But Harry was never going to be Slytherin from what I read. The hat isn't trying to put him there, it just responds to his own statement "not Slytherin" by tempting him with it. He rejects the temptation, so obviously isn't a Slytherin. I've just never seen that as really being an issue for Harry--it's more something he fears metaphorically.

And yeah, I felt like most of the stuff Harry would have struggled with was made a bit easier--I mean, it was hard for him to face death, but I think that was in his nature. It was a lot easier to forgive a Snape who'd helpfully died and then revelead he'd spent his life protecting him.