J.K. Rowling placed Harry Potter in Gryffindor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The Sorting Hat assigns him to the house at the beginning of his first school year.
Gryffindor was founded by Godric Gryffindor and is traditionally associated with courage, bravery, nerve, and chivalry. Harry’s close friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger are also members, as are several important allies during the series.
The other three Hogwarts houses are Slytherin, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff. Slytherin is associated with ambition and resourcefulness, Ravenclaw with wit and learning, and Hufflepuff with loyalty and hard work. The houses are not simply good-versus-evil categories: characters in every house have varied personalities.
Harry’s placement is significant because the Sorting Hat considers his preference as well as his qualities. Harry worries about Slytherin but asks not to be placed there, and the hat ultimately assigns him to Gryffindor.