What's wrong with Hufflepuff?

[Amy Z]

No: HPFGUIDX 19213

Milz wrote:

>Granted, we haven't read about many Hufflepuffs, but Cedric Diggory 
>seemed to be a decent fellow.

Beyond decent, IMO.  How many team captains would ask to replay a 
match that they'd just won?  And then, of course, he tops that by 
refusing to take the Triwizard Cup.

He's also a really good student, according to Hermione's sources 
(GF).  You don't have to be lacking in other qualities in order to 
fit into Hufflepuff.

I agree with you—-poor H. House has an undeservedly low reputation 
among readers.

Barbara asked:

> What is the proportion of Muggle-born students in each
>house?  Because of the fact that Hufflepuffs aren't
>afraid of hard work, would Hufflepuff wind up with the
>most Muggle-borns? 

Is it harder to keep up if you are Muggle-born?

There must be some culture shock that makes it harder at the start—-
you absorb so much just from being in a wizarding household--but as 
Harry experiences it, it all evens out pretty fast (there's something 
about this in PS/SS after classes have gotten started).  I know, one 
could argue that he only catches up so easily because he's unusually 
talented (despite the handicap of utter unfamiliarity with the 
wizarding world), but it doesn't strike me that that's what's going 
on.  As Hagrid says, "they haven't invented a spell our Hermione 
can't do," while Neville . . . what is it Ron says?  "can hardly 
stand a cauldron right way up"?  It doesn't seem as though magical 
talent correlates with degrees of purebloodedness.

Amy Z