The House Point Counters are four giant, enchanted hourglasses located in the Entrance Hall of Hogwarts castle. Each hourglass represents one of the four Hogwarts houses and is emblazoned with its corresponding emblem: a lion for Gryffindor, a badger for Hufflepuff, an eagle for Ravenclaw, and a serpent for Slytherin. Instead of sand, the hourglasses are filled with thousands of tiny precious stones, with each type corresponding to a House's colours. The novels explicitly state that the Gryffindor hourglass contains rubies and the Slytherin hourglass contains emeralds. The contents of the other two are not specified in the original seven books.
The level of the gems in the bottom bulb of each hourglass serves as a real-time, visual representation of the total House Points accumulated by that House.
The primary function of the hourglasses is to magically and automatically keep score in the annual competition for the House Cup.
The counters provide a constant and public measure of each House's standing, fostering a sense of competition and pride among the student body.
The origins of the House Point Counters, including their creator and the date of their installation, are unknown. They are presumed to be an ancient and integral part of Hogwarts's history, having been used to track the House Cup competition for centuries. The counters stand as a testament to the enduring tradition of the House system established by the four founders.
The House Point Counters are a recurring feature that reflects the shifting dynamics of school life and the ongoing rivalry between the Houses.