Welcome to Harry Potter Theory. Today we’re discussing what would’ve happened if Draco Malfoy had been sorted into Gryffindor House instead of Slytherin.
For this particular hypothetical scenario, I must admit that the first question I found myself asking was: If sorted into Gryffindor, would Draco have been more of a Peter Pettigrew or a Sirius Black? That is to say, would he have played the part of a Gryffindor, only to betray his loyalties later and serve Voldemort in secret as Pettigrew did. OR, coming from a pure-blood family infamously known for their ties to the Dark Lord and Dark Arts, would he have openly and with pure intentions shirked his family’s affiliations and ideologies in favour of the “greater good” and doing “what was right,” similarly to Sirius Black. Personally, I believe it would’ve been the former. Sorry to any Draco fans out there but I just can’t see young Malfoy outright abandoning his anti-muggle sentiments and pure-blooded favouritism with the drop of a hat – Sorting Hat that is (sorry, couldn’t help myself!).
That said, I think his time at Hogwarts wouldn’t have been nearly as pleasant for him had he been sorted into Gryffindor. I think, eventually, he would’ve found his footing and been just as confident in his beliefs as he was pre-Sorting-Ceremony. But, at first, filled with shock and horror at NOT having been placed in Slytherin – as his entire family had been before him – his arrogance and self-confidence would’ve been at least a little bit shaken. Because, as you may recall, he was SO certain he would be sorted into Slytherin. In fact, well in advance of the Sorting Ceremony, he went so far as to boast to Harry that he would MOST DEFINITELY be placed in Slytherin, saying, “Well, no one really knows until they get there, do they, but I know I’ll be in Slytherin, all our family have been…” So, can you imagine how completely shattering it would’ve been for a young Draco to have been placed in the rival house of Gryffindor? His certainty in his future, his sense of self, his very identity – which had been infuriatingly boastful before – would’ve been put into question. Not to mention what his mother and father would say about this absolutely “TERRIBLE” news!