Changing Houses

[drjuliehoward]

No: HPFGUIDX 93219

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "rgbmcl" <rgbmcl at h...> wrote:
> I'm not sure where I read this - it was definately in a JKR 
interview 
> I just don't remember which one - but it was mentioned that 
someone 
> would be changing houses in the next couple books.  This brings up 
a 
> lot of interesting possibilites.  My personal favorite:  Harry to 
> Slytherin.  There's been this theme of the persecution of Harry 
> running through all the books, and this would continue it nicely.  
> Also, we've all been looking for the character who's supposed to 
> unite the school, bringing Slytherin into the fold as it were.  
Who 
> better than Harry?  The main problem I have with this theory, 
though, 
> is that I can't really see any plausible reason for the shift of 
> Harry to Slytherin.  I mean, we all know the sorting hat said he'd 
do 
> well there, but I really can't think that he, personally, wants to 
go 
> there.  Nor can I think of any external agent that would force him 
> there.  At the same time, I can't really imagine anyone else 
changing 
> houses either; unless it's a slytherin into gryfinndor (where our 
> attention is focused).  Hermione going to Ravenclaw, or Neville to 
> Hufflepuff, is, plot-wise, fairly insignificant and doesnt't 
suggest 
> any dramatic character development.  I don't believe that this is 
> only a minor plot point.  As Dumbledore said - its the choices we 
> make .... i.e. the changes we encounter...  I think this ability 
to 
> change, to reconstitute oneself, will end up playing a major role 
in 
> the plot of the series.  Give me your solutions to this riddle, 
I'm 
> still a bit dissatisfied with mine.

I was unaware that JKR said someone would switch houses, but this is 
an intriguing idea.  However, I don't know if Harry changing to 
Slytherin would result in a unification of the houses simply because 
of the open animosity between Harry and Draco and because all of 
Hogwarts knew via the sorting hat that Harry did not want to be in 
Slytherin.  

I do think that Gryffindor and Slytherin houses have the largest gap 
to bridge before unification can take place.  I personally think a 
Slytherin switching to Gryffindor would facilitate this more than 
the other way around because this person would be *accomodated* into 
Gryffindor.  The other Slytherins would see vicariously that they 
would not have to change their character to fit in, whereas IMO a 
Gryffindor would have to assimilate the characteristics of a 
Sltherin to fit into that House.  Again, the tolerance idea that JKR 
propmotes fits nicely into this scenario, assuming of course that 
Gryffindors are more tolerant than Slytherins (an assumption based 
on the congenial relationship between Gryffindor and 
Ravenclaw/Hufflepuff wherease Slytherin house has a more 
antagonistic relationship with these two houses -- canon evidence 
being the reaction of the other houses when Gryffindor won the house 
cup in SS).

Julie -- who never likes the idea of being pigeon-holed (and who 
never went Greek in college)