I have to confess that when I first joined HOL more than a decade ago, I was less than thrilled to find myself in Hufflepuff. All my friends that had joined shortly before me were in Ravenclaw and I felt that that should be where I belonged, too, proud as I was of my own cleverness and knowing how much I enjoyed knowledge and learning. Taking the test, I chose Ravenclaw - and still I was sorted into Hufflepuff. Being new to HOL and not having spent much in-depth thought on the different Houses' ideals, I was disappointed. Mine was, it seemed, the House that is generally viewed as unimportant and filled with those not good enough for anything else, the House with a frankly ridiculous name, the - in my opinion - most bland colours and a very confusing choice of heraldic animal.

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It's difficult to tell now when I began to understand what being a Hufflepuff actually means, and why it is something to be proud of. It took me a while to realise that of all the Houses' ideals, Hufflepuff's are the only ones that are not at all self-centric. Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Slytherin underline the skills of those who are meant to stand out, but Hufflepuff's values are at the core of every working society. They are what makes sure that we take care of each other, and not only of ourselves. They are quiet ideals, not made for fame and recognition, but they take strength, and they carry their own worth within themselves. 

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Looking at it this way, it seems a rather sad sight that - outside of HOL - Hufflepuff is so looked down upon. Doing so means looking down on those whose highest ideals are kindness, patience, friendship, loyalty and the will to do the work that needs to be done, even if it is unpleasant - disregarding that none of these ideals mean you cannot also be brave, or cunning, or clever, just that it holds less value to you than how you treat others.  I believe that we, as a society, would profit greatly from holding Hufflepuff's values in higher regard, no matter the House's name and colours.

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And besides, badgers are actually quite charming.

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...European badgers, that is. As this person aptly phrased it: