The Case for Slytherin

[foxmoth at qnet.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 19986

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Ebony Elizabeth Thomas" <ebonyink at h...> 
wrote:
> Jami wrote:
> 
> "Hagrid did say in PS/SS that every Dark witch and wizard had come out of 
> that house. Which makes me wonder ... why doesn't Dumbledore just abolish 
> the house of Slytherin completely? Let the Sorting Hat identify those 
> Slytherinish students, and boot them out the back door. Why give those with 
> the propensity toward evil, the tools they need to become better and 
> stronger wizards and witches?"

	I think that Hagrid's statement is not to be taken at face value, 
even if Sirius does turn out to have been a Slytherin. IMO it is meant 
to be the mirror image of Salazar Slytherin's belief that  Muggle-borns 
are untrustworthy. It's Jo's way of showing us that prejudice is 
something even well-meaning people have to struggle with.
	
	The Slytherins' clannishness (is that the word you wanted, Eb?) 
mistrustfulness and ambition, even their willingness to consider any 
means to achieve their ends, are not neccessarily negative traits, 
though they may be difficult ones. So the presence of Slytherin gives 
the members of other houses an opportunity to learn and practice 
tolerance.
	 
Pippin