Clear case of attempted murder (was Snape the Iconocl...

[Simon Crowe]

No: HPFGUIDX 78862

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Laura Ingalls Huntley" 
<huntleyl at m...> wrote:
> 
(snip)
> 
> Actually, we do know of one half-blood that was *definitely* in 
Slytherin.  *grins* Yes, you all know who I'm talking about.
> 
> Lord...Thingy...himself!
> 
> Actually, I've always found this fact, if not Flint-y, then at 
least contradictory with loads of other canon.  For instance:
> 
> CoS, US Edition, pg. 150, "Slytherin wished to be more *selective* 
about the students admitted to Hogwarts.  He believed that magical 
learning should be kept within all-magic families."
> 
> OotP, US Edition, pg. 205, "Said Slytherin, "We'll teach just 
those/ Whose ancestry is purest."
> 
> As far as I can tell, the Sorting Hat is *supposed* to sort the 
students according to which Founder would have wanted them in his/her 
House, based on the qualities that each student possesses.  So, 
what's it doing sorting a student into Slytherin that Salazar 
wouldn't have even wanted admitted to the school?
> 
> The only thing I can think of is that the fact that Riddle was the 
*Heir* of Slytherin overrode the fact that he was not from a "all-
magic family."
> 
> BTW, I do agree that Snape is most likely a pureblood, however.
> 
> Laura (who really *should* be packing for college.)

This the very subject of the "Blood and Artifice" post.  I began it 
as "The Sorting Hat."  I've been curious about the Sorting Hat for 
some time -- that is, whether it sorts students based on inborn 
traits (halfbloods in Slytherin debate) or characteristics/qualities 
that are extrinsic (e.g., work ethic, altruistic tendencies, etc.) or 
some combination thereof.  I didn't think of Riddle as the true heir 
of Slytherin, though.  That's an interesting point.  I'm still 
persuaded, though, that for the Hat to sort a halfblood into 
Slytherin, the halfblood would have to possess in abundance those 
qualities most clearly associated with membership in that house.

--Simon