Danger in designating an "Other" / Bad magic

[montavilla47]

No: HPFGUIDX 174052

bboyminn:
> 
> This is my appeal for perspective on the matter of 
> Houses, especially with regard to Slytherin. JKR
> said herself that all Slytherins are not bad; that 
> we are seeing the worst of them. A view that I have
> also held for a long time.

Montavilla47:
The problem is not what JKR says, but what comes 
through in the books.  The message regarding
Slytherins in DH is that they 

1) don't do anything to resist oppression when it 
threatens their fellows (there are NO Slytherins 
who join the D.A. forces during the school year); 

2) will actively aid Evil by handing over the 
champion of Good (Pansy Parkinson yelling for 
Harry to be turned over to Voldemort, Draco, 
Crabbe, and Goyle coming back to capture Harry 
in the RoR); and 

3) will flee rather than fight when push comes to 
shove (the ENTIRE Slytherin House leaving the castle 
just before the fight.  The Malfoys actually get points 
for running around like chickens instead of fighting 
for either side.)

The only good Slytherins we get are Slughorn and
Snape.  Slughorn begs Harry not to hold his 
Slytherinity against him, and Snape is complimented
obliquely when Dumbledore suggests he was 
sorted too soon--implying that if he had been 
older, his bravery might have earned him a spot in
another House.

Moreover, both Slughorn and Snape belong to
older generations.  The students, overall, represent
the future of the Wizarding World.  The underlying
message is that none of the Slytherins are worthy
to share in triumph of the good.

When Phineas Nigellus shouted, "Slytherin did its
part" (or words to that effect), what part did you
think Slytherin House played?

It wouldn't have taken much to show Slytherin
"playing a part."  For example, we could have 
had a Slytherin Flag in the RoR.   We could have
seen 1 students remaining when Slytherin left.
(How much would we have loved Theodore Nott
if he had stayed at that table?)  We could have
seen some of the Slytherin students returning 
with Slughorn for the final battle (with their
families).

Any one of those details could have given us 
a sense that there were "good" Slytherins.

I think JKR didn't put any of that in because she
wanted to give maximum impact to Snape and
Narcissa's actions.  But even so, she could have
simply mentioned the "returning" Slytherin 
students when everyone is sitting in the Great
Hall.  Instead, we get the lonely Malfoys huddling
together, wondering if any one is going to kill
them for simply existing.

Montavilla47