Godric Gryffindor (fl. c. 993) was an English wizard and one of the four founders of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He was great friends with Salazar Slytherin, but opposed him when he later thought that they should not accept Muggle-born students at Hogwarts. It is unknown when he died. In his honour Gryffindor's birthplace became known as Godric's Hollow. Godric Gryffindor's portrait still remains at Hogwarts.

Gryffindor was initially a close friend of Salazar Slytherin, but over time their friendship deteriorated. After a number of years of working peacefully together, Slytherin eventually grew apart from his fellow founders due to his distrust of Muggle-borns, and his belief that they should not be accepted into Hogwarts. When Slytherin failed to convince Gryffindor and the others to accept his ideas, he chose to leave the school. Unbeknownst to Gryffindor, his former friend built a hidden chamber within the castle, in which he hid a basilisk that his heir would later use to try and purge the school of Muggle-borns.