Hufflepuff amongst the houses (WAS: Neville's wand)

[Renee Daniels]

No: HPFGUIDX 62534

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Tom Wall" <thomasmwall at y...> 
wrote:
> (Sorry for the repost here, but I realized that the header was all 
> wrong... and since we've got so many threads going on, it seemed 
> appropriate to repost under a more accurate header...)
> 
> Christi T wrote:
> We have also learned that Hufflepuff is indeed the 'default house'
> 
> JOdel scoffed:
> Oh have we? Have we *really*? Well, if so, I just lost a great deal 
> of respect for Rowling right there. There is no need for 
a "default" 
> house.
> 
> Tom comments:
> I don't think that we've learned that Hufflepuff is the default 
> house. 
> 
> What we learned from the (now definitely "intelligent-and-with-
> feelings") Sorting Hat is that the other three founders were picky, 
> biased, and prejudiced when it came to selecting their students.
> 
> Gryffindor wanted only the bravest, Slytherin the pure-of-blood, 
and 
> Ravenclaw the smartest.
> 
> Helga Hufflepuff, it seems, was the only one who didn't give a hoot 
> who you were, where you came from, or what your abilities were. In 
> other words, IMHO, Helga Hufflepuff had the best attitude out of 
all 
> of them.
> 
> -Tom

Me:
I always thought that the students sorted based upon their own 
actions and desires, with very little regard to what the Founders 
thought. 

While Hermoine is the most intellegent in the school, I don't 
consider her the bravest. If it was based entirely off of the 
founder's prejudgestes Hermoine would HAVE to be in Ravenclaw. Luna's 
flaky, not at all the 'studious Ravenclaw'. First year Neville may 
not think of himself as brave, but looking at his actions and 
comparing them to his fears, he certainly *is* brave.

Slytherin house doesn't seem to gather all of ambitious people (I 
think we can safely say that Percy is very ambitious) and seems to 
gather a large number of people who's only ambition is to be hangers-
on. To me, it seems that House selection is largely based on things 
like "Not Slytherin" or in Draco's case "Slytherin! Not Hufflepuff" 
To me Hufflepuff is the house for the people who just think about 
being themselves and doing their personal best. They don't obsess 
about grades, position, or personal valor - and as such they dont 
seem to be afraid of public opinion or failure. If any thing it's 
Hufflepuff, even more then Gryffindor, who deserve the moto "No Fear."

~Calimora (who hates the idea of the Last Marauder Standing.)