Slytherin Stereotypes WAS Re: [HPforGrownups] Re: Dumbledore's awarding ...

[darrin_burnett]

No: HPFGUIDX 57405

> Kelly:
> 
> A member of the Trio has not done any of these things.  However, 
since we
> are talking about Gryffindors and Slytherins, I would like to bring 
up the famous prank pulled by Sirius on Snape, which had the 
potential to be either fatal or majorly life-changing (two werewolves 
at Hogwarts).   The prank was initiated by a Gryffindor on a 
Slytherin.  Granted, a Gryffindor risked his life to save the 
Slytherin from the potentially harmful prank, but Gryffindors are not 
above reproach either.  Arguments can be made for and against 
Sirius's motives in telling Snape how to get past the Whomping Willow 
and giving him the chance to see Werewolf!Lupin.  I say the same
> arguments could be made for Draco's motives in the dementor prank.

You rested my case by acknowledging James' stopping Snape.

Do you see a Slytherin risking his life to stop Draco, Crabbe, Goyle 
and Flint from doing what they did? How about a Slyth standing up to 
Draco when he goes on a "Mudbloods must die" rant?

I'm not going to justify what Sirius did, BUT, he did not force Snape 
to go down to the Whomping Willow, did he? Certainly, he had a good 
idea how Snape would react, but all he did was point and Snape, 
blinded by jealousy and hate, followed, trying to get the Mauraders 
in trouble.

(Parenthetically, just how STUPID is Snape? One of your greatest 
enemies at school tells you to go inside the Whomping Willow and you 
GO without any kind of protection? I mean, really. It's a good thing 
Snape knew hexes and curses, because he was a gullible little git.)

Now, Sirius had a pretty good idea what Snape would do, so he is 
certainly not blameless.

But again, I do think there is a difference between suggesting to 
someone a way they can fall into a trap and dressing up as a dementor 
to try and make someone fall off a broom. 


> Darrin:
> 
> Even the usually  gregarious twins won't acknowledge Cedric when
> they're about to take the Portkey to the Quidditch World Cup, and
> over a defeat in  Quidditch from the prior year? Please.
> 
> Kelly (me):
> 
> That was pretty lame.  Another reason I am so sick of the House 
rivalries. Poor Cedric took so much crap from the Gryffindors that 
entire year because the Hufflepuffs beat them at Quidditch the 
previous year.  

The spiteful side of me hopes that those people who gave him crap 
that year feel really bad now.  I do exempt Harry from this because 
he seemed to get the point at the end when he offered to share the 
Cup with Cedric.  Plus Harry is going to feel bad about Cedric's 
death anyway.
> 

I just flipped through all of GoF leading up to the Goblet of Fire 
and in the chapters up through the first task, when there is a 
general easing of tension.

I can find no reference to any Gryffindor giving Cedric grief. The 
closest we come is to Fred and George not being overly talktative, 
which is weak, to say the least.

Ron says, "No!" when Cedric's name is picked. pg 238 UK, but no one 
hears him but Harry because the Hufflepuffs are cheering too loud.

Katie Bell says, "You'll be able to pay back Diggory for that last 
Quidditch match, Harry" on page 250, while they were in the Gryff 
common room.

Cedric heard neither of those comments.

On the other hand, the Hufflepuffs completely shut out Harry. The 
Slytherins, true to form, taunt Harry and cynically use Cedric as the 
tool. And the Ravenclaws assume the worst about Harry, thinking he 
was out for glory. pgs 259-260.

The girls looked at Harry as though he was a particularly large, 
Blast-Ended Skrewt. pge 260.

Pg 297: Harry didn't want to talk to Cedric in front of them 
(referring to sixth-year friends of Cedric's) they were among those 
who had been quoting Rita Skeeter's articles at him every time he 
went near them.

This was just before Harry, well before the fair play you credit him 
with in the maze, told Cedric about the dragons. I think he got 
the "point" well before you give him credit for it.

Soon after that, the inter-house tensions ease up. The Hufflepuffs 
back off -- Harry suspects Cedric asked them to do so, and it's just 
a guess on his part, but it certainly is a good guess -- and only the 
Slyths are left to cause trouble. -- pge 340.

So, if you can find for me all the grief the Gryffs should feel bad 
about now that Cedric is dead, I'll listen, but I don't see where it 
was. If anything, a hell of a lot of people -- including the Slyths, 
but don't make me laugh -- owe Harry some apologies.

 
> Tom:
> > If you're looking for `decent' behavior, I'd submit that it's not
> > all that fair to demand it of just the Slytherins - let's demand 
it
> > of everyone equally and across the board.
> 
> Darrin:
> I've gotten it from the Gryffs, thank you. And the Hufflepuffs so 
far
> seem to be all right.
> 
> Kelly (me):
> 
> The Hufflepuffs, like everyone else, have had their bad moments.  
They seemed to be the biggest accusers of Harry in CoS.  They heard 
he was a Parselmouth, and right away they dubbed him the Heir of 
Slytherin and told Finch-Fletchley (sp?) to go hide in the dorm 
because he was going to be Harry's next target.  All this, in spite 
of Harry being a Gryffindor andhaving been friendly to them before.  
Granted, they did apologize later, but they did jump to conclusions 
rather quickly.
> 

Again, when has a Slyth apologized? That's the key difference. 

Darrin
-- Chudley CANNONS! They are going to win it this year!