Slughorn

[Phoenix in the Ashes]

Yeah well Voldemort wanted Slughorn.... Why? Obviously his knowledge is extraordinary in his chosen field, and let's remember that he actually taught Snape. This is one case I believe the student has definitely not surpassed the teacher.
I think he's been alone so much for the past year or so that he speaks his thoughts and prejudices out loud without thinking of them.
Pure-blood, you think?

[Anna Black]

Oh, definitely pure-blood. He was head of Slytherin and he does always make a point to mention whether or not someone is Muggle-born or half-blood. I don't think he'd do that unless he was pure-blood.

I don't like him...if we're going black and white here. He's one of those guys that is all around good, but that you just don't hang out with. He shouldn't pick favorites and especially, make those favorites known (speaking from the perspective of a future teacher). He shouldn't have a Slug Club. He is a little selfish, only thinking about what will help him out.

Do I hate him? Absolutely not. I do believe he is generally a good guy. I just don't think he'd be my best friend.

[Tanuki]

He's a stand up guy with serious character flaws; but that's a slytherin for ya. I think he'll make a fine head of house. Better than Snape anyway

[darkcloak]

yeah, i think he will be important, cos remeber he is now one of the last remaining links to voldemort. one of the last people who knows voldemort was really once a schoolboy called tom riddle. and he was close to him. i think he could give us alot more info on VD and other things along the way. he's no simpleton. he knows stuff and i think he could help harry.

Good points. He is the only remaining source for the info Harry needs on Horcruxes and he also may have to teach Harry occulmency next year. Although he clearly a bit of a glory seeker (reminds me of Gidelroy Lockhart a little), he is a source of good, having nothing to do with Death Eaters.

He also shows that being in Slytherin doesn't necessarily mean 'evil', but just having different priorities in life.

[thestral]

He also shows that being in Slytherin doesn't necessarily mean 'evil', but just having different priorities in life.

yup, i agree, i was expecting a slytherin character like slughorn to demonstrate this as the overwhelming slytherin thus far has been the death eater's child who hates harry potter, are into dark arts and generally a bit mindless intellectually.

but i've known the whole way through that obviously not every single slytherin is evil, but they just prioritise different things and in slytherin, ambition is prioritised, ultimatly making slughorn selfish in his interests (like getting aragog's venom). but not evil, and it's the same in every house, ravenclaw, prioritises intellect. hufflepuff loyalty and gryffindor bravery. and if you combined all these elements, you'd have a perfect mix of all these qualities. hence the importance of unity. they're all meant to work together, not against each other.

[Scarlet Lioness]

Not every person in a house lives up to the name...Hermione for example is brave but also smart...

Some Slytherins are smart but cunning as well...

Not all Hufflepuffs are loyal...

[thestral]

well generally it's a bit flawed isn't it? peter pettigrew was in gryffindor and he isn't brave, he traded in his best friend's life for power.

but generally it's flawed because no-one fits right into the gryffindor, ravenclaw, hufflepuff or slytherin mould.