The Sorting Hat's song in OotP seemed like such a sign to me to say okay, continue on the way you're thinking, because of course that's the goal here. But now it seems like it's what JKR said in an interview, that what the Hat is talking about is almost like a dream--oh, if only the school could all get together it would be amazing. But it never will, because the Slytherins well and truly suck. We can't just shoot them all, because everyone is nobly hopes that one day they'll come around, but it's not going to happen and there's no point in reaching out or anything to try to make it so.
When Phineas said Slytherin played their part I was first like--wtf? Did he read the same book? Then I realized oh, I guess they did. They didn't *do* their part, but they played it--several Slytherins happened to have things important enough to them that they by default worked towards the good side (the Malfoys loved each other, Snape loved Lily, Regulus I guess wanted to avenge his family honor or something).
I'm surprised at the total lack of Harry/Snape connection either--both Harry/Draco and Harry/Snape turned out to be totally not important. They were just there for Harry to either forgive or forget about. And none of the flaws of the good characters were important or had to be gotten over--that is, Ron's were, because Ron didn't have confidence. Not having confidence is the one flaw that the good side could work through. Flaws like treating other people badly aren't a problem. The only really serious problem is going Slytherin.
I suppose the founding story was another version of Dumbledore's, with Gryffindor having a brief, misguided friendship with Slytherin and then luckily realizing he needed to reject him. Unfortunately it was too late and he'd already let evil into the school.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2007-07-22 01:41 pm (UTC)When Phineas said Slytherin played their part I was first like--wtf? Did he read the same book? Then I realized oh, I guess they did. They didn't *do* their part, but they played it--several Slytherins happened to have things important enough to them that they by default worked towards the good side (the Malfoys loved each other, Snape loved Lily, Regulus I guess wanted to avenge his family honor or something).
I'm surprised at the total lack of Harry/Snape connection either--both Harry/Draco and Harry/Snape turned out to be totally not important. They were just there for Harry to either forgive or forget about. And none of the flaws of the good characters were important or had to be gotten over--that is, Ron's were, because Ron didn't have confidence. Not having confidence is the one flaw that the good side could work through. Flaws like treating other people badly aren't a problem. The only really serious problem is going Slytherin.
I suppose the founding story was another version of Dumbledore's, with Gryffindor having a brief, misguided friendship with Slytherin and then luckily realizing he needed to reject him. Unfortunately it was too late and he'd already let evil into the school.