Likeable Slughorn (was: Villain!Dumbledore )

[Zara]

No: HPFGUIDX 177861

> Alla:
> Sure, connections ARE criteria  by which he selects his club 
members, 
> it is clear to me in canon. I would **prefer** that he would have 
> selected only on talent, no question about it, but to me the bottom 
> line is that he will select you if you only have talent and no 
> connections, and I like that.

zgirnius:
I would add to this, that it does not work like that. If he did not 
include in his little club the kids with the connections and the 
money, it would become just a club for the good students, sort of 
like the Math Club I was in in high school, which existed to amuse a 
small group of (talented) nerds and allow us to have 
some 'leadership' experience to tout on college applications. (Tee 
hee - I got the amazingly impressive title of copresident because I 
was one of two seniors in the club that year. Guess who my 
copresident was...).

By including both the kids that are going to be successful out in the 
big world by virtue of their connections or wealth whatever Sluggie 
does, and the talented kids who may have neither, he is furthering 
the success of the talented kids in a way that simply inviting them 
to parties with other talented kids would not. He is facilitating the 
process whereby those talented kids *become* connected.