Random Sorting - Sherlock Holmes - Slytherin
Alright, let's get down to sorting. Please note that I will be sorting BBC Sherlock. I will keep ACD canon in mind as well at the other iterations I am familiar with. (P.S. If you are that dick who told me on facebook that I obviously hadn't read the ACD books or watched any of the granada series and was putting Sherlock in the "evil house", kindly go fuck yourself and have a good day. Thank you.)
Ok, let's start with Hufflepuff...
Alright. I'm pretty sure none of you are surprised this is at the bottom of the list
(although if any of you have an argument for this house, I'd be glad to hear it). The only link I can really connect between this house and Sherlock (and I'm pulling a bit from ACD and Brett for this one) is the way he judges people personally. I'm not talking about him judging their intelligence or their usefulness to him, but how he judges them as people. When choosing cases or friends, Sherlock is not in any way impressed by any of the trappings of money, class, or social status, He judges people solely for themselves. In his various incarnations, Holmes has shown himself to be very protective of those clients in vulnerable positions who are unable to help themselves. One such client was the young woman in TEH whose stepfather was exploiting her (Miss Mary Sutherland, A Case of Identity). Also his hatred of Mangusson stems from the way the blackmailer prays upon those he deems vulnerable, or weak, or different. However the way he deals with the problems of these clients can be linked more strongly to other houses.
Moving on to Gryffindor, I actually found a surprising number of this house's traits in Sherlock. Bravery, daring, rashness, and a certain flair for dramatics are all to be found in this house. Sherlock's love for adventure and perhaps even his choices for career (piracy and detective work) make him a strong contender for this house. However, Sherlock's mindset makes this argument a bit more shaky. His boldness and honesty stems a bit more from practicality and a kind of idiosyncratic sense of humor more reminiscent of another house. And while Gryffindor's can sometimes be accused of rushing into the fray without thinking, Sherlock is constantly calculating this risks he takes. While he often judges his own safety negligible, he is usually very aware of the dangers involved. I actually can see him choosing this house simply to be around John, or simply to screw with Mycroft.
Shifting to Ravenclaw, this is the house I find that most people seem to sort him into. For good reason. If there is any trait the character of Sherlock Holmes is known for, it is his intelligence. It's an obvious assumption to put him into the house of wit and learning. But, like with Gryffindor, this is were Sherlock's personality get's in the way. While a Ravenclaw can certainly have a preference for their field of study, most seem to have a certain level of respect for all branches of knowledge. Sherlock Holmes... not so much. This is the man who deleted the solar system because he judged it to be irrelevant. Sherlock has a brilliant mind, one that any Ravenclaw would be proud of, but he retains information based solely upon whether it is useful or of personal interest to him. All other subjects he tosses aside much like Hermione does with Divination. They are both highly intelligent people who turned away from an entire field of knowledge out of personal preference. As a side not, Sherlock tells Moriarty that he doesn't like riddles, can you imagine him confronted with the door to Ravenclaw tower? He'd never even get in. He'd just stand there arguing with the damn thing all night about the answer even if he did get it right.
Slytherin. Those cunning folk will use any means to achieve their ends. And isn't that true of Sherlock Holmes? The list of things Sherlock isn't willing to to do seems to grow shorter and shorter with each episode. Resourcefulness is a hallmark of this house and Sherlock certainly possesses that trait in abundance. Give him a problem and watch him dance as Mycroft says. A certain disregard for the rules, I can't think of a character who fits that description better. Sherlock knows the rules just as any Slytherin would, he also knows how to break them. His relationships are also very Slytherin. Sherlock may set himself up as being a lone-wolf but he actually attracts a small but close groups he does rely upon and protect. The darkness that seems so interwoven with this house expresses itself strongly in Sherlock. Facts and realities most people would shy away from draw him in. I'm really having a hard time finding a facet of Slytherin house that doesn't apply to Sherlock.
Sherlock Holmes, Slytherin.
(Image not mine. Credit [x])
