How a loner ended up in Hufflepuff
"You're full of contradictions," the sorting hat told him. "No, no, that's not a bad thing," it responded to his unvoiced concern. "I only meant that you have some of the characteristics of all the houses but not all of the characteristics of any of them. Therefore, wherever I put you, your house-mates will try to make you conform to their expectations. If I put you in Gryffindor, they will try to make you more flamboyant about your bravery, if I place you in Slytherin, they will try to make you more ostentatious about your ambition, if I place you in Hufflepuff, they will try to turn your loyalty into that of a team player, and if I put you in Ravenclaw, they will try to turn your inquisitiveness into displays of erudition."
"You're saying that whatever you do, I can't have the one thing I want, which is not to attract attention," Harry lamented.
"I said that others would try to do that. You're under no obligation to conform. But you are right in so far that even if you don't, your waywardness will still attract a certain amount of attention."
"Someone on the train said that Hufflepuff is the house of the duffers."
"Where are you going with this, Mr. Potter? Just because many people in the other houses say so, that doesn't make it true."
"My point exactly. If you place me in Hufflepuff, at least ¾ of the school will not be surprised if I do my best to stay invisible."
"That is cunning worthy of Slytherin and insightfulness worthy of Ravenclaw. I wish you good luck in HUFFLEPUFF."