Gryffindors don’t give a shit about rules. The most hardline of them don’t even care about people. They care about justice. Right or wrong, black or white, there are no shades of grey. If it’s just, it’s always just; if it’s unjust, it’s always wrong. Hermione’s ruthlessness makes her a Gryffindor. She is absolutely sure that she is on the side of justice in everything that she does, and it’s such a Gryffindor trait.
Because Slytherins are ruthless, but they care about rules. Their own rules, usually, but rules nonetheless. They will impose parameters and limitations on themselves just so they have a framework to operate within. If doing something means violating their own internal code, then they’re not gonna do it. Even fucking Voldemort is like that. He broke every single fucking rule the Wizarding World ever put in place, but damn if he’d break his own.
And Ravenclaws? They hate rules. Fucking things just get in the way. They prevent creativity and keep people from accomplishing their goals. Ravenclaws are probably some of the most dangerous people in the entirety of the book series, because they’re brilliant and creative and ambitious and prideful, and when they snap, they do not have inhibitions. They will wreck everything that ever had the nerve to get in their way, and they will never once feel bad about it.
And then there’s Hufflepuffs. They emphasize equality. If the playing field is equal, then all other good things will come from there. People hear that, and they think that Hufflepuffs are pushovers. They cast them as the shy ones, the fearful ones, the insecure ones. Really, they’re none of these things. They are nice, accepting, friendly, this is all true, but they are also entirely willing to fight anyone that steps up to the plate talking shit. Hufflepuffs will defend themselves and other people until they drop dead, and it’s infuriating to see that only ever attributed to Gryffindors. Because the big difference is that a Gryffindor believes in acceptable causalties, and a Hufflepuff will knock your teeth down your fucking throat for even suggesting such a disgusting idea. For Hufflepuffs, there are no acceptable casualties; any loss of life is utterly unacceptable.
There are a lot of people that talk about House stereotyping, and then turn around and perpetuate further stereotypes. Gryffindors are not necessarily knights in shining armor; Slytherins are not necessarily callous villains; Ravenclaws are much more than just intelligent, and Hufflepuff is not the motherfucking potato House.
Proud Puff.
No wonder hogwarts is so dangerous. No one fucking follows the rules.
Tag: hp meta
Is it really?
So Rowling had no way of knowing the political climate during the 19 Years Later epilogue, but we do now. So consider this: what kind of world does the Golden Trio live in right now?
Their country is in the middle of Brexit talks, with racism and protectionism at their worst and the magic community isn’t far behind.
Young Pure Bloods march the streets with torches and capes, shouting “They will not replace us!” They wear Deatheater masks and temporary tattoos (oh it’s not the real thing, they’ll wash it off and be back at the office on Monday).
In the news, the authorities call for a cease of violence and ask people not to fight the young pure bloods. In the streets, people talk about talking to them calmly to fix things. Ron is livid. “You don’t reason with bloody Deatheaters! You throw curses at them!”
Hermione’s work for equality in the magical world gets harder every day. She starts getting death threats in her mail, many howlers that leave her in tears. She keeps going. When people insist that every werewolf is dangerous to society and they should all be banned from country, she tearfully remembers Lupin giving his life to protect them all, she remembers Dobby with a knife in his heart and Hagrid with his half giant blood and his giant heart. She keeps fighting.
As much as he hates it —and he hates it a lot— Harry becomes a vocal public figure again, constantly condemning blood purists and calling for action against them. His office calls horrified after the first interview, telling him he can’t be calling for violence against this people who are only protesting. “They are Deatheaters and this is how we deal with them,” he snarls back. “Have you forgotten Voldemort?” On the other side of the line, he can feel them flinch.
No one who fought the war has forgotten it, but so many others seem to, it pains Harry. It’s been barely twenty years since he saw children die in the grounds of Hogwarts, killed by grown angry men who believed themselves superior. It’s been barely twenty years since Tom Riddle’s death body laid on the ground and he thought they could finally have peace.
The trio sends their kids on the Hogwarts Express and they can’t help but remember their experiences there in a time much like this. They never thought their own children would have to suffer as they did, they pray they won’t have to.
Harry touches his lighting scar and reminds himself it hasn’t hurt again for years. All is well. A quiet voice inside his head wonders bitterly: “Is it, really?”
Question of Smoke 