This grew from a conversation my friend and I, both rabid Puffs, had a few weeks ago. It's drabbly and more summary than story, but I had fun writing it. I'll probably do all the books, though I dunno if they will be as long as this chapter. We'll see. It's not supposed to be a serious story, just funny little scenelets and stuff. eh. be nice.
Disclaimer: I own a stuffed badger and a Helga Hufflepuff cosplay, nothing else.
HuffleHarry
The Hat takes a long time. Harry keeps saying, not Slytherin. The Hat asks back, Where? If you want to be choosey, where?
All Harry can think is that he wants to belong somewhere. He'd like to have a family, a proper one. Friends.
If that's what he wants, says the Hat, then he'll belong all right. A place of friendship and loyalty. Hufflepuff!
There is a wave of Shock. No one expected this. Harry Potter, The Harry Potter- His whole family in Gryffindor, and he's in HUFFLEPUFF? Then the Hufflepuffs go wild. Just wild.
And here's where things start to shift. Rather than just befriending Ron right of the bat and that's it, Harry gets this huge, strong support system that spans the whole house. It's not just the older students being glad that 'they got Potter'- Hufflepuff house is very much a family, as Harry soon learns.
When Snape tries to take out old anger on Harry, Every Hufflepuff in the class says, No. Excuse me, No. They are not rude, but they are solid. Unmoving. Harry is one of the family, and this family doesn't take well to bullies. The first years know this much, and they are firm- politely distracting Snape and when the older students find out, a few threaten to go to the Head of House. Pomona has a nice chat with Snape, reminding him of all the potions materials he doesn't need to buy because she grows them, before telling him plainly- Harry is one of mine. You will treat him fairly. If I hear of any bullying towards one of my badgers again, you will be sorry.
Snape pales a little.
He knows his students joke about the Hufflepuffs, but he also knows that few things are scarier than an enraged Pomona, not when it deals with unfairness and bullying. It takes a lot to get them boiling, but when they do, it's best not to be in the area.
He still takes what points he can. But he tries to show a little fairness.
Harry and his year mates- Hannah, Ernie, Justin, Susan- the sQuad Plus, they call themselves- love to visit Hagrid. He tells the best stories. Soon other students are visiting him too, because Kettleburn is getting old and Hagrid knows such a lot about magical creatures. The third years hang on his words.
One day he tells a third year named Anna, clutching a batted copy of a muggle book called "Cerberus :Monsters of Mythology" about Fluffy.
Of course, she has to go searching for him.
Half the House goes with her.
No Badger is ever alone.
The trapdoor poses questions.
Though curious, the older students remind the younger ones- Hogwarts has so many secrets no one knows them all, not even the Weasley twins or the Professors. It's probably keeping students from falling through a tunnel to their deaths, or else poor Fluffy is agoraphobic.
The sQuad and Harry are first years, and 11, and won't take that answer.
Hagrid doesn't mean to tell them more- but they're Hufflepuffs. Honest. True. Not up to anything. Not about to break rules. It slips out.
It takes a week before it's all over, the whole truth common knowledge in the first year badger ranks.
Hufflepuffs are all about networking.
One secret down, and Halloween to come.
The Fat Friar tells about his days as a monk, and All Saints day.
Harry has never been able to dress up for Halloween, and thought maybe he was too old.
But even Gabe is dressed up, as a muggle scientist with mad hair.
It turns out that House elves are quite good at sewing, for creatures that don't wear clothes.
By noon, Harry is dressed one of the characters from Dudley's television shows, and only has to explain the costume six times.
The professors roll with it. It happens every year. They are grateful they will not be supervising the Badgers that night, though. Anna and her older brother always seem to get enormous boxes of muggle sweets from their parents.
Anna and candy, as Harry learns by half three, should never mix.
The rest of the Hufflepuffs are enjoying the show, and taking bets on when she'll crash.
She shares, too.
Harry can hardly eat supper, but then Quirrel runs in screaming.
It's Hannah that points out that Hermione wasn't at supper- she'd taken to eating with the Hufflepuffs at supper. Pomona wasn't about to turn her away.
Gabe said it was interhouse loyalty.
Harry and Hannah meant to go warn her quickly and slip back to their House.
But Hufflepuffs are never alone.
So it happened that Harry, Hannah, Anna, Thomas, Ernie, and Justin arrived at the girl's toilet in tome to hear Hermione scream.
Harry was very glad for the company. Three stunners (Ernie, Thomas, and Hannah), a thrown tap (Justin) Crazed screaming for distraction (Anna's idea, though it was Hermione that screamed loudest) a Wingardium Leviosa with a second tap (Harry) and a 'for narnia!' charge (there's Anna) later, the troll was felled, out like a light.
Anna was still going strong.
McGonnagall arrived moments later, having heard the crash. Or possibly Anna.
Points were given. Other points ( for foolishness, recklessness, and disobeying heads of Houses) were taken away.
Pomona arrived. More points for not being dead were given, and for staying together.
Hufflepuff house was now in the lead for the House cup for the first time in thirteen years.
Then is the first Quidditch match of the year, at last.
Harry makes the team- as a chaser, it happens, though Cedric Diggory offers to work out a rotation for seeker. He doesn't have his own broom, since Pomona is all about the rules, but the school happens to purchase some nicer brooms that year.
It has nothing to do with a group of Hufflepuff Alumni donating to the Quidditch fund.
Nothing at all.
Harry is nervous the day before. Cedric says that's normal. So do the other members of the team.
With the sQuad, Harry goes to get his book back from Snape- Snape hadn't been going to keep it for long, in case Pomona found out, but hadn't been able to resist taking it and a point.
Of course, everyone kept quiet about what they'd seen until they were back in the Common room. Anna wonders if Fluffy's not The Cerberus, and Snape's trying to sneak into the underworld to rescue the dead soul of a loved one.
Everyone giggles at that.
No, they remember. Flamel. And all that entails: the Philosopher's Stone.
Pomona shakes her head when they go to her. He may be a git, she says, but I taught him. He's no thief.
Harry isn't so sure.
They win their first match. Harry's broom goes a bit wonky, but the Hufflepuffs are nothing if not prepared. Older students- those seventh years that still vaguely remember the Fear are never without wands, and the younger ones have learned it's best to stay armed. Too many Ravenclaws and Slytherins looking for a joke will try to mess with you, the first few days before they learn it's not a good idea to mess with the Badgers, or when they think they can get you alone. It's habit. Wands conjure up a floating trampoline/mattress, while other students wrack their brains for counter curses. Before anything major can happen, the Snitch is caught. Harry is grateful he didn't have to worry about that while his broom started acting up.
Another donation from the Hufflepuffs Are Honestly Awesome House Alumni fund (HAHAHA) later, the school brooms have undergone extensive charming and are as curse, jinx, and hex proof as any professional's.
The Hufflepuffs are all about fairness in sports, you see.
Christmas is a Jolly one. Not many students stay, but Hufflepuff's common room is a mass of yellow tinsel and hand sized christmas trees. The gifts pile up. Harry feels bad that he doesn't have anything for anyone, until Hermione the clever reminds him he can order things by mail and pay with his Vault. He borrows a few magazines, and comes up with decent gifts for his friends. Just small things, little tokens. A stuffed badger for Hannah's collection of stuffies. Ernie got a tie pin before he left, since he can never keep his tie straight. His teammates get little altimeters or compasses for their brooms. Anna gets another book on magical creatures. Justin and Hermione both receive books on famous muggleborns, including Enna Firetongue, Galen the Wise, and Rabacah the Huntress. Susan gets a book of minute mysteries.
Harry remembers Ron from the train and feels guilty for not keeping the friendship.
Hufflepuffs are all about loyalty to the House, but friendship to all.
He gets Ron a 13 pack of chocolate frogs.
Ron in turn, gives him a jumper from his Mum.
Maybe there's still a chance.
Ron doesn't join them for dinner or supper on Christmas, but that's ok. Christmas is a time for family.
Harry eats with his.
The Invisibility cloak weighs on Harry's mind. He wants to explore, see about another secret, but the others would never forgive him if he went alone.
Ernie's gone home, but Justin's still about, past midnight and reading his book.
Together they decide it can't hurt to go for a look around.
A mirror is there. Justin looks in first, beaming when he sees himself as a healer, curing muggle sicknesses. Can it be real? He hopes so. It'd be nice.
Harry sees a red haired woman, a messy haired man. He sees dozens of people that have his nose, or knees, or smile. He almost cries a little. Justin understands, or tries to. He lets Harry sit there for a long time.
Then they head back.
Harry tells his other Housemates what he saw. Pomona smiles gently at him.
Everyone mashes into a group hug.
We will be your family for now, they say. Until you see them again, will will be your family.
Pomona makes sure it sticks by going to the kitchen and returning with a large plate of cookies and pitchers of milk.
She then goes to Hagrid and the owlry.
That night they have a slumber party in the common room.
The next morning, Harry is deluged with photos and hand written memories.
Hagrid comes up and meets him in the entry hall with a carved box, rough but beautiful.
Harry tucks the letters and moving pictures inside.
He can see them now, whenever he wants.
Another game, and this time Harry decides to fly a bit after. Hooch agrees so long as a few others stay with him. Hufflepuffs are, of course, responsible. Mostly. Thomas, another chaser, agrees. They are flitting near the edge of the forest, playing catch with one of Thomas's basket balls from home, when they see Snape.
They follow.
They hear.
Woah.
The other Hufflepuffs hear about it within three minutes.
Pomona goes to see Snape the next morning.
Pomona does not. like. bullies.
For the first time in a long time, Snape apologizes to someone, though he doesn't really mean it.
Pomona is not satisfied.
The Hufflepuff plus Hermione and Ron study group is meeting in the library, as they can't really in the common rooms. They greet Hagrid. Susan asks after him. Hannah asks after Fang. Anna asks after Fluffy. Harry asks what he's got behind his back. Hagrid leaves in a hurry.
Ron and Justin look at the stacks and shake their heads.
That afternoon they go to Hagrid's. Hermione is speechless about the Dragon egg.
Anna starts muttering about something named Shardas.
Hagrid thinks that's a fine name.
The next time they go down, Ron notices Malfoy following.
Harry is puzzled since Malfoy hadn't spoken to him since the train ride, and Harry was fine with that.
Ron explains the hate they have for each other.
The Hufflepuffs just shake their heads.
Shardas-Norbert hatches. Anna is only slightly less enthused than Hagrid. Ron gets bit. So does Ernie.
Malfoy sees.
Hagrid remembers Ron's brother Charlie is working with dragons.
With help from Hermione and Susan, at last a plan is devised.
Thanks to Malfoy, the plan doesn't go so well. Shardy-Norb is safe, but most of the Hufflepuff first years, Ron, Hermione, Malfoy, and Neville end up with detentions.
Pomona is not happy
Hufflepuff drops to last place.
As usual, she huffs.
At least Gryffindor is only three points up.
Harry thanks the Hat that Pomona is not so strict as McGonnagall.
At least his housemates aren't too mad. They just want the full story.
They get most of it.
Detentions are served by late one night before exams.
Hermione frets, but is assured that first year exams are cake. Malfoy is not amused by having to go into the Forbidden Forest.
Neither is anyone else for that matter.
Hannah and Neville pair up with Malfoy and Fang.
Justin and Hermione join Susan, Harry and Hagrid.
At half eleven, Malfoy plays a joke on Neville. Hannah may or may not have broken his nose. In any event the teams are adjusted so that Harry, Fang, Hermione and Justin are on their own.
They take mental notes to tell Anna- at least until Harry sees the dead Unicorn. Anna won't want to hear that.
They all run for it when they see the drinking shadow-thing.
It runs for them.
The next morning they whisper through mouths of bacon and toast about what they saw. Over a tray of Shrinking Violets in Herbology, they whisper about what they saw.
Over text books propped open in an empty classroom, Anna gives a little shriek, pointing at her Care of Magical Creatures text.
At last it becomes clear. Snape's not stealing the Stone for money, but to bring back Him.
Harry looks at his friends.
His friends look at him.
Time to tell a teacher.
Pomona shakes her head. Dumbledore trusts Snape. Snape might be a bullying Git who doesn't play fair, but Pomona remembers teaching him as a boy. Remembers his best friend, for a time. Other teachers may not have noticed but Pomona is mother to all her badgers, not just teacher. She knows what those looks mean.
She doesn't say anything else, though. It's his story, not hers. Unless he does something drastic, she'll trust him.
Besides, Snape was never good with chess. Minnie's trap will stop him cold.
Next they try to go to Dumbledore but he's left for London- the floo network is very much down, some crisis or another.
Over Supper, Ron and Hermione join Harry and the sQuad.
They plan.
And plan.
It takes a rousing speech from Harry about fighting evil, the entire thing hissed under his breath, but it works.
At first Harry says it'd be better if not everyone went. If he went alone. It goes against everything he's been taught this last year, but he says it.
Everyone shoots that down.
Ernie reluctantly agrees to stay behind to cover for the boys. Hannah draws straws with Susan and ends up staying behind as well. The cloak will only cover three, after all.
Harry worries that Ron and Hermione might have been caught, but they make it.
Hermione and Justin decimate the Devil's Snare.
Getting the key is no difficulty, even with only three brooms.
It's the chess that's hard.
Justin is taken. Ron is sweating, but manages to guide them through. In the end, he is taken, too. Susan is nearly crying when she finds their pulses.
But the three left press forward.
Susan and Hermione work through the potion riddle three times to make sure to be correct. Both girls look fearful; when they realize there's only enough for one to move ahead. Hufflepuffs are never alone, their greatest strength is in numbers.
But who said courage is only for the Red and Gold?
Harry goes through on his own, knowing that his friends are headed back to safety.
The half hour Ernie and Hannah gave them is up.
Quirrel is waiting.
Voldemort stares from the back of the man's head, enough to make him retch.
The Mirror is there but now it doesn't show a family, but Harry, and his friends around him. In one hand is the Stone, and then it's gone into a pocket.
Then it's in his real pocket.
Volde-Quirrel sneers, then offers him a chance. Join my side. We will win. Join my side, and you will live. You will have Power.
Harry thinks of his friends. They are not worth Power.
He would rather die than help this half a man.
Volde-Quirrel reaches for him and there is pain. Harry grabs hold, willing whatever is burning Quirrel to keep working.
It is thoughts of who will be hurt if the two faced man gets the Stone that keeps Harry conscious. His friends. His family.
It is too much. The last thing he sees is gold above his eyes.
The hospital bed is crowded with Hannah's collection of stuffed animals and the bedside table and the empty cot beside it are heaped with sweets and trinkets.
His friends are asleep in the chairs around him.
No Hufflepuff, they told Pomfrey, should be alone.
After weak hugging and brief explanations, they are hurried out and Dumbledore explains deeper. The nature of the mirror. That the Stone is gone.
And that the whole school knows about what happened.
The end of school feast is, well, festive. Hermione and Ron are stuck at their own table, but they catch Harry's eye again and again and they all laugh.
Dumbledore lists off the points. Hufflepuff is dead last, which Gabe says happens every year.
Then points are given.
10 to a Ravenclaw who scored 200% on each of her exams.
Neville gets 10 points for standing up to his friends. (Ron and Hermione mouth, we'll explain later.)
50 each to Susan, Hermione, Justin, and Ron for showing true loyalty and friendship as well as for trying to warn Authority figures before risking their necks.
60 to Harry for pure Courage, Loyalty, and Honor.
Harry doesn't think he deserves more than his friends.
They are tied now, Hufflepuff with Slytherin.
It has never been this way before.
Hufflepuff bursts into cheers, a tie, a tie, they are in first place for the first time in 13 years, Huzzah!
Dumbledore grins, eyes twinkling.
This is fun.
He awards another 10 points each to Ernie and Hannah, for knowing when it was too much and summoning every teacher they could find to go after their friends ( after first extracting a promise that if the Stone was really in danger, no one would be punished.)
Clever thinking, that.
Harry stows his trunk, then sits in the very crowded compartment exchanging phone numbers and postal addresses with his friends.
His family.
The end.
Review? I hope you didn't hate it.