Slughorn "clearly good"?

[houyhnhnm102]

No: HPFGUIDX 137812

Cheryl writes:
 
> I think the house system is, overall, a divisive tool and hope it is 
> elimitated from Hogwarts at the end of book 7.  People have many 
> different characteristics, despite their house, and seem to be 
> sorted into houses based on what the Sorting Hat determines to be 
> their primary qualities.  However, the effect might be a self-
> fulfilling prophecy. After all, everyone "knows" Slytherins are bad, 
> slimy, self-serving, and ambitions using any means to achieve their 
> ends, everyone "knows" Gryffindors are brave, etc... and Slytherins 
> are all grouped together in a house with similar types which might 
> only bring out the worst in them.  Yes, a person's characteristics 
> determine which house they are sorted into, but might also a 
> student's house affect their development, their behaviour, their 
> self-perception and perception by others?  What would happen if 
> there were no such sorting, and thus, students did not have these 
> labels placed upon them?
> 
> Cheryl

houyhnhnm:

I have felt that way all along.  If I were teacher at Hogwarts, I
think I'd be secretly wishing something would happen to the hat.  

I've also been confused by Rowling's one-dimensional portrayal of
house characteristics, especially in the light of what she said about
houses representing the four elements.  Then we should see both good
and bad expressions of their essential natures among the students of
all four houses.

Maybe the hat *has* been made into a horcrux. What if it has been
screening for potential Death Eaters, rather than sorting students
correctly on the basis of the predominant qualities of their natures?