[HPforGrownups] Re: Chapter Discussion: Goblet of Fire Ch. 4: Back to the Burrow

[Shelley Gardner]

No: HPFGUIDX 191469

On 12/12/2011 3:53 PM, sigurd at eclipse.net wrote:
> Dear Dorothy
>
>>    Remember in the books that Dumbledoor wanted them all to work together
>> regarless of house and/or status.  And in the end most of them did.
>
> I hear what you say, but I'm doubtful. I think that the divisiveness was not worth any positive benefit they got.  My opinion on what I read in the text, was that in the final battle there was pretty much a mass desertion of Slytherin to the other side, or, if they did not join the enemy, they pretty much stacked arms. Slughorn's running around trumpeting "We did our part!" sounds a bit too strained for me.
>
> One other thing. I recall everyone from Neville's "gran" to even Percy Weasley coming into to stand in the line for the crunch. The tunnel from Hogsmead to Hogwarts was like the NY subway at rush-hour-  but I don't remember any Slytherins mentioned doing that. Nor did I hear any great debate from the Slitherins when Pansy Parkinson wanted to toss Harry on Voldemorts pikes.
>
> Unfortunately I also don't recall Rowlings giving us a body count. The guys who stand in the front of the line when the bullets fly are the ones who have the fewest that walk away from it.
>
> Otto
>
>
Not only don't we see a lot of Slytherin in that final battle, but the 
epilogue shows us pretty much nothing changed when it came to Houses: 
Harry's son is having to make a choice between being a Slytherin and a 
Gryffindor, between competing loyalities, the same as it was for Harry. 
Even if the house competitions were momentarily set aside for one battle 
against Voldemort, it's pretty clear that the House system was not 
abolished in any way.

I guess for me the House system is like Alma Matters- I'm currently in 
Utah, and the local BYU versus UofU is a pretty hot loyalty issue. In 
other areas it might be hot between two other colleges. You are supposed 
to show loyalty to the school you went to. I just laugh; I'm a Utah 
transplant and came from Penn State, so I think both of them are nuts, 
but especially during football season every year we get asked to pick a 
side. Only for the kids of Hogwarts, they got asked, almost TOLD by the 
hat, which side they were on, and they get stuck there for the rest of 
their lives. No wonder why some kids were fearful of the hat and where 
it would place them.

Shelley