It's time to shine the light on everyone's least favorite house!
Slytherin
The house emblem is a serpent, an animal that is, apparently, one of the oldest mythological symbols used to represent the dual expression of good and evil (Wikipedia).
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While some people look down on Hufflepuff, and perhaps to some extent even Ravenclaw, the opinion about Slytherin presented to Harry before he reaches Hogwarts is pretty unanimous: Slytherins are evil!
"...I don't suppose Ravenclaw would be too bad, but imagine if they put me in Slytherin." - Ron in chapter 6
"Better Hufflepuff than Slytherin," said Hagrid darkly. "There's not a single witch or wizard who went bad who wasn't in Slytherin. You-Know-Who was one." - Hagrid in chapter 5
I am inclined to believe that Hagrid is exaggerating here - it's not possible that every bad witch or wizard was in Slytherin. We all know Peter Pettigrew was a Gryffindor and look how he turned out. Also, that is the smartest way to turn everyone against Slytherins - just the association with Voldemort is enough to keep people on edge.
Does the Sorting Hat have anything to say on the matter?
Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folk use any means
To achieve their ends.
Interesting - not a single reference to them being evil. I suppose the word cunning has negative connotations, but then we saw previously that Ravenclaws are also known to back-stab people to achieve their goals and yet nobody labels them as evil.
We meet a few new Slytherin students at the start of term banquet:
Millicent Bulstrode, Vincent Crabbe, Gregory Goyle, Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini
While it is not specifically stated which house they are sorted into, Theodore Nott and Pansy Parkinson are mentioned in this scene and we know from future books that they are also incoming Slytherins.
Most of these characters will pop up again throughout the series, but undoubtedly the most important Slytherin in Harry's year is Draco - the pale-faced boy with a bored, drawling voice we first met at Madam Malkin's in Chapter 5. Already in that first scene we got a sense of what kind of person he is - spoiled, manipulative, against the inclusion of Muggleborns at Hogwarts...when we see him again on the train, he is rude to Ron and callous about the death of Harry's parents. Based on our preconceptions about Slytherin house, it doesn't come as a surprise that the Hat doesn't even need to be fully placed on his head before announcing his place in Slytherin.
Draco Malfoy is the new bully in Harry's life, replacing Dudley very effectively. He targets those he thinks are weaker than him by picking on Neville and is constantly trying to get Harry, Ron and Hermione into trouble (the midnight duel in Chapter 8 and thwarting their plan to help Hagrid in Chapter 14 being the most obvious examples).
There is perhaps one character even more disliked than Draco and that is, of course, Severus Snape. Like Draco, he is set up as the 'villain' from that first pivotal scene in the Great Hall when Harry's scar hurts as he makes eye contact with the Potions professor.
Snape targets Harry throughout the school year and happily deducts points for non-existent transgressions, all the while leaving us wondering - why does he hate Harry so much? His dislike towards Harry is, at this point, completely irrational and so it's easy to see why Harry would jump to the conclusion that Snape is in cahoots with Voldemort.
There is no doubt in anyone's mind, I daresay, at this point in the series that these two characters are perfectly placed in their house. Even when we learn that Severus was looking out for Harry all year, there is the sense that this is going completely against his nature. Draco is still a child heavily influenced by his parents' prejudices and it's too early for JK Rowling to reveal her master plan for Snape, and so they are both depicted as Slytherin stereotypes - and to great effect! I really like how she introduces these two characters and makes us dislike them, before turning the tables in the later books.
Other Slytherins who appear in this book: the Bloody Baron (House Ghost), Marcus Flint, Adrian Pucey, Miles Bletchley and Terence Higgs.
Until next time,
Lucia
Draco Malfoy is the new bully in Harry's life, replacing Dudley very effectively. He targets those he thinks are weaker than him by picking on Neville and is constantly trying to get Harry, Ron and Hermione into trouble (the midnight duel in Chapter 8 and thwarting their plan to help Hagrid in Chapter 14 being the most obvious examples).
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| The Slytherins we love to hate (source) |
There is perhaps one character even more disliked than Draco and that is, of course, Severus Snape. Like Draco, he is set up as the 'villain' from that first pivotal scene in the Great Hall when Harry's scar hurts as he makes eye contact with the Potions professor.
Snape targets Harry throughout the school year and happily deducts points for non-existent transgressions, all the while leaving us wondering - why does he hate Harry so much? His dislike towards Harry is, at this point, completely irrational and so it's easy to see why Harry would jump to the conclusion that Snape is in cahoots with Voldemort.
There is no doubt in anyone's mind, I daresay, at this point in the series that these two characters are perfectly placed in their house. Even when we learn that Severus was looking out for Harry all year, there is the sense that this is going completely against his nature. Draco is still a child heavily influenced by his parents' prejudices and it's too early for JK Rowling to reveal her master plan for Snape, and so they are both depicted as Slytherin stereotypes - and to great effect! I really like how she introduces these two characters and makes us dislike them, before turning the tables in the later books.
Other Slytherins who appear in this book: the Bloody Baron (House Ghost), Marcus Flint, Adrian Pucey, Miles Bletchley and Terence Higgs.
Until next time,
Lucia
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