(Graphic credit goes to Charely Potter)

Once past the barrels that guard the entrance and hopefully not smelling of vinegar, Hufflepuff students are immediately welcomed into the bee coloured room adorned with shades of yellow and black and resemblance of a cosy little Badger set.

The common room emits a warm, welcoming glow as you enter from the sloping passageway; a cosy nook burrowed away at the castle’s basement level. Somehow the low-ceilinged room always manages to appear as if basked in natural sunlight, even though the small round windows are barely above ground level. They’re the perfect height for watching the seasons pass by: the orange-reds of autumn leaves giving way into the white snow of winter; the daffodils and tulips signifying new beginnings in spring giving way to a pleasant grassy meadow of wildflowers come the summer.

The room still maintains the curved doors and carved mantelpiece of years gone by, a toast to the history of the house in the form of Helga Hufflepuff’s portrait hung above the large fireplace and greeting the students who enter. Plush sofas and honey coloured leather seats lay dotted around the room, sprinkled amongst the light-coloured wooden desks and chairs perfect for studying or completing homework. The occasional copper plant pot hung from the ceiling, a trail of hardy plants spilling over the sides although the responsibility for keeping these alive would fall upon green-fingered students and keen House Elves rather than the Head of House.

Whether you want to relax with a book, play a game of exploding snap or finish up homework, the Hufflepuff Common Room is the perfect home away from home.