First off, the Japanese Word of the Day:
Mahou (Magic) {Pronounced: Mah-ho}
So
Today the Home-schooled Otaku is going to talk about Harry Potter
today, for a nice change of pace from anime. (What, it's still within
the realms of Geekdom! Who says anime folks can't be freakishly into HP?
If you think that, I think Voice Actress Jad Saxton would have
something to say to you.)
So really Harry Potter was the Homeschooler's first Geekish
obsession. Her Potterheadedness started when she saw the first movie at
the green age of seven - no, six - years old. While the Homeschooler's
Potter-geekness was pervaded for a while by Star Wars [Darn you Anikin
Skywalker!] she came back to Potter. And she stayed for a LONG TIME
until anime caught her in it's clutches, but even now that the
Homeschooler is an Otaku, if you want to start an in-depth conversation
of philosophies and magical sciences in the Harry Potter universe while
Her Homeschooledness is in the vicinity, do so at your own risk because
once she gets started you won't be able to shut her up. Yes, she even
still twiddles about with the 12 in. Cherry and Phoenix Feather,
Surprisingly Swishy wand she had her father craft for her because she
wanted HER OWN wand, not a metal and ceramic reproduction of one of the
character's wands.
The Homeschooler made up HER OWN character which she is still developing.
So
The Home-schooled Otaku could use this Potter post to talk about the
characters, or the plot line, or her Great Potter obsessions
(potion-making and wandlore... and Professor Snape... oh Professor
Snape...) but instead, she's going to talk about the Hogwarts Houses.
When
the Homeschooler saw Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone at the age
of six, she developed a monster crush on Daniel Radcliffe (Not so much
anymore), but she also contemplated for a while which house she wanted
to be in. She didn't really come to a conclusion until, at a party, her
family started playing the Harry Potter & the Sorcerer's Stone
Trivia Game in which the players select a house. Now, normally it's a
random draw, but because there were fussy children playing, the adults
allowed us to pick according to preference. The Homeschooler made the
decision that she wanted Ravenclaw, because they seemed cool and clever
and dark, but as her elder sister picked Ravenclaw first that obviously
wouldn't do. On the same team as her sister? The Homescooler? NEVER. But
she didn't want Slytherin because they were meanies, and she didn't
want Gryffindor because they were the MAIN CHARACTER'S house, and how
common is that? So what was left for her but Hufflepuff? So it wasn't
cool and she wasn't quite sure what a badger was, and their house color
was yellow, which was The Homeschooler's Sister's favorite color... but
it's fun to say.
Hufflepuff
Hufflepuff
Hufflepuff
Hufflepuff... Sorry.
SO
the Homeschooler grew in geeky-ness watching the HP movies as they came
out and consistently sticking by Hufflepuff regardless of her
increasing notice of their less than scintillating image. And when she
grew up a little more and she and her sister moved on from the
"I-don't-want-to-have-the-same-favorite-thing-as-my-older-sibling phase
that had thus far dictated the Homeschooler's favorite house (and
incidentally, her favorite Power Ranger and, by extension, color - Oh
yes, it was indeed the Pink) she had the opportunity to finally switch
the the cool and dark whimsically intellectual haven that was Ravenclaw,
she FOUND... that she couldn't.
For some inexplicable reason,
Hufflepuff had grown on her. She still didn't like yellow and...
seriously, a badger? And then she read the books and the fourth movie
came out. So now, not only are Hufflepuffs push-overs, but we're
gossip-mongers and bullies too? I mean lets face it, the Movies didn't
do much to improve our rep, us Hufflepuffs. We had some hope in Cedric.
He was an alright guy. But then he died... and came back as a sparkly
sissy-pire. Now we had TOO MUCH of a scintillating image (Thanks Steph.)
Last
November the Homeschooler joined Pottermore. She doesn't find it boring
because she's nerdy that way and has an insufferable desire to be an
authority on on whatever interests her.
On Pottermore, among
other things, you get to find out what Hogwarts House you would be in.
The Homeschooler was a Hatstall* and therefore given the choice between
two Houses: Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff.
She chose Hufflepuff.
WHY?
WHY would she choose to be a member of the most useless and stupid and
pudgy house of all? After all, Helga Hufflepuff is remembered as a Great
Witch because of her proficiency in... food charms. Granted food is one
of the most difficult subjects to become proficient in transfiguring
and charming, but it doesn't seem all that impressive to a layman.
Why
would anyone want to be a Hufflepuff when there are three Houses that
are more accomplished, more interesting... just better? Many people
would rather be a Slytherin than a Hufflepuff. Because Hufflepuffs are
just there. Just a lump of
some house.
Are we
though? Where did these ideas come from? There are any number of essays
on the internet (written by people who AREN'T Hufflepuffs) spelling out
exactly why Hufflepuffs aren't useless or even stupid, really.
The
truth is, there IS no perfect House. One House is not better than all
the others. They all have good qualities. They all have bad qualities.
I'm not going to badmouth any of the other houses (which is more than
can be said from many of the other houses. In case you hadn't noticed,
there's a lot of rubbish out there about my house) but I am going to
point out some truths that are unnoticed or kept quiet by people who
don't have to constantly point out the good qualities of their house.
Let's start with the ever popular Slytherin.
So
Slytherin has about as much bad rep as Hufflepuff. It's just their
reputation is for being malicious, discriminatory gits instead of
flowery, pudgy pushovers.
J.K. makes it abundantly clear that
Slytherins as aren't all bad. They're just more edgy. They ARE more
willing to break rules. They DO hang around in menacing gangs. And they
ARE very proud. People don't associate with them, because they don't
associate with other people. But this is largely due to the fact that
that's how they were raised. And often, they were raised that way
because their parents (Who were usually also Slytherins) were afraid of
what wouldn't happen if they weren't pure-blood elitists in the event of
Voldemort returning. In this respect that makes them cowards, yes, but
their concern for their loved ones is actually a good quality.
The reason why Slytherins don't change their attitudes is because their
reputation also has it's perks. For instance, as it's put in the
Slytherin Welcome Message on Pottermore, "Chuck out a few hints that you
have a whole library of curses and see whether anyone feels like
nicking your pencil case." While you ought not to threaten people, and
you ought not to lie, they know how to take a negative thing and use it
to their advantage. They adhere to the age-old maxim: when life gives
you lemons, you make lemonade.
Slytherin's good qualities -
their ambition, their cunning, and their relentless determination - are
well embodied in their house color (green). Green is often looked on as a
poisonous color, associated with snakes and jealousy and general
nastiness. But green is a sign of life.Water is often green. Plants are
green. It's a colour of resilience and survival. Slytherins are nothing
if not survivors.
Slytherins bad qualities - Pride, apathy,
their seeming lack of scruples. But nothing can exist without it's
opposite, and though Slytherin's good qualities are not portrayed in
many of the Slytherin characters, there are Slytherins who possess good
qualities. (Regulus Black for instance.)
Okay, moving on to Ravenclaw. While Ravenclaw is certainly a popular house, they have bad qualities too.
Ravenclaws
are known for their wisdom and intellect. They're also highly eccentric
and imaginative, and like all truly wise people, they consider any
knowledge to be worth knowing.
So those are Ravenclaw's
positive qualities. The interesting thing about Ravenclaw is that their
positive qualities ARE their negative qualities. Only about half of
Ravenclaw stayed to fight Voldemort in the last book. I can pretty much
guarantee that it was eccentric half of the house because the logical
half would only adhere to the most sensible course of action: bail and
and save your own skin.
Ravenclaw's House Colors are Blue and bronze. Blue as a representation of the fluid, swift minds found in the House. Ravenclaws are generally the most agile minds in Hogwarts. Knowledge is powerful, and blue -which is indicative of peace, cool-headedness and calmness- is also associated with Ravencalw's base element: wind.
Bronze is Ravenclaw's secondary color, and brings more to mind a pair of steady bronze book-ends. Traditionally bronze is symbolic of structure and logic. Sort of the flip side of Ravenclaw's intellectualism.
Now, in the Ravenclaw welcome message
it says that Ravenclaws are very tolerant. That if you like to do weird
things, that you can do them without fear of being an outcast. But this
isn't entirely true: Luna Lovegood is about as eccentric as it gets,
and her housemates let her get on with it, but that doesn't seem to
prevent them from calling her Loony. I guess she's a freak even by
Ravenclaw standards.
I might also point out that Ravenclaws
aren't the most easy people to get along with simply because they ARE
the wittiest and most knowledgeable. Their also kind of snobs, and seem
to think that clever people MUST truly belong in Ravencalw. They're the
Oxford types. The Hogwarts epitome of Toffy-nosed prats.
Not to mention, of all the houses (excepting perhaps Slytherin) they
probably have produced the most undesirable people to hang out with.
Don't believe me? Let me give you a few examples.
1)
The emotionally unstable and fairly fickle
Cho Chang.
Is this girl an emotional masochist? "My boyfriend died and now I'm
going to start dating my Plan 2 who was there when my boyfriend died. Of
course all I'm going to want to talk about with him is quidditch and my
dead boyfriend."
2)
Michael Corner is a pretty decent guy.
Except he just couldn't deal with the fact that his girl friend's house
(Gryffindor) beat his own a Quidditch.
3) How about everyone's favorite party guest,
Moaning Myrtle?
4) Oh and then there was
Professor Quirrel. (Nough said)
5) OH I almost forgot about another defense against the Dark Arts teacher. The one directly after Professor Quirrel... Yes.
Gilderoy Lockhart was actually a Ravenclaw.
"But
WAIT! Gryffindor IS the best!" you might say "The main characters are
Gryffindors! And J.K. Rowling is one herself! And they're chivalrous and
heroic!"
Yeah but, are those really the most desirable qualities a
person can have? They're good qualities, but for the basis of a
person's character, their pretty weak. Chivalry and pride are much like
the secondary House color of Gryffindor: Gold. Gold isn't really much
good for anything except looking pretty. It's not anyone's first choice
for a foundation of something strong that will last or do anyone any
good whatsoever.
And besides. J.K. Rowling may be a Gryffindor,
and her daughter too, but she's stated, and makes it quite clear in
numerous places on Pottermore, that in many ways, Hufflepuff is her
favorite house.
The Gryffindor Welcome Message isn't really all
that substantive. I mean it doesn't actually tell you any of the finer
points of the House. It's really just two short paragraphs of Percy
Weasley telling you that you've just joined the best house.
And so to Hufflepuff:
Hufflepuff
has long been considered by many as the useless house and, true, we
probably receive the least spotlight in both the books and the movies.
And the spotlight we DO get is far from flattering.
So first there was the Second Book,
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets,
in which, for a good chunk of the story, the Hufflepuffs are avoiding
Harry for fear that he'll petrify them; or else propagating the rumors
that Harry has really been a Dark Wizard from the day he was born. Ernie
Macmillan, Chief source of these rumours, only denounces their validity
after Hermione is petrified... which makes no sense because if
Harry WAS the Heir of Slytherin, a Dark Wizard from birth, bent on
wiping out all the Muggle-born students of Hogwarts, Harry would never
have associated with Hermione in the first place.
After this we get only snippets of Hufflepuff being their Hearty-good-fellow selves, until the Fourth book,
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. For
a goodly portion of THIS book we find Hufflepuff boycotting Harry once
again, this time out of spite rather than fear: Cedric Diggory has been
selected to represent Hogwarts in the Triwizard Tournament... but Harry,
by the machinations of Barty Crouch Jr., is ALSO selected as a
Champion, thus possibly stealing Hufflepuff's first chance at glory
since... heaven knows. This shameful behavior (which is even displayed
by their Head of House, Professor Sprout) adds to Hufflepuff's
increasingly bad reputation as being mediocre wizards and pushovers. The
Hufflepuffs grasped at this chance at glory with a depressing amount of
desperation, displaying, in sharp relief, that years of being mocked,
ignored and disrespected has given the members of this house a massive
inferiority complex: when it seemed that this rare chance to prove
themselves would be stolen, yet again, by Gryffindor (Which has plenty
glory to its name already!) the spite of ages reared it's ugly head.
The
really galling thing though, is that those who don't regard us with
disdain, regard us with condescension and pity, which is almost worse.
"Oh poor Hufflepuff, they never can catch a break, can they? Here,
let's let them win so they don't feel so bad about being duffers."
And
about Cedric... Cedric was a good kid. He embodied many of the
qualities of Hufflepuff House. Most people who argue Hufflepuff's case
like to use Cedric Diggory as an example of how Hufflepuffs aren't
useless. They argue that if the plot hadn't interfered, Cedric would
have won the Triwizard Tournament.
But if we're going to expel the events of the plot as variables, we must expel ALL of them.
Would Cedric have won? I'm not so sure. Cedric was an incredibly
talented wizard, but he didn't do so well in the first task. His chosen
technique was really... well it was silly. Plus, without Harry's tip-off
about the Dragons, he probably would have tanked even worse.
By Moaning Myrtle's witness, it took Cedric
ages to
riddle out the egg's clue for the second task. And if Barty Crouch Jr.
hadn't told him to, Cedric would probably never have tried opening the
egg underwater.
So I can hear all you Hufflepuffs
reading this and asking "What about the good parts? I thought this
article was supposed to highlight the fact that Hufflepuffs are better
than we're broadcasted?" I'm just pointing out that yes, a lot of the
bad press IS from the books. J.K. DIDN'T put us in a very good light and
we can't just gloss over that. If we do, then people will just think
we're in denial and
dis-credit us. But NOW I'm going to move onto our exemplary qualities, which are many and varied.
Let's
start with a huge beef I have: Hufflpuffs have been accused of
cowardice. This is simply NOT true. The idea that all brave characters
in Harry Potter MUST come from Gryffindor is pretty annoying. Tonks
gave birth to a child and
less than a week later went out to fight Death Eaters. Granted, her
recuperating state is likely why (SPOILERS) she died, but that was very
brave of her. And she was an auror, which is a career choice which
requires much nerve. So yes, Tonks was a very courageous... for a
Hufflepuff.
The fact is that Hufflepuffs aren't necessarily cowards. We have the common sense to be cautious.
When designing the common room and dormitories where her dear
students would live, Helga Hufflepuff displayed the most common sense
out of all of her colleagues.
Gryffindor Tower, as
everyone knows is guarded by the portrait of the Fat Lady which hangs in
the seventh floor corridor, and can only be accessed though the use of
an occasionally changing password.
Slytherin's Dungeon is
sealed by a hidden door concealed in the wall and can only be accessed
through the use of a frequently changing password.
These
methods seem to be fairly secure, but Harry and Ron are able to gain
access to Slytherin's common room by employing sly means (disguise).
It's kind of ironic, because you'd think, being a sly dude and all, that
Slytherin would have thought to espionage proof his common room. But
that was more arrogance on his part than anything, because he assumed
that the only sly students in the school would be in his house.
Gryffindor Tower seems to be the most vulnerable: its broken into in
the third book, and this happens due to the flaw of using passwords:
there is
always going to be one person who needs to
write them down.
As for Ravenclaw Tower, the entrance to their common room is clearly
displayed at the top of a spiral staircase because the only way to gain
access to the rooms beyond is to answer the riddles of the door's
enchanted knocker. Now, by Ravenclaw's reasoning, if you could answer
the question, you deserved to gain entry to the common room within...
and that's not a bad idea, but for really protecting your students...
it's not all that secure.
 |
Get this, the Hufflepuff common room is, apart
from Ravenclaw, the only one to have an
actual likeness of it's House Founder. But where
the Ravenclaws only have a statue, we have
PORTRAIT |
But Hufflepuff's common room is, down in the basements in the same corridor as the kitchens. The entrance to the common room is concealed in a stack of barrels set into a niche in the wall. To enter you must tap the correct barrel in the correct rhythm with one's wand. Helga Hufflepuff was the only founder who installed a device to deter would-be intruders. Tap the wrong barrel or use the wrong rhythm, and all of the barrels will drench you in vinegar. It's not just if you do something wrong. If you open the door correctly, but you aren't a Hufflepuff,
you will not be permitted entry. In the Thousand and some years since Hogwarts was founded, ONLY Hufflepuffs have ever seen or entered the Hufflepuff Common Room.
So Hufflepuff: Trustworty, but not too trusting.
This is yet another thing about Hufflepuff that people often use to point out that Hufflepuff is pretty cool.
But there is a very valid argument that my sister used on me just the other day. An argument that plays to the validity of people's minds and not Helga Huffelpuff's competence.
"
Why would anyone WANT to get into the Hufflepuff Common Room?"
And this is a good argument. The prejudice against Hufflepuffs is as deeply ingrained as the idea that Slytherins are an evil bunch of gits. The general consensus of any Hogwarts student would be that Hufflepuffs are not special or interesting or anything that would inspire someone to infiltrate another House's common room.
I truly believe that this is a valid point and possibly a reason that no one except Hufflepuffs have ever seen our dormitories.
THAT is what other houses think. And that's a downfall, because they are underestimating us.
I'd like to explore a few view points that the other essays on why people shouldn't hate on the honey badgers, don't think to explore: Not what Hufflepuffs ARE but what Hufflepuffs have the potential to be.
The thing with Hufflepuff is that we're just so...
good. In terms of qualities and traits, Hufflepuff's are probably the strongest for the basis of an actual character. Honest, and patient, with unending perseverance and determination, a strong sense of justice and and a stronger work ethic.
But we were first described as "loyal" and that equates us with dogs. Followers. Dumb sidekicks. Brainless minions.
Alright, someone as good as a Hufflepuff will never make an interesting MAIN character, it's true. But there IS plenty of latitude for Hufflepuffs as strong and likable supporting characters. And no, not JUST in the sense of a spunky and endearing klutz like Nymphadora Tonks.
I'm sure many are familiar with Trufflehunter, the Badger from
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. Trufflehunter is my favorite character in that movie, because he made me realize that badgers could be cool.
And he's voiced by Ken Stott. Which is just awesome!
Trufflehunter is a great character because he's wise and homey (you know, spending all morning making soup and all that) and even though he's very patient, he has a good handle of discipline on those who need it. But when it comes to fighting, like all badgers (And I won't be about any shrubbery here) he will quite literally maul your frickin' face off.
So why isn't there a Trufflehunter-like character in the Harry Potter series. Why hasn't Ken Stott been in Harry Potter?
Trufflehunter is, I think, what all Hufflepuffs should aspire to be. And he is proof that simply because we are patient, kind, loyal, long-suffering, determined hard workers, doesn't mean that Hufflepuffs don't make for good or interesting characters.
Hufflepuffs are famously reputed as being dimwits. Ravenclaw Prefect Robert Hilliard says in the Ravenclaw welcome message "And as for the Hufflepuffs, well no one can say they aren't nice people. In fact, they're some of the nicest people in the school. Let's just say that you needn't worry about them too much when it comes to competition during exam time."
Let me just say that Mr. Hilliard was a fool for saying that. And if you take that as vindication for Hufflepuffs having the intellectual prospects of sweet potatoes, you are equally foolish. Not to mention this guff about us all being nice. I myself am a Hufflepuff and can tell you for an absolute certainty I know members of my house that will only be nice to you if you treat them in a like manner. The fact is that people with the amount of determination we do, have an enormous potential to be very ruthless.
Which brings me to a point that pretty much everybody uses to point out why it's a bad idea to underestimate Hufflepuff House.
The Honey Badger. Doesn't sound scary, right?
Wrong. Dead wrong.
Ever wondered why they're called honey badgers?
Well I'll tell you. The reason why they're called Honey Badgers is because they pull the beehive down out of the tree, stick their noses in to the hive, and wantonly eat the honey. Then, for good measure, they usually eat the bee larvae as well. And the honey badger has such thick skin that the stinging bees are rendered utterly
paltry and don't bother the badger at all. The Honey Badger (Or Ratel) is known to routinely eat poisonous snakes, including the Puff Adder, which is bad news for Slytherin. (And also, The PUFF adders. If that isn't ironic, tell me what is.) There was also one case in which a Honey Badger killed a male lion by running underneath it and tearing off... ahem, sorry, that is to say, did something unspeakable to it. Which is bad news for Gryffindor. And don't you Ravenclaws decide that your safe, because badgers eat birds too.
Ravelcalws with lofty wit, Gryffindors with brash courage, and Slytherins with sneaking (and soaring) ambition don't really stop to think where hard work can get you or what being willing to work that hard for something actually means.
Above I mentioned that a possible reason for why no one has ever infiltrated the Hufflepuff Common room - because no one would want to. Has no one stopped to consider that perhaps our hearty-good-fellow manner is a front? Yes we're all cozy in our badger hole, but what are we thinking, doing, planning while we're holed up down there behind the hobbit doors?
Just something to think about
The big problem here is the same problem you have with any kind of discrimination or bigotry: the word "all".
All Ravenclaws are logical: Wrong. Evidence: Luna Lovegood.
All Gryffindors are Chivalrous: Wrong. Evidence: Cormac McLaggen.
All Slytherins are heartless: Wrong: Evidence: Severus Snape.
All Hufflepuffs are dimwits: Wrong: Evidence: Pomona Sprout.
A
House is not a label. What house you're placed in does not define who
you are, but who you aspire to be. For instance, Harry never considered
himself to be particularly courageous, but courage is a quality he comes
to discover in himself.
 |
| * |
You see my point? I know that Hufflepuff will never prove itself in the eyes of the majority. Because the world is full of stubborn fools who haven't an ounce of common sense. Fools who just want a nice scapegoat
that can act as a convenient butt for all their crude Harry Potter jokes. Who don't want to give Hufflepuffs our credit because they like having someone to be better than. It's an unfortunate truth that highlights the worst of human qualities: arrogance.
One last thing before I go.
I would like to congratulate my fellow Hufflepuffs on winning the Pottermore House Cup in September.
So until I post again (Possibly with my Bellatrix Lestrange cosplay pictures),
This has been the Christian Home-Schooled Otaku.
Footnotes_______________________________________________________
Hatstall: When the Sorting Hat takes longer than five minutes to decide what house a particular person should be in, that person is known as a Hatstall. To be a hatstall on Pottermore means that you answered the sorting questions in such a manner that you could belong to one of two houses. In this event you are given the opportunity to choose between those two houses.
Yes, I know that the animal on that Sigil is a bear. J.K. Rowling was originally going to use a bear as the symbol for Hufflepuff House.
