Wizard Persecution (was: The Falling-Out of the Hogwarts Four)

[dumbledore11214]

No: HPFGUIDX 126075


 
Alla earlier:
Good quotes, Betsy, but I don't see how these three quotes 
contradict the other one. To me the question is whether wizards and 
witches were burned  and I don't see the proof of it so far.<
 
Betsy:
That wasn't the question as I understood it. I reread upthread to 
make sure I didn't totally misread things, and what was under 
discussion was whether or not the Muggle persecution of wizards and 
witches constituted a viable threat.  You and Valky used the canon 
of Harry's textbook to suggest that Muggles posed no threat to 
witches and wizards. (They couldn't even burn them!) I brought up 
the other quotes to show that magical folks did feel threatened by 
Muggles. (It was a dark and dangerous time.)  Which makes the 
contradiction pretty clear.

Alla:

Oh, OK then I will definitely concede that magical folks did feel 
threatened by Muggles. I will not concede however that we know the 
REASON why they feel threatened by Muggles ( why and how exactly 
they were persecuted). I will also  not concede that wizards were 
burned.


Betsy:

<SNIP>
Whether or not *some* magical folk could survive *some* methods of 
torture and execution, JKR has given us clear indications that 
Muggles did push the WW into hiding.

Alla:

I am not sure if it is true. We don't know for sure yet what exactly 
pushed WW into hiding. Persecution occurred, yes, but it does not 
necessarily follow that wizards went into hiding because of that, 
IMO. Although I am too tired to come up with reasonable alternative, 
I admit. :)

Let me reiterate again my main point - whether Muggles persecuted 
Wizards or not, I find Salasar's prejudice against muggle born 
children to be quite... disgusting. These kids did not do anything 
to him, in fact they badly needed magical education just as all 
purebloods did, in fact I will argue that muggle borns were in more 
danger of being persecuted since they grew up among muggles.

I mean, it is one thing when Salazar refused admission of muggle 
borns to his own house ( which I don't like much either, but hey, as 
long as they are admitted in other houses, I guess they will be 
educated), but when he started arguing that muggle borns should not 
be admitted into Hogwarts at all, well... let's just say that I 
think it is good that he left. :o)

"A rift began to grow between Slytherin and the others. Slytherin 
wished to be more selective about the students admitted to Hogwarts. 
he believed that magical learning should be kept within all-magical 
families. He disliked taking students of Muggle parentage, believing 
them to be untrustworthy. After a while, there was a serious 
argument on the subject between Slytherin and Gryffindor, and 
Slytherin left the school" - CoS, p.130.


I am wondering about something else - Sorting Hat in OOP does not 
specifically states the reason for the conflict.

"So Hogwarts worked in harmony
For several happy years,
But then discord crept among us
Feeding on our faults and fears.
The Houses that, like pillars four,
Had once held up the school,
Now turned upon each other and,
Divided sought to rule.
And for a while it seemed the school
Must meet an early end,
What with dueling and with fighting
And with clash of friend on friend
And at last there came a morning 
When Old Slytherin departed
And though the fighting then died out
He left us quite downhearted." - OOP, p.205-206.

Now, it says quite specifically that the fighting ended when 
Slytherin left, so I'd imagine he was the major reason for conflict, 
but why Hat does not reiterate the reason for conflict again? Is it 
because JKR sufficiently described it earlier in the song or 
something else happened, which we are not privy to yet?

I mean all that Hat says is that at first their differences did not 
stop Founders from working together, but then I don't get the 
impression that Salazar left because of those differences only, or 
am I just misreading or misunderstanding  the text of the Song?

I want to see Salazar as tragic figure, I really do, but the fact 
that he was once friend with others is not enough for me yet, I am  
sure others were upset that he left, but they could simply be upset 
because their friend turned to Darkness.

Just my opinion of course,

Alla