Holding onto Hope for Hogwarts

My roommate’s sister got her wisdom teeth out yesterday and the subsequent effects of painkillers were hilarious, causing her to believe she was going to Hogwarts. I have now become dedicated to making sure everyone sees this video because it makes me laugh so much.

As a huge Harry Potter fan I had to share this video and the hope of that magical wizard school. Many of us stopped dreaming of getting our owl when we turned twelve. There was a sense of despair, a reality setting in. It was right in our brink of the teenage life, the time we’d be changing into adults and gradually leaving childhood fantasy behind.

But that joy that Hogwarts and Harry’s adventures can always stay with us…especially with the help of meds apparently. So I share this video to make you readers laugh and to remind you of that joy and hope of Hogwarts letters.

This was mostly for fun, but as someone who never has lost hope of finding that magic I love in fantasy books, I suppose her excitement “going to Hogwarts” really makes me happy. I remember the point where I stopped knocking on the back of wardrobes as a child realizing I’d never go to Narnia. And yet some sense of joy still lingers in me at the memory of my experiences in that world. And I have never fully lost hope that there is something greater out there.

Anyhow, as I said…mostly just me feeling a need to laugh during finals week.

What hopes and dreams did books instill in you as a kid? How anxious were you for a letter to Hogwarts?

A Most Unjust Representation: Life as a Hufflepuffist

So most of my good friends know I’m a strong feminist, and I fight to try to end misrepresentations and injustices against women. But what many don’t know is that there is another cause that also sparks my anger when it comes to the obvious inequality that I see in the media and in the world. These people are misrepresented, slighted on a daily basis. They are not given equal representation in film or literature, and those who are prominent are often ignored or mocked. What am I talking about? I’m talking about my life as a Hufflepuffist.

For those who don’t know, a Hufflepuffist is a person who fights for equal rights and representation for Hufflepuffs. This is a very little known cause so I will do my best to bring light to this subject.

As a young person I certainly was not a Hufflepuffist. I saw nothing wrong in the representation and had my head filled with stereotypes of Hufflepuffs as the “leftovers” of Hogwarts anyone too dumb to be in Ravenclaw, too cowardly to be in Gryffindor, and too pathetic to be in Slytherin. I believed as almost everyone else did that Hufflepuff had little value other than to fill up a fourth space for students. I prided myself on Ravenclaw standing (having been sorted by some quiz online), prideful of my obvious knowledge and talent. However, the Pottermore test made short work of that.

My friends had predicted beforehand that I would be in Hufflepuff. It was a slap in the face to me at the time. A sign that they saw me as lesser to them, that I wasn’t good enough to be put elsewhere. I declared I would cherish any placement but Hufflepuff. And when I ended up put in the house of the badger, I cried. I cried because I felt worthless and unloved. Because everything I had been told my whole life was pointing me to the fact that nothing good ever comes from Hufflepuff and that it was a house of shame.

I came out about my Hufflepuff status initially to a few friends. They were very supportive and glad I was through with my time of denial. But I quickly became more bold about it, and soon developed the Hufflepuff pride that my friends will tell you so defines me. I have lost my shame, have realized that good does come from Hufflepuff and just because I’m not following a societal norm does not mean that I am worth any less. Since those early days I have become a champion for Hufflepuff rights.

For those who don’t believe Hufflepuffs are in some way unjustly portrayed and unequally represented, let me show a few good examples from my favorite source of knowledge: the internet.

Exhibit A:

Representation: while others thrive on power, adrenaline, imagination, and clearly thrive in life Hufflepuffs choose to fill their time with worthless sweets.

Exhibit B:

Representation: while others are smart, daring, cunning etc. Hufflepuffs just sit there with empty thoughts and do nothing.

Exhibit C:

Representation: Hufflepuff is something to be ashamed of and that any other house would be better than this one. This picture is a typical idea of Hufflepuff shaming, the fear many children have in telling their parents that they are Hufflepuffs because it might not be accepted the same as another house would be.

Exhibit D:

Representation: Hufflepuffs are worthless and shouldn’t even be at Hogwarts. As muggles and muggleborns too face injustice in the wizard world, it is a big insult to be compared to one. This just goes to show how poorly Hufflepuffs can be treated.

Exhibit E:

Representation: no one ever wants to be a part of this worthless house. This is false and many wizards, witches, and muggles like myself proudly embrace their Hufflepuff standing.

Exhibit F

Representation: that Hufflepuffs are somehow worthless and uncared about. The slight towards Canada is also extremely uncalled for.

Exhibit G:

Representation: that Hufflepuffs cannot be cool. Cedric Diggory was one of the few representations of a Hufflepuff in the Harry Potter series the only other main two being Professor Sprout and Tonks (not including little know ones like Hanna Abbot, Justin Finch-Fletchley etc.). We are teaching children that to be Hufflepuff is to be uncool no matter how wonderful your personality might have been. Cedric was one of the bravest and kindest characters, and yet because he was a Hufflepuff his value is diminished.

Exhibit H

Representation: not far from the “potato” image above. This implies Hufflepuffs again have little value. They are stupid, distracted by meaningless things like feet.

Exhibit I:

Representation: Hufflepuffs aren’t courageous or interesting. They simply like to play fair and that’s about it. Again, Tonks and Diggory were both very brave characters, and yet they seem to be forgotten in favor of keeping Hufflepuffs as the dumb pitiful types.

Exhibit J

Representation: People think Hufflepuffs are untalented, unable to really do great magic, and no one really seems to care about them in general.

And of course the slightly amusing Very Potter Musical Joke:

This is the life of an everyday Hufflepuff, forced to live in a world that insists they are unworthy, untalented, pathetic, dumb, and certainly not on the same level as other Hogwarts houses. In films and books they have remained unrepresented on a large level. However, it has been a joyous success to learn that the next movie by J.K Rowling will feature a Hufflepuff hero with Newt Scamander leading as the protagonist. We can only hope this will start to change people’s opinions and make people realize that Hufflepuffs do have value, they are people, and they deserve to be loved and treated equally.

And just remember, when we box people into their definitions we forget that there are always exceptions to the rule. The houses are a fun way to see people’s strengths, but we must remember that individuals are each unique, and that people do not always fit. As a very introverted intellectual Hufflepuff who does not really like hugging people, I am always  upset when people think that because of my house I am extroverted, unintelligent, and love hugs! So make sure to take a closer look beyond the house crest. Love people for who they are and view them for who they are, not what society labels them.  Just remember:

And continue to branch out and make new friendships, love others for who they are…always.

 

*side note* To any who seem to think this is somehow a serious post, I will let you know that I do value Hufflepuffs but not to this ridiculous extent. So before you laugh at me for being too easily offended, just know much of this post was written in jest and for my own amusement. And the rest was written in hopes that people will one day see Hufflepuffs for their full potential….because it is true that it is the house that no one really cares about.

Any fellow Hufflepuffs out there with me? What other houses feel unjustly portrayed? As the last image reminds us, Slytherins often get portrayed as heartless, Ravenclaws as snobs and those two portrayals are also equally upsetting. Is there anything troubling for you Gryffindors? Even in the spotlight there can be problems with stereotypes. So, chat about it with me readers. I always love hearing some Harry Potter debates.