Harry Potter: 14 Prolific Hufflepuffs, Ranked By Intelligence

Hufflepuff is arguably the most underrated house in Hogwarts. Throughout the novels and even in the wider Harry Potter fanbase, Hufflepuff is often mocked. It is generally considered to be the ‘other’ house. Gryffindors are brave, Ravenclaw’s are smart, Slytherins are cunning; if someone doesn’t favor these particular traits, then they’re a Hufflepuff.

Regardless of this view of Hufflepuff, the house has produced some of the most famous and notable witches and wizards of all time. Their house ideals of loyalty, inclusivity and fair play are fantastic qualities that deserve recognition and respect. Who were the most influential Hufflepuffs of all time, and how clever were they?

Updated on December 21st, 2021 by Hilary Elizabeth: Regardless of its more low-key reputation, Hufflepuff was home to some very powerful, accomplished, and intelligent witches and wizards. It’s important, therefore, to shine a light on all of Hufflepuff’s most memorable star students.

14 Hannah Abbott

Hannah Abbott is a Hufflepuff who was always lingering in the background of the main Harry Potter storyline, despite never playing a huge role in anything.

But after her experience at Hogwarts, she went on to marry the Wizarding War hero Neville Longbottom and became the landlady at The Leaky Cauldron. She might not be as accomplished as the most famous ‘puffs, but running a mainstay locale like The Leaky Cauldron means that Hannah has many connections within the wizarding world.

13 Teddy Lupin

The only son of the deceased Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks, while Teddy hasn’t had a character arc in the canonical Harry Potter universe, much can be assumed based on his familial bonds alone.

Firstly, given that Remus and Tonks were both very bright, it seems safe to assume that Teddy is pretty smart too. And although what he achieves in adulthood is yet to be seen, his relationships within the wizarding world will enable him to do almost anything he sets his mind to.

12 Cedric Diggory

The true tragedy of Cedric’s story is that he may have grown into a character who accomplished a great deal and became a part of wizarding history for good reasons. Unfortunately, all of this potential was stamped out during the Triwizard Cup, when he was murdered by Peter Pettigrew in the cemetery of Little Hangleton.

Cedric was always described as a bright and intelligent boy, he almost certainly had a fantastic future ahead of him, so it is was a real shame that he had to die in Harry’s fourth year.

11 Hengist of Woodcroft

While many fans may not have heard of Hengist of Woodcroft, they will certainly be familiar with his work. The medieval wizard was the founder of the wizarding village of Hogsmeade. While little is known about the character, he is certainly one of the most important wizards in the history of Britain.

In order to flee persecution, Hengist created Hogsmeade, and it remains the only village that is entirely populated by wizards and witches in the United Kingdom.

10 Silvanus Kettleburn

Silvanus Kettleburn obviously has to be pretty smart considering that he became a Professor at Hogwarts, but this Care of Magical Creatures teacher makes Hagrid look downright responsible when it comes to magical animal caretaking.

He memorably retired from Hogwarts at the start of Harry Potter to “enjoy more time with his remaining limbs.” Considering what magical medicine is capable of, his injuries must have been repeated and catastrophic, meaning that while he may have made an impact on the wizarding world, he likely wasn’t as sharp as a man in his position should have been.

9 Nymphadora Tonks

Nymphadora Tonks was one of the most accomplished and talented wizards in the Ministry of Magic’s Auror Office. This was, at least in part, due to the fact that Tonks was trained by one of the most formidable Aurors of all time, Alastor Moody.

Due to her training as an Auror, Tonks was greatly skilled in both defensive and offensive magic. She fought in the Second Wizarding War, taking part in the Battle of the Seven Potters and the Battle of Hogwarts. She was more than capable of defeating several death eaters in duels.

8 Fat Friar

The Fat Friar is clearly more well known for his kindness over his cleverness, but he was a very influential Hufflepuff in life as well as in the afterlife.

When the Hufflepuff ghost was still among the living, he devoted himself to using magic to heal the sick, and because of his unnatural gift for curing the ill (as well as pulling rabbits out of hats), the muggles around him became suspicious. He was ultimately executed by the Catholic Church for his witchcraft.

7 Grogan Stump

Grogan Stump was the Minster for Magic of Great Britain between 1811 and 1891 and was one of the most popular Ministers for Magic. His most important act while in office was the introduction of the Being, Beast, and Spirit divisions in the Ministry’s Department for the Control of Magical Creatures. Consequently, it was Stump who ended a debate that had been enduring among the wizarding world for centuries. This settled and defined the meaning of the word ‘being’ in magical law, allowing certain creatures rights because of this.

Grogan Stump is clearly one of the most intelligent and influential Hufflepuffs of all time. His stint as Minister for Magic was one of the most popular of all time.

6 Artemisia Lufkin

Artemisia Lufkin is another Minster for Magic from Hufflepuff House. However, she is perhaps even more notable than Grogan Stump. Lufkin was the first woman to hold the office of Minister for Magic. This makes the character an incredibly important player in the history of the wizarding world.

Lufkin was a very accomplished Minister for Magic, and she was elected to the position twice. She was a very popular Minister for Magic and is featured on her very own chocolate frog card, like most legendary magicians in the wizarding world.

5 Bridget Wenlock

Bridget Wenlock is a famed witch who lived in the Thirteenth Century. Wenlock is most famous for her work in the field of arithmancy. This magical subject uses numbers to, among other things, predict the future. It is notorious for its difficulty, with many students struggling in the subject at Hogwarts due to its complexity (although Hermione Granger unsurprisingly loved the subject).

Wenlock was highly influential, as she discovered the magical properties behind the number seven. She was also very protective of her research, writing most of her work in invisible ink or atrocious handwriting to conceal its content.

4 Theseus Scamander

Theseus Scamander is the brother of Newt Scamander and served as the Head of the Ministry of Magic’s Auror Office during the Global Wizarding War. In addition to being Head of the Auror Office, Scamander was also a war hero, having fought in the First World War.

While his adult office is a clear sign of his brightness, he also showed this intelligence as a young man. Theseus Scamander received 5 NEWTs while studying at Hogwarts.

3 Pomona Sprout

Pomona Sprout was head of herbology at Hogwarts and one of the school’s best Professors, so she was clearly highly skilled in the subject of herbology. That being said, her skills as a witch are not strictly limited to the field. She was proficient in charms and potions, both of which helped her to advance even further in herbology.

Additionally, Professor Sprout was highly skilled in defensive magic and dueling. This could be seen in the fact that she successfully participated in and survived the Battle of Hogwarts, defeating several Death Eaters during the conflict.

2 Newt Scamander

Newt Scamander is arguably the most accomplished and famous Hufflepuff House graduate. Despite the fact that Scamander was expelled from Hogwarts, he went on to become one of the most well-respected Magizoologists of all time.

In addition, while Newt was renowned for his work in the field of magical creatures, he was also an accomplished wizard in other aspects of magic. His proficiency with defensive magic was clear in his frequent battles with dark wizards during his travels to New York and Paris.

1 Helga Hufflepuff

The founder of Hufflepuff House is by far the greatest Hufflepuff of all time. Along with Gryffindor, Slytherin, and Ravenclaw, Helga Hufflepuff founded Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She insisted that her house did not prize the ideals of her co-founders, and she instead said that she wanted to teach any magical children that she could.

As she was one of the four founders of Hogwarts, she is frequently regarded as one of the greatest witches and wizards of the age. Helga was clearly one of the most talented and intelligent witches of all time and deserves recognition for her impact on the wizarding world.

About The Author

Sam Hutchinson
(374 Articles Published)

Writer living in Adelaide, Australia. Long-suffering post-graduate student and lover of pop culture from Game of Thrones to DC.
Twitter: @samchinson

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