 Re: What Do You Like About Slytherin?
Slytherin is not a synonym for evil. Many people who do not bother to look deeper into the Harry Potter books, and the mechanisms of Hogwarts, see only the perspective given to them by, if inadvertantely, Harry. But the important thing to remember is that Gryffindor and Slytherin have a history of animosity. This is not "Slytherin hates Gryffindor". Gryffindor and Slytherin both give as good as they get- and they are equally responsible throughout the years. Ron Weasley comes from a family of Gryffindors, he has probably been told that Slytherin is bad for ages. Hagrid, who was expelled by a Slytherin, holds no love for them either. It is understanable, but not neccesarily wise, to adopt the viewpoints of the characters that Harry, and thus the reader, latches on to.
It is true that Voldemort was a Slytherin. It is also true that his Death Eaters, as far as we know, were almost always Slytherins. However, it is equally true that Peter Pettigrew, Gryffindor, betrayed his friends and became a Death Eater. Bellatrix Lestrange is truly an evil person. Still, one does NOT spend 12 years in Azkaban and come out completely sane. But another case- Draco Malfoy. The Malfoys- Lucius, Narcissa, Draco, are a kind of poster-family for Slytherin. But we see, in Half-Blood Prince and in Deathly Hallows, that he is human. THEY are human. They can feel insecurity, love, and loyalty.
Slytherin is a house of ambition, and of cunning. And yes, it is a house of blood superiority, bred and brainwashed into every new Slytherin generation. But a fourth of the student population at Hogwarts is not evil. They are intelligent, if ruthless. Slytherins are eloquent, and intense.
In the end, the first and last reason to respect Slytherins, is because Severus Snape is a Slytherin. Simple as that.  |