Did the Slytherins come back?

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 181811

---  "Steve" <bboyminn at ...> wrote:
>
> ---  SnapesSlytherin@ wrote:
> >
> > Hello all!
> > 
> > I remember the near violent list debate a while ago about 
> > whether the Slytherins came back or not at the end of DH in 
> > order to help the fight.? ...
> > 
> > ...
> 
> bboyminn:
> 
> When we debated this, I was alway sure that in her own mind,
> JKR was convinced the Slytherins did return to fight, but the
> real question is, directly or indirectly, did she make it clear
> in the story. And, I think the answer is No.
> 
> ...
> 
> As I said, one casual indirect in-passing mention would have
> solved it all.
> 
> Steve/bboyminn
>

bboyminn:

Sorry, don't mean to answer my own post, but rather address some
of the concerns brought up by others.

First, it is unfair to compare disliking Slytherins with the
claim that Hagrid was raising werewolves (condensed version,
but if you've read the other posts, you understand). Hagrid
raising werewolf clubs is a physical impossibility since
werewolves are people, and people don't have 'cubs'. 

Slytherin, on the other hand deserves all the animosity directed
at them because they provoke it. Or at least, those who do
provoke it spoil it for the others. I've always said that we
can not say that all Slytherins are bad because we have not
seen all Slytherins. Even if we confine that to Slytherin
students, it remains true. Harry didn't even know Theodore
Knots name despite having been in class with him for years. One
would think that Harry would have heard someone speak his name.
But JKR says the Theo Knot is something of a loner, not prone
to getting involve with groups and gangs.

Also, consider that Theo must not have ever been "in Harry's 
face" or Harry would have known who he was. The same is true
of the other Slytherins, how much do we or Harry know about
Blaise Zabini or any of the many unnamed Slytherins? Not much 
until he meets a few on the train in Slughorn compartment. From
that encounter, Harry dislikes them based on their attitude and 
demeanor, not on the fact that they are Slytherin, though I'm 
sure that didn't help. 

So, by the same path of logic that I conclude Hagrid did not
keep werewolf cubs, I conclude that not all Slytherins are 
bad.

As far as Gryfindor being seen as saints in the eyes of the 
other students, I highly doubt it. We see that they are 
quick enough to turn on Harry and Gryffindor when it suits
them, or when there is the slightest element of doubt.

We don't see into the Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw common rooms,
and we are not privileged to the conversions that go on there.
But I have not doubt that both those Houses consider all the 
other House to be somewhat smug and self-aggrandizing. But 
Slytherins are agressive in the smugness and self-servingness, 
and that rallies the other Houses against them. 

I think this is especially true of Hufflepuff, who likely feel
generally put-upon, I have no doubt of long conversation about
how this House or that House are so smug and full of themselves,
while we, the Hufflepuffs, are the REAL people. We do all the 
work; they take all the credit. But again, when it comes time
to rally, they do rally against Slytherin because they are the 
most aggresively smug and self-serving, not to mention annoying,
of them all.

As to how the books ended up without some ever so slight hint
of redemption of Slytherin students, and Slytherin citizens in
general, I think it is because JKR knows these characters so
deeply. She see their full lives off the page, so she knows
them intimately, and knows their true loyalties and beliefs.
But she forgot that WE don't know that. We only saw what she
wrote, and I think she made a real mistake by not making it
clearer that /general/ Slytherins has a hand in Voldemort and
the DE's down fall. I can see where half a sentence in one of
two or three places would have been enough to redeem Slytherin,
but it simply wasn't there, and the book is less because of
it.

So, while I have never considered all Slytherins bad, I still 
need that hint of redemption to be satisfied.

Steve/bboyminn