Life at Hogwarts is never dull, and this beloved Harry Potter setting is a wonderful and sometimes frightening place. While some students and teachers can't be trusted, this is where Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) learns more about his identity after years of living with the terrible Dursley family. When Harry adjusts to Hogwarts, he learns about the many traditions and spends time in the beautiful dining hall. And as he bonds with Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) and Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint), he also finds out about the House Cup.
But even though the House Cup is a memorable aspect of Harry Potter, does it actually mean anything? This is a question that fans have asked many times. There's a lot to know about the House Cup and what the victors actually get. And does the role of the House Cup change throughout the story?
What Is The House Cup In Harry Potter?
There are four houses in Harry Potter and Slytherin is considered the evil house. Every year, the four Hogwarts houses compete for the honor of winning the House Cup. If a house has the most points at the end of the academic year, they get this trophy. If the students get in trouble, then their house loses points. Dangling the prize of the House Cup is definitely meant to ensure that the students behave properly and think long and hard before breaking any rules. And at the beginning of Harry Potter, the House Cup does seem exciting.
The House Championship begins on September 1st and finishes in June. Students find out the winning house at the End-of-Year Feast. While there are some Harry Potter book scenes missing from the movies, there are thankfully plenty of dining hall scenes to enjoy. It's always fun seeing the Hogwarts students eating.
The same house tends to win time and time again. Slytherin wins the House Cup from 1985 to 1991. Gryffindor, which many think is the best house, then wins the next three House Cups from 1991 to 1994. Everyone expects Gryffindor to keep winning. In 1993, Ron and Harry are integral in helping Gryffindor win.
Why Does The House Cup Stop Being Important?
It's important to note that while the House Cup is a big part of the beginning of Harry Potter, it becomes less important as time goes on. While this is never really explained, many fans believe that it's because Harry's time at Hogwarts becomes scarier and more dangerous with each passing day. There are many battles in Harry Potter and this includes the many times that Harry faces off against Lord Voldemort (Ralph Finnes).
After Tom Riddle turns into Voldemort and he becomes a huge enemy for Harry, the consensus is that it wouldn't make sense to think about winning the House Cup when so much hangs in the balance. This is definitely a logical and reasonable explanation. After all, if Harry and his friends were thinking about the House Cup instead of stopping Voldemort and saving each other, that might seem unrealistic. They definitely have a lot going on.
Did Winning The House Cup Actually Mean Anything?
The truth is that winning the House Cup doesn't actually mean much in Harry Potter. The winners get the prize itself, which is definitely fun for them, and the winning team cheers and celebrates every single June. But it doesn't really change much for the house that wins, especially since they are right back to where they started the next year and competing all over again.
Fans have debated what it means when characters get the House Cup. Some think that it's great for the winners since they can feel good about what they have accomplished... but besides being able to say that they are the victors, there isn't really a point to this part of Harry Potter. Most of all, this part of the story proves that Slytherin and Gryffindor are foul of competitive students who like going up against each other. People often think that Hufflepuff is the weakest Harry Potter house and it's true that they don't win the House Cup.
Hogwarts and Nevermore Academy on Wednesday have some things in common, including events that allow the students to compete with each other. It seems that at the end of the day, the House Cup exists to give Hogwarts students a sense of fun, excitement, and tradition.
However, the House Cup is still an integral and meaningful part of Harry Potter. It helps set the scene and proves why Hogwarts is such a great setting. While there are some things that are wrong with Hogwarts, and it's not perfect, it's still a fascinating, captivating and magical place. Winning the House Cup might not really mean anything, but it's still part of the world of Harry Potter.