Only Children/ Likeable Slytherins?

[marinafrants]

No: HPFGUIDX 37967

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., Edblanning at a... wrote:

> So, although there is very little to go on, I am inclined to think
that 
> Slytherin has always been associated with the Dark Arts and
corruption. It 
> doesn't follow that all Slytherins are bad *per se*, but I think it
would 
> lead to their being regarded with suspicion by members of the other
houses.
> 

It occurs to me that once Slytherin House acquired its reputation for
corruption (whenever this might've happened), it would quickly have
become self-fulfilling and self-perpetuating.  We know from Harry's
Sorting that the Sorting Hat won't put you in a House you really,
really don't want to be in.  If everyone believes that getting into
Slytherin is the first irrevocable step to becoming a dark wizard,
then I'm sure there are lots and lots of ambitious yet decent kids who
put on that Hat thinking, "Not Slytherin, please not Slytherin."  Thus
all or most of the potentially good Slytherins take themselves out of
the running.

Marina
rusalka at ix.netcom.com