The Importance of the Houses (was:Re: Slughorn a dead end topic?)

[horridporrid03]

No: HPFGUIDX 137842

Betsy Hp:
I couldn't resist this post, and I'm taking you out of order here, 
Prep0strus, for orginizational reasons.

> >>Prep0strus:
> <snip>
> I get the feeling the Houses are something that JKR got trapped   
> in, and don't really fit with what they've been described to be.  
> Cedric could be Gryffindor, Hermione could be Ravenclaw, Neville  
> could be Hufflepuff... but no one appealing could be in Slytherin.

Betsy Hp:
I totally suggest you check out this essay by Sister Magpie:

http://www.livejournal.com/users/sistermagpie/98360.html#cutid1

In it she posits that the four last books in the series have been 
based on the four houses: PoA = Gryffindor, GoF = Hufflepuff, OotP = 
Ravenclaw, and HBP = Slytherin.

She also points out that Ron has Hufflepuff tendencies (which 
feature in GoF), Hermione has Ravenclaw tendencies (which feature in 
OotP), and Harry has Slytherin tendencies (which he brings to the 
forefront in HBP).  So there's your appealing Slytherin. :)

I think JKR is suggesting that each house has a certain skill or 
strength, held by each member of the Trio, that will be needed to 
defeat Voldemort. Gryffindor bravery is certainly key, but it will 
also take loyalty, intelligence and cunning.  Fortunately Harry and 
Ron and Hermione form a beautifully well-rounded crew.  

(I think this is further suggested by the houses being linked to the 
four elements.  Each element is necessary in maintaining a stable 
structure.)

> >>Prep0strus:
> <snip>
> When will we see a TRULY good slytherin.
> <snip>

Betsy Hp:
In book 7. <eg>  Okay, that's the smart-ass answer, but I think we 
saw some serious signs of good Slytherins (and I love that this is 
plural). Slughorn is an obvious choice.  Sure, he's no saint, but 
he's no devil either.  (And frankly, the Potterverse is pretty 
lacking in saints.  Even Dumbledore has a few warts.)  And he 
certainly seems to be on Harry's side.  Draco is shaping up to be a 
very good candidate, IMO.  His words with Dumbledore, his lowering 
of his wand, his disassociating from the other Death Eaters should 
have interesting repercussions in the next book.  And, of course, if 
Snape is good, then he's very, very, good.  So there's another 
candidate.  

Harry, himself, embraced his Slytherin side (appearently a little 
bit of his mother in him) and found it quite useful.  He used it to 
help Ron out with his quidditch, and he used it to get the memory 
out of Slughorn.  

Frankly, I think Harry's own Slytherin-ness will come into play in 
the last book as well. As will Hermione's Ravenclaw-ness, and Ron's 
Hufflepuff-ness. Though I'm sure representatives of each house will 
also play some sort of part, even a minor one, in hunting down the 
Horcruxes, what with there being four horcuxes to be found and 
destroyed.  
 
Betsy Hp, who likes the four houses