Another long standing joke at the expense of Hufflepuff house is that we are, to use Hagrid's words, "a load of 

dunderheads". Perhaps this rumor came about because of the simple way to gain access to our common room, or 

perhaps it is because of our tendencies to work hard. Either way, there is no reason to assume any common fault 

among any house. There are "dunderheads" in all four houses (yes, even Ravenclaws). It is just as unfair to assume 

that all Hufflepuffs are idiots as it is to assume Slytherins are dark wizards. 

This rumor may have started because of the seemingly dependent nature of loyalty (for more information, see chapter 

one). It may also stem from the less refined and brutish reputation given to the virtue of hard work. Hard work is often 

intellectual (this does not mean that people who work hard to gain knowledge are not naturally intelligent. This is quite 

untrue because intelligence is gained through curiosity and learning, which is often challenging and requires tons of 

effort). A tendency to work hard mixed with a natural curiosity allows for immense intellectual growth. 

There are just as many intelligent Hufflepuffs as in any other house, they simply value the virtues of loyalty, kindness 

and warmth rather than intellect or ambition. The choice to value these underestimated traits shows a wisdom in its 

own unique to Hufflepuff house