First lesson WAS: Re: Marietta, was Slytherin's Reputation

[Carol]

No: HPFGUIDX 185684

Magpie wrote:
> Does it really matter what exactly he thought made Purebloods 
superior? He joined a bigoted group that was blatantly Pureblood-
superiority, used slurs and ultimately thought the society needed to
be "cleansed" of Mudbloods. (I think he was raised on the philosophy
as well based on his hesitation about Lily being in Slytherin--and 
that he did indeed know that blood counted for being Slytherin.) <snip>

Carol responds:
That's an odd philosophy for someone who married a Muggle (eileen
Prince Snape) to teach her son. Unless, of course, she went around
moaning, "My parents were right! I should never have married a
Muggle.) But we don't see any indication that she says that. All we
see is her cowering when Tobias screams at her (she must be afraid of
being arrested if she uses magic against him or she wouldn't cower
like that). Severus can see for himself that Muggles aren't much good
if his father is any indication. (he isnt, but how would the boy know
that?) None of those things has any bearing on how he feels about
Muggleborns. His attraction to Lily seems to indicate that it doesn't
matter. he hopes she'll be Sorted into Slytherin, too--which indicates
that he hs no idea the slytherin, the House for "brains," doesn't
accept Muggleborns. Lily asks him if being a Muggleborn makes any
difference, but in context, she seems to be talkingabout magical
ability, not prejudice. IMO, he learned Pure-blood prejudice in
Slytherin, but part of him, the part that remembered he was a
Half-Blood, rejected that philosophy. He knew that he was at least as
talented as any Pure=blood. The other half of him clung to the Prince
half of his ancestry. Putting them together, you get the Half=blood
Prince. In contrast, Tom Riddle changed his name completely, rejecting
his "filthy Muggle father"'s name and heritage.

> Magpie:
> Even if they -the Twins] have some reason to dislike him [Malcolm
Baddock], he's an 11 year old and they're how old at this point? 

Carol:
It's Harry's fourth year, which makes them sixteen, five years older
than the little boy they're booing.

Magpie:
What could he have done that necessitated that kind of public
humiliation his first day? I read it as Fred and George simply hissing
when someone was Sorted into Slytherin the same way they'd clap if he
was Sorted into Gryffindor. 

Carol:
If that's the case, why pick on this one child? I agree that they
can't possibly have a reason to boo or hiss him the first day, and
they're more than old enough to know better.

Magpie:
> If challenged about it I imagine they would say it was just a 
friendly rivalry and a joke and of course the kid would understand  that.

Carol:
Friendly rivalry to be hissed by big teenagers who don't even know
you? I disagree. I think that the Twins' behavior is completely out of
line. Now, if the Quidditch captain had stood up to speak, I can see
them booing or hissing. They have reason to know that specific
Slytherin Quidditch players cheat. But an impressionable
eleven-year-old boy? They've just taught him a lesson--Gryffindor are
a bunch of rude, arrogant bullies.

Carol, who thinks their conduct is indefensible