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[entremet]

“Nobody wants to be Hufflepuff.” It’s a fairly common sentiment, but when Mindy Kaling tweeted it on Wednesday, she brought to mind Draco Malfoy’s first appearance in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, when he chats with the book’s hero about the four houses of Hogwarts. “I know I’ll be in Slytherin, all our family have been—imagine being in Hufflepuff, I think I’d leave, wouldn’t you?” As even the normally benevolent Hagrid puts it, “Everyone says Hufflepuff are a lot o’ duffers.”

Hufflepuffs are supposedly defined by strong loyalty, disinterest in public glory, and a hardworking spirit. Perhaps that’s why they don’t stand out: Hufflepuffs have an ethos of self-improvement, while Gryffindors are brave, Ravenclaws preternaturally smart, and Slytherins deeply ambitious. When translating the four houses into vague personality quadrants for us non-magical Muggles (as many websites do), Hufflepuff comes up especially short. Not extroverted, or cunning, or inherently intelligent? Then you must belong to the other house, which, as Kaling joked, nobody wants. But that doesn’t make much sense considering how much she herself values hard work.

Full article:

http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2015/09/hufflepuff-rules/405937/

J.K. Rowling also commented on Hufflepuff's rise:

https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/641608420664152064?ref_src=twsrc^tfw

Did the writer read NeoGAF lol:

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1056055

 

[ScottSullivan]

So essentially Hufflepuffs are the drones of the wizard world then? You can count on them to work hard but not ever try to get a promotion or change the world with innovation in magiks?

 

[BorkBork]

Houses are a bad idea.

 

[Talon]

Sounds like a bunch of basic bitches.

 

[Escape Goat]

Houses are a bad idea.

Harry Potter and the Red Wedding

 

[entremet]

So essentially Hufflepuffs are the drones of the wizard world then? You can count on them to work hard but not ever try to get a promotion or change the world with innovation in magiks?

The world needs workers bees. They keep everything running smoothly. Not everyone can be a star.

 

[DominoKid]

Nah you cant make a case for Hufflepuff. Even the name sounds like JK didnt want you to take them seriously.

 

[Kinyou]

Hufflepuff can suck it

 

[Frog-fu]

Hufflepuff is the best house.

It's the house of the hardworking, loyal and friendly folk. The backbone of the wizarding world.

Overambitious opportunists, intellectual elitists and foolhardy brutes can go fuck a hippogriff.

 

[PJV3]

Are they just dull?

 

[googleplex]

Sounds like a bunch of basic bitches.

Cedric Diggery was Huffelpuff and he was a boss. So was Maddam Bones and she was not to be fucked with.

Huffelpuff values hard work and loyalty. Nothing basic about that.

 

[AnathemicOne]

So Hufflepuff is "'Murica Bootstraps" ?

 

[Courage]

Hufflepuff had the best colors. That's about it.

 

[dorkkaos]

House system promotes prejudice! Also, I thought the sorting hat took the most dominant trait? I mean, think about it. If Rock Lee was in hogwarts, he'd be a hufflepuff! Tonks is hufflepuff and she's awesome!




Edit: Now that I think about it, Hufflepuff could also be the house of the "niceguys (tm)". Hmm.

 

[Kyzer]

Hufflepuff sounds like a medicinal weed strain

 

[hydrophilic attack]

Hufflepuff is the best house.

It's the house of the hardworking, loyal and friendly folk. The backbone of the wizarding world.

Overambitious opportunists, intellectual elitists and foolhardy brutes can go fuck a hippogriff.

Well that escalated quickly

 

[George Oscar Bluth II]

Hufflepuff had Cedric and Tonks. They don't need defending.

 

[Fou-Lu]

Houses are taken too seriously in the books and in the fandom. Shitty people and great people can come from any house or personality type.

 

[Qurupeke]

You're not smart,brave or evil? Hufflepuff it is.

 

[-duskdoll-]

The world needs workers bees. They keep everything running smoothly. Not everyone can be a star.

That's exactly what a Hufflepuff would say.

 

[googleplex]

You're not smart,brave or evil? Hufflepuff it is.

Cedric Diggery was both smart and brave.

 

[Valhelm]

I'm sure Hufflepuffs run the Ministry

 

[-NeoTB1-]

I signed up for Pottermore a while back, and I was put in Hufflepuff. Then it turns out they won the House Cup.

Suck it, haters.

 

[Qurupeke]

Cedric Diggery was both smart and brave.

True, I'm still not sure how he ended up on Hufflepuff.

 

[Haly]

True, I'm still not sure how he ended up on Hufflepuff.

Rowling realized she made a mistake by nerfing Hufflepuff from book 1 and gave them Cedric to compensate.

 

[Frog-fu]

Well that escalated quickly

Wassup, bro? We got a problem?

That's exactly what a Hufflepuff would say.

You mean a Slytherin arguing in favour of the status quo to keep hardworking people down.

 

[Opto]

"Who has two thumbs and is a Hufflepuff. I'm a Hufflepuff."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0Z5_wipT2o

 

[Fusion Pizza]

Hufflepuff == Stoners

 

[NipplesAndToes23]

They do make them sound like chumps in the books, but people are way more antagonistic to Slytherin given that every dark wizard came out of Slytherin. Well Peter Pettigrew is an exception. I'm not sure why he was in Gryffindor. He was cowardly, the exact opposite of Gryffindor.

The indifference to the house is evident when Hufflepuff said she'd just take the rest.

 

[Goodstyle]

The article tries to prove it's point by demonstrating how valuable "Hufflepuff" traits are, but it's completely missing the point. There's a big difference between what we consider good and what we decide we want. Hufflepuff is unwanted because the traits that define the other houses are far more exciting and colourful. Hufflepuff in comparison sounds dronish.

 

[Frog-fu]

When shit went down in the final book, the Puffs stood and fought alongside the Gryffindors just like they did during the civil war with Voldy.

Of course they didn't get credited for either. They never get their due and that's why they're the unsung heroes of the wizarding world.

 

[Balphon]

Cedric Diggory was a Hufflepuff.

 

[liliththepale]

Although the series later becomes much more nuanced, the first book is very black and white. Gryffindors are all ultimately good and Slytherins are mainly evil. Making Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw interesting from the get-go would have distracted from that simple narrative.

As the series goes on, Harry et al grow up, so their view on the world matures and becomes more nuanced, which appreciably sheds new light on many things and opens up shades of gray. But even in the fifth book, the Sorting Hat describes Hufflepuff as the house that gets all the rest. Not as hard working or loyal like they're sometimes described, but as a safety net that Helena Hufflepuff put out there because she wanted to teach all wizards, not just the brave or cunning ones. She was the original #AllWizardsMatter.

 

[Faddy]

Hufflepuff is just bland. Even Diggery doesn't come across as either smart or brave and only succeeded in the tri-wizard cup due to outside help. It seems obvious to me that Barty Crouch Jnr not only confunded the Goblet of Fire to produce Harry's name but also Cedric's knowing he would be no real competition for Potter.

 

[Sho_Nuff82]

Houses are taken too seriously in the books and in the fandom. Shitty people and great people can come from any house or personality type.

Snape is the only Slitheryn in the entire novel series, alum or current student, with a shred of integrity.

The house system is meant as a very simple Jedi/Sith divide in a teen-level morality story.

 

[NipplesAndToes23]

Houses are a bad idea.

That's one thing Voldemort got right. The House system did create aggression between students and some teachers played favoritism like Snape and Umbridge.

In the creation of the system, the Sorting Hat revealed what each of the founders said who should be taught at the school.

Slytherin only wanted purebloods to be taught
Gryffindor wanted the bravest
Ravenclaw wanted the smartest
Hufflepuff said fuck it, I'll take the rest.


Slytherin house was founded on racism and many characters in the house had similar feelings. Draco, Luscious, and Black's family all hated muggle borns. Slughorn thought it was funny sometimes how a muggle born can be smart and exceptional at magic, Umbridge took pride in being pureblood too, Snape had underlying feelings towards muggle borns as well, and we all know Voldemort's stances.

The other founders notions were okay, but only Hufflepuff had the right mind. Anyone should be able to learn magic.

 

[SoulUnison]

Cedric Diggery was both smart and brave.

True, I'm still not sure how he ended up on Hufflepuff.

He was really smart and really brave, but he was even more loyal and believing in fair play.
I don't think having your "house's attribute" diminishes or calls into question anything else good about you - it just means it's your "strongest" of the four traits the houses rally themselves to.
Bravery, Curiosity, Loyalty, and Ambition.

Still, yeah. Houses are a bad idea.

 

[injurai]

So Hufflepuff is "'Murica Bootstraps" ?

Hufflepuff == Stoners

I'm sure Hufflepuffs run the Ministry

All of the above. Hermes from futurama would be hufflepuff.

 

[liliththepale]

Hufflepuff is just bland. Even Diggery doesn't come across as either smart or brave and only succeeded in the tri-wizard cup due to outside help. It seems obvious to me that Barty Crouch Jnr not only confunded the Goblet of Fire to produce Harry's name but also Cedric's knowing he would be no real competition for Potter.

Setting aside how difficult it would be for Barty Crouch Jr. to survey every 17yo at Hogwarts for the mere month before champions were chosen, Cedric was often described as the most cunning of the triwizard champions. Harry is jealous of Cedric's talents the entire book.

 

[border]

I'm never sure if people actually liked Hufflepuff, or they just like it ironically since it's such a boring and ill-defined lot.

The fourth house should have been people who were creative or romantic or dramatic. Instead it's just this weird fourth group that is almost never featured and feels out of place.

 

[Dishwalla]

If I was at Hogwarts I'd be in Hufflepuff. Fuck ya'll Gryffindorks.

 

[Haly]

The fourth house should have been people who were creative or romantic or dramatic.

This wouldve been a lot better and nicely parallel Gryffindor/slytherin.

 

[-duskdoll-]

He was really smart and really brave, but he was even more loyal and believing in fair play.
I don't think having your "house's attribute" diminishes or calls into question anything else good about you - it just means it's your "strongest" of the four traits the houses rally themselves to.
Bravery, Curiosity, Loyalty, and Ambition.

Still, yeah. Houses are a bad idea.

Basically this. Harry was loyal and Hermione was smart, it's just that they were more courageous than they were loyal or smart.

I'm never sure if people actually liked Hufflepuff, or they just like it ironically since it's such a boring and ill-defined lot.

Honestly it was the most forgettable house for me. It was Ravenclaw, Slytherin, Gryffindor and that other house, and i think that was partly Rowling's fault.

 

[SenorArdilla]

Pat: Hey it's that thing that tells you if you're evil! ...and a racist!?
Matt: Oh you're either gonna be part of the evil racist group --
Pat: Oh golly, just like my dad!
Matt: -- or the three nice groups.
Pat: You can get to be a cool guy, a huge nerd, a racist, or this asshole named Hufflepuff!
Matt: Yo whatever, Hufflepuffs: we ride together, we die together. I got your back Hufflepuffs!
Pat: They WOULD die together!
Matt: Yeah they would, in droves.
Pat: You know, Hufflepuff is the assembly line worker of the magic world.

 

[NipplesAndToes23]

Basically this. Harry was loyal and Hermione was smart, it's just that they were more courageous than they were loyal or smart.

I don't recall loyalty being a trait that the hat or another character emphasized in the book. In the first one the hat considered putting him in Slytherin and we know that was just because

Spoiler

it sensed Voldemort's soul

in him.

 

[rtcn63]

I thought this was about the Huffington Post

 

[Duster]

"I've always thought in Hufflepuff they just spend the day making stuff with safety scissors and glitter."

Snape is the only Slitheryn in the entire novel series, alum or current student, with a shred of integrity.

The house system is meant as a very simple Jedi/Sith divide in a teen-level morality story.

Slughorn too! I think he was the only one fighting for Hogwarts in the final battle. That really pissed me off, I can't believe after all that was said about the houses that not one Slitheryn stayed to fight for their school, even Voldermort himself would have back in the day.

 

[Siphorus]

Hufflepuff was just a bunch of stoners. Slythern got the sofas.

 

[Haly]

Basically this. Harry was loyal and Hermione was smart, it's just that they were more courageous than they were loyal or smart.

Doesn't fit the text at all. Hermione could magic the pants off of everyone in their grade, and many people above theirs. She was their generation's Tom Riddle or Albus Dumbledore. To say she was more courageous than she was smart would turn her into a Joan of Arc character, which she clearly wasn't.

She was the voice of moderation in the trio. If HP was a saturday morning cartoon, she'd be the nerdy buzz-killer always looking for the safest solutions.

Hermione was likely Ravenclaw in earlier drafts but the logistics of a Ravenclaw being so close to 2 Gryffindors wasn't working out, hence, Gryffindor. Similarly, Pettigrew is pretty much the opposite of a Gryffindor but he had to be in Gryffindor because of plot.

If Rowling settled for more inter-house mingling the Houses themselves would've been much more fleshed out everywhere, but she turned it into a rigid factional system for whatever reason then hammered the plot into its mold.

 

[Etrian Oddity]

Hufflepuffs make the wizarding world go 'round. They aren't gloryhogs, they work hard, and they're not evil. Probably have the longest lifespan average of the houses, too.