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

[potioncat]

No: HPFGUIDX 143899

 
> 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? 

Potioncat:
We have Hermione's statement that the Sorting Hat considered 
Ravenclaw. Hermione also has attributes from all the Houses, 
Slytherin not the least of them.


Jen:
Except for Parseltoungue, the other Slytherin 
> qualities in Harry like resoucefulness and a 'certain disregard for 
> the rules' are all Harry, I think.

Potioncat:
I agree, and very much like James. For that matter, we can't be sure 
the Parseltongue is from Voldy. While it seems logical, it aint 
necessarily so. 

Jen: 
> 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.

Potioncat:
DD seems to value Slytherin qualities and expects them to be used. 
Not only do we have the above comments from CoS, we have this from 
HBP, chapter 20. DD is speaking to Harry about his failure to get 
Slughorn's memory.
"And you feel you have exerted your very best efforts in this matter, 
do you? That you have exercised all of your considerable ingenuity? 
That you have left do depth of cunning unplumbed in your quest to 
retrieve the memory?"

There is no doubt that JKR esteems Gryffindor above the other Houses, 
but she also recognises the importance of the others.