1000 years of Slytherin vs. Gryffindor? (was: A small rant...)

[Judy <judy@judyshapiro.com>]

No: HPFGUIDX 49944

(My previous attempt got posted before it was completed; 
it's been deleted from webview.  Sorry, all!)

Firekat482 wrote, in regards to the apparently 
long-standing enmity between Slytherins and Gryffindors:
> 1,000 years is a long time for generations
> of students to hold the same 
> grudges against one another that
> the four founders had against each 
> other."

I'm not convinced that the grudge has been "active" for the full 1000
years.  In other words, maybe Salazaar Slytherin had a conflict with
Godric Gryffindor, but things settled down after Salazaar left
Hogwarts.  Perhaps the two houses more-or-less got along for the next
millennium or so, until the "Heir of Slytherin" (Voldemort) was born,
and started deliberately stirring up the old rivalry.  This would have
a number of real-life parallels.  For example, during the recent
Balkans war, people would often claim that the conflict between Serbs
and Bosnians could be traced back hundreds of years.  But in reality,
the two groups had been getting along fine just a decade or so
previously, until nationalist leaders came along, and intentionally
revived the old conflicts. 

Of course, another possibility is that the Slytherins *have* been a
long-standing source of problems at Hogwarts, long before Tom Riddle
came along, but nothing can be done about it because Slytherin House
has powerful supporters.  Perhaps the Malfoys had a seat on the
Hogwart's Board of Governors for generations.  This also has real-life
parallels, unfortunately.  I remember serious problems caused by some
of the fraternities when I was in college, but they were supported by
rich alumni who refused to let them be disciplined.  The one
adminstrator who tried got fired.  Certainly, in CoS, we see that sort
of thing happening; Lucius tried very hard to tie Dumbledore's hands.

-- JudySerenity, who was both frightened and amused by Bboy's theory
that Book 6 would end just as Dumbledore was about to tell all