Slytherins (was Sorting)

[Joywitch]

No: HPFGUIDX 2056

--- In HPforGrownups at egroups.com, Peg Kerr <pkerr06 at a...> wrote:
> 
[snip]
> I just don't like the idea of all the Slytherins being nasty.
> Seems too simplistic, and I don't think Rowling's a simplistic 
writer.  And
> really, if all the Slytherins HAVE to be nasty and evil, would 
Dumbledore
> let the Slytherin house continue?  Would parents be willing to keep 
sending
> their kids there? (Other than the Deatheaters, of course).
> 
> Peg
> Who holds out hope for some nobility in the Slytherins, somewhere 
(even
> Draco).

Good point, Peg.  This also, IMHO, adds to my argument that the 
Marauders were Slytherins.  I think that the Slytherins have gotten 
their bad reputation in recent years since the rise of Voldy (since 
so many Slyths were associated with him), but that previously (and 
perhaps still, to some degree) it was just the house of the more 
ambitious and cunning, but not necessarily evil or nasty, types.  
There is much speculation that James was an Auror; clearly he made a 
lot of money (OK, he MAY have inherited it).  Wouldnt ambition and 
cunning be good qualities for an Auror, not to mention for someone to 
make a lot of money?  Pettigrew is clearly ambitious; his problem is 
that he threw his lot in with the wrong side.  And although Lupin is 
clearly a very nice guy, he is ALSO a wolf, and wolves are certainly 
cunning.  And becoming unregistered Animagi right under Dumbledores 
nose, without Dumbly tumbling to it, shows a helluva lot of cunning 
and ambition.  Also, it sounds as if the 4 Marauders, when they were 
younger, were not exactly the most sensitive guys in the world.  
Remember in PoA Lupin says something about how, even though running 
around as a wolf was dangerous - he could have killed someone 
accidently - that the 4 of them were so taken with themselves and 
their cleverness that they didnt really think about the dangers to 
other people?

The Sorting Hat knows that Harry has Slytherin-like qualities; maybe 
he doesnt ONLY get his Slytherin-like characteristics from 
his encounter with Voldy.

The only real argument against the marauders being Slytherins is that 
you would think Draco would lord it over Harry: *You think you 
Gryffindors are so superior - but your famous father was in MY 
house.*  Of course, maybe Draco doesnt mention it because he is 
embarassed.   Or maybe he doesnt know, because Lucius and the other 
older Slytherins are too embarrassed, or angry, to talk about it.

-- Joywitch