Pigpimples

Everyday, millions of people disembark at ungodly hours through sometimes tempestuous conditions in order to make their way to a piece of yellow metal. However, many of these would rather be doing anything else. You see, unlike gold, a school bus is not a happy sight for the majority of people.Such is the American system of education, the young people of our nation enduring what often seems to be long, melancholy hours of learning, only to return home and complete more hours of work, whilst arguing with their siblings. Our mother country, Great Britain has nipped this dreary practice in the bud, having sent its young to boarding school for generations. The magical world follows this boarding school approach, with the young witches and wizards of England attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for seven years, ages 11-17. Hogwarts was founded over a thousand years ago by Godric Gryffindor, Salazar Slytherin, Helga Hufflepuff and Rowena Ravenclaw, with its four houses named for them.
Quick! Pick the best Hogwarts House!
Unless you picked Ravenclaw, you are wrong. Founded by Rowena Ravenclaw, this House values cleverness above all other traits. It's colors are blue and (according to the books) bronze or (according to the movies) silver. Given its maxim that "Wit beyond measure is a man's greatest treasure," Ravenclaw is was home to some of the most brilliant witches and wizards of Britain, bar Hermonie Granger, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore and Minerva McGonagall (but really, what have they done?). Within the period of the books, Ravenclaw houses Luna Lovegood, Cho Chang and others. Of course, not everyone is admitted into this fine house, so others had to be in place:

• Gryffindor with its colors of scarlet and gold is home to the brave. Harry Potter, the Weasleys, Hermonie Granger and Albus Dumbledore are among the Gryffindors.
• Hufflepuff has colors of yellow and black and admits those of pure, just hearts. Notable members are Cedric Diggory and Pamona Sprout.
• The final house is Slytherin, which adorns the colors of green and silver and honors the ambitious. Tom Riddle, most of the Blacks, the Malfoys and Severus Snape were all placed in Slytherin.

J.K. Rowling may have known that Gryffindor would make a better house for her purposes, but she probably also knew that Ravenclaw was the best. You see, she may have made Gryffindor's symbol a lion, but lions are lazy, doing nothing but procreate and eat what the females catch. Ravens can fly, a property unique from the other house mascots, and they are very resourceful. These are qualities befitting the greatest house.
This week's words to live by come from my favorite Ravenclaw, Luna Lovegood: "The Crumple-Horned Snorkack can't fly..."