"Good Slyth"(was General Stereotypes,battle of the sexes)

[serenadust]

No: HPFGUIDX 57610

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "darrin_burnett" 
<bard7696 at a...> wrote:

<snip on-going bicker with Jenny re: Slytherns>
> 
> But seriously, I have to believe that she is setting us up for one 
of 
> the Slyth students to come to the light. Dumbledore's speech about 
> making choices and easy vs. right paths had to have sunk into 
> someone's thick skull. 
> 
> And no, I don't think it'll be Draco, nor do I think it'll be 
Crabbe 
> or Goyle. They are basically house-elves without the intelligence 
and 
> good fashion sense.
> 
> Of the current crop, perhaps it'll be Pansy. That would be a hoot 
if 
> Draco's apparent girlfriend is a Muggle-Born. 
> 
> But it could be a new Slyth we get in the next three books, either 
> someone who is younger or someone who simply hasn't been pointed 
out 
> or developed. (Like Malcolm Braddock, or that big bloke, 
Warrington 
> or someone else I'm not thinking of.)
> 
> My guess is, watch carefully at any new Slytherin names we get. 
There 
> could be your good Slyth.


Actually I've had a theory for some time on this topic that I've 
never mentioned on the list.  I have the strong impression that 
the "good" Slyth will be none other than Millicant Bulstrode.

My reasoning is based on several things, the first of which is the 
somewhat pivotal role she played in CoS.  She's the only Slythern 
girl besides Pansy P. to be described at all, we know she has a cat 
since Hermione mistakes the cat hair on her robes, for Millicent's 
own hair when making the Polyjuice Potion, JKR has mentioned in an 
interview (can't recall which one) that cats are significant in the 
series, and finally, in the "Harry Potter and Me" screen captures in 
the Photos section, the first symbol after each students' name is a 
circle or a square, which is either left white, or blacked out.  
Unlike either Crabbe or Goyle or Tracey Davis (whose squares are 
blacked out) Millicent's circle is left white.

JKR stated that the entries by the names in her notes indicate the 
students in Harry's year, their backgrounds, and allegiances.  The 
last column obviously indicates the house the student is sorted 
into, the second symbol seems to indicate parentage (ie; pureblood, 
half-blood, muggle-born), but it's unclear what the first symbol 
means.  I think that it's a hint as to where the various student's 
loyalties will lie.  Following this theory, Millicent (and one other 
Slyth whose name is unclear and hasn't been mentioned in the books, 
yet) could very well end up supporting the good guys.

Now, I know that she's not very nice to Hermione when she has her in 
the headlock at the dueling club, but just because she has the 
typical unpleasant Slythrn personality, doesn't mean she can't 
choose the correct side when the time comes (coughSnapecough).  I 
figure that due to her general appearance ("She was large and square 
and her heavy jaw jutted aggressively." CoS, The Dueling Club), she 
hasn't been treated very kindly in her own house, particularly by 
Pansy Parkinson's "gang" of girls.  I don't imagine that Draco & Co. 
have treated her very well either. She may not have as much loyalty 
to her house, as may be expected.

So Darrin (welcome back, BTW) I agree that there has to be a *good* 
Slythern somewhere, and that it's not going to be Draco, Crabbe, or 
Goyle.

My money is on Millicent.

Jo Serenadust