Slytherin is one of the four houses at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the Harry Potter series. The founder of the Slytherin house was Salazar Slytherin. Slytherin has a reputation for producing dark witches and wizards, but also values ambition, cunning, leadership, and resourcefulness.
The Origins of Slytherin House
Slytherin house was founded by Salazar Slytherin in the 10th century when Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was established. Salazar Slytherin was one of the four founders of Hogwarts alongside Godric Gryffindor, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Helga Hufflepuff.
According to legend, Slytherin wanted Hogwarts to only admit pure-blood students, but the other founders disagreed. Eventually, Slytherin left Hogwarts after a dispute over whether to be more selective about students. Before he left, Slytherin built the Chamber of Secrets deep under Hogwarts, which was home to a monster that his heir would later control to purge the school of those Slytherin deemed unworthy to study magic.
Slytherin House Traits
Slytherins tend to share common character traits that define members of the house. These include:
- Ambition
- Cunning
- Leadership
- Resourcefulness
- Self-preservation
- Determination
- Cleverness
- Fraternity
Slytherins tend to be ambitious, competitive, and achievement-oriented. They have a strong sense of fraternity and look after their own. Slytherins are known for being resourceful and determined to accomplish their goals. Cunning, cleverness, and ambition are prized assets in Slytherin house.
The Dark Reputation of Slytherin
Despite possessing admirable traits, Slytherin house has a reputation for producing dark witches and wizards. There are several reasons for this reputation:
- Salazar Slytherin mistrusted Muggle-born students and wanted Hogwarts to only admit pure-bloods. This attitude persisted in the house even after he left.
- Many famous dark wizards came from Slytherin, including Tom Riddle (Voldemort) and some of his Death Eaters.
- Slytherins are known for valuing self-preservation over others, which can lead to questionable moral choices.
- Slytherins have a strong sense of fraternity which can sometimes exclude others and cause rifts between houses.
While many great Slytherins existed, like Merlin and Horace Slughorn, the reputation persists. Slytherins face bias and mistrust from people who assume they are destined to go bad based on their house.
Notable Slytherins
Slytherin house has produced many distinguished and influential witches and wizards throughout history, both good and bad. Here are some notable Slytherins:
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Merlin | The most famous wizard of all time, advisor to King Arthur, and founder of the Order of Merlin. |
| Tom Riddle (Lord Voldemort) | One of the most dangerous dark wizards of all time, who led a reign of terror against Muggles and Muggle-borns. |
| Horace Slughorn | Potions master and head of Slytherin house for many years; member of the Order of the Phoenix. |
| Dolores Umbridge | Senior Ministry bureaucrat known for ruthlessly enforcing rules; temporarily headmistress of Hogwarts. |
| Phineas Nigellus Black | Disliked headmaster of Hogwarts and least popular in history. |
| Regulus Black | Death Eater who ultimately betrayed Voldemort by destroying one of his Horcruxes. |
| Severus Snape | Potions master at Hogwarts; double agent against Voldemort and ultimate hero. |
| Draco Malfoy | Classmate of Harry Potter; reluctantly became a Death Eater but defected in the Battle of Hogwarts. |
| Andromeda Tonks | Slytherin who married Muggle-born Ted Tonks against her family’s wishes. |
Attributes Valued by Slytherins
Slytherins value attributes like ambition, cunning, leadership, and fraternity. Here is an overview of what Slytherins see as admirable qualities:
- Ambition – Having big goals and being determined to succeed is highly prized in Slytherin.
- Cunning – Slytherins admire being clever, strategic thinkers who can outmaneuver opponents.
- Leadership – Natural leaders and those who seek power thrive in Slytherin and earn respect.
- Fraternity – Loyalty and solidarity within Slytherin house matters greatly.
- Self-Preservation – Looking out for oneself and one’s own interests is seen as smart, not selfish.
- Pure-Blood Status – While less universal today, some Slytherins still favor those from all-magic families.
Slytherins tend to favor pragmatism over idealism. They believe in using any advantage to achieve important goals and admire those who successfully build power and influence.
Common Room and Dormitories
The Slytherin common room and dormitories are found in the dungeons of Hogwarts Castle. The common room is a long, low-ceilinged underground room with greenish lamps and chairs. The common room windows provide views into the depths of the Hogwarts lake. It has a cold, gloomy feel, but with lots of ornate decorations showing serpents and famous Slytherins.
The Slytherin dormitories require passwords to enter and contain four-poster beds with deep green hangings. Each student has their own bed, nightstand, and wardrobe. There are rumors of the dorms being more luxurious than others at Hogwarts, with features like silk sheets and roaring fireplaces.
The Slytherin Head of House
The Head of Slytherin House during Harry Potter’s time as a student was Severus Snape. Snape played favorites with students from his own house and frequently allowed them to get away with behavior he would punish harshly in other houses. Despite this bias, Snape sought to protect all Hogwarts students from danger during his tenure.
Previous Heads of Slytherin House included Horace Slughorn, who was Potions master for many years. Slughorn was not as strict as Snape and boasted about Slytherins who achieved power and fame after graduating Hogwarts.
Other Heads of Slytherin over the centuries included Phineas Nigellus Black, Dolores Umbridge, and Amycus Carrow, who was appointed during Voldemort’s control of Hogwarts and crucioed students as punishment.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Slytherin house has a complex history and reputation in the Harry Potter books. While the house values ambition, cunning, fraternity and self-preservation, it also has produced many dark witches and wizards. However, Slytherins should be judged as individuals, not based on stereotypes about their house. Just like the other Hogwarts houses, Slytherin has good and bad witches and wizards in its history.