Slugghorn favoritism WAS Re: Snape as Neville's teacher

[Ceridwen]

No: HPFGUIDX 168521

Alla:
> I am not sure why is it surprising for you that Slugghorn may not 
be considered not so bad because he is nice guy. I mean, 
**absolutely** that is one of the reasons why I consider him to be 
not so bad.

Ceridwen:
I'd like to separate nice Horace Slughorn from the blatantly fawning 
Professor Slughorn.  I see a lot of nice traits in the man, not least 
of all Dumbledore identifying him as a friend.  For a man who was 
apparently raised in an extremely prejudiced environment, his feeble 
attempts to overcome early conditioning are notable.  Yeah, feeble, 
but still notable.

Alla:
He **is** practicing favoritism, who can argue with that - it IS 
canon, but to me it is, I don't know, so much more **harmless** than 
what Snape does?

Ceridwen:
Not to most of the Weasleys we've heard from about, or seen reacting 
to, Professor Slughorn.  Carol went through Ron's many negative 
reactions to Professor Slughorn's inattentions, and mentioned the 
various ways he minimizes Ron's existence.  A person who can't even 
get someone's name right if that someone is of no use to him is 
downright infuriating.  Especially when the boy sat in his class for 
weeks and months and he still can't get the name right.

Molly Weasley has an unfavorable report on Slughorn:
"I know what you mean,"  said Mrs Weasley, nodding wisely.  "Of 
course he can be charming when he wants to be, but Arthur's never 
liked him much.  The Ministry's littered with Slughorn's old 
favorites, he was always good at giving legs ups, but he never had 
much time for Arthur -- didn't seem to think he was enough of a 
highflier.  Well, that just shows you, even Slughorn makes mistakes.  
I don't know whether Ron's told you in any of his letters -- it's 
only just happened -- but Arthur's been promoted!"  (HBP, Scholastic 
hardcover, chapter five, pg. 84)

I think Molly's trying to be diplomatic about a teacher Harry will 
probably have during the coming year.  But the bitterness in Molly's 
assessment comes out when she says the Ministry is "littered" with 
Slughorn's favorites.  Not packed, jammed, full of, but littered, 
like they're so much trash.  He didn't have time for Arthur, she 
says, and you know how protective Molly is of her family.  She 
doesn't like the man, even years after school is over for her.

And, no wonder she suddenly brings up Arthur's promotion right after 
saying that Slughorn had made a mistake about him.

Alla:
But I am still yet to read about Slughorn being some student's 
boggart, I am also still yet to read about Slugghorn breaking the 
potion.

Ceridwen:
So am I.  We only see him fawning over his favorites, in class and 
out, and ignoring the rest.  He barely pays attention to the students 
in his class outside of his Slug Club members.  How good of an 
education are those other students getting?  To him, it's like they 
aren't even there.

Alla:
Oh, another thing - of course he picks whoever he wants in his club, 
but I also do not remember him **grading** unfairly, which IMO what I
would consider truly ruining students career.

It is like I don't know, just seems to me that Slug club is 
**extracirricular" activity, something students do not have an 
entitlement to, unless teacher picks them? While IMO they are 
entitled to be treated decently on the lessons.

Ceridwen:
I don't recall any of the teachers grading unfairly.  Trelawney comes 
close, I think, with her assessment of Hermione's weak aura.  In 
Divination, that could mean something more than just having a poor 
aura, but we don't know that.  It just sounds different in that class.

Students' future classes and careers seem to depend on their O.W.L. 
and N.E.W.T. marks, not on their grades in class.  Which may not be 
fair for students with test anxieties, but that's probably the most 
impartial way to do it.

And, sure Horace Slughorn has every right to invite whoever he 
pleases into his club.  But Professor Slughorn, in my opinion, 
doesn't have the right to treat his non-club students as nothings.

Ceridwen.