What it is to be a Hufflepuff

Hello.

My name is Susan Bones. "Who?" you ask. Then you spot my badge. "Ah, a Hufflepuff" you say, as sigh of relief evident in your voice. God forbid I was a member of a house of any consequence, namely the other three.

You could have probably figured it out without even seeing my badge if I’d given you long enough. The big blue eyes and innocent expression generally give it away. Obviously I adore bunnies, have a big, sun-filled home, and love the horrid color pink. I’m probably a muggle-born from a sweet muggle family.

You would not know that I’m an orphan, courtesy of Voldemort. You would not know that my blood is as pure as Malfoy’s. You would learn that I’m not an idiot, that I’m good at Charms. But I would not tell you.

Why? Because Hufflepuffs are like that. We hide under the cushion of our humble house. We’ve done it so long that the part of us that might have answered a question correctly, reaped glory for our house, even won a simple quidditch game has atrophied. Nothing is expected of us, and we expect nothing. We are the subservient, the ones to be looked out for, to be looked down on. The few of us that actually bother to do something are given such recognition, such glory amongst us that you would think that more would do the same. But we don’t.

In many ways, Hufflepuffs are the opposite of Slytherin, not Gryffindor. They would have ambition, glory. We would not. We might support the Slytherins in their ventures if they were not seen as evil, but we would not reach for it, grasp victory. Yet in others the two are alike, or at least superficially so. They are both the houses to be looked down upon. Slytherins are supposed to be evil and Hufflepuffs sweet but painfully stupid. No one ever takes time to actually look at us, to consider us for what we are, or might be, not what we seem.

But does it matter? I think it does. It is easy for the Gryffindors and Ravenclaws not to notice how they ignore the others. Slytherins have known for centuries, but they pretend they don’t care, and go in their own direction. But Hufflepuffs follow the two houses of greatness like lost puppies trotting at their heels. And like inconsiderate masters, they barely notice us.

So we all suffer, all the people of the four. The Gryffindors would benefit from having a plan, instead of rushing madly ahead. The Slytherins could use someone to keep them going, instead of giving up because logic stands against it. The Ravenclaws need someone to comfort them, to bring them into society instead of estranging themselves among their books and paperwork.

And the Hufflepuffs, oh, the house of stupidity. We need someone to show us ambition, to help us spot dreams. We need someone to be courageous, to show us the way. We need someone to be our inspiration, our fount of ideas. We need to be brought out from our cushioned existence, to be shown the sky full of stars.

But it will never happen, while we remain divided. Slytherins will struggle on, with no one to support them until they give up in disgust. Ravenclaws will stay with their books and parchment, never to be seen again unless in a list of academic credits. Gryffindors will run blindly ahead until they fall. And Hufflepuffs will stay in their sheltered room, hidden and useless.

It would take just one person to bridge the gap. No matter how they did it, others would follow in their stead. But no one ever will, for no one knows or cares. Except me. But I’m a Hufflepuff, and will never dare to do it.

Or will I?