Hufflepuff and Proud

Hey, remember that time I talked about Hogwarts sorting? Yes, I'm doing it again.

Pottermore is pretty much the official word in House sorting since it is JK Rowling’s own pet project. Barring actual access to the Sorting Hat, this is the most accurate we’re going to get. So, needless to say, people have been getting pretty worked up about their results. I’ve had friends going through identity crises, friends boasting their excellent placement, and I have heard one too many people say “Anything but Hufflepuff.”

And that brings us to the point of today’s post.

I finally got into Pottermore on Monday and I raced through the chapters until I could get sorted. I was really pleased with the process. I was so afraid that the “sorting” would be just another predictable questionnaire, easy to manipulate (see: is your favorite animal an eagle, badger, lion or snake?) This was not the case. There were a few questions where I felt I could predict what a chosen answer would indicate, House wise, but even those weren’t terribly obvious. My answers always came down to a Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw choice (as far as I know)—which is typical because I believe if it existed, I’d be a Ravenpuff. For instance, on one question I was stuck between selecting “fresh parchment” or “home” as my favorite item on the list. I sat there for a good five minutes before ultimately selecting home, the Hufflepuff choice (I believe).

Unsurprisingly, but to my delight, my results popped up and I read: Hufflepuff!

{via.}

Badgers for life.

As you’ll recall, I have always knows I was a Hufflepuff. I’ve never felt ashamed of that fact—heck, if I had, I’d probably have tried harder to manipulate the sorting. I don’t feel ashamed because I don’t agree with the Hufflepuff stereotype.

Oh, are you not familiar with the stereotype? If I had to guess, I’d bet most of you are. But here’s a little hint:



I love poking fun at myself and the things I love, so I’ll be the first to tell you I LOVE this video. Now that I’m officially sorted, I’ll often follow a particularly dim-witted moment of my making with a cheery “I’m a Hufflepuff!”

…But still, deep down it saddens me that so many people take this stereotype to heart and feel that Hufflepuff would be the worst place to be. The dullest. The daftest.

Does nobody remember my homeboy Cedric? Sure, we don’t know his IQ, but he was hardly eating paste in a corner. He was charming, made friends easily, and best of all, he wasn’t fake. Hufflepuffs are true, it’s said, and I believe it to be so. Cedric wasn’t just some pretty boy putting on an act so everyone would like him. That’s what bugged Harry the most when Cho fell for him—Cedric was genuinely good, loyal, kind…true. And, of course, he was just. He never tried to get ahead of Harry unfairly, even when he could’ve.

I describe Cedric because I think he helps due our House justice that it is denied elsewhere.

I think in general we all tend to pigeon-hole the Hogwarts Houses in our minds. You like books? Ravenclaw. You want to fight your way to the top? Slytherin. You’re always up for an adventure? Gryffindor.

No one is that one-dimensional. The good qualities don’t only apply to members of the House that claims them, nor do bad qualities. Maybe we’ve seen a few members of Hufflepuff have daft moments (a group of 2nd years turning against Harry when they worried he had petrified Justin Finch-Fletchley), but we’ve seen that same ignorance or silliness elsewhere. Lavender’s behavior when dating Ron. Cho’s when dating Harry. Heck, Harry’s dating Ginny. Not to mention Seamus turning against Harry when he claimed Voldemort was back. And remember the times when Hermione’s judgment was clouded by emotion? Remember when in the heat of the moment she forgot that she could create sunlight with her wand? We all have moments.

Likewise, I know that I share characteristics of all the Houses and that makes me happy. I know that I have many Ravenclaw attributes. I love books more than food (and I love very few things more than food). I am pursuing graduate school to become a librarian. I received a Bachelor’s degree from an excellent college and lived alone in a non-English speaking town. I am intelligent. I’ve gone on many adventures as well—remember, living alone in Europe? Twice? Not to mention everyday adventures. I’m brave when I must be, particularly if I can do so to help family or friends. And I can have a cutting edge to my humor, a sarcasm reminiscent of a Slytherin.

I am all of this rolled into one girl, one Hufflepuff. And ultimately, I am a Hufflepuff. Not because I have my slow moments, which I do, but because I believe in being: Just, hard-working, loyal, patient…and so much more. Those four words are the Hufflepuff epithet. Patience is NOT so much my virtue, but I think the others apply very well.. I am a hard-worker; in school, in work, in relationships—whatever the situation is, I’ll do the most I can. And truly, injustice has always been something I cannot stand. In fact, I even find it unjust that in the very end of Philosopher’s Stone, Gryffindor wins. Am I rooting for Harry & Co? You know it! Was I secretly thrilled to see the “bad guys” beaten? Heck yes! BUT there was that other Hufflepuff part of me going “yeah, but not every Slytherin is a Draco Malfoy, and some of them worked really hard for the points that won them the cup and now all of a sudden with not so much as a ‘heads up! Your dreams are about to be crushed,’ their title is taken away? That’s not fair.”

Loyalty. I think loyalty most of all is what brings me to Hufflepuff. Once you have my friendship, I will never ask to part with you. My family and friends means more to me than I can say and they will never have to doubt that I am on their side, there to help fight their battles, heal their wounds, be their comforting shoulder. Sometimes it is hard to feel loyal to so many loved-ones; sometimes time simply does not allow the level of dedication to each individual that I’d desire. But I will always be there to do the utmost I can.

Hufflepuff has those four key words, but to me it is more: It is kind students, giving students, those who live their life with an open-heart, those who are intelligent but don’t boast it. It is, as my bestie and fellow Puff Tina described, the tender-hearted and the true.

So I’m damned proud to be a Hufflepuff.

And did I mention? Our common room is next to the kitchens. If nothing else, that says it all about why I belong in Hufflepuff. ; )

P.S.: According to JK Rowling herself, Neville marries a Hufflepuff. Just wanted to throw that one out there. (Even if I did prefer him with Luna.)
P.P.S.: Yes, I did buy the shirt featured above. House pride!