Buckbeak, that's a good idea, although she began writing HP many years before she had children. Though this isn't impossible. (Some of us "adults" do watch children's TV programmes and are unashamed )

Since I don't live in the UK, I cannot tell you if they really broadcast that series or not. While I was there for a few weeks, it wasn't on, but that hardly says anything.

Why she chose the badger, well, only JKR herself knows at this point. Maybe this mystery will be solved in the final installment? Let us hope...

As an aside: In German fables, the badger is called "Meister Grimbart" (Meister meaning "master" and Grim...well I think you'll understand.) Meister Grimbart is a very rough, very solitary animal and constantly in a bad mood and grumbling about this and that. He's apt to end up arguing with the other animals. (The German expression "Frechdachs" means "cheeky badger")

@Sianon: Yeah you're right about Meister Grimmbart, but you forgot to mention that the badger in german tales is also mostly the oldest and wisest character.

As I was little child i often saw a series called "Als die Tiere den Wald verliessen". It was also aired in England, there named "Animals of farthing wood". It was production of the german cannel WDR and BBC. In this series was also a badger, a very old one, he's described with this words: "Er ist sehr liebenswürdig und klug, aber auch etwas schreckhaft." Translated in English: "He is very kind and clever, but also easily frightend."

Maybe that could influence JKR too. But I don't think we'll ever know

Queen, you're a star!

Thanks for reminding me. Curiously enough, only the one bit I wrote about stuck in my memory. You were perfectly right to quote from "Animals of Farthing Wood". I must have watched that as well, for it rings a bell - but as you said ages ago. Don't know if there were any re-runs of that.

Yes, buckbeak I remember that show, also Animals of Farthing Wood rings a bell in the old noggin'.
Badgers, I beleive also had the name Brocks, in the olden days, I'm not sure if that helps or not.

sorry, it wasn't meant to be that big:unsure: I didn't know the sizes

Thanks for calling me a star (and yes I am one )

@Cherry: What is a brocks or what's the meaning of this word. Sorry but I couldn't find it in my two dictonaries and so I'm helpless at the moment.

Anytime, Queen.

Well, as far as I gather, "Brocks" is just a name. It's completely unfamiliar to me and I can't think of a word connected with it. The ending -s is often used in nicknames or some such (Tonks, Mollywobbles *g*...).

I can't be sure, of course, since I'm not a native speaker. So far, though, I'd suggest it's a name of dubious meaning, if it has one...

Native speakers - any comments?

Edit: Well, of course brook or "Brooks" are words, and a name respectively, but I'm not sure if that's what they mean.

Brocks is a 'cheifly British' word for badger. I didn't actually know this until I looked it up and I'm guessing, as it's a fairly old English word, that not many people would have heard it, especially if their first language isn't English. I didn't even know it and English is my first language! I suppose what Cherry was really saying is just that it's another name for a badger although it's not particularly useful.

Why, thanks!

I'm quite familiar with (British) English, I daresay, though I'm German. But "Brocks" I have never heard of, and it's not even in older dictionaries. So kudos to you, Golden Phoenix.

Lol guys

Hey I've got a new topic: I don't agree with the "Hufflepuff is a mix of every house" theory; actually, I think Hufflepuff was one of the original houses, also Ravenclaw and Gryffindor. I'm now studing Arts at an academy, and Hufflepuff yellow, Griffindor red and Ravenclaw blue are the original colours, leaving Slytheryn to be the "excluded one" in green, not only in colours, but in thoughts too.

What do you think?

sorry i got a idea from your colors gabaluba, (to state the oboivous) blue and yellow (or Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff) make green. so is it possible that Slytherins could possibly be like us (Both Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw) but got a little to much... pride?

Sorry crayz ideas just pop in my head feel free to disagree with me

P.S. hope this is aloud to talk about?

I don't think so. I think it is just a coinsidense (sorry I am a horrible speller) I think we are like Gryffindor! I mean come on! We are brave like them we have pride! Say so if you think I am wrong. I also don't think we are like Ravenclaw. They seem well I don't know just different not like us! Well anyone else have anything to say? You guys should go to this site! It is all about Hufflepuff! Hufflepuff Pride Check it out!

-September

well err... I'm new to Hufflepuff so... Hi! I have no idea what y'all are saying about badgers lol... Well what should I do now? Anybody got any suggestions?

Duke not to be rude, but please do not post short off topic subjects. We have already had this thread closed once, we don't need it again.

Now about who we are alike, I actually do think we are like every single house in a way....We are like Gryffindor because of our bravery and unafraid of toilness, Ravenclaw, because we can think through situations, Slytherin (yes I know no one wants to hear this but) because we have cunning and are sly to a degree, but we do have something all our own....Our loyalty.


Fawkes

Hi everyone!
I've been a Hufflepuff for a while but this is my first post here.I just wanted to read all the thread before posting...

First of all, I'm really glad I was sorted into Hufflepuff, cause to tell the truth I dont like that much of the other houses, except maybe Ravenclaw. I dont know why, but since the first time I read the books I prefered Hufflepuff over the others.

Now, about the topics:
About our mascote, I relly think that the badger is the one for us. For what was said here about them I think that they do fit us pretty well and I completely trust JKR's choice of that mascote for us.

About the names of the four founders, I agree about what was said about it, although I have an idea about the first name of Salazar Slytherin. JKR lived in Portugal for some time and here we had a fascist (sp?) dictator named Salazar.It might be a reference to that...

About the theory of Hufflepuff being a mix of the other three houses I have to say that I agree with that, cause we do have caracteristics of the other houses (the best I must say ) but we gave them our touch.What I mean by this is that we have the caracteristics but just in the right amount, for example we are not too cunning as the Slytherins are, we have just enough of it and when combined with the other qualities we possess it's the perfect "mariage" for succeding in life.

I hope it wasnt too confusing cause i'm really bad when it comes to explain my ideas...

First welcome to Nymphadora and Duke Drachen!

It seems that we are a mix of the other houses, but I think that's just because all people combine much different abbilities in them. The houses all have their own "big" ability and of course that are not the only skills/traits. So in every house are the same traits, but one stick out. Do you know what I mean, because I made it a bit difficult to understand.

Well I don't know about you guys but I think we need something new to talk about! How about when Zacharias Smith commentaried the Quidditch match? That was really funny. But it was also really harsh. Well that didn't last long how about..... ugh this is so hard! What about we talk about who we think the heir of Hufflepuff would be? I think it is Zacharias but that is pretty impossible and it has already been proved wrong. How about why our colors are yellow and Black? I mean why that seems strange and yellow and black are two totally opposite colors! Why do you think those are our colors?

-September
(I am using dark colors it is so much fun!)

Hmmm yellow and black (Come on mind brillant idea!) Oh here we go! Yellow could stand for either of these or both! Possibly Helga favorite color could have been yellow and/or she could have been a blonde that came off very yellow! okay so that wasn't very brilliant but hey! oh or it could have been like a badger because black (like most badgers are) and yellow (instead of white because she wanted some color) to help stand for it!
Okay not one of my better posts...

Buckbeak rules

well I always pictured Helga Hufflepuff to be blonde and also to be wearing yellow clothes... maybe it is becuase the badger- black- also becuase her favorite colour may be yellow- or maybe the black comes from cunning- lol- and the yellow from the loyalty- lol- maybe she just liked yellow and black lol...

Oh and I have a question... not sure if it has already been asked by someone... if it has sorry...

Well before Hogwarts was founded how did the magical children from england- ireland- and scotland get their edgucaton? did they just toy around with stuff until they found a power?

Hmm good question, I'm not sure if it's the place to post, but who said that in the hufflepuff-thread just should be posted about Hufflepuff? Okay, I think that the children were thaught by their parents, who were thaught by their parents and so on. I think that's only possible or maybe some rich families also had home teachers.

Yellow and black always reminds me of BVB (a german football-club) but that's another story

Hi Duke

Although an intresting question, it doesn't actually concern Hufflepuff directly, if you could keep the discussion on the Hufflepuff house in future

Buckbeak, i always thought Helga to be blonde too!

I always thought Yellow was a strange colour to pick because yellow is so fequently related to cowardness.

I guess there's also the fact that yellow and black are the colour of a bee, a reltively harmless (if annoying ) bug, but if you attack the hive, it stings you and it dies in the process, reflecting on the fierce loyalty of Hufflepuff house. Normally they don't do anything but when you harm one of their own they 'sting' and risk their lives. This could be seen by the fact that the Hufflepuff's rarely mingle with the rest of the school, the stick to their own little groups. When Justin was attacked and they though it was Harry who had done it they all stayed together and lashed out at Harry slightly.

Ok, I'm making no sense... again

And has Zacharias Smith being Hufflepuff hier been debunked I always thought he was, Zacharia at least in biblical terms meaning the last man alive... or something. I could be completely and utterly wrong there, so do correct me if you happen to know i'm speaking rubbish

that is a good idea with a bee... but then why wasn't our mascot a bee? anyways that is right! we were all protective when Justin got attacked!

Oh and for some reason i don't think he (Zacharias) is thee heir of Hufflepuff (like Voldy is of Slytherin) because he is a little to... stubborn and jerky. just my thoughts and Ygraine you made sense to me!

About our colors I think the black is pretty obvious that its the colour of our badger. As for the yellow, I just found this at The Harry Potter Lexicon:

QUOTE

Blazon: or, a badger sable (that is, a black badger on a golden field, hence the Hufflepuff colours of yellow and black)

Do you think it could be about that?? I supose its possible...A little vague though...
What do you guys think?

Lol, I love Hufflepuff Pride! Especially the part when a theory says "He's [Cedric] chosen as one of the Champions and then he dies!" Lol, that was so much fun !

Hey guys another topic: If I'm not wrong, all Hufflepuffs have cute or "ADORABLE" trademarks. Hanna Abbott with her blonde cute pig tails, and rosy cheeks; Ernie with his extremely pompous way (I'm not sure that's adorable ); Justin with his beautiful curls (OMG, I luvvvv curls!); and the most important of all, CEDRIC DIGGORY! Extremely good looking .

Maybe that's one of the factors everybody thinks Hufflepuffs are "the rest", I mean, the fact that they are cute leads to think they're fragile too. What do you think guys?

so i presume this is my house common room, quite cool, what does every one talk about?

MOD EDIT: Please do not post one line posts in the forums. The boards are for discussion and debates - hard to do with one line. If you wish to know what the rest of the house is discussing, try reading the previous posts....

Hey guys,

I've been surfing a bit about heraldry. It seems that the colours have little to no significance on a crest or flag. The only distinction is between "colours" (red, blue, green, ...) and "metals" (yellow/gold and silver/white). The international code of heraldry says that the two must be mixed, so the German flag is actually out-of-bounds, because it has two colours in a row and then a metal (black, red and yellow/gold). The Union Jack is quite within the rules, because the two colours blue and red are separated by a thin white line.

Besides that international rule, the only important aspect is to achieve the best contrast, so Hufflepuff's yellow and black fit that rule in every regard.

By the way, the form of the Hufflepuff crest is called "late Renaissance" and is shaped after the shields that knights bore at that time.

The idea that colours have a certain meaning has developped quite late.
Yellow is for ripe corn or sunflowers and symbolises summer, wisdom and sagacity
Black is actually not a colour, nor is white. The interpretation of black depends strongly on a culture. In some cultures, black is th ecolour of mourning and death, but also of a new beginning (other cultures associate that with white). Another aspect of black/white: Depending on how you mix them, black and white incorporate all other colours of the solar spectrum, so that would chime with the idea of Hufflepuff being some sort of "mix" of the other houses.

Hi guys. I loved Hufflepuff Pride!. It was very cool.
I always imagined Helga blonde, Rowena dark brown/black, Godric blonde and Salazar black with silver streaks. And badgers are black.Maybe she just liked the colours. I also like the bee theory.

MJ

Wow, thanks for the info about our house colors to whoever posted it. Well, I have a new question for all of our brilliant minds to just ponder over. Who is the most famous Hufflepuff we know about besides Cedric and Helga? Those two seem to be the only Hufflepuffs people metion, why is that? I know Cedric died and all, but there is a lot more to Hufflepuff than him. And Helga is known because she was the founder.

So any thoughts?


Fawkes

Well, there's probably a lot of Hufflepuffs that have gone on to work as famous kind of people, maybe one of the Ministers of Magic was a Hufflepuff., Or anyone in the Order of the Phoenix. There's just nobody we actually know about. How about the Fat Friar, he might be quite famous because he is their house ghost. There must be loads of Hufflepuffs who have died but he's the only one who came back. Actually, was he ever an actual Hufflepuff? I don't know... Anyway, I was just wondering something. Does anyone have any ideas for what the Fat Frairs real name was? Or has he always been the Fat Friar?

Hmmm good question. I always imaginged it something like George....or Fred...hmm don't know why, but he reminds me of the twins...that's way weird...maybe he has always been the Fat Friar though. If so why was he given that name? I always thought it might be because he was at one time royal...and ate a lot, just like all the rich people from the medevil times. I don't know if he was ever a Hufflepuff or not, but that would be stupid if he wasn't. NHN was in Gryffindor, Bloody Baron in Slytherin, Grey Lady was in Ravenclaw so why wouldn't the Fat Friar be in Hufflepuff?


Fawkes

Why won't he be in Hufflepuff? i mean the one time we meet him he is very nice to the first years and trying to get it so peeves (sp?) could come to the sorting cermony. i think he was in Hufflepuff, but i too wonder about his name. mhh... thou he could be from some other house because we do seem to go against the grain.

Mhh that was not one of my better posts...

*Buckbeak rules*

Sorry, what I meant was, did the Fat Friar die before Hogwarts was opened or was he one of the Hogwarts students who died. I didn't mean that he'd be in a different house. I was only wondering how long he'd been dead because they all seem to have been dead for a very long time, but I'm not sure how long Hogwarts has been open... I'm sure, if he was at Hogwarts, he wasn't in any different house.

i have got Hufflepuff Pride! oh yeah go hufflepuff [people]. well uhh im new so could somone explain this site to me

Mod Edit: Please refer to Ygraine's post below.

No Golden Pheonix, I don't think that the Fat Friar died before he went to Hogwarts...but how exactly did he become Hufflepuff house ghost? I always thought that they were picked like this- they died while in there years at Hogwarts, and whatever hhouse they were in they became that ghost, but now that I think of it that couldn't of worked because the ghosts are all adults!

Fawkes

See, that's what I thought. It's slightly odd that all the ghosts would comeback to Hogwarts after they died. And there is only one person form each house that came back as a ghost? Weird. I don't know, and I don't think that JKR has really thought about it that much either. Can't be sure though, maybe she has the whole of the Fat Friars life mapped out.

hi there harryschick!

I'm just about to send you a PM (an Owl) You can read it by either clicking on the link on the top right hand side where it says '1 Owl waiting' or on the link on the pop up that should appear.

Hope to hear from you soon

EDIT: Whoops, also, Harryschick, if you have having difficulties, with the site, you could check out Dumbledore's Office where there are some guides how to use it Also, you could have a read of the rules, there's a link in my siggie for there



With the discussion,the fact that it was a friar always confused me. Because, a friar is something to do with the church isn't it? And well, most of the ghosts are a few hundred years old, isn't Nick Tudor or Stewart era? I can't remember. Anyway, this implies that the friar came from roughly about that time period where the church was expelling witch craft visiously. For a wizard to be a high-ish member of the church has always irked me a bit.

Of course, they could have found out their friar was a wizard and that's how he died...

Ooh, yeah. Like the witch burnings, but a wizard. But wouldn't he just do that flame freezing charm? I doubt that he'd be able to be killed by muggles, unless they weren't muggles, but then it wouldn't make sense for the curch to want to kill him if they were wizards. Now I'm confusing myself so everyone reading this must be double confused. But I suppose wizards are still allowed to go to church, maybe it wasn't a muggle one but a wizard church in which case they could have a wizard friar.

ha a wizard chuch with a wizard frair that makes me smile. Mhh i do wonder how he died but here is a crayz thought i'll throw out there, could he have died from old age or a heart attack or something? he didn't nessarily have to be murdered. i mean professor - oh gosh the history of magic one whats his name the ghost? he died but just walked on to his class, could the Fat Friar have done the same thing? thou i know it isn't as cool but...

Buckbeak rules

Who, Proffesor Binns? Yeah it is possible that he died like that, but I don't think we will ever know. It is just one of those things that JK doesn't find essential to the story.... there seemt to be a lot of things like that...but back on topic I could see him being murdered with the era he was from...but I still want to know how he became Hufflepuff ghost.

Fawkes


I am going to go research a bit.

I've always kind of pictured the Fat Friar as a Friar Tuck type. Jolly, willing to do what it takes to help (though I know he never does anything too specific to further this impression). I think it's probable that he just up and died of natural causes. Think of NHN and the Bloody Baron. We know that their deaths were violent; Nick was nearly decapitated and the baron died before he could clean the blood off his clothes, leading me to think he died in a duel or something. But there are no such indications with the Fat Friar. And I suppose that witches and wizards attend church, I mean they celebrate Halloween and Christmas, two Christian holidays, so they must have some form of religious dedication, right? And think about this; Friar Tuck in the Disney animated movie was a badger. Is there some connection there?

Actually, I think of the Fat Frair as a bit like Friar Tuck. Do you think that he is where JKR got the idea for the Hufflepuff house ghost? I don't think the fact that he is a badger in the Disney film has anything to do with it though, it is just a pretty cool coincidence. Although, I can see that happening, JKR watching the cartoon version of Robin Hood whilst trying to think of our mascot and ghost... I'm not sure how long go it would have been though. And I don't think it would be that strange for witches and wizards to go to church, some of them must have some sort of belief.

I also think that the Fat Friar (so that's me ) died of natural causes. But I always wondered why a wizard isn't able to save hisself from being beheaded!? Isn't it the same with the fire: It was nothing that happenend suddenly. Maybe they took the wand from Nick away, that's the only possibility.
To my mind it's quite certain thatit is possible to be a wizard or witch and also religious, I think a lot of Hogwartsstudents could be religious, especially when they are from a mugglefamily.

Yeah, that's what I was thinking. How could muggles kill a wizard, they would just use magic against them. So yeah, I think it was probably some natural cause, or he was killed by another wizard, but what would the reason for that be? And about the religion thing, I think you are absolutely right, which is why it's stupid when people say that the books are bad because of that. Loads of wizards could easily be religious. Hmm... that's all I got, sorry!

Edit: Wow! I reached third year and I didn't even notice!

Congrats Golden Phoenix. Um you would think she died of natural cuases.But look at Sir Nicolas he was almost beheaded. So what do you think. She might have been killed by the ''Avadera Kedarvera'' spell. Wizards would also be in religion I would think. It would be sencible that they support say Christenity(sp?) like you would assume. Sorry I have a mind blank

I don't think that the Fat Friar was killed by the Avada Kedavra, because I see him more like a Slughorn-type, who tries to stay out of all kind of trouble, to have a comfortable life instead of being in a lot of adventures. That's also the reason why I think that he died naturally, just in the sleep or so. Before the 5th book, when Harry speaks with Nick about ghosts I always thought that he Hogwarts-ghosts are from a time before Hogwarts was founded, I don't know excatly why, but I was sure that they weren't wizards and witches. Not Mirthe because we know her fate, but the others. It was kind of shocking when I found out that just wizards are able to come back as a ghost.

hey people I got sorted into Hufflepuff! Yay me! Well I'm not sure what im supposed to do for a wand or anything and i could really use some help. Feel free t oleave me a message! thanx!
~~*Shellygirl100*~~

HUFFLEPUFF RULES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!ALTHOUGH iI WOULDN'T BE SAD TO BE A GRYFFINDOR!NEVER MIND,THE PUFF'S RULE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I hate to be the mean one but...
shellygirl100, and unforgivables, please, please try to keep on topic, because we've already been shut down once and i would really really not like that to happen again.

So on topic, Yeah i find that weird that Muggles can't be ghosts either thou it does make sense because ghosts are magical and muggles are well not.

Here's something i was wondering, have any Hufflepuffs ever become Aurors? because (oh no this is off topic isn't?) I took one of the quizz things and i became a Auror (not on fourm but as my "job")

*Buckbeak rules*

Hmm... I'm sure some of the Aurors that we've heard about must have been in Hufflepuff when they were at Hogwarts. I mean not all the aurors can be in only Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Slytherin, so there must be some Hufflepuff ones. I guess we'll never know. This is a good topic though, about what the Hufflepuffs will do in later life, and who, from the jobs and people we have heard about, was a Hufflepuff when they were at school. I'm thinking that maybe Amelia Bones was one, because her niece is (I think...). What does anyone else have to say on this?

Hi unforgivables,

I'm just about to send you an OWL, you can read it by either clicking on the link on the top right hand side, or on the link on the popup that should appear.

Looking forward to hearing from you



Hufflepuffs becoming Aurors.. Hmm... I don't know... I guess most of them would be in Gryffindor, because of the status it brings and i've always thought that being a Gryfffindor thing. We don't know however what houses a lot of people were in. Tonks might have been a Hufflepuff as she seems the gentle sort. But i really don't know, and i don't think it's something we're ever going to find out

Don't know why but when thinking of the furute of Hufflepuff-students I see a lot of them in St.Mungo, because there are they able to help people, what is one of our qualities of course. And I really think that Amelia Bones could be in Hufflepuff, because she was so fair against Harry and also because as Golden Phoenix said, her niece is there also.