======Hufflepuff Common Room======
=====Location Information=====
  * **Type:** [[Common Room]]
  * **Location:** [[Hogwarts Castle]], in the basement corridor near the [[Kitchens]]
  * **Owner/Residents:** [[Hufflepuff]] [[Student|Students]] and the Head of [[Hufflepuff]] [[House]]
  * **Key Features:** Concealed entrance behind a stack of barrels, unique non-verbal password, underground location, repelling security mechanism for intruders
=====Description and History=====
The [[Hufflepuff]] common room is located in a cellar on the same corridor as the [[Hogwarts Castle|Hogwarts]] [[Kitchens]]. The entrance is concealed within a pile of large barrels, set into a nook in the stone wall on the right-hand side of the corridor. Unlike the other [[House]] common rooms, which use passwords or riddles, entry to the [[Hufflepuff]] common room requires a specific action. An individual must tap the barrel two from the bottom, in the middle of the second row, in the rhythm of "//Helga Hufflepuff//".
This entrance method also serves as a security device. If the wrong barrel is tapped, or the rhythm is incorrect, one of the other barrel lids will burst open and douse the incorrect tapper in [[vinegar]]. This makes the [[Hufflepuff]] common room the only one at [[Hogwarts]] with a built-in mechanism to repel would-be intruders from other Houses.
While the interior of the common room is never visited by [[Harry Potter]] in the novels, its appearance has been described in detail by [[J.K. Rowling]]. (Pottermore) The room is described as being round, earthy, and welcoming, with a low ceiling. It is always sunny, and circular windows, level with the ground outside, show views of waving grass and dandelions. The decor reflects the [[House]] colours, featuring cheerful, bee-like yellow and black patterns, and burnished copper elements. The room is filled with fat, comfortable armchairs and sofas. A profusion of plants and flowers adds to the cosy atmosphere, with some hanging from the ceiling and others sitting on windowsills; some of these plants are described as dancing and talking. (Pottermore)
A carved wooden mantelpiece, decorated with dancing badgers, sits over a fireplace. Above it hangs a portrait of [[Helga Hufflepuff]], one of the four founders of [[Hogwarts]]. Small, round doors lead from the common room to the student dormitories. (Pottermore)
=====Role in the Story=====
The [[Hufflepuff]] common room is not a primary location in the seven-book series. Its main significance lies in its location and unique entrance mechanism, which are discussed in //[[Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire]]//. When [[Harry Potter]] needs to speak with [[Dobby]], he learns that the entrance to the [[Kitchens]] is next to the still-life painting that serves as the entrance to the [[Hufflepuff]] common room's corridor.
Later in the same book, after [[Cedric Diggory]] advises Harry to take his golden [[Dragon Egg]] to the [[Prefects' Bathroom]], the proximity of the [[Hufflepuff]] common room to the [[Kitchens]] is implicitly referenced as part of the castle's basement layout. The room itself, however, remains unseen by the main characters, serving primarily to characterize the nature of [[Hufflepuff]] [[House]]—unpretentious, secure, and welcoming to those who belong.
=====Known Areas Within=====
  * **Main Lounge:** The central gathering area, noted for its comfortable furniture, copper decorations, fireplace, and abundant plant life. (Pottermore)
  * **Dormitories:** Tunnels lead from the common room to the boys' and girls' dormitories. The beds are described as having copper-framed bedsteads and patchwork quilts. (Pottermore)
=====Behind the Scenes=====
  * The interior of the [[Hufflepuff]] common room is never depicted in the original seven novels. Its detailed description was first provided by [[J.K. Rowling]] on the [[Pottermore]] website.
  * Of the four [[Hogwarts]] [[House|Houses]], [[Hufflepuff]]'s is the only common room that [[Harry Potter]] never enters or sees at any point during the series. He visits [[Gryffindor Tower]] as a member, enters the [[Slytherin Dungeon]] using [[Polyjuice Potion]], and enters the [[Ravenclaw Tower]] common room during the Battle of [[Hogwarts]].
  * The common room is not shown in the Warner Bros. film adaptations of the books. (film)
  * A fully explorable and detailed version of the [[Hufflepuff]] common room, based heavily on the [[Pottermore]] descriptions, is featured in the video game *[[Hogwarts Legacy]]*. (video game)