Slytherin as villains / Ender vs. Harry SPOILERS for Ender's Game

[horridporrid03]

No: HPFGUIDX 179125

> >>Betsy Hp:
> > Hah!  Okay, *this* is a reason I can buy for deciding Slytherins 
> > didn't actually *fight* for Voldemort.  I suppose they just gave 
> > him the Slytherin version of a thumbs up and then scampered off   
> > to hide under their beds (at their homes, not Hogwarts,           
> > obviously).  More than likely pushing little firsties out of     
> > their way. <bg>

> >>Carol responds:
> Are you picturing a whole horde of Slytherins leaving the Hog's Head
> to fight in the battle?

Betsy Hp:
I picture very little about this book.  The logistical nightmares 
involved in the effort make my head hurt. <g>  And lizzyben has 
convinced me that no Slytherin students took part in the fighting 
(except for that initial effort by Crabbe et al).  

I remain, however, convinced that Voldemort got something he saw as a 
support vote from the current students of his house.  Hence his 
remark to Lucius.

> >>Carol:
> Why would they do that, when the whole point of evacuating          
> everybody to the Hog's Head (including underage students from all   
> houses, none of whom are being labeled as cowards)...

Betsy Hp:
Zach Smith was definitely labeled a coward.  And I'd say the pecking 
order of bravery was made quite clear by JKR as the various students 
left the battle, with Slytherin at the very, very bottom.

> >>Carol:
> ...was to allow them to go to safety?

Betsy Hp:
For Slytherin it was getting the bad house out of their hair.  
McGonagall was quite clear about that, IMO.


> >>Carol:
> <snip>
> It would be much easier and much more sensible just to Apparate    
> home from the Hog's Head like the students from the other Houses.
> <snip>

Betsy Hp:
About as much sense as the Trio taking two months to tune into a 
radio station.  I'm not fussed about logistics at all, since the 
author obviously doesn't care.  Somehow, for some reason, and in some 
way, enough Slytherins showed their support in such a way that 
Voldemort remarked on it.  Heck, they may have just yelled, "Yay, 
Voldemort" before apparating home (leaving the little firsties 
shivering in the cold).

> >>Betsy Hp:
> > <snip> Also, JKR was positioning the house to remain
> > at Hogwarts (for some odd reason). If all of Slytherin came haring
> > over the ramparts, that Hogwarts did *not* forever remove them   
> > from the school would make no sense. Instead Slytherin remains    
> > bad, but tolerable. Which gives our heroes a group to be tolerant 
> > of, but also a group to smack around when the mood so moves them.

> >>Carol:
> JKR was *not* "stationing the house to remain at Hogwarts." They   
> were supposed to follow Filch to the RoR and go from there along the
> passage to the Hog's Head, where Aberforth was waiting.
> <snip>

Betsy Hp:
Oh, sorry, I was unclear. I meant once the battle was over and 
everything went back to normal (next year or whatever) there was 
still a Slytherin house at the school rather than just three houses 
or a brand new "Slughorn" house or something.  So while JKR had 
Slytherin House be as bad as possible (bigots! horrible, horrible 
bigots! also cowards!  and damn girly with their frilly pink!), she 
couldn't let them be *too* bad or it'd be beyond odd that the House 
was kept around.


> >>Carol:
> <snip>
> They do what McGonagall orders them to do, and you're condemning   
> them for it?

Betsy Hp:
As lizzyben pointed out upthread, Slytherin house is condemned by 
being exactly what McGonagall feared (knew?) they would be.  So it's 
more JKR condemned them.  I'm just recognizing that this is what 
happened.

> >>Carol:
> Why?

Betsy Hp:
Million dollar question.  Wherefore Slytherin?  I'm still confused on 
that issue.  Maybe so Harry could be a "bad boy" but for perfectly 
saintly reasons?  I don't know, I'm grasping. <g>

Betsy Hp