone who works in it.  He's the guy everyone else goes to, and he's always working hard to help everyone else and get his own work done.  That makes me lean toward Hufflepuff but...

Maybe those are traits that have come with age and wisdom, which is great, but does that mean he should go straight into Hufflepuff?  I don't know.  It's hard!  (And while he repented, he did cheat on his wife - not very fair or loyal at all.)

I get the feeling that he actually belongs in Ravenclaw.  It's not like dedication and loyalty are found only in Hufflepuff.  Webber loves spending time on research, he helped Ellis look for treatments for HIV/AIDS, he's always doling out wisdom to everyone, and he seems to be incredibly open-minded.  He's got a worldly, intelligent thing about him.

Yep, Ravenclaw.

Next time... Karev, George, Izzie, Callie, and Mark.
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Charlotte   

Sorting Hat: Gilmore Girls

You know what time it is?  Time for some more Sorting Hat fun!  I love Harry Potter and I love Gilmore Girls, so this post is like a dream to write.  And even better?  Liz* is helping!  Yay for Liz. 

1. Lorelai Gilmore 

Charlotte's take: 

Lorelai goes to Gryffindor!  There are a lot of great things about Lorelai, and quite a few factors go into this sort.  Obviously she's brave and courageous.  Sista left her comfortable and safe lifestyle to go raise her baby and follow her dream.  It was definitely the road less traveled.  She's also a little reckless at times, both as a teenager and an adult.  It's never in a horrible way, but the wild side of her makes me narrow it down to Hufflepuff or Gryffindor.  Combine that with her bravery and she joins the house where dwells Dumbledore and Martin Sheen.  

Also, I'd be in Gryffindor, and I'd want to be in the same house as her.  That's a good reason, right? 

Liz's take: 

Lorelai goes to Gryffindor!  Look at all of the stuff she did. Raising Rory, making her own path, starting her own career- that takes so much courage and strength.  She's also a momma you don't want to fuck with.  

Okay, so we're agreed!  An excellent addition to Gryffindor. 

2. Rory Gilmore 

We're disagreed on this one! 

Liz's take: 

Rory goes to Ravenclaw!  I feel pretty confident about Ravenclaw. She's obviously bookish and loves learning no matter where she is. She was also for a long period of time the weird one at school. The quiet loner.  Also I don't think she had the patience of a Hufflepuff. Remember when she realized she needed charity work on her resume and how she bailed on Dean to do ALL THE THINGS for her college app in one weekend?  She wanted to get into Harvard so much. Not just because of the name, but because of how much she thinks she'd learn there.

Charlotte's take: 

All of the things Liz said about Rory's love of learning are true.  And I was torn on this one.  Rory reads all the time.  Usually if someone reads that much, they're big thinkers.  Rory is incredibly smart but I don't know if she's the kind of big-thought-intellectual smart that Ravenclaws strike me as.  Rory would fit in well in Ravenclaw, but that doesn't mean it'd be her best fit.  

I sort of think people will be appalled at this, but I don't think that she should be in Ravenclaw.  I'm not suggesting she isn't brilliant - she is very, very intelligent.  But I don't think she's the same kind of smart as, say, Luna.  She's often down for things like getting bad take-out food and heading off to watch dumb movies.  And that's fine!  I do the same.  It doesn't mean she's not smart, I just don't think she'd enjoy sitting in the Ravenclaw common room discussing the implications of capitalism or something if she knew she could be elsewhere.  

Lest you think all smart people belong in Ravenclaw, let me remind you of the brightest witch of her time: Hermione.  Hermione is brilliant, well read, overachieving, eager to learn, and down right nerdy.  But she's got other traits that make her better suited for Gryffindor. 

Other traits of Ravenclaws are creativity and originality.  Rory is book smart, certainly, but that's not the same as creative or original.  Outside of that one article she wrote about her school's parking lot, turning it into some brilliant piece of work, Rory doesn't display those qualities frequently.  Brilliant?  Yes.  Analytic?  Yes.  Creative/artsy/original?  Eh, sometimes.  Ravenclaws remind me of academics.  I love academics!  But I wouldn't call Rory an academic.  

So where to put her?  Obviously I'm not gonna throw girlfran' in Slytherin.  That said, Gryffindor doesn't feel right, and I wouldn't call Rory the same kind of brave as her momma.  

Traits of Hufflepuffs include kindness, hard work, dedication, and fairness.  These are traits that Rory displays throughout the entire series.  Kindness?  The entire town loves her specifically for her kindness.  Hard work?  That's how she excelled in school and got into Yale and Harvard.  Dedication?  She's so super dedicated to her goals, dreams, family, and friends.  I mean, look how she sticks by Paris' side despite Paris being.... Paris.  That is dedication.  And fairness?  Girl can't take cereal from the cafeteria without leaving a dollar or two behind because it wouldn't be fair not to pay for it.  

I can easily see her, the smartest in her group of Hufflepuff friends, going to Hogwarts' movie night or something and having a good old time.  

Rory goes to Hufflepuff!

3.  Luke!

Charlotte's take: 

Luke goes to Hufflepuff!  Alright, this is pretty clear, yes?  The man owns and runs a diner, getting up before the sun rises to get the day started.  Clearly a hard worker.  And oh man, what a good friend.  The level of loyalty and dedication he shows throughout the series is *precious.*  Dude builds Lorelai an ice rink.  Makes Rory cake and ties balloons to her chair for her birthday.  Though he's grumpy about it, he brings the guys hot chocolate when they're reenacting Stars Hollow's role in the Revolution.  

He's basically the best and most reliable friend you could have.  Yay for Hufflepuff! 

Liz's take: 

Hmm. Yes. Agreed. Hufflepuff. He's got a hard exterior but he's such a big softy on the inside. And he's obviously an exceptionally hard worker.

4. Sookie St. James

Liz's take: 

Sookie goes to Hufflepuff!  Loyal. So loyal to Lorelai and Jackson.  Hardworking - SHE WILL DRIP BLOOD SWEAT AND TEARS TO PERFECT EVERYTHING SHE COOKS. Talk about hard worker.  (Charlotte here - hopefully she is NOT dripping blood sweat and tears....)

She also doesn't have a lot of the characteristics associated with the other houses.

Charlotte's take: 

Yes, I agree with everything Liz said.  Sookie goes straight to Hufflepuff.  Hardworking, loyal, and she is the friendliest friend of all the friends in the world!  Or, to take from movie Dumbledore's obituary for Cedric - she's a fierce, fierce friend. 

5. Paris Geller

Charlotte's take: 

Paris goes to Slytherin.  There, there, get your panties out of a bunch.  Not all Slytherins are bad.  Professor Slughorn was a Slytherin, and he wasn't a bad guy.  

Paris is very ambitious.  I've said before that I generally loathe people who are overflowing with ambition, and I stand by that.  A little ambition is good.  Working toward goals and dreaming is good (see: Lorelai, Sookie).  Throwing everything and everyone else away because of your own ambition is bad.  

On an ambition scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the most vile sort of ambitious person, I'd probably put Paris around a 7.5.  For the most part, she is only concerned with self-advancement.  She manages to keep it in check sometimes, though.  And I do love her.  She's pretty much in the same category as Slughorn for me.  She's too ambitious and self absorbed, but she's not necessarily a bad person.  Some shining moments that come to mind for her:  getting Nanny to take care of Doyle, covering with Dean for Rory by telling him she had a crush on Jess, and honoring her late professor/lover by throwing him a wake.  

See!  Slytherins are people, too. 

Liz's take: 

Paris goes to Slytherin!  She is so self involved. She does whatever it takes to be the best at everything. And she often doesn't do things out of the goodness of her heart- she does them because she thinks they'll advance her position.  She had been volunteering since she was a kid for the sole purpose of getting into Harvard.  (There was a reason we all secretly loved that she didn't get into Harvard.)  

Also VERY COMPETITIVE.

6. Richard Gilmore

Charlotte's take: 

Richard was hard to sort, but ultimately I think he goes to Gryffindor.   Part of me wanted to put him into Slytherin, since he and Emily are often manipulating everyone/thing around them to suit their own needs, and since class is such a big deal for them, the way blood status is for many Slytherins.  

But I couldn't put him in Slytherin for that alone.  Remember, there are upper class and purebloods in the other houses as well (James Potter, for instance). 

He's also a little less snooty than I imagine most Slytherins to be.  So I thought about the traits of the other houses, and I think he matches up pretty nicely with Gryffindor.  Specifically, he's stubborn/strong willed, chivalrous, and full of nerve.  

I think his nose will probably be tilted toward the air, but that he'll fit it just fine with Gryffindors. 

Liz's take: 

I kinda think Ravenclaw or Slytherin... He cares a lot about social rank but he was born into it... I thought Ravenclaw because he is bookish and academic.  I thought Slytherin because of pride and social ranking.  But we went over those traits.  What you said makes sense.  I think Gryffindor overall fits him better.

7. Emily Gilmore

Liz's take: 

Emily cares much more about social rank than Richard. She's also much more manipulative... how she treats Lorelai and all.  She's also prideful and very interested in material possessions.  Yeah, uhm. I am inclined towards Slytherin.

Charlotte's take: 

Emily IS very manipulative and cares way too much about her social standing.  She's pretentious and acts very shallow sometimes.  My first inclination is to put her in Slytherin.  

That said, something feels off.  

Don't get me wrong, she'd fit in well in Slytherin.  We know Slytherin tends to be an exclusive house, and Emily loves all exclusive things.  But, but, but there are a few things that point me in a different direction with her.  

First, on the eve of her vow renewal she goes over to Lorelai's and gets drunk as hell.  And she just chills and laughs her ass off with the lowly gals of Stars Hollow.  She can have regular fun!  Without the DAR or rich people things like lapels.  

Second, and more importantly, while she's prideful and manipulative, she ultimately does what she needs to to keep Lorelai in her life.  Hear me out!  

• She went to Luke's diner and told him (in a very patronizing way, of course) that he should get back together with Lorelai.  
• She served pudding! 
• She sat at the bar to have dinner with Lorelai. 
• She stole a robe! 
• She bought Rory a cheesy bracelet instead of fancy pearls.  

None of this changes her Slytherin-like traits but these things display that she makes choices she wouldn't normally make for the sole purpose of keeping her family together.  That kind of devotion sounds like something a Hufflepuff would display, but again... she makes choices to stand by Richard and to be with Lorelai.  So I think Emily is one of those cases where the sorting hat would take her request, and she'd want to be with her husband and daughter in Gryffindor.  

And that's it!  At some point later in the week we'll have seven more Gilmore Girls characters, hooray! 

*Liz wrote her comments via Facebook chat, which is why they are less thought out than her previous post. 

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Charlotte & Liz

Other Sorting Hat Posts: 

Sorting Hat: The West Wing
Sorting Hat: The West Wing, Part 2
Sorting Hat: Supernatural 

Sorting Hat: Supernatural (Guest Post by Liz!)

Supernatural lovers - rejoice!  My bud, Liz, was gracious enough to write a guest post.  I'm *sort of* fond of all things Harry Potter, and you all know that we've got a little series here where we're placing characters from our favorite shows into Hogwarts houses.  So fun!  Liz watches some TV shows that I don't and vice versa, so with her help we can cover different genres.  Read along and see what a nerd she is enjoy.  **Also, Blogger is whack and so formatting is off - weird indentations everywhere.  Apologies!

Charlotte has done some awesome Hogwarts Sorting Hat posts on her favorite shows, so naturally, I wanted to do one for one of my favorite shows, Supernatural. Charlotte happens to be a big ‘ol scaredy pants, so she wouldn’t like Supernatural probably, but she’s been so kind as to allow me to do this post (thanks girl, even though you first forced me to watch Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt before I could write this post, and then I ended up really liking UKS and it kept me from writing this post).

Be forewarned, this post will definitely have some spoilers. I’ll avoid spoiling major plot points, but if you’re still in seasons 1-2, you may want to stop reading now. Without further ado, let Liz’s sorting hat do what it’s going to do.

       1. Dean Winchester

(he’s so handsome…)

I really didn’t have a hard time sorting Dean at all- he’s undoubtedly a Gryffindor. "You might belong in Gryffindor, Where dwell the brave at heart, Their daring, nerve and chivalry, Set Gryffindors apart." I mean, come on. We all know this is Dean. His love for his family gives him so much bravery and strength. He has a strong sense of duty to his family- he never thought about leaving the family business, and he says constantly that hunting is in his blood. He also has a strong sense of righteousness, which we all see clearly at various points in the show. A good example of this to me is when he kills Sam’s old friend, Amy, who is a Kitsune. Dean’s nature to see things as black and white- monsters are bad and must be killed, humans must be saved- is a significant part of the story line, and I think it’s a good example of how he fits in Gryffindor. A more positive example is how he sacrifices himself over and over again to save Sammy.

2. Sam Winchester

(also so handsome...this show is filled with attractive men)

For a little while I was torn between sorting Sam as a Ravenclaw or a Gryffindor. Sam is undoubtedly brave and chivalrous, but for me his bookworm characteristics tip the scale in favor of Ravenclaw. Sam didn’t want to be a hunter- he wanted to graduate from Stanford and become a lawyer, but unforeseeable incidents obviously forced him back into the business. Sam is the researcher, always looking up as much as possible before a case. Also, Sam is a self-identified “freak.” As a kid he was the weird loner, and demon blood running through his veins has always made him feel different. Because of this, Sam is relatively open-minded and accepting. He was deceived by Ruby because he thought that even though she is a demon, she could be genuinely good. Anyone who saw how Sam reacted to the bunker once owned by the Men of Letters can see he’d fit in well in Ravenclaw.

3.       Bobby Singer

(I’m surprised “idjits” isn’t a part of my everyday vocabulary, tbh)

Bobby is a tough one (balls!). He has characteristics of Gyrffindor, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff. Bobby is brave, smart, and kind. My first thought was Hufflepuff, but frankly, I think the other members of that house would drive him absolutely insane. No one can doubt that Bobby is a hard worker and incredibly loyal. He serves as a network for numerous hunters all over the country. He has at least 6 phone lines in his home so he can cover for hunters and pretend to be a Sheriff, the FBI, etc. Bobby isn’t friendly though, and his patience can certainly wear thin. So, I think Bobby would get to choose, and he’d probably choose Gryffindor. No one can doubt that Bobby is brave and thinks on his feet. I think he’d fit in well there.

4.       Castiel

I had no trouble sorting Castiel at all- Hufflepuff! Loyal, patient, kind- all words that describe him perfectly. Castiel is one of the only genuinely good angels remaining in heaven. He believes strongly in doing what is right and fair. His kindness is apparent. Besides raising Dean from perdition, Castiel goes out of his way to heal people at random. And, of course, his unwavering loyalty to the Winchesters, especially Dean, is what makes him stand out amongst the other angels. Castiel is truly dedicated to doing God’s work. Even when he makes the wrong choices, he is always doing them because, in his heart, he believes he is doing the right thing.

5.       Crowley

Crowley, the King of Hell. You can bite me if you think I’m wrong on this one- he goes to Slytherin. I’d say most, if not all, of the demons in SPN would be Slytherins. Cunning, clever, and ambitious are traits they all seem to carry. Crowley does whatever it takes to become King of Hell and to strengthen his position, be it partnering with Castiel and the Winchesters, or helping the Winchesters to kill off his own kind. Before anyone asks, Ruby and Meg are also in Syltherin. You can love these characters one minute, and hate them the next, which I think is a big part of their appeal.

6.       Jo Harvelle

Jo and Ellen are characters that didn’t get to be developed as much as they deserved on SPN. I LOVED Ellen and Jo, which is why I had to sort these two on the post. Jo goes to Gryffindor! I think the first time we see Jo is a clear Gryffindor is when she runs off on her own to take on the case where young blonde women have been disappearing from an apartment building. SHE OFFERS HERSELF UP AS BAIT IN THAT EPISODE. That takes some serious guts. For those of you past season 3, you all know how brave Jo is through it all.

7.       Ellen Harvelle

Ellen is a little harder for me to sort than Jo, but I think she belongs in Gryffindor as well. She’s just such a badass babe. Just look at that gif of her, look at it.

8.       Charlie Bradbury

Another easy one- Charlie is definitely in Ravenclaw. She is exceptionally intelligent and bright- she’s one of the best hackers on the planet! She’s also a proud fangirl, does live action role-playing, goes to comic con, etc. She’s very proudly unique. Sure, she has dropped out of school, but she was clever and wise enough to make it on her own. She also does a great job saving the Winchesters’ butts now and then.

I know there are so many awesome characters on SPN, and I could go on forever, but writing all of this is getting old, so here’s a short list of some of minor SPN characters and where I think they’d go:

Gabriel- Ravenclaw

Death (Yes, I love Death. I had to include him. He’s in so few episodes but he’s one of my favorite characters)- Ravenclaw

Kevin Tran- Also, Ravenclaw

Benny- Hufflepuff

Lucifer- Slytherin (obvs)

Raphael- Slytherin

And that’s it. That’s all I’m doing for tonight. SPN lovers, go watch an episode. Until next time…

-Liz

Sorting Hat: The West Wing, Part 2

For the first batch of Hogwarts-themed fun, go here: 

Sorting Hat: The West Wing

Ever the exciting blogger, I decided to do..... another one today.  Variety is not my middle name. 

Onward. 

1. Donna 

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It should be known that I only ever say "Donna" in Josh's voice.  

Donna seems to be a Hufflepuff to me.  She's just super fun and friendly and nice to everyone she meets.  She's got other great qualities - she's smart as hell and Josh couldn't function without her which sort of means the country couldn't function without her.  You go, Glen Coco Donna!  All that said, I still think she belongs in Hufflepuff.  It works out well because Leo and Josh are there.  

So Hufflepuff houses the Chief of Staff, the Deputy Chief of Staff, and the "Deputy Deputy Chief of Staff."  That's a fine house if I've ever seen one.  

I haven't ever seen one. 

2. Charlie

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Charlie is another character I adore.  Then again, there aren't really any characters I don't like on this show.  

Charlie is a Gryffindor without doubt.  He's brave and righteous.  The time that he says he wants to go to a club opening regardless of threats against him comes to mind.  And basically every other thing he says and does throughout the series.  While he's smart, he doesn't ponder everything.  He reacts quickly to things.  Remember when he threw Anthony against the wall after he called CJ a bitch?  That's Gryffindor-like to me. 

3. Abby 

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Abby is kind of tough to sort.  I'll narrow it down to Gryffindor or Ravenclaw.  I want to put her in Gryffindor since Jed is there but it's not like being in a different house means they can't know each other.  

She is certainly feisty enough to be a Gryffindor.  But she's also very thoughtful and takes time to think things over and has a grasp on what's "right" and... I kind of think she goes to Ravenclaw.  

4. Debbie

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I love, love, loved Mrs. Landingham, so I didn't think I'd ever get to like Debbie but wow, was I wrong.  Of course, all of the characters on this show are witty and sassy, but she brings a certain level of snark that I admire so damn much.  

Which means I can sit here and try and figure out where to put her and probably Hufflepuff would win that battle, but I just want her in Gryffindor, since it's my favorite.  Also how fun would it be to have the Weasley twins and Debbie all in the same house?  The shenanigans would be endless. 

5. Margaret 

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The quirkiest of quirky people!  I love Margaret and she's book smart and she's got a host of good qualities, but she is fiercely devoted to Leo and that kind of devotion to friends is something I associate with Hufflepuff so off you go, Margaret!  She is also incredibly hard working (one of the hardest workers on the show, probably right next to Donna) and that's a trait of Hufflepuffs. 

6. John Hoynes 

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Slytherin.  Bye. 

__

Charlotte 

Sorting Hat: The West Wing

Honestly, Buzzfeed is starting to annoy me.  However, they did post this article: 19 Male Characters Who Are Obviously Hufflepuffs 

Which made me think it'd be fun to sort the characters in some of my favorite TV shows into Hogwarts Houses.  

*original* *creative* *intellectual* 

Why thank you.

I think it's only right that the first show to get sorted be The West Wing.  You know, since e'erybody is announcing their campaigns for the presidency.  

And so: 

1. President Josiah Bartlet

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So obviously, he's not a Hufflepuff.  

That leaves Ravenclaw, Slytherin, and Gryffindor.  

I know, I know.  Slytherin isn't just filled with the bad people (Slughorn!  And others, I'm sure....), but I do think it's filled with an awful lot of ambitious people.  A little bit of ambition is good, a lot of ambition is not.  We've all met these kind of people (the ones who place advancement ahead of everything and everyone else in life) and frankly, they're not my favorite.  I wouldn't put Bartlet into Slytherin.  When we get flashbacks to him and Leo talking about his run for the presidency, we find out that he was mainly trying to talk about issues.  He cared more about people and policy than power.  In one of my favorite episodes, "Let Bartlet be Bartlet," he says, "This is more important than reelection."  "This" refers to a good agenda.  He values that above his position of power.  So it's a big fat no for Slytherin. 

So is it Ravenclaw or Gryffindor?  That's a tough one for me.  

I think he'd fit in fine with Ravenclaw, but it doesn't feel right (and that's my cue that I'm taking this too seriously).  Ravenclaws are great, but they seem a little out there to me.  I see them as creatives or as big thinkers.  Jed Bartlet is a big thinker, for sure, but he's also a leader.  He's a mix of thinking and acting.  

I'd probably put him in Gryffindor.  He's got a mix of that boyish fun thing I think a lot of Hufflepuffs have and the smarts of a Ravenclaw.  Combine that with his nerve and strong-willed nature and we've got a Gryffindor. 

2. Leo 

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Leo is another character that can fit into a few houses.  He's brilliant, he's brave, he's a good guy.

If I were the Sorting Hat (what a weird thought... 'if I were a hat..'), I'd put Leo in Hufflepuff.  

I get that he's incredibly courageous.  He served in war, he was wounded in war.  And I get that he's basically a genius.  But throughout the series, I think his friendship outshines all his other great qualities.  

When Josh deals with PTSD, Leo gets him help and I don't have to quote the entire thing because if you're a West Wing fan, you know what I'm talking about (there's a guy walking down the street when he falls into a hole...).  He ends it with something like, "Long as I got a job, you got a job."  

He's a fierce friend to Jed, obviously.  He's hurt when he finds out Jed has MS because if he had known he could have been supportive.  He's clearly in anguish when Zoey gets kidnapped and the temporary president gives an attack order that puts her in danger.  He's loyal to Bartlet and has no interest in working for anyone else throughout the series.  

There are more examples, but I think it's pretty clear that he was a friend above everything else, so Leo goes to Hufflepuff. 

3. Josh Lyman

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TRICKY.  He clearly doesn't belong in Slytherin or Ravenclaw.  This is a toss up between Hufflepuff and Gryffindor.  I'm tempted to put him in Gryffindor because he has reddish hair and the Weasleys have red hair and they're in Gryffindor, so... 

Since I can't really decide which house to put him in, I'm going to say this is a Harry-Potter-esque situation, and Josh is going to get to decide which house he wants to be in.  And I think he'd pick Hufflepuff, since Leo is in Hufflepuff and it's important to Josh to be Leo's guy. I think he'd have a lot of friends in Ravenclaw though, since he revealed he was more of a chess club guy when he was talking to his intern about Harvard. 

4. Toby

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Toby and CJ are my favorite characters, I think.  Someone once told me that I was like a lovechild of Toby and CJ and I think that it may have been the single nicest thing anyone has ever said about me.  

Move on, Charlotte. 

I'd put Toby in Ravenclaw.  His hilarity and occasional scruffiness and love for the Yankees are things I could see being characteristics of people in other houses, but his main thing is his intellect.  It influences everything else he does.  Another big influence for this choice is how poetic he is.  You know, talking about angels and demons battling and stuff... in normal conversation.  As I said earlier, I see Ravenclaw as the place where almost all the creative types would be, and he's no exception.  But he'd need some friends in Hufflepuff and Gryffindor to keep him cheery. 

5. CJ

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Where do you put someone with nerve, bravery, loyalty, and wit?  

I don't know. 

Okay, she can't be in Slytherin because while she has goals, she's not overly ambitious.  I can't see CJ betraying her friends to get ahead in life or anything like that.  

So Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, or Gryffindor.  Oh my.  Instinct tells me to put her in Gryffindor, because while she's intelligent and a good friend, she's really a woman in a man's career, and that takes underlying nerve and courage.  

If I'm going to eliminate another house, it'd probably be Ravenclaw (she and Toby would still be best of friends, though!) because she's so super down to earth.  She's very cool.  So I think it comes down to Hufflepuff or Gryffindor.  

I can sort of see similarities between CJ and Minerva McGonagall.  They're both witty (and know how to wonderfully time their snips), smart, professional, and caring.  So I guess I'll go ahead and put CJ in Gryffindor.  Good effort, though, Hufflepuff. 

6. Sam 

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 Sam is probably the most difficult character to sort for me.  I'm inclined to throw him in Ravenclaw with Toby and I'm sure he'd do well there.  But he's so fun and boyish, like Josh, and loves his friends and does things like goes sailing on boats with his friends so he'd do fine in Hufflepuff as well.  

He's the furthest thing from a Slytherin, so at least we can throw that out. 

But what about Gryffindor?  He's plenty brave.  He's got nerve.  In the fourth season he goes to California to run for office - a campaign he won't win - because he made a promise.  This probably shows his loyalty more than anything.  And I can't pull the same thing I did with Josh here because I don't think I know what house he would choose.  

If I had to choose, I think I'd go with Ravenclaw.  This pains me because he'd fit in so well at Hufflepuff or Gryffindor.  But, he is also another one walking around making poetry in normal conversations.  He's a thinker before anything else and... I'll go ahead and call him a little stuffy, since when he did go out with his friends, he said something about wearing sweaters and looking like a Tommy Hilfiger ad.  You need to be at least a little highbrow to hang out with your friends and look like a Tommy Hilfiger ad.  

So we've got two for Ravenclaw, two for Hufflepuff, and two for Gryffindor!  I didn't do that on purpose, but it works.  

Next time: Donna, Charlie, Abby, Debbie, Margaret, and Hoynes.  

Til then. 

*Update - Read Part 2 here!

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Charlotte