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We often complain that Slytherin gets the short end of the stick. What are the positive characteristics of Slytherin house? Are there examples? (Of course one must wade through the anti-Slytherin bias to find them.) You may keep the discussion general or make it more Snape specific if you wish.
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Torino's Tuesday Question
The World of Severus Snape
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Friendship (1/2)
Another distinguishing character of the Slytherins IMO is their peer loyalty and sense of camaraderie. The Sorting hat sings "You'll make your real friends," and that word "real" there isn't put in without reason. Despite what we're led to assume (especially because of that word "cunning" being in there too) the friendships of the Slytherins are way more genuine than the ones found in the Gryffindor norm.
The Gryffindors tend to make friends when it serves them well. Harry was lonely, Hermione was anxious to assimilate into the WW, and they formed a bond on the train with Ron, who had been wishing all his life to escape the shadow of all his brilliant brothers. James and Sirius all but use the timid Peter and Remus as hangers-on and excuse-givers. And most important of all, the nuclear-shaped friendships of the Gryffindor House seldom seem to grow into a larger web of social interactions with a genuine feeling of closeness. They're capable of teamwork when it serves their needs. The personal caring, however, don't come naturally to them -- if it ever comes to them at all. Note Harry's reaction of *surprise* as he discovers the extent of Luna's caring for *all* of her friends... Harry is content with the trio bond that he needs and has, and all the other people around (even those he likes) are just there as an abstraction of "nice people" in his eyes, most of the time. The same kind of detachment is found in Lily (who could let Severus writhe on the ground while she chatted with James about the ethics of bullying), James and Sirius (who could even risk their "friend" Remus' life and sanctuary in first using him as an instrument of attempted murder and then letting the entire school know that James had saved Severus), and definitely in Dumbledore (whose callous behaviors toward fellow human beings are too numerous to name).
Contrast them with the Slytherin capacity for inclusive friendship. Snape's circle of Slytherin friends, despite what "Dark" and evil things they were doing, are large and welcoming towards new Slytherins (which was how Severus the greasy half-blood found himself in their midst in the first place) as well as loyal and faithful, as far as we get the sense from Sirius' comments and the argument between Severus and Lily. Regulus had the picture of the entire quidditch team in his post-Hogwarts bedroom. Not some token of their victory, but their *picture*. That's the team spirit of the Slytherin, the thing which other Houses shun as "cunning" and self-serving, because to them (especially to the Gryffindors) such a huge network of friendship can only be guessed as a means to a personal gain. And some Slytherins like Tom Jr. and Slughorn indeed take advantage of their friend-making abilities for their own benefit. But the majority of the Slytherins are people who genuinely care for peers whose strengths they admire, and whose weeknesses and hardships they truly sympathize with. Lucius the aristocrate places a hand on the poorly clothed Severus the moment he gets sorted into under his wings. Draco makes a heartfelt attempt to befriend Harry, the boy whose existence led to the defeat of Voldemort and almost got his father in jail, and whose family is notorious (from his POV) as an enemy of Dark Arts -- the thing he wanted to learn at Durmstrang instead of coming to Hogwarts. The Slytherin inclination for building strong and wide friendships is truly great, and it's a laudable quality -- if not in HP (possibly, maybe) then surely in my own view of the world.
Friendship (2/2)
Slytherins are less hot-blooded and golden. But they are capable of caring for and bonding with their peers in a much truer fashion than we've ever seen from the Gryffindors.
...Or so I feel. Unfortunately, most of this is just conjecture, as we don't really get to *see* the Slytherin bonds in action, and when we do see them it never seems as nice as all this (Cf. Draco's "friendship" with Crab and Goyle). But when you think about the ties that just *had* to be there for Snape to truly start to want to join a Death Eaters, and for him to be *allowed* to do so, it seems there's some strong network of real friendship getting woven behind the scene, in some dark place that we somehow don't get to see.
Re: Friendship (1/2)
I agree that "real" is not put in without reason... but I read this as a caution that if you're destined for Slytherin, then those of the other houses aren't going to be your real friends.
Re: Friendship (1/2)
*Lily* was incapable of making a real friend of Severus. Her "friendship" was only as good as her ideological compatibility. Severus, OTOH, held Lily as his dear friend despite her close association with the bullying Gryffindors. In spite of his aversion to James and his gang, he never saw their closeness to Lily as anything that taints *her* in his eyes. He only ever wanted to make her *see* how bad they were, and I seriously doubt her failure to cut off contact with the Marauders would ever have made him want to ditch Lily as his friend. That's the type of loyalty and friendship that a *Slytherin* is essentially capable of; Snape *had* a best friend in Lily for all his life, and cherished it and pulled strength from it to his death. From Lily's POV, however, she couldn't find a "real" friend in the Slytherin House thanks to her own stunted sense of friendship. Her loss, if you ask me, but that's how she could enjoy her marriage and new friends (i.e. her husband's friends) without any saddening regrets.
Re: Friendship (1/2)
Re: Friendship (1/2)
But it's just, you know, as much as I feel for the poor Slytherins, in some ways I feel the Gryffindors are even more pitiable. For all that they're "popular," their psychological make-up is so stunted that they're not even capable of the type of "real friendship" bonds that the snake boys regularly feel.
Re: Friendship (1/2)
I'm so glad I'm not the only one who thinks this. I've always thought Harry had two friends and everyone else were just people he chose to associate with when the occasion arose. This always seemed strange to me because Harry had always been denied friendship, yet when he's presented with the chance to make genuine friends, and a network of them besides, he only makes two. I guess that's why it always surprises me in fic when a character other than Ron or Hermione refers to Harry as a friend because he doesn't choose to spend time with anyone but the two of them.
And most important of all, the nuclear-shaped friendships of the Gryffindor House seldom seem to grow into a larger web of social interactions with a genuine feeling of closeness.
I've also never understood why Ron and Hermione were so friendless. Ron is the most personable of the three and not exactly shy so he should have been much more popular. Hermione should have at least found some friends among the Ravenclaws because of their shared interest in learning. They all seem so removed from Hogwarts at large. It's a shame really.
Re: Friendship (1/2)
Hermione must have shared classes with Ravenclaws - I bet there were quite a few of them in Arithmancy and Ancient Runes, but I guess she valued her adventures with Harry and Ron, and even mothering the two boys over hanging out with those who were more into academics for their own sake.
Re: Friendship (1/2)
But Harry was pretty oblivious to everyone's existence until the DA. I remember being amazed that Hermione had to tell Harry the Slytherin boy's name in the library (Nott). Harry had been to almost 5 years of Potions classes with that kid and had no idea of his name. Especially telling since it seems most 'probable' that he was the same kid whom Harry noticed at the beginning of the year that could see Thestrals - yet he never bothers to ask his name until he sees him talking to Draco.
Alternatively, Hermione's self-value seems wrapped up entirely in her 'smarts'. The idea of 'pretty girls' makes her quite defensive (hence her dislike of Fleur, who may not have been as much of a challenge in the Tri-Wizard as Cedric, but yet whom must have been one of the 'best' Beaubatons had to offer) And remember her 'boggart' - the fear of failing ALL her classes and her reaction to Harry's sudden improvement in NEWT Potions? Hermione might have associated with Ravenclaws, but I doubt she liked to admit anyone might be her equal in intelligence. I can't imagine that her attitude would win her many friends in Ravenclaw. -- Hwyla