Snape's reaction to Harry in Slytherin (was : Re: Changing Houses)

[ruminalus_ficus]

No: HPFGUIDX 93366

Susan:

> I realize this isn't really the point of what you're discussing, 
but 
> I continue to be slightly distressed that many people continue to 
say 
> that the Sorting Hat **wanted** to put Harry in Slytherin.  It 
reads 
> to me that the SH merely *presented* Harry w/ the information that 
he 
> could do well there...just as it implied he might fit in well in 
> Ravenclaw when it mentioned "not a bad mind"....  Why does that 
mean 
> it "wanted" him in Slytherin?  I don't think it did, at all.  I 
think 
> it "wanted" only for Harry to think hard, consider, and make his 
> CHOICE.
> 
> Just my $.02, of course.


I think that's a very good point.  The Sorting Hat saw that Harry 
had qualities of all four houses, so it started mumbling things 
about his personality to see how Harry would react.  The hat was 
just using Harry's reaction to help classify him.  I don't really 
remember, but wasn't it after Harry asked not to be in Slytherin 
that the hat told him he could do well there?  If that is the case, 
then the hat probably never really considered putting him in 
Slytherin any more than he did the other three houses.  Harry only 
thought that the hat was about to put him there because it was 
already on his mind.  The Sorting Hat was just leading him on to 
gauge his personality.

-RF