In the “Harry Potter” series, the Hufflepuff house acts as a running joke. After being told Hufflepuffs are good finders in “A Very Potter Musical,” Dumbledore asks, “What the hell is a Hufflepuff?” In “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” Draco tells Harry, “I’ll be in Slytherin, all our family have been—imagine being in Hufflepuff, I think I’d leave, wouldn’t you?”
When I took the Wizarding World quiz for the first time, I got Hufflepuff. I was disappointed because I wanted to be intelligent and diligent like a Ravenclaw, or maybe even brave like my favorite Gryffindor, Hermione Granger. I took the test again, but the screen again displayed Hufflepuff’s yellow crest.
It isn’t unusual to be disappointed to be sorted into Hufflepuff. Much emphasis is placed on the other houses, while Hufflepuff remains the most underappreciated house in the fandom. Gryffindors are brave, Ravenclaws are intelligent and Slytherins are ambitious. In a world immersed in a battle between good and evil, Hufflepuffs’ kindness seems insignificant and boring. Maybe it’s the badger mascot. Hufflepuffs are viewed as the leftover witches and wizards that don’t fit in the other houses.
Hufflepuffs often fall short when the houses are described. It’s a case of, “The nice guys finish last.” What people tend to overlook are the similarities Hufflepuff has to the other houses. Hufflepuffs may not be known for intelligence, bravery or ambition, but they are known for loyalty, selflessness and hard work. When these traits are applied to school, friendship or battles, Hufflepuffs rival the other houses.
The Wizarding World website tells new Hufflepuffs, “First of all, let’s deal with a perennial myth about the place, which is that we’re the least clever house. WRONG. Hufflepuff is certainly the least boastful house, but we’ve produced just as many brilliant witches and wizards as any other.” In addition, Hufflepuff produced the smallest number of dark wizards in Hogwarts history.
Best known for Newt Scamander, Cedric Diggory and Nymphadora Tonks, Hufflepuff’s main values are loyalty, hard work and patience. Although the house is not fully explored in the original series, often being overlooked, thanks to the “Fantastic Beasts” series, fans get to see Hufflepuff Newt Scamander as the main character.
Not to mention Cedric Diggory, who is often a “Harry Potter” fan’s first interaction with the house. Simone Torn from Screenrant wrote, “Cedric Diggory was probably the most pure-hearted soul in the entire ‘Harry Potter’ series, and he was an honorable Hufflepuff. Somehow, in some magical sort of way, this kid managed to be loved by everyone in the entire school. Even the Slytherins loved Cedric!”
Hufflepuffs are the best of friends. Because of their loyalty and kindness, a Hufflepuff will be there for their friends through thick and thin. Hufflepuffs are kind and empathetic, meaning they will listen to their friends with understanding and sympathy. They have the potential to be loyal to a fault, which can lead to being taken advantage of or throwing themselves into evil to protect those they love. Another downfall of the stereotypical Hufflepuff is their tendency toward dependence — thus, the memes circulating around Slytherin and Hufflepuff best friends.
In an interview, J.K. Rowling addressed those who feel disappointed about being sorted into Hufflepuff. She pointed out that during the final battle at the end of the series, Hufflepuffs fight not for the attention, but to do the right thing. She explained, “They didn’t want to show off, they weren’t being reckless. That’s the essence of the Hufflepuff house.” She went on to say that her daughter told her that everyone should strive to be a Hufflepuff.
One of the coolest things to come out of TikTok is the emergence of aesthetic videos. Many use the Hogwarts houses as a reference, creating aesthetics tailored to their common rooms, house colors and the traits of their members. Each house exhibits a distinct look, and I might be biased, but I think Hufflepuff’s is truly eye-catching. With warm, earthy yellows, sunny light and lively plants, the house shines.
Although I rejected being a Hufflepuff at first, I discovered that no other house suits me better. The traits applied to Hufflepuffs are the traits I find most important in myself, regardless of others’ views on my Hogwarts house. I am proud to be a Hufflepuff. Our main traits are hard work and loyalty. Not only that, but we are known for our excellence in Herbology class and our strong moral conscience, and our common room is the closest to the kitchen.
Like the house’s mascot, the badger, we are kind and unassuming until provoked. Even though Hufflepuff is the most underrated house, I am happy to be a part of it. My niece, who just took the sorting hat quiz for the first time, was ecstatic to be a Hufflepuff because her mother and I, both of us Hufflepuffs and avid “Harry Potter” fans, have a great amount of house pride.
While Slytherin needs more representation besides just Death Eaters and other dark wizards, Hufflepuffs deserve more overall attention than they get in the books and movies. To my fellow Hufflepuffs out there, you are valid. A great deal of people carry Hufflepuffs’ valuable traits; being a Hufflepuff does not make someone foolish or overly kind, but rather selfless and hardworking.
“What people often fail to realize,” Torn summed up, “is the fact that Hufflepuff is the coolest, most badass house at Hogwarts. Badgers should take pride in how awesome their house is, and these guys are some of the most incredible people at the school of witchcraft and wizardry that you’ll ever meet.”
It’s a case of, “The nice guys finish last.” What people tend to overlook are the similarities Hufflepuff has to the other houses.
Each house exhibits a distinct look, and I might be biased, but I think Hufflepuff’s is truly eye-catching.