Perhaps it's time to try this again. This is the new Hufflepuff House thread, and I'm opening it after the previous one was closed. For more details on that, check out this thread. So I implore you all, please stay on topic!

With that out of the way.

You might belong to Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true
and unafraid of toil;

So, what makes Hufflepuff House worth its place in Hogwarts? Which characteristics are unique and important to Hufflepuffs? Why is Hufflepuff considered by many to be a 'lesser' house, and how much truth is there in that? How did the Hufflepuffs we encounter in the series show why they were placed in Hufflepuff?

That should get you started. Happy discussing!

what makes Hufflepuff House worth its place in Hogwarts?
Loyalty is a major trait in Hufflepuff and it is very important in making a great personallity. That is why I think they included it as a house.

Which characteristics are unique and important to Hufflepuffs?
Loyalty, hard working. Important characteristics if you ask me.

Why is Hufflepuff considered by many to be a 'lesser' house, and how much truth is there in that?
I think it is considered to be a lesser house because we don't/didn't know very much about it. We only met I think 3 hufflepuffs throughout the books and that was very briefly. Hannah Abbott, Ernie MacMillan and Zacharias Smith. Another reason it could be a "lesser" house is because the few characters we did know weren't very helpful.(for lack of a better word.) Like in DH: I don't think it is a "lesser house" because one person acts selfish and stuff like Zacharias doesn't mean everyone is.

How did the Hufflepuffs we encounter in the series show why they were placed in Hufflepuff?
Well, I think we only knew, Ernie, Hannah and Zacharias. Ernie was very loyal to the DA.I don't think Zacharias should have been in Hufflepuff more like Slytherin.



I forgot about Cedric, I can't believe I did. He was deffinetly loyal and honest to the very end. He was hard-working as we can tell by the tri-wizard tournament. He represents Hufflepuff the best!

what makes Hufflepuff House worth its place in Hogwarts?

Hufflepuff is a house for a lot of people that are very caring, and compassionate. People involved. I also agree with Cobra that Hufflepuffs are very loyal and that is a very important charachteristic.

Which characteristics are unique and important to Hufflepuffs?
friendliness, loyalty, compassion, involvement, and acceptance, hard-workers

Why is Hufflepuff considered by many to be a 'lesser' house, and how much truth is there in that?

I think it is viewed like that, because, on the whole, Hufflepuff is not a house for people that stand out a lot. Gryffendor is for bravery, Ravenclaw for brains, and Slytherin for Dark Magic. Hufflepuff would take anyone, so her house became a "lesser house" which it really isn't

How did the Hufflepuffs we encounter in the series show why they were placed in Hufflepuff?

All the Hufflepuffs we meet in the book, except for that creep Zacharias, were very friendly, and loyal. They were also willing to accept pretty much anyone. Look at Luna and Ernie especially.

Luna was a ravenclaw tonks&lunalvr. But I know what you mean. They all accept anyone. They were loyal to Hogwarts. they took their part in the war. I think Cedric Diggory is a model Hufflepuff. he has everything that a Hufflepuff is. Honest, hard-working and most of all loyal.

what makes Hufflepuff House worth its place in Hogwarts?

Hufflepuff excepts anyone. All of the other houses only except those with specific qualities, but Hufflepuff includes anyone.

Which characteristics are unique and important to Hufflepuffs?

probably being excepting of anyone, respectful, friendly, loyal

Why is Hufflepuff considered by many to be a 'lesser' house, and how much truth is there in that?

Hufflepuff is considered a "lesser" house because no one needs to be smart, brave, or have dark magic backgrounds, they just have to be themselves. Also, remember in GoF, when Cedric becomes a champion, all of the Hufflepuff's were happy because Hufflepuff house usually doesn't get noticed all that often.

How did the Hufflepuffs we encounter in the series show why they were placed in Hufflepuff?

Cedric is the best example of a Hufflepuff. He was a loyal and trustworthy friend. He was able to look past the fact that Harry was stealing his thunder, and still accept him as the fourth champion.

Sorry Cobra, duh. I knew that about Luna. I'll try to get it straight in future. But, Luna would have made a good Hufflepuff as well.

She deffinetly would have made a great hufflepuff. She was great, hard-working accepted anyone (even if not many people wanted to accept her,) and loyal. The only reason she wasn't, in my opinion, is that she was too smart, like ravenclaws are.

I think that the main characteristics of Hufflepuff is loyalty and hard working
and in my opinion they are very important
and I don't think Hufflpuff is a lesser house, it's just there isn't much about its students

QUOTE

the goblet will return the names of the three it has judged most worthy to represent their schools

Cedric was chosen the champion of Hogwarts

» Click to Show Spoiler - Click Again to Hide... «

also Tonks was a Hufflepuff and she was part of the order of the phoenix, and she died fighting in the battle of Hogwarts

Although Hufflepuff members are usually known for their loyalty and being hard workers, I don't think that means that they aren't brave, intelligent, or ambitious like the other houses.

I think that Hufflepuff is where the mixed go like somebody who is brave, smart and ambitious but doesn't have a defining quality that seperates them. Like somebody who doesn't know where they want to go the most so they just pick Hufflepuff.

Book 7 spoilers -

Anyway!


what makes Hufflepuff House worth its place in Hogwarts?
Well, all of you had said pretty much, loyalty is pretty important and that's what it really focuses on.

Which characteristics are unique and important to Hufflepuffs?
I'll have to say loyalty again. but i don't think it's unique to hufflepuff. LIke some puffs are brave and so are ravenclaws. It's just they're other things as well. Does that make sense.
So i think the same applies to Hufflepuff too. Not being a puff doesn't stop them being loyal.

Why is Hufflepuff considered by many to be a 'lesser' house, and how much truth is there in that?
Because they're colours are yellow and the symbok a badger. Yellow isn't the nicest colour in the world... It would clash horribley with my hair... I also think that it's partly because people think it's the 'left over house.' "Oh, you're not that smart, nor amibitious nor Brave... hmm. I know, we'll make up a new one and put you all in that and call you... um... loyal..."

I don't think there is any truth in that at all. All the 'Puffs we meet seem to be decent brave people. Cedric, loads were in the DA and as well

So yeah, no truth in it.

How did the Hufflepuffs we encounter in the series show why they were placed in Hufflepuff?
You know, there aren't many as we don't really get to know the hufflepuffs that well. But yeah, i'll have to say Cedric as he didn't begrude Harry and saw that it wasn't his choice he was in the tournament. He also repaid his 'debt' to Harry. (If rather cryptically.)

JK said on her website that she thinks bravery is most important. That probably had a lot to do witht the Gryffendors being so emphasized, and the Hufflepuffs, well not really. It sorta sucks, because I would want any of my friends to be loyal over being brave.

Well, I think it is the most important quality, although you need other ones as well.

Yeah. I think Tonks is defiently another great example of a hufflepuff. I'm surprised that we don't hear more about Hufflepuff's that are in the Ministy too. For some reason I could just see them working there.

When I've read through all the replies I stopped for a moment when I saw this sentence. I don't think Hufflepuff includes everyone, but if I'm right, I know what you mean. It's maybe because Hufflepuffs have equal traits from the other houses as well, which is good, however I believe that it means only a well- rounded individual, but these properties can't suit everyone.
The pursuit of knowledge drives Ravenclaws, but it can be also a Hufflepuff quality, because of their hard- working. Or they are loyal to their friends, and like helping others, like a true Gryffindor. And Slytherins are also loyal to their House and their friends, so I think it's really true that Hufflepuffs are interesting and settled students.

And now I must say that I'm so proud of being the member of Hufflepuff, I wanted to be here, I feel that it is the house which really suits me.

Thanks, Axoria, that is a better way to put it. Hufflepuffs are well rounded individuals, who have traits from every house, but aren't totally dominant in one trait.

To any Hufflepuff who is reading this, let's try and let the newbies who just got sorted know that this is out here, and they can come introduce themselves here.

Hey, thanks for telling me about this tonks&lunalvr.
So i'm a newbie to all of this...

anyway, I agree with all of you - how Hufflepuff kind of has all of the qualities of the other houses mushed into one. i think it's sad that people ignore it so much. and in the first book, when Malfoy says something like if he was in hufflepuff he would leave the school (i dont have my book with me..) but that is just so sad, because hufflepuffs are awesome, really, when you think about it.

In an effort to proliferate the usage of the Hufflepuff House Thread, I will start directing people I sort to the threads. Hopefully new Hufflepuffs will meander about the thread every now and again.

As a note, I am really excited to see the Hufflepuff Thread re-opened.

Wooohoooo!!
First off, Thanks Capricorn for giving us an opportunity of having a House Thread again!!! I'm so thrilled

what makes Hufflepuff House worth its place in Hogwarts?
They're just, loyal,very hardworking and patient people
Which characteristics are unique and important to Hufflepuffs?
I think those traits would be loyalty and a most peculiar sense of what is just.
Why is Hufflepuff considered by many to be a 'lesser' house, and how much truth is there in that?
I don't consider it to be a "lesser" house, perhaps it could give that idea because we don't know much about it, but all the characters we knew from Hufflepuff were well regarded; for example Cedric or Ernie.
How did the Hufflepuffs we encounter in the series show why they were placed in Hufflepuff?
They were all loyal in some way, Ernie was very loyal to his regard toward Harry throughout OotP -and to the DA of course- Cedric, had an extreme sense of justice when he declined to run for the Triwizard Cup in the maze, Hannah and Zacharias proved to be very loyal to the DA too
Tonks, was loyal to her feelings, to the Order, and that made her extremely brave too.

just curious, but who do you think really should be in hufflepuff out of the HP characters, like sometimes we get the impression that characters should have been placed in a different house then they were.

and in your mind, who would be or is the best hufflepuff?
thought i would throw that out for discussion

Good questions J_J!!!!!

who do you think really should be in hufflepuff out of the HP characters?

Hermione has two important traits of Hufflepuffs...loyalty and sense of justice
Severus Snape,
...I'll get back to it if I'd other characters

who would be or is the best hufflepuff?
I'm torn between Ernie Macmillan and Cedric Diggory

Well, I agree about that new questions, I think that Cedric Diggory is the best Hufflepuff, he really has the main qualities of Hufflepuffs like being loyal and hardworking.

Good question also that who others could be in our ( ) house, Hermione has really important Hufflepuff qualities, and in addition to loyalty and sense of justice which were already mentioned, I reckon that hardworking is also determinant in Hermione's personality. She is a really clever girl, however if she hadn't spent so much time in library and hadn't learned so many spells and useful things, she wouldn't have been the smartest girl in the school. I mean that the determination and the strength of will are no less important than being clever.

You could be naturally clever, but if you don't work on it, it will never develope into true intellegence; whereas, being a hard worker will aways get you places, regardless of your natural talent.

I think I mentioned in an earilier post, because I got confused, but I really do think that Luna would have made a great Hufflepuff. I don't really know why, that just seems like her. She is very loyal to what she believes in, Krumple-horned snorkaks, gnarles, ect. And, if she wants to, she can really work hard at something

Cedric was certainly a good Hufflepuff, but the best one (in my opinion) was Tonks. She was such a delightful and peppy person. She was also an incredibly talented witch. What was there about her not to like?

Not to be pessemistic or anything, but I think some people would say that how clutsy she was was a fault. I do think that she made up for it more than enough with her great attitude anytime somehting happened that well, wasn't supposed too.

Just to point out how entirely cool she was today's background is the cover of book 5 and she is on it!!! Yay tonks!

I think Hufflepuff was a very interesting house, and I would have been pleased to see it more in the Harry Potter books- it never really came up as much as the other houses. Although i was sorted into Slytherin, I think being sorted into Hufflepuff would be a great compliment to ones charactor (Excluding Zacharius Smith, obviously,-how did he end up in here?)

I have to admit that when I was first sorted into Hufflepuff, I was really disappointed because it is considered the lesser house. The sorting hat actually says that Hufflepuff gets the last choice in its pupils, 'we'll take the rest', as the other houses choose on ability, which is kind of offensive...
But then that just shows how accepting the true puffs are. They don't tend to judge people based on magical ability etc and are also incredibly loyal. The fact that they are hardworking also indicates bravery (at a strech), as they are prepared to work for what they want, something that perhaps many Gryffindors may have trouble with. They are, as the Sorting Hat sums up, unafraid of toil. These are, really, fantastic qualities. It sort of says something about the world that we live in that only the extremes shine. As puffs aren't extremists, their traits aren't overly recognized, which is something of a great pity.

Anyway, I guess I'm pretty pleased to have been sorted into Hufflepuff.

I know what you mean. When I was sorted here that was my original thought. Then I found out what cool people have been in Hufflepuff, and the qualities shared by true Hufflepuffs. After that, I decided that Hufflepuff was pretty cool. It is too bad the world we live in today classifies us as such ( I mean the "lesser" house.) Anyway, we're glad to have you here.

I've been thinking about this long and hard, and the only way that I can justify how Zacharius Smith actually ended up here is that he was accepted on the 'we'll take the rest' basis. He's not brave, not particuarly smart nor cunning, just a very arrogant idiot really. He couldn't have been accepted in any other house.

Anyway thanks tonks&lunalvr I'm glad to be here.

I think you are soo right, Mundu. I guess that's one thing that comes along with being a Hufflepuff, you end up with all the pompous idiots that no one else wants!
Ernie, McMillan is sort of like that, I mean he is pompous, but I think he has a good heart, which is the main reason he's a hufflepuff.

Hufflepuff is also characterized by loyalty and hard-workers. Smith is arrogant (according to Harry...and me). But we have no idea how loyal he is to people, nor do we know if he is a hard-worker. I don't recall many moments which would give us a definitive reason why he was a Hufflepuff.

Granted, he does seem to belong to the 'all the rest.' At least he does on the surface. For my part, I think he was a descendant of the original Hufflepuff, so that may have had something to do with it.

Oh! Hepzibah Smith! Duh! Yeah he could be a descendant, but then 'Smith' isn't exactly the rarest name in the world, but then again this is a novel and for the sake of clarity most novels only double up on names for a reason. So blood could be the only reason he ended up here... hmm, food for thought.

You could be right, yet it is the most common surname...
I think that if he was somehow the heir of Hufflepuff, and he being as arrogant as he is, I'm sure he would've said something about that...besides he belonging to the Hufflepuff Quidditch team, he being the descendant of one of Hogwarts founders could have been perfectly used as means for standing out from the rest of his fellow Hufflepuffs..and it would've been like that if we take into account that this House was considered a lesser one.

Yeah he probably would have said something, but he might not have known... Heaps of people don't seem to know much about their ancestry

So yes, maybe he is the heir of Hufflepuff, but he doesn't know it?

Poor old pompous Ernie! I always wondered why he wasn't in Slytherin since he could trace his pureblood ties back 9 generations...and Zacharias Smith, another pompous one, I wonder how far back he could trace his purebloodedness?

Ofcourse Ernie did stand up at the rnd of DH and say so I guess he was a true Hufflepuff. In fact he stood up for Dumbledore and believed in Harry when others didn't. Zacharias Smith on the other hand was dragged away from Hogwarts by his father before DD's funeral, this implys that he and his family were not supportive of DD's ways.

I don't know, I like Ernie! He is pompous, but does demonstrate Hufflepuff qualities. I guess what I have to keep in mind is that he is his own person, and simply because he fits best into the mould of one house doesn't make him a carbon copy of the house founder you know? It's DD's ultimate message isn't it? "Choices maketh the man".

Ernie is pompous, but I think he is most importantly fiercely loyal to his friends. You see that hugely in Goblet of Fire, when he won't even talk to Harry in herbology anymore. You also see it in... I think it's Order of the Pheonix, when he stands up for Harry, and tells him that he believes him and Dumbledore about LV coming back.
I don't think anyone is a carbon copy mold of the house they were sorted into. Look at Neville and Ron as prime examples, or Zacharias Smith. It's just where you fit the best.
I do agree with you, Mundu about Dumbledore's quote.

what makes Hufflepuff House worth its place in Hogwarts?
unswerving loyalty, great knowledge, unbeatable courage, not need for riches i think that every hufflepuff is diffrenent with there own characteristics some have the utmost loyalty some are the most well learnt some have courage to rival gryffindor we are not stereotypical like allthe slytherins or ravenclaws we are who we are thats why we deserve our place.
Which characteristics are unique and important to Hufflepuffs?
loyalty, toil, compassion, friendship, love forgiveness all the best ones
Why is Hufflepuff considered by many to be a 'lesser' house, and how much truth is there in that?
no truth what so ever i say the reason why i say that is because we hardly see the hufflepuffs at there full game the pinnacles are missed cedric is a prime one person in the whole series that shows what a real hufflepuff can do!
How did the Hufflepuffs we encounter in the series show why they were placed in Hufflepuff?
ernie apologises to harry being a loyal friend erm cedric another great friend helped harry after harry helped him he was going to let harry have the triwizard cup im not going to the books right know but those are some examples.

Yeah, Ernie does definately deserve his place in Hufflepuff. He is really quite fair and loyal, though perhaps lets his emotions cloud his judgement sometimes. But that's okay Ernie's also humble, like what Rox pointed out: he apologises to Harry for doubting him etc.

Hufflepuff is the only house who we see its current members admit their mistakes and ask for forgiveness (besides Gryffindor, which doesn't count since we see them so often). I find it interesting that Hufflepuffs seem more readily willing to put themselves out in the open and admit they were wrong.

We see Ernie do that. We see Cedric do the same. I like how Hufflepuffs can "swallow their pride" and do what they know is right, and for the right reasons.

Every house has great importance and Cedric is oneof the most important characters in the series.......

Hufflepuff is more a mix of the other houses in my opinion.......They don't have one dominating or overwhelming gift or talent.......yet they have an assortment of all different talents that combine to form one great person.....


Hufflepuff is an important house and it had its time in the spotlight when Cedric came to pominence......Every house is important

I really think that is something noteworthy. Hufflepuffs are willing to put themselves out there. If they find out they're wrong it's okay, they can swallow their pride and apologize. I think in Gryffindor, you get carried away with pride, which is one thing that causes the trio so many problems. Puffs also really want to do the right thing. When the DA was formed, you had a lot of hufflepuffs in there, because they knew Umbridge was evil, and wanted to fight her and LV.

I think you're probably right, tonks&lunalvr and 7134407. Simply because Hufflepuff hasn't got a single defining trait, as other houses do, it's considered the lesser house, when really it is a mix of all the houses, making (more often than not) a well-rounded likeable person. Because of this mix of traits, Hufflepuffs can deal with what life throws at them and, as you say, swallow their pride and apologise when necessary. This hasn't really added any more detail that was here before, sorry. Trying to do 3 things at once does not equate to intelligent posting. I'll come back and post some more stuff later.

Hufflepuff isn't about not being a Ravenclaw, Gryffindor or Slytherin. Hufflepuff is being Hufflepuff. I never agreed with the notion that Hufflepuffs are a mixture of the other houses. Almost every student is a mixture of multiple houses.

The Hufflepuff student is defined by the qualities they possess, loyalty, honesty and hard-work. They are not defined by their lack of other qualities. As we saw, many Hufflepuffs were brave. It was not a lack of bravery that kept them from being in Gryffindor, it was their greater belief in loyalty, honesty and work ethic.

First, I totally disagree with 7134407 and Mundu. Us, Hufflepuffs do have a defining trait, and it is loyalty. Just as Gryffindors are supposed to be brave, and Ravenclws really smart and Slytherin extremelly cunning. We are loyal. No house, whatsoever is a mixture of the others or a lack of the others. Supposedly, each student is supposed to be sorted into a house that helps develop their traits, their most characteristic ones. So I must say, we don´t lack or combine any other traits.
So I say I agree with 7134407 in the other fact that each house has its trait.

I personally consider that students into each one of the houses can have the other traits that the other houses have, but in lesser quantities. I have a friend who got sorted in a website that pretty much describes this: it said that she was 70% Gryffindor because she´s outgoing and brave and 30% Hufflepuff because she´s loyal.

So I must say I agree with After the Burial:

Hey everyone! I was just sorted into Hufflepuff! (woohoo!) Anyways, to answer one of the original questions regarding what traits are specific to Hufflepuff, I found this (it was originally posted by Storm10115)

"What an honor to be sorted into Hufflepuff! The house based on values and virtues over simply deeds. Not that the Hufflepuffs don't do anything worthwhile, it's just that here importance is based more on how you are, not what you do. Hufflepuff is all about acceptance. Since when is that a bad thing?

In Hufflepuff, there is a fallacy that the members are simply average, not good enough to get into the other houses. This is most definately not so. Just because Hufflepuff doesn't discriminate against people for not being good enough (or brave, smart, and ambitious enough), does not mean that the entire house is full of wimps, as people seem to think. While, yes, hard-workers are most likely to enter Hufflepuff, this does not mean there aren't other qualities. The fact that Helga Hufflepuff will take "all the rest" can and is seen as a bad thing, by some.

A Hufflepuff is loyal to their friends, trustworthy and patient, and often hard-working. One need not to fit all the criteria of a house to belong it it, nor not have any of the other House's values.

Last, I hope I need not remind you of Cedric Diggory, the one champion chosen for Hogwarts, over all the cunning Slytherins, brave Gryffindors, and clever Ravenclaws. You'd do good not to doubt Hufflepuff."

For me, Tonks personifies the Hufflepuff qualities -- her loyalty and dedication to the OOTP and to Remus is wonderful! Maybe I missed it, but when did we find out Tonks was a Hufflepuff?

Welcome to the Hufflepuff House Thread Belladawna!!

Well Joe Mead, I agree with you , every person does have some traits that are more outstanding than other attributes, yet that doesn't mean the end of the story.
I believe that in essence, we all have other pecuilarities that could make us belong in other Houses, but, as you said there is a defining trait that is concluding, so students are sorted in a House in order to develop those traits.

Maybe 7134407 and Mundu think the same as you, but they expressed themselves differently.

Thanks for the welcome, Phoenix_1! When I was first sorted into this house, I did a little research, and found that it's the right place for me. Go Hufflepuff!

I found it very interesting in book 7

I love that a Puff's loyalty also brings about bravery when they feel "their own" is being threatened. While we have the characteristics of loyalty, acceptance, and being hard-working, it seems that bravery, intelligence and cunning all seem to follow right along.

Joe Mead - I think that was what I was trying to say! Hufflepuffs are defined by loyalty, which is not something that is necessarily obvious to an outsider, whereas a strong wit (Ravenclaw) etc might be more so. Reading over my previous posts, I guess I didn't make myself totally clear. I still think that Puff's tend to be more well-rounded people compared to other houses though.

Belladawna - Welcome! Hufflepuff is a pretty good place to be . Precisely what I was trying to say!

An interesting comment. Since they jumped up to Harry's defence, do you think they regard Harry as one of their own? Given his history with Cedric (which, I am sure, they did not know all the details as we do), do you think they felt as if Harry was one of them? It is entirely possible they felt Harry was one of them as far as they were all one group opposed to Voldemort.

I think that the Puffs did feel as though Harry was one of their own. They did feel hard-done-by etc with the whole triwizard champion thing, but I think that Harry redeemed himself in their eyes later on. He brought back Cedric's body, ran the DA, openly stated his position against Voldemort (which was a lot more than anyone else was doing) and was generally friendly towards them. The Puffs probably forgave Harry, or saw past the incident, and chose to join ranks with him with the common ground of defeating Voldemort binding them together. Hufflepuff's are a very forgiving lot that don't hold grudges.