Meek!Hufflepuff (Was Re: The Sorting Hat)

[arcum42]

No: HPFGUIDX 87546

> > Mandy: 
> > Hufflepuff is the house the majority of the world would belong
> > to. Happily and unhappily following along, doing what is required 
> > of us, moaning about our lot in life but too afraid to actually 
> > change the world around us to make it any better. 
> 
> Kneasy:
> You do yourself an injustice; Hufflepuffs are too meek to moan about
> life, the universe and everything. Born followers, meekly trailing
> behind the more forceful, hoping like hell they know what they're 
> doing and that all will be well in the end. Suckers, every one. 

Just a quick comment on this. (or not so quick, now that I look back
on it)

In OoP, Harry is walking back to his seat from the bathroom on the
Hogwarts Express when he is ambushed by Crabbe, Goyle, and
Malfoy. 6 DA members from a nearby compartment spring out
to defend Harry, and use a wide variety of curses and hexes on
them.

4 of the 6 were Hufflepuffs. (The other 2, for the record, were 
Ravenclaws, and none had been at the MoM. No Gryffindors
at all.)

Being a Hufflepuff does not make you meek, stupid, or unambitious. 
Nor do you have to be a follower to be a Hufflepuff (though they
would make good followers). And they are hardworking at 
whatever they do. If they want to change the world, they will
at least put a good effort into it!

Hufflepuffs are just, loyal, true, and unafraid of toil. 
(Per the SS/PS sorting song)

While Cedric is held up as a prime Hufflepuff, he also happens
to be dead, so lets look at another classic Hufflepuff, Ernie
McMillian. 

First time we see him, the Hufflepuffs believe that
Harry siced a snake on Justin. Though Ernie was wrong
about his conclusion, he'd clearly done his homework 
regarding Harry and the attacks. And, out of loyalty, they made
an attempt to protect Justin from Harry.

Later, when Hermione was attacked, he reverses his stance,
makes a sincere apology, and became friendlier with
Harry. It took a bit of courage, and it would have been easier
to simply pretend it hadn't happened, but he did what was
right and just, and admitted that he was wrong.

He supported Cedric in GoF, and after his death in suspicious 
circumstances, he clearly trusted Dumbledore's words at the end 
of GoF, and put his faith & loyalty in both of them. Despite a 
summer of yellow journalism, in OoP, he is the first person to 
support Harry at Hogwarts who isn't wearing radishes on his ears:

'I want you to know, Potter,' he said in a loud, carrying 
voice, 'that it's not only weirdos who support you. I personally 
believe you one hundred per cent. My family have always 
stood firm behind Dumbledore, and so do I.'

A clear statement of loyalty and trust placed in both Harry
and Dumbledore himself.

He follow up on this by joining the DA, and felt that it was
more important then anything else they were doing that
year. And, of course he was one of the four Hufflepuffs
hexing Malfoy & associates.

As far as hard working goes, he put 8-10 hours of revision
a *day* in for the OWLs. With classes, none the less.

He is a classic hufflepuff; true to his beliefs, loyal, doing what 
is just (what is right, rather then what is easy), and clearly a
very hard worker. I suspect he'll play a more major role in one 
of the last two books and/or be killed.

And, no, I wouldn't be a Hufflepuff; I don't work hard enough.
I'd probably end up a Ravenclaw. 

And I'm not saying all Hufflepuffs are good. LV would love
someone who was loyal to him, true to his beliefs in the 
pureblood cause, hardworking, and did what he thought was
right for the cause.

--Arcum