by Puja

If you know me, you know two things: 1) the Harry Potter fandom is my main fandom and 2) I tend to lean towards the dramatic. So last week when I heard that Pottermore re-launched the sorting quiz, I obviously had to take it. Why? Because it is the official sorting quiz on JK Rowling’s official Harry Potter site is why.

For those muggles amongst us: there are four houses at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, read about the characteristics of each house here. I went through life thinking I was in Ravenclaw. I self-identified as intelligent, witty and somewhat detached. I took the quiz, expecting to see the silver and blue crest of Ravenclaw House as my result. Yellow? A Badger? Hufflepuff? How? Why? Why is this happening to me? Hufflepuff was unexpected; things quickly spiraled into an identity crisis – at 10:30 a.m. on a Tuesday.

Hufflepuffs are known as super nice and hardworking. Read all the entries JK Rowling and the Pottermore staff curated to highlight the virtues of a Hufflepuff, nothing eased my pain. I didn’t care that Hufflepuff house had the least amount of dark wizards. I just went around bemoaning my sorting to other Potterheads, my co-workers, and the wonderful women on this blog and imploring them to take the quiz…the results? I am friends with a bunch of Ravenclaws and Gryffindors. Look, I know this isn’t real life, but it is my life and your judgment is inconsequential to me.

I used a different email address and re-took the quiz, Slytherin this time. The fact that I used a different email to manipulate my sorting is very Slytherin. Problem is, I am not all that ambitious. I have big dreams and make big drama, but I’m busy trying to live in the moment (shout out to self-care routines). Or evil, Slytherins have a tendency to be on the wrong side of things – more dark wizards than other houses. Yet, this house was better than Hufflepuff. I texted everyone that my shame was over, I was sorted into an acceptable house, my soul stopped itching.

A dear friend told me she was in Slytherin.  So now I had a roommate, things were looking up! Later that afternoon, this friend told me her daughter was sorted into Hufflepuff and actually did start crying. Nooooo! For the record, this young lady is the living Hermione Granger. She is kind, she is conscientious, and she is so so intelligent. Different phases in life, and we both had the same reaction. Without thinking about it, I told my friend I will go back to being a Hufflepuff if it will make her daughter feel better. And like using the alternate email was very Slytherin, offering solidarity to a friend in need was very Hufflepuff. There is absolutely nothing wrong with being known as fair, hardworking and loyal. Nothing at all, especially when an amazing future world changer like my friend’s daughter is one too. Crazy how something so innocuous can upset your world and actually teach you something about yourself. Hi, my name is Puja and I am in Hufflepuff.

Putting a smile on my face this week: I think I experienced a moment of pure joy on Sunday. Rare because I am hardly a happy person, but there is just something about a great workout, a lovely brunch, and gorgeous weather to make a girl realize her life is pretty good and I had the tools to appreciate this realization. Seriously shout out to self-care routines that allow you to feel even a modicum of happiness. Keep doing them, happiness is NOT overrated.