While there aren’t any witches specifically mentioned in Neil Gaiman’s Coraline or its movie counterpart, there’s certainly enough witchy behavior to warrant some speculation on what might happen if the characters mashed up with those of the Harry Potter universe, traveled to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and discovered which Hogwarts Houses they belong to in a special sorting ceremony, complete with a nameless black cat.
Coraline’s demonstrate how important it is to “be wise, be brave, be tricky,” but which of those qualities, which all suit different Houses, does she emulate the most in her journey in the other world to save her parents and the ghost children?
Coraline: Gryffindor
Fans of both the film and book know very well how brave Coraline must be, even when she’s talking herself into a situation. Throughout the book, she repeatedly motivates herself into being braver, regardless of how scared she might feel. Even when facing the blobby monster the Other Father transformed into, Coraline wears a brave face and realizes how much his metamorphosis saddens, rather than scares, her.
While Coraline Jones is quite wise and cunning in her game against the Beldam, she is above all courageous, pushing through each terrifying situation to rescue her real parents.
Miss Spink: Hufflepuff
While Miss Spink and Miss Forcible seem like the same two old has-beens who are stuck in the past, refusing to really listen to poor Coraline, Miss Spink is the slightly kinder of the two. Dedicated to her many dogs, Miss Spink is more doting, offering tea to Coraline and speaking in a more kindly voice in the film.
As such, Miss Spink might find herself a good spot among the Hufflepuff House at Hogwarts, learning more about being a kind and true friend under the friendly eye of Professor Sprout. She might even find herbology to be a favorite subject given how much she enjoys tea. Then again, it might point her toward Trelawney’s class.
The Other Father: Hufflepuff
The poor Other Father is merely a construct created by the Other Mother. In the book, he is punished for giving Coraline too much information and transformed into a grub worm-like creature with stick arms and legs. He’s scary, but he’s also so pathetic that Coraline feels sorry for him.
Both the movie and film versions portray Other Father as the kindest of the Beldam’s creations, offering help to Coraline and apologizing for attempting to hurt her as it fights the Other Mother’s will. This would put the Other Father in the Hufflepuff House with Miss Spink.
Wybie: Ravenclaw
Book fans know that there’s no such character as a Wybie Lovat in Neil Gaiman’s story, and some are even annoyed that he was added in the first place. Wybie fans, however, acknowledge that the kid is clever and thoughtful, from the moment he meets Coraline and spots the rash she’s given herself with a dowsing rod to the end when he helps her out.
Wybie is interested in everything, but he’s also cautious and disbelieving of things that cannot be proved. He must see it to believe it, which may not make him akin to Luna Lovegood, but it would make him fit in with many other Ravenclaws.
Miss Forcible: Slytherin
Miss Forcible is a lot like her name, forcing her way around the room in a very assertive manner. It’s obvious that she used to be in the theater because she has so much confidence. She’s completely certain that she is right about Coraline’s tea leaf reading, even if Miss Spink sounds like she might have the more correct reading.
This puts Miss Forcible in the Slytherin House. Slytherins are ambitious, much like the aged actress, and cunning, as she proves to be on stage later in the show. They’re also full of pride, and while both Spink and Forcible are prideful, the latter definitely exhibits the most pride between the two.
Mr. Jones: Hufflepuff
Like his other counterpart, Coraline’s father is an affable man who sometimes says he’s working while he’s really reading gardening magazines. He loves his daughter a lot, and even though he’s quite busy, he does offer various activities that she might enjoy doing on a rainy day to amuse her.
Mr. Jones is funny and inventive, coming up with new recipes that are creative and tasty. His deep love and dedication to his family make him such a Hufflepuff, as does his general good nature.
Cat: Ravenclaw
The nameless cat who helps Coraline may exhibit several key Slytherin qualities, but ultimately the animal’s vast knowledge and desire to explore and learn make it more of a Ravenclaw. The cat may seem aloof but it actually cares about Coraline and offers assistance by sharing the facts it has collected regarding the Beldam over the years.
The cat knows everything, from the Beldam’s likes and dislikes to what Coraline should do to find her parents and win the game. It has to have been quite curious over the years, studying the monster in order to hoard all of this information.
Mrs. Jones: Ravenclaw
Coraline’s mother’s traits earn her potential spots in all four Hogwarts Houses, but ultimately her quick wit and knowledge land her in the Ravenclaw Tower. Mrs. Jones is an editor, which is the perfect job for a nit-picky Ravenclaw with a keen eye for detail and a sharp mind. She retains knowledge that might be useful, such as purchasing Coraline’s gloves surreptitiously and sneaking them to her daughter as a gift during an unexpected moment.
Mrs. Jones’s snark might reek of Slytherin tongue, but it also comes from a place of fast thinking and years of household management experience. She is obviously the brains of her family.
The Other Mother: Slytherin
Could there be any other house for the Beldam than Slytherin? While not all Slytherins are bad, most evil witches and wizards do hail from the house, and the Other Mother, who took out her own mom not once but twice in the book, fits the bill.
She’s crafty and conniving, all about her own selfish desires even when it puts those she supposedly loves in grave danger. She is perfectly willing to sacrifice the souls of children to satisfy her hunger to be a mother before using them to sustain her own life force.
The Other Mother is quite prideful, taking offense when Coraline doesn’t love her back, and her ambition has no limits to the point where she designs entire worlds to trap her prey.
Mr. Bobinski: Gryffindor
Fun and kindly, Mr. Bobinski may not be as attentive as Coraline would like, but he’s a pretty interesting and brave neighbor. He performs extraordinary acrobatics, which takes guts, particularly on the railings of an apartment building. He also trains circus mice, which doesn’t take physical bravery but does require great courage to present such an unconventional idea to a crowd.
Bobinski would greatly enjoy spending time in the Gryffindor House, where he would utilize his skills to become an even more adventurous sort, particularly with the rats at Hogwarts. He’d likely use his magic to make them even more impressive than circus mice.
