The good Slytherin / Salazar

[potioncat]

No: HPFGUIDX 131233

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "dumbledore11214" 
<dumbledore11214 at y...> wrote:
> > >>Alla earlier :
> > <snip> 
> > >I don't think that Slytherins' bad reputation is purely in the 
> eye 
> > of  the beholder. I also think that whoever will be the good 
> > Slytherin or Slytherins to emerge will reject the ideology of 
> their 
> > house.<

Potioncat:
I think it will all depend on JKR's intent. Is it to show that 
ambition, cunning and racism are each bad? If so, there won't be a 
good Slytherin. Except for Snape and Nigellus, we haven't seen 
any "good" Slytherins...and those two are suspect. 

But I agree with other posters, while the Sorting Hat says Purebloods 
are selected for Slytherin, it doesn't say the individuals have to be 
racist. (OK, I know the argument comes up that this isn't two 
different races, but for brevity, let's call it racism.)

So a Pureblood who is cunning and ambitious would go to Slytherin. A 
Pureblood was not brave, clever or loyal would go to Slytherin. A 
cunning, ambitious Muggle-born or Half-blood would go to Hufflepuff. 
But you could be an ambitious, cunning Pureblood who has absolutely 
no delusions of superiority based on blood and end up in Slytherin.

At least, that's the way I read the Sorting Hat. JKR may not agree 
and it is afterall, her toy.