by Ennia
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With the release of Order of the Phoenix, Hufflepuffs defining charactersistics changed. Now the catch all house, they have no definition at all. This would mean that Hufflepuff could contain the most intelligent students in school who because of their work ethic don't belong in Ravenclaw. It could contain people Slytherin's find distasteful. And it could contain people who give Gyffindors a run for their money on bravery.
Hardworking Hufflepuffs are often equated with Duffers. As a workaholic(TM) I would venture to say that Hufflepuffs believe they have something to offer the world whether they know what that is or not. So working hard to perfect this goal is very important. Work is what sets them apart. Quick fixes are not a staple for Hufflepuffs. They believe that everything comes at a cost. You want knowledge, well, it's not going to jump on you if you jus sit there staring at the flames. You want power, go get it. You want good grades, go get them yourself. So they haven't won at Quidditch for a while. But before PS or SS, neither had Gryffindor. Ravenclaw hasn't won in a while either.
Loyalty can be a dangerous thing. Get a bunch of Hufflepuff Death Eaters and you could have serious trouble. Get a Hufflepuff on your side, and you may have them for life. Blind Loyalty is not an option however. Because of this aspect being such a driving force, I would imagine that most Hufflepuffs are very careful who they give their loyalty to. Because it's a weapon or a tool, depending on the master. But Loyalty to one's beliefs is also important. Without them, the Hufflepuff wouldn't be loyal to anything.
Kindness is one of the aspects of the Traditional (Pre-OotP canon) Hufflepuff. With the emergance of Hufflepuffs as the catch all house, it brings this characteristic to life. Hufflepuffs are now the outsiders of Hogwarts. The people who don't fit anywhere else. They know the importance of being kind to those who don't quite fit in with their classmates. They are loyal to each other because, if they don't stick together, they wouldn't have anyone at all.
Hufflepuff is probably the most complex of the houses, because of the nature of how the students get there in the first place. You could have someone who is bitchy, tough, smart, loyal, and downright bloodthirsty. You could also have someone who is nice, sweet, and blond. Together, in the same house. Yet they hang together. Because they work hard and are loyal to each other. If you need help, ask a Hufflepuff but they won't do your work for you. You need a friend, ask a Hufflepuff, but don't expect their complete loyalty until you've proven yourself. Lose a Hufflepuff's trust and you'll be hard pressed to get it back.
Hufflepuffs hang together. In Chamber of Secrets, the Hufflepuffs, although ridiculed in fandom for their fear of Harry had a valid point. A kid with Parsel tongue sends a snake after one of my housemates, I'd be pointing fingers at him too. Don't throw out Hufflepuffs because of valid fears. They stuck together. They needed to. Not because they were stupid.
So think again before you put a Hufflpuff into a box or try to gloss over them because in your ignorance think that there are only three houses that matter. Hufflepuffs can be anything. Don't tell me how my characters may not fit your idea of a Hufflepuff, because quite frankly, they're in that house for a reason. Because they are different.
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site created February 4, 2004
last modified: May 26, 2006
