"Slytherin" Hermione? (was Re: The Beetle At Bay)

[hannahmarder]

No: HPFGUIDX 112200

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "susanadcunha" <> > 
>Susana wrote:
<snip> 
> The fact that Slytherins are picked out because they praise the 
> achievement of power/respectability/influence over most things 
> accounts for most (not all) Slytherins being insufferable 
deceitful 
> egocentrics. It doesn't account for all (or any) Slytherins being 
> *evil*! If it did, then wizards found a way of classifying ten-
years-
> old as Evil! (Why not at birth and exterminate them all?)
> 
<snip> 
> So what I'm saying is that it makes no sense to assume all 
> Slytherins are evil. To choose one's ambition doesn't mean
> one is not brave to stand by rightness. One can desire 
> power/respectability/influence and still be on the good side. In 
> contrast, one can choose to be on the good side and send innocent 
> people to jail without a trial (Crouch). 
> 
> With all the grey in the HP series, the idea of marking ten-years-
> old for evilness doesn't appeal to me. People have all four
> houses in them. The difference between good and evil is not to 
> choose between them, but to *know* the difference. And if you're 
> narrow-minded enough to think your upbringing and personal 
> experience is enough to learn that difference, you will *do* evil 
> while *believing* you are good (Umbridge, IMO). It's never too
> late to open your mind and realise that you're not the one who 
> draws the line; the others draw your line while you draw theirs.
> 
> I'll be disappointed if there won't be a few unexpected good 
> Slytherins at the end - I'm voting for DD, though I'm sure it
> will be Draco (Snape is expected, IMO).
> 
> Susana
> Oh, to explain grey!

Hannah: I agree, Susana, I think you've 'explained grey' very well 
there! And I really hope we do encounter at least one Slytherin 
who's not in some way unpleasant!  I think JKR said DD was a 
Gryffindor, but I may be wrong.  I used to reckon Lily was 
definitely going to turn out Slytherin, and was very annoyed when 
JKR said she was Gryffindor (in one of the more recent web chats, 
don't know which).  What about the removed Weasley cousin, Mafalda? 
JKR has said she might yet appear in book 6 or 7.  She is in 
Slytherin, and interestingly her father is a squib (he is the 
accountant cousin).  Maybe she won't be as pointlessly nasty as the 
rest.
I'm certain JKR will put in at least one good Slytherin, or reform 
some of the existing ones.  
Hannah (who is a Snape fan and desperate for him to turn out to be a 
dear tormented soul, in love with Harry's dead mother, though sadly 
suspects this is too simple for the Potterverse.)