Sorting hat always right (Re: Snape, Hagrid and Animals)

[Jen Reese]

No: HPFGUIDX 143884

Pippin:
> Even in an essentiallist universe, they don't tell you what a
> person is. And if the Hat is never wrong, is that not because
> everyone has something of each House within them?

Jen: Harry is the only one we hear sorted and he does have 
attributes from every house: Courage, talent, a thirst to prove 
himself and a good mind. But then a little problem crops up--is he 
only considered for Slytherin because Voldemort put a bit of himself 
in Harry? I used to think so, but reading Dumbledore's explanation 
again, perhaps not. Except for Parseltoungue, the other Slytherin 
qualities in Harry like resoucefulness and a 'certain disregard for 
the rules' are all Harry, I think.

And this idea fits with Jo's explanation that the houses represent 
the four elements which, if unified, create perfect harmony and 
balance. Because it does seem like Harry is a microcosm of Hogwarts 
as a whole--he splits off his Slytherin side, as the student body 
splits of Slytherin house. And if the basic drive is for wholeness 
and unity, then split-off parts will always clamor for attention, 
sometimes in negative ways.


Jen