Good and Bad Slytherins

[prep0strus]

No: HPFGUIDX 175061

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "lytabunny" <sherryb at ...> wrote:

> Slytherins. Never forget that HARRY almost got sorted to Slytherin! 
> So HE would have been a "good Slytherin" if he hadn't been biased 
> against that house by Ron on the train, and begged the Hat not to put 
> him there. (Heck, maybe he'd have led a Slytherin reform movement!)
> <SNIP>

Just because they aren't discussed 
> does not mean that there aren't noble Slytherins. Or cowardly 
> Griffyndors (Pettigrew!), or stupid Ravenclaws or mean Hufflepuffs... 
> everybody has a variety of personal characteristics, and nobody knows 
> exactly what the tipping point is for the Hat's decisions.
> 
> Sherry Bailey
>


I've often wondered about the assertion that he almost got sorted to
Slytherin.  The hat didn't mention Slytherin UNTIL Harry said he
didn't want to be there.  I think, based on his talent, his 'thirst to
prove himself', and maybe even the piece of voldy's soul, Harry could
have done well in Slytherin... but the hat knew he didn't want it.  If
he hadn't met the Weaselys, I still doubt he would have been put
there.  And wound he found out what happened to his family, who the
families of all the other Slytherin students were, and what they had
done... I just don't see the hat putting him there.  Besides which,
Harry isn't really all that ambitious for his own selfish reasons, or,
really, all that clever.  I think the hat responded to his fear of
Slytherin, not out of a true near-miss on being put into Slytherin. 
If Harry WAS in Slytherin... he would've been a very lonely boy.  And
the hat seems to respond mostly to genetics except in extraordinary
circumstances.

'Just because they aren't discussed, doesn't mean there aren't noble
Slytherins...' I think, actually... it does.  I mean, it defies logic.
And even the world JKR has tried to design for us.  It's true, she has
had these non evil Slytherins, and has had dumbledore trust them, and
even Harry at the end.  But she should have shown us a truly good and
noble one.  I don't care if it was Blaise Zabini. I wanted a good and
noble Slytherin. A likeable Slytherin. A slytherin that I would be
proud to call friend.  And at a certain point we have to question the
author's decision not to give us one.  Not to have that true duality
present in the houses.

It seems to me, that in a children's book, JKR wrote herself into a
corner, and the hat is what many have suggested it is - a way to weed
out heroes and villains. It's not perfect, but it sure does a better
job than pure chance would.

~Adam (Prep0strus)