[HPforGrownups] Re: Dumbledore and Sytherin's Bad Rap

[Amanda Geist]

No: HPFGUIDX 41943

Darrin, dressed in a fetching judge's robe (although you should probably
lose the wig) proclaimed from his bench:

> Fact of the matter is, given the Slytherin record of cheating, racism
> and bullying, they should count themselves lucky Dumbledore hasn't
> done more to boot their butts out of the school. They deserve little
> else.

It has been my thought that perhaps the current bad light shining on
Slytherin may have been *since* the Voldemort years. The fact that so many
of the convicted (and accused) Voldemort followers were affiliated with
Slytherin may have *caused* a lot of the current attitude. Certainly, Tom
Riddle's description of how he was seen at school (even filtered through his
ego) doesn't sound like the Slytherins were as disliked as they seem to be
now. [I know, I know, a solid canon bridge cannot be built that clearly puts
Riddle in Slytherin, but I am allowing myself to be swayed by circumstantial
evidence.]

Also, remember the ever-present thorn of Harry's Viewpoint, too--he is going
through his life experiencing it. We are not even "reading" an account or a
diary of his, we are experiencing with him. He is not trying to record
things, he's living them. And one is always ready to see that others dislike
where one dislikes, or supports those one supports.

Between these two, I find Darrin's venom, well, venomous...... Some of the
Slytherins cheat, some are racist, some bully. But our sample is small.
Doubtless some Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs, or other Gryffindors do these things
too. The Slytherin table stood for Cedric's toast, and some of them stood to
honor Harry. Do not discount the group because of the bad behavior of the
small sample we've seen. Remember, Sirius did equally stupid things in his
time at Hogwarts, Harry has broken rules, and Ron is racist at times, if
only in ignorance. Like anything, Salazar's mistrust of Muggle-borns can be
carried too far, and may have had a reasonable kernel at the heart of it.

> Remember, the only reason Gryffindor
> had to make this miraculous comeback is because Draco skulked around
> like a little weasel, getting Harry, Hermione and Neville in trouble.
> And this took place AFTER Harry and Hermione did an honorable thing
> in trying to help their friend Hagrid find a home for his dragon.

Yes, but rules *were* broken, by everyone involved. And Draco got his for
skulking, too.

> OR... they hate them because they are cheating bastards. When has
> anyone has ever forced a Slytherin to use the word "mudblood" or to
> use a leglocker curse on an inferior (so far) wizard, for no other
> reason than he can. Yes, Neville was such a threat to Draco that he
> had to "defend" himself.

No one forced James et al. to illegally learn a regulated spell; no one
forced Lupin to remain at the school when he realized he could easily be a
danger (either time); no one forced Fred and George to decipher the map and
use it; no one forced Harry out to Hogsmeade to drink butterbeer. Etc.

The point is, between limited perspective and the perceiver's
interpretation, I don't think any House is lily-white. You seem to
categorically condemn all Slytherins because they are Slytherins, based on
the behavior of a few of them. Isn't this sort of broad judgement what you
are *against*?

> Darrin
> -- who couldn't care less what group a person is in so long as they
> don't cheat, lie, steal, bully or espouse racist beliefs.

Unless it's Slytherin, for it really sounds from your post that by that fact
alone, they *must* do all those things.....

--Amanda (finding the barrister's wig a bit hot and heavy, too....should
have been warned by that picture of Marge Simpson in the wigmaker's
shop....)