,The intellectual and the bleeding heart. Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs don’t seem to have a whole lot in common, especially when we go off the few generalized mentions shown in the Harry Potter series (but, hey, Cho and Cedric were a thing!) Anyway, these two houses do share a few things, including a fiercely independent streak, an openminded approach, and a desire to change their corner of the world for the better.
New to the sorting hat? Here’s a quick breakdown:
Ravenclaws are distinguished by their intelligence, wit, learning, and creativity. They poke at problems with questions and see most challenges like a puzzle. They want to solve it – they want to know the truth. A Ravenclaw’s world is full of possibilities. They march to the beat of their own drum.
Hufflepuffs are understated powerhouses. They value loyalty, hard work, fairness, and perseverance. This house is inclusive, empathetic, and ride-or-die for their crew. They have a deep sense of integrity, care about people, and — if push comes to shove — will be the last one’s standing in a fight.
Now, let’s take a look at these RavenPuff couples!
1. The Professor (Ravenclaw) and Inspector Raquel Murillo (Hufflepuff) in Money Heist
OKAY I HAVE A LOT OF FEELINGS ABOUT THESE TWO.
Potentially spoiler territory ahead, depending on where you are in the series.
The cat-and-mouse. The Drama. The criminal mastermind and the hostage negotiator. The conflict. The near misses. The angsty betrayal and earned loyalty.
Inspector Raquel Murillo and The Professor (aka Salva Martinez aka Sergio Marquina) are the crux of this show. Seriously, I do not care about Tokyo and Rio. I’m 110% here for Raquel and Sergio.
Their relationships starts in hostage negotiation calls. The calls are polite, occasionally flirty. Raquel pushes for information, for motives, for something to latch onto so that she can understand who The Professor is as a person. That’s why she was hired for this role. She’s the best person on the force to solve the problem without violence. She’s honest and stands by her word, but still manages to surprise the Professor.
Meanwhile, the Professor pushes Raquel, teases her, sees what makes her crack. He needs to test her to see where she stands. He’s trying to understand her as he would a puzzle, or a heist. He wants to stay one step ahead and keep a bird’s eye view on everything.
He didn’t plan to fall in love with the lead inspector.
What started as an unexpected chance to get information from the cops soon had the Professor meeting with Raquel more often (for DATES) as his equally awkward alter ego Salva Martinez.
And he falls hard in love with the woman who’s supposed to put him behind bars. You know she’s going to find out — he knows she’s going to find out — and IT’S SO ANGSTY.
But oddly enough, the Professor didn’t lie about his feelings. He might have enjoyed the game as a Slytherin (or Charmer hero) but as a Ravenclaw (and, coincidentally, a Professor archetype) he cannot hide his true feelings. He plays mind games but doesn’t mess around with the heart. He didn’t stand a chance against the inspector.
As the series progresses, the Professor and Raquel (who earns her codename: Lisbon) learn how to work on the same side with their skills. He brings the sheer intelligence and strategy while she leverages her negotiator skills (the pencil in the hair means serious business!) and her practicality. He trusts Raquel wholeheartedly. Her loyalty, her judgement — it’s a fact to him. And Raquel’s loyalty is for the whole crew, she chooses them as her new family when her squad throws her under the bus.
The Professor comes to value his relationship with Raquel even more than the heist — in a very dramatic scene, he tells her to give him up by name if it keeps her alive. And her Hufflepuff loyalty REFUSES even though she’s sure it’ll get her killed. It’s EMOTIONAL.
CRIES. This dorky, criminal mastermind Ravenclaw and fight-for-justice Hufflepuff cop are a great couple okay? I fully support their criminal lifestyle and can’t wait for them to reunite in person in S5.
2. Phoebe Buffay (Ravenclaw) and Mike Hannigan (Hufflepuff) in FRIENDS
Not every Ravenclaw is a book-smart brainiac. Phoebe, for example, has never met an idea that was too crazy. She finds the joy in learning and creating and performing all sorts of absurd mental gymnastics because she finds it fun. She’s not trying to one-up her friends as the smartest in the gang and she’s not trying to make money off of “Smelly Cat” when she plays it at the café. She wants to develop her creativity, expand her knowledge, pursue her interests.
Phoebe Buffay marches to the beat of her own drum. She’s eccentric, one-of-a-kind, and she’s not going to tone it down for anybody. In fact, it’s how she usually ends up losing her boyfriends in the long run.
Phoebe needs someone who doesn’t write her off as just plain “weird.” She has a lot to give, and she’s smarter than people give her credit for. She needs someone who respects her take on life and sees what she has to offer.
Enter Mike.
A purely accidental setup that shows just how go-with-the-flow Mike can be. Someone shouts out his name at a café and offers him a blind date? Sure, why not. The girl dares him to play an invisible piano? He’ll do it with gusto because that sounds fun.
Mike is easygoing and drawn to Phoebe’s uniqueness. He isn’t afraid of seeming foolish in front of a crowd, and he finds a kindred spirit in the girl who wears feathered boas and chopsticks in her hair on a regular Wednesday. He seems normal, but he has a high tolerance for the absurd.
Mike gives people the space they need to grow into their quirky selves, without judgement. Phoebe needs that. Meanwhile, Phoebe opens up Mike’s world to new possibilities, new ideas, new ways to act and think and, of course, new friends.
3. Nomi Marks (Ravenclaw) and Amanita “Neets” Caplan (Hufflepuff) in Sense8
Nomi is a hacker, political blogger, and all-around smart cookie. She’s a bit shy and reserved, but she’s fully confident in her ability to figure things out. She does her research. She digs deep. She’s always finding that key bit of information that the rest of her cluster needs to move forward.
Nomi seeks knowledge and truth. She wants to Know things, know their true form and meaning. This drive weaves into her very identity. Her name, “Nomi” is said to be an homage to the phrase “Know Me” which is fitting. It represents her quest, but also her journey as a transwoman.
From the beginning, Nomi had to figure things out for herself. She had to explore and experiment and define what was true even when society, her family, and so many forces refused to really see and understand her.
You know who did see her? The rainbow-haired, intersectional feminist, passionate and smiley Amanita. Amanita, or Neets as Nomi calls her, will absolutely FiteTM bigots, haters, and bullies especially if they’re going to go after her girlfriend.
Why? As a Hufflepuff, Amanita sees the value in everyone. She’s not going to let people disrespect one another like that.
Amanita shows her individuality in her hair, her style, the art she likes. But she also thrives when tapping into a community. She wants to build things with others, build safe spaces and shelters, build movements, build families.
Amanita values the connections around her (maybe it’s also influenced by being raised by three fathers and her mom in a polyamorous family home? Who knows!) It’s one of the reasons she’s rolls with this whole Sense8 business so easily.
Amanita may not understand the whole Sensate telepathy business, but that doesn’t stop her from lending a hand and becoming a key player in the gang. She stands by Nomi 100% and she can’t turn her back on people who need her.
Nomi and Amanita are both individualistic, and they support that in each other – even if that means running from cops and mad scientists to help your telepathic siblings. Stranger things could happen!
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