Harry & Slytherin (was:Re: Sorting Hat (was: muggle baiting vs. muggle torture)

[horridporrid03]

No: HPFGUIDX 155536

> >>Triin:
> What is it about Harry's personality that makes him so Slytherin   
> that the hat had to be begged not to put him there? He is such a   
> *straightfoward* person, with a "saving people thing", etc; to me 
> he sounds like an epitome of Gryffindor values.. 

Betsy Hp:
Huh.  I would never have thought to describe Harry 
as "straightforward".  He strikes me as someone who plays his cards 
very close to the vest, letting as few people in as possible.  Part 
of it probably has to do with his upbringing when any insight shared 
might be used as a weapon.  But I also think Harry is naturally a 
bit of an introvert.  He'd rather not be the center of attention, 
thank you very much.

Because of that I think Harry rather naturally goes a bit sneaky 
when he wants to find something out.  I don't think it's an accident 
that his two most important tools are a cloak that allows him to 
disappear and map that allows him to silently spy.  Harry likes to 
creep about rather than straightforwardly ask for information.  

I don't think that informs at all on his "saving people thing".  
It's just, when it's time to do his thing Harry tends to tip-toe 
into action, rather than bellow out a war-cry that brings allies 
tumbling out of the woodwork.

I'm not sure if secrecy is a Slytherin trait.  Maybe it can be 
classified as "cunning"? (That's a trait twice cited by the Hat as 
particular to Slytherin.)

> >>Sherry:
> <snip>
> I think Harry was meant to be in Gryffindor, and that
> unlike what so many seem to see in that scene, it was never the    
> Hat's second choice for Harry.

Betsy Hp:
I don't know that Slytherin was the Hat's *first* choice for Harry 
(Gryffindor may well have been).  But the Hat does seem to imply 
that it's a *viable* choice, a House Harry could do well in.  Which, 
since Harry has been lead to believe Slytherin is the root of all 
evil in the WW, is quite enough to give him the willies.

Betsy Hp