The good Slytherin

[hogsheadbarmaid]

No: HPFGUIDX 131227

 
Hickengruendler:
I think you meant my post. But that's not really what I said. I said 
that choice wasn't the only reason why the students are sorted into 
a particular house, as we can see with Harry, since Ravenclaw and 
Hufflepuff never seemed to be an alternative. But nonetheless 
choice does play a part, IMO, and the students, who went to 
Slytherin, obviously went there despite it's bad reputation and it's 
bad history. They do not seem to care enough about this to reject the 
house, and what Harry has to learn, IMO, is, that that doesn't make 
them bad people. 

Geoff:
Perhaps I, in turn, did not make myself clear. I was thinking of 
pupils, like Harry, who are coming from a Muggle background and, for 
whom, Slytherin membership carries no baggage. After all, the only 
reason Harry knows anything about it is what Ron has told him during 
their conversation on the journey. He could easily have reached the 
school ignorant of the house's reputation and been sorted into it.
 
Hickengruendler:
You said that Harry questioned the Sorting Hat. But IMO he did not. 
He went there thinking "Not Slytherin", and the Sorting Hat than 
answered to his thoughts. I don't think he was the only student, who 
had heared about Slytherin's bad reputation and went to the Hat, 
thinking, "I hope I'm not a Slytherin". 
 
Geoff:
I think there is a difference between "Not Slytherin" and "I hope I'm 
not in Slytherin". The former seems more decisive. I still think that 
Harry did question the Hat. The Hat seems to think so....

'Harry gripped the edges of the stool and thought,"Not Slytherin, not 
Slytherin."

"Not Slytherin, eh?" said the small voice. "Are you sure? You could 
be great, you know, it's all here in your head and Slytherin will 
help you on the way to greatness, no doubt about that - no? Well, if 
you're sure - better be GRYFFINDOR!"'

(PS "The Sorting Hat" pp.90-91 UK edition)
 
Doesn't sound lke teasing to me.....

The Barmaid now:

I do not think the Sorting Hat is teasing Harry, but I also do not 
think Harry is "questioning" The Hat.  In fact, I think The Hat is 
questioning Harry.  I read this as a sort of a test, The Hat is 
tempting Harry.  "Are you sure you do not want Slytherin -- are you 
not tempted at all by the drive to prove yourself above all else."  
And of course right at that moment that was a temptation for Harry, 
proving himself in this new world.  

The thing about Harry's sorting that I have always felt was very 
important is that it is he, not The Hat, who first brings up 
Slytherin.  Therefore we have no way of knowing if The Hat would have 
brought it up on its own.  I tend to think that The Hat's comments 
have everything to do with what It sees as Harry's internal struggle 
and perhaps nothing to do with where The Hat, independently of what 
Harry is saying (thinking), would have placed him.

I am inclined to believe that sorting over all is more about what the 
student desires, what their goals and dreams are, and less about 
innate abilities or fixed character traits.  

 --The Barmaid, who is very much looking forward to what The Sorting 
Hat has to say in HBP!