JKR's intent

[delwynmarch]

No: HPFGUIDX 178710

Betsy Hp wrote:
> Honestly, I thought her stuff about uniting the houses and her 
> dwelling on the fact that the four houses represent the four 
> elements is completely contradicted by the text.

Del comments:
I still remember the horrifying moment when I first read about Harry
entering the RoR for the first time in DH, and noticing that there is
no Slytherin banner in it. My mind reeled with disbelief and shock at
that time: this was just so WRONG! I had *totally* expected Harry to
discover a few Slytherins helping along with the Hogwarts resistance
movement, maybe for not-so-honourable reasons or whatever, but still,
there just HAD to be a few token Slytherins, there just HAD to, or all
this talk of "uniting the Houses" would have been for nothing. But not
only were there no Slytherins, but JKR even went out of her way to
drive this point home, by making it obvious to the reader AND by
making Harry notice it. This was a truly devastating moment for me,
and after that nothing really mattered anymore. Oh sure, I enjoyed the
Big Battle, and I empathised with Harry's heart-wrenching discoveries
and decisions, but something had died within me: all this hoopla was
not for the higher purpose I had thought it was for. And by extension
the whole series was not saying what I had still hoped it was bent on
saying, no matter the mounting pile of evidence to the contrary. After
that one crystallising moment, I just KNEW that HP was not, had never
been, this shining plea for tolerance and understanding that I had
once thought it was, and that I was still hoping it was, even after
the last 2 books which had seriously shaken my confidence on that matter.

I remember JKR saying, in some very old interview (must have been
before OoP at least), that after the last book would be out, she might
very well have only a handful of fans left. At the time I was "No way!
What is she talking about!?" Well, now, I know :-(

Del