Arabella Earwig, 1st Year Hufflepuff
When I enter the Hufflepuff common room I see 5th year Hufflepuff Prefect, Lilith Ashworth perched on one of the overstuffed, and incredibly comfortable, armchairs. She welcomes me in such a friendly way that I’m immediately put at ease. Reika DuBois, 6th year Hufflepuff Prefect, joins us a little bit later and I thoroughly enjoy the process of chatting to both young ladies about just what it is to be a Prefect, what they enjoy about being a Prefect and some super secret information that you probably didn’t know already! Jaelen Ashworth, 5th year Prefect, was unable to join us for this chat but I managed to get his answers via owl – thank you, Jae!
Lilith Ashworth always wanted to be a Prefect. Being a natural born leader it seemed like she was meant for this position of responsibility and her role as a cabin leader at Camp Pinkett (where she was voted Best Cabin Leader!) over the summer holidays made her realise how rewarding being a Prefect might be.
A driven young woman, she hopes to achieve the role of Head Girl in her 7th and final year at Hogwarts which would leave quite a mark on these hallowed halls! In the short time I spoke with Lilith I have no doubt she’ll achieve this goal as she’s not afraid to put in the work and effort it takes to make it.
Reika DuBois, a conscientious young wixen, chose to be a Prefect because she wanted to challenge herself. As someone who has always been quiet and reserved, Reika decided that becoming a Prefect would help her to break out and gain some confidence. She wants to learn about leadership whilst supporting other students..
Jaelen Ashworth came to the role of Prefect more reluctantly. He was, at first, unsure he could handle the level of responsibility involved in the role and felt overshadowed by his more grounded brother and sister. After some reflection Jaelen saw this as an opportunity to help fellow Hufflepuffs and gain good leadership skills which will be helpful after graduation. Earning the role of Prefect is an accomplishment of which he is proud and rightly so!
Both Lilith and Reika agree that being a Prefect is a role that should be respected and that, above all, it means being in a position to help others. If a Badger, or any other Hogwarts student, might need guidance or assistance it is the Prefect’s job to be helpful and lead the way. Jaelen adds that a Prefect is a person that’s trusted in helping with the wellbeing of students. The responsibilities vary greatly from patrols to helping first years settle in and making sure the dress code is adhered to.
But it’s not all work! I discovered that both Lilith and Reika are very keen on Quidditch which takes up a good amount of their down time. Reika considers her success at joining the Quidditch team last year as one of her greatest achievements and I for one am eager to see how she progresses in this year’s matches. Jaelen makes an interesting point about the Hufflepuff team who may focus more on having fun and not enough on actually winning! It could well be that Lilith will be captaining the team this coming season – perhaps that will lead to change in tactics!
Despite winning the house cup last year, our Hufflepuff Prefects lament the fact that most people see Hufflepuff as “the lesser house”. Badgers are known for their loyalty and friendship… and possibly for their amazing taste in snacks!
If Lilith and Reika could change one thing about their house it would be nothing more than for others to recognise the Hufflepuffs strengths and take them as seriously as the other grand houses at Hogwarts.
Lilith and Reika both have multiple pets!
Reika has a Great Horned Owl named Aeyrn here at school. At home she has a great dane named Buster – aptly named due to his ability to bust things up with his wagging tail! And Reika also has a ball python named Jasper who’s named after the semi-precious gemstone. Cool!
Lilith has a black cat named Kali here at Hogwarts and at home she has an albino tarantula named Ita. What an unusual pet!
Jae has a dark furred tabby cat named Nappi that is super calming to be around.
Lilith – Fun Facts
- Excellent at archery
- Loves to be out in nature
- Not too good in herbology
Reika – Fun Facts
- Loves crystals and stargazing
- Enjoys researching and exploring the natural world
- Hiking and camping are the best
Jae – Fun Facts
- Cyan
- Citrus
- Chicken
The author wonders if Jae enjoys citrus-flavoured, blue-ish poultry…
Words of Wisdom
Some parting advice from our Hufflepuff Prefects!
Lilith says, “No matter what, never sell yourself short and do your best. As our House is sometimes known for it’s kindness and loyalty, we also have a great fortitude to never give up when the going gets tough. While you might fail, it’s an opportunity to take a step back, re-evaluate, and try again!”
Reika says, “Do not worry about what others think and be true to you!”
Jae says, “School is important, most things are to be fair, but don’t take things in life so seriously. Make the best of it.”
As a proud Badger I feel like my house and I are in very capable hands this year at Hogwarts. Let’s head into the new year with an appreciation of our wonderful house, the Prefects that lead us and show the wixen world that Hufflepuffs are truly great!
A big thank you to Lilith, Reika and Jae for guiding us through another year at our beloved school.
