Hufflepuffs (WAS:Neville and the sorting hat)

[Grey Wolf]

No: HPFGUIDX 43976

Gail Bohacek wrote:
> There seems to be a bias against the illustrious Hufflepuff House 
> (*cough*fyrewood*cough*) and I'm wondering why is that?
> 
> Could somebody please tell me where Hufflepuff got this bad rap?  
> And, in general, why are the qualities which Hufflepuffs are said to 
> possess not valued like the others?
> 
> 
> -Gail B.  who is going off to have a good sulk.

Hufflepuff gets a bad rap in the books, Gail, right at the 
begining.This is what canon says about them: 

Draco says: "imagine being in Hufflepuff, I think I'd leave, wouldn't 
you?"

but of course this is Draco we're speakng about, who doesn't understand 
loyalty. At that point, however, we *don't* know him (although we've 
concluded he's a stupid classist a few lines before), but he gives no 
reason about wy Hufflepuff is so bad.Harry doesn't, either, so later he 
asks Hagrid about the houses. Hagrid's answer (about Hufflepuff) is:

"Everyone says Hufflepuff are a lot o' duffers, but --"
"Better Hufflepuff than Slytherin, There's not a single witch or wizard 
who went bad wwho wasn't in Slytherin. You-Know-Who was one."

Notice that, although Slytherin is definetely placed as the baddies' 
house, Hagrid (who by now is placed in the "good guys") actually 
doesn't refute the "they're a lot o' duffers", and thus both good and 
bad guys agree on this... sort of. And sice the attention is neatly 
diverted from Hufflepuff into Slytherin, you may remain wth the 
impression that they *are* a lot o' duffers. I certainly did, the first 
time around, although when I got to the sorting hat, my perceptions 
changed somewhat.

Hope that helps,

Grey Wolf