For those of you who aren’t Harry Potter fans, fleeting conversations with your Potterhead friends, memes floating around the Internet, and a basic concept of popular culture has probably equipped you with the following knowledge about the boy who lived and his story: Harry was sorted in Gryffindor house which is where all the good guys go. His snake-looking arch-nemesis Voldemort was in Slytherin which is where all the bad guys go. And, as for the other two houses which are pretty much insignificant, Ravenclaw is for the smart kids and Hufflepuff is for all of the rejects. Although this is certainly a common summary of the four Hogwarts houses it is also completely and totally oversimplified and wrong! In truth, there are not so good Gryffindors (like the disloyal Peter Pettigrew AKA Wormtail or arrogant Cormac McLaggen), and good, kind Slytherins (like the morally ambiguous Severus Snape or the quirky potions professor Horace Slughorn – not to mention that Hamilton creator and all-around wonderful human being Lin-Manuel Miranda considers himself to be a real-life Slytherin). Ravenclaw house is about more than just brains; it is a home to students who are curious, creative, and unique. But the house I’d like to focus on today is my own – Hufflepuff. I’d say that Hufflepuff is the most commonly bashed Hogwarts house in the Harry Potter series. We’re often dismissed as “the kids who didn’t fit into any of the other houses” or as “useless lumps without any defining characteristics other than being “nice.” Again, an oversimplification and completely untrue. Luckily, with the release of the Fantastic Beasts films starring Eddie Redmayne as the Hufflepuff Newt Scamander, many people have been appreciating Hufflepuffs for who they are – a distinct group of passionate, kind individuals who are so much more than the “Hogwarts rejects.” So grab your black and yellow scarf, get your badger pride on, and let’s cover the top five reasons why Hufflepuffs are awesome and inexcusably underrated.
- WE ARE KIND
Of course, as with any other Hogwarts house, Hufflepuffs cannot be defined by a single trait. However, if you were attempting to encapsulate the house’s defining feature in a single word, it would likely be “kind.” I believe that we live in a society in which kindness is severely underappreciated. We praise the student who comes out on top, wins a prize, or gains admission into an Ivy League institution over the child who says “thank you,” holds a door for someone, and takes responsibility for his, her, or their own mistakes. Many of us are taught to be the loudest voice in the room, claw our way to the top, and, if necessary, lie and cheat to get an advantage. In addition, our country is more politically divided than ever, and hate, racism, and scapegoating are far more common than they should be. However, it’s the people who donate their time, treat others with compassion, and strive toward inclusivity who are truly making this world a better place. During the COVID pandemic, my family and I watched John Krasinski’s Some Good News as a way to escape the political headlines and tragic stories of death. This was a refreshing reminder that it is only because of the people who do good in the world that we are able to advance as a society and help those in need. At the fictional Battle of Hogwarts, nearly all of the Hufflepuffs stayed to fight, not because they wanted glory or fame, but because they were loyal to their friends and ideals. And we’ve produced the smallest number of dark wizards. Don’t mistake Hufflepuffs’ kindness for weakness – in reality, it is our greatest strength, and this country needs Hufflepuff leaders more than ever.
- WE ARE HARD WORKERS
Hard work is, again, another trait that I believe to be underappreciated in our society. The United States, in many ways, was built on the ideal that if you work hard and have determination, you can achieve anything; that’s the essence of the American Dream. There are many inspirational stories of people who worked for what they have, and that’s a beautiful thing. However, there are also countless examples of people who have only reached success by being dishonest and stepping on other peoples’ backs. Standardized testing such as the ACT and SAT recognize students who are naturally intelligent and have the resources to obtain tutoring and prep. But it’s the kids who work hard and fight against any obstacle – the Hufflepuffs – that will really be the movers and shakers of this world – and they achieve success honestly and fairly.
- OUR MEMBERS ARE ADMIRABLE
Gryffindor has Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Slytherin has Voldemort, Snape, and Draco Malfoy. Ravenclaw has Luna Lovegood, Cho Chang, Professor Flitwick, and Ollivander, the famed wand maker. Who is in Hufflepuff? Despite the lack of representation for Hufflepuff house, we are the proud home to several stand-out badgers. As previously mentioned, Newt Scamander is probably the most famous of our ranks. A magizoologist with a big heart, Newt is largely responsible for saving the world from the dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald during his campaign to cleanse society of “no-majes,” more commonly known as “muggles.” Cedric Diggory is another stand out. He may have made the girls in his year swoon with his good looks (Hey, Twilight fans, we had Robert Pattinson first!) but he was also so popular because he was a genuinely decent human. He objected to his classmates who wore “Potter Stinks” badges during the Triwizard Tournament, when Harry alerted Cedric to an upcoming task he returned the favor, and he was comfortable sharing the spotlight with Harry even though he should have been the only Hogwarts champion in the Triwizard Tournament. We’ve also got Nymphadora Tonks, the spunky Metamorphmagus who didn’t discriminate against Remus Lupin because he was a werewolf, was a proud member of The Order of the Phoenix, and fought bravely at The Battle of Hogwarts. Still aren’t convinced that Hufflepuffs are cool? Just look at real world celebrities Eddie Redmayne, Dwayne Johnson (The Rock), Chris Evans, and John Green, all of whom are all proud Hufflepuffs.
- WE’RE THE HOUSE OF MISFITS
Perhaps part of the reason why Hufflepuff is known as the “misfit house” is because we are welcoming to everyone. Just look at the lyrics to this song sung by the Sorting Hat when explaining the founding of Hogwarts:
Said Slytherin, “We’ll teach just those
Whose ancestry’s purest.”
Said Ravenclaw, “We’ll teach those whose
Intelligence is surest.”
Said Gryffindor, “We’ll teach all those
With brave deeds to their name.”
Said Hufflepuff, “I’ll teach the lot
And treat them just the same.”
Need I say more? And we have a long tradition of being quirky and fun as well as kind, hardworking, and tolerant. Fun facts about us: the Hufflepuff common room is right next to the Hogwarts kitchens so we love food! Our ghost is the Fat Friar, the most amiable of Hogwarts’ spirits. We love to party and go out but we also appreciate a chill night in. And we’re also excellent finders (shout out to the people who got my A Very Potter Musical reference).
- DON’T BELIEVE ME? ASK J.K. ROWLING HERSELF
If you still aren’t convinced that Hufflepuffs are awesome, heed the words of J.K. Rowling, author of the Potter stories. She has been quoted saying that “in many ways, Hufflepuff is my favorite house,” and has encouraged us all to be more like a Hufflepuff.
So, whether you’re a Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, or just a muggle who was completely baffled by what you just read (if you even made it this far), please remember the golden rule and treat Hufflepuffs with kindness, the way you’d want to be treated. Because you can be certain that we badgers will return the favor.