De-pratifying Slytherin

[David Alan Abramczyk]

The basis of this idea comes from the huge bums-rush that entire house got in Book 7.

The challenge is simple:

By fair means or foul, imbue some of the Slytherins with enough common sense, so that the stupidity that Parkinson infected her housemates with is contained to some degree; even if it means creating some younger students to do so.

 

[nuclear death frog]

I don't know that you'd have to necessarily create anyone...there are a few Slytherins in Harry's year who are rarely or never mentioned; Theodore Nott and Blaise Zabini; Daphne Greengrass and Tracey Davis. That's four right there.

Even then, it would be difficult because Draco Malfoy holds a lot of sway as Lucius's son. It would probably require Lucius being unmasked as a DE several years earlier, and that would be problematic. If it takes until the end of fifth-year like in canon, Draco and his gang would be too well entrenched. Not to mention that he's not the only DE child or close relation.

 

[Prince Charon]

I don't know that you'd have to necessarily create anyone...there are a few Slytherins in Harry's year who are rarely or never mentioned; Theodore Nott and Blaise Zabini; Daphne Greengrass and Tracey Davis. That's four right there.

Even then, it would be difficult because Draco Malfoy holds a lot of sway as Lucius's son. It would probably require Lucius being unmasked as a DE several years earlier, and that would be problematic. If it takes until the end of fifth-year like in canon, Draco and his gang would be too well entrenched. Not to mention that he's not the only DE child or close relation.

In Harry's Second Year, didn't he find out where the Malfoys hid their Dark Objects, and for that matter, hear Lucius setting up a meeting with Borgin, to offload some of them?

Either bit of info, told to Arthur Weasley, could totally screw over Lucius, at a time when he can't count on Voldemort breaking him out.

EDIT: If given Veritaserum, Lucius might even be asked the right questions to reveal what he did to Ginny.

 

[nuclear death frog]

It could work. Can't think of any reason why it wouldn't, at least for the moment. And yeah, he did find out about that hidden room; Draco mentioned it to what he thought were Crabbe and Goyle when Harry and Ron infiltrated the Slytherin common room under Polyjuice.

 

[hchan1]

It's difficult because of the nature of the House system and the tendency of the wizarding world to stereotype everything in black and white. The common conception that Slytherin = Junior Death Eater is, by its very nature, a self-fufilling prophecy. Even if there were no evilish influences within the house, being isolated/held in contempt by the rest of society is a reason in and of itself to go Dark.

Frankly, it's not a matter of de-pratifying Slytherin itself as it is somehow giving the wizarding world as a whole a bit of common sense and empathy.

 

[AbyssalDaemon]

Even then, it would be difficult because Draco Malfoy holds a lot of sway as Lucius's son. It would probably require Lucius being unmasked as a DE several years earlier, and that would be problematic. If it takes until the end of fifth-year like in canon, Draco and his gang would be too well entrenched. Not to mention that he's not the only DE child or close relation.

Actually I'd say that Snape is even a bigger problem then Draco. The Slytherins don't really need to have to worry about being prats as long as he was around to cover for them. And you also have the ones mimicking his attitude which doesn't help matters.

 

[DhampyrX2]

Snape could actually be the fulcrum to change some things here. There's been a few good fics where you see Snape cover for the Slytherins in public simply beacause they prefer to take care of their own problems in house. Once they're back in the dungeons he's even tougher on them than the Gryffindos because he expects better of them.

If you used that as an inspiration point, Snape calling them to rally around and set an example of what proper Slytherins are after Lucius gets outed by Harry and Ron, then you have a decent set up to get things rolling. Blaise, Nott, Greengrass, and Davis actually take their Head of House's speech about nobility and dignity among Slytherins to heart and stary trying to act in a way that will help recover the reputation of their House. Obviously becoming a DE is bad news, so they end up becoming a counterpoint faction to Draco's nonsense. And without Lucius' influence to move things outside Hogwarts the Slytherin four could work up quite a bit of momentum among the still undecided kids without fear of open persecution by the Ministry.

 

[Andrew Joshua Talon]

Personally I think Snape needed to be killed or otherwise kicked out of Hogwarts long before Harry's first year. The man is twisted enough to let a fifteen month old baby and his father be murdered just so long as his obsession is unharmed. And he only sides with Dumbledore when his master breaks the deal. The man is only motivated by revenge and loss of the woman he stalked, and takes out his rage on everyone around him, especially Harry. I sincerely doubt Snape covers for his house in public just to punish them even worse in private. If he did, we'd see behavioral changes in the worst of them. Draco instead just gets worse every year.

The redemption of Slytherin can only come about from those who refuse to follow Draco and Snape's lead, who see that Voldemort only leads to misery and self-destruction. Considering how Dumbledore has tolerated Snape's actions for years (instead of doing the smart thing and keeping the Potions Master on in an advisory or research capacity, away from children. He may be scum but he was a decent spy), I don't think anything short of killing Snape or getting rid of him some other way would allow Slytherin to get out from Voldemort's shadow.

 

[JiigarGhen]

AJT, I do agree with your point, but I think you mean fifteen-month old. Admittedly, Harry is still a bit of a baby, but I don't think that's what you meant.

 

[Andrew Joshua Talon]

AJT, I do agree with your point, but I think you mean fifteen-month old. Admittedly, Harry is still a bit of a baby, but I don't think that's what you meant.

Classic typo material?

 

[JiigarGhen]

Oh geez...now a plot-bunny is burrowing into my mind of Voldemort's curse affecting Harry's growth, so he literally is a fifteen-year old baby.

 

[DhampyrX2]

AJT, you're assuming a fully canon Snape in place here rather than one that makes sense. Therein lies the path to madness.

Eh I've long since rejected most of Snape's personality in anything past the fourth book. Too creepy by half by the 6th and 7th. Especially if he was supposed to have been in love with Lily like that. Personally I think there were much better ways to play it if you were going to introduce Snape being Lily's friend all the way back before they went to Hogwarts.

Bitter Snape that blames Harry for her death.

Remorseful Snape that can't look at Harry without seeing Lily so he lashes out.

Snape just smart enough to be a bastard and keep cover no matter what.

Snape whom Dumbledore planted into the DE as a mole BEFORE he even graduated Hogwarts.


Any of them, while chiche as hell, are better than whiny man-bitch Snape ala Deathly Hollows and could act in a way similar to what was shown in early canon.


Honestly I'd have liked to have seen a Snape that looked at Lily the way Harry looks at Hermione. The surrogate sister that offered him a family situation would have made him spending his whole life paying for her death but not wanting anything to do with Harry make more sense. Equal parts blaming himself for joining Voldemort and getting her hurt, blaming Harry for being born to attract Tom's attention, and being ashamed that he couldn't save her. Get rid of the bargaining for her life crap, Riddle following through with it would have made less than no sense, and let the story run from there.



Sadly none of those exist anywhere outside of a fic, and that is where they shall stay. Although it doesn't change the fact that Snape COULD HAVE BEEN a rallying point in this challenge. Just one little speech in the right moment before letting the factions form to fight it out themselves. No opposing Draco's stupidity openly so it won't get back to Narcissa and possibly other Death Eaters, but no helping him either. A nudge in the right direction before Snape fades into the background and the likes of Blaise and crew take the forefront of the fic was my suggestion. Or you could go the route of Prof. Sinistra being a Slytherin and have her be the rallying point. You could even have them listen to something from the Bloody Baron, just as long as they get their brains thinking and try a bit harder to rise above everything.

 

[Andrew Joshua Talon]

Ah, indeed. Sorry, that is the Canon Snape. I must admit, I would like a Snape who is more like Alan Rickman rather than the greasy bastard in canon. I'd have liked to have seen him as a darker, harder Rodney McKay from Stargate: Atlantis. Only a few people see past the asshole into the intelligent, grieving, insecure man beneath and accepted him. Not that he'd be all cuddly, of course, but he'd snark back and forth with those who were his friends and there would be no true venom to it. He would be dignified, carry the air of a true master, a person who has seen much darkness and while he has been twisted by it, he hasn't been broken. Hard shell, wise and noble center.

But no, Canon!Snape is a stalker and utter bastard who fits right in with the Death Eaters. You're right, this would only work with a more realistic Snape.

 

[elric]

Personally I think Snape needed to be killed or otherwise kicked out of Hogwarts long before Harry's first year. The man is twisted enough to let a fifteen month old baby and his father be murdered just so long as his obsession is unharmed.

Don't forget knowingly attempting to condemn an innocent man to getting his soul sucked out.

 

[Andrew Joshua Talon]

Personally I think Snape needed to be killed or otherwise kicked out of Hogwarts long before Harry's first year. The man is twisted enough to let a fifteen month old baby and his father be murdered just so long as his obsession is unharmed.

Don't forget knowingly attempting to condemn an innocent man to getting his soul sucked out.

Make that two innocent men, Remus AND Sirius. He wasn't saving Harry out of the goodness of his heart, he was following orders. And basically felt Harry should thank him on bended knee for him doing it.

 

[DhampyrX2]

Personally I think Snape needed to be killed or otherwise kicked out of Hogwarts long before Harry's first year. The man is twisted enough to let a fifteen month old baby and his father be murdered just so long as his obsession is unharmed.

Don't forget knowingly attempting to condemn an innocent man to getting his soul sucked out.

Make that two innocent men, Remus AND Sirius. He wasn't saving Harry out of the goodness of his heart, he was following orders. And basically felt Harry should thank him on bended knee for him doing it.

I'll give you Remus but Sirius was anything but an innocent. Remember the big incident with the life debt to James. I don't care how you paint that it was attempted murder on Sirius' part using Remus as the murder weapon. And considering they were at an age when they should have known better that would have been reason enough for him to go to Azkaban right there. Not only should Sirius have been arrested, but Remus would have been killed if it became public.

James literally saved both their asses right there alongside of Snape's and Snape had every reason to want to make Sirius pay for it for the rest of his life. The only true victim in the whole mess was Remus.

 

[Andrew Joshua Talon]

Personally I think Snape needed to be killed or otherwise kicked out of Hogwarts long before Harry's first year. The man is twisted enough to let a fifteen month old baby and his father be murdered just so long as his obsession is unharmed.

Don't forget knowingly attempting to condemn an innocent man to getting his soul sucked out.

Make that two innocent men, Remus AND Sirius. He wasn't saving Harry out of the goodness of his heart, he was following orders. And basically felt Harry should thank him on bended knee for him doing it.

I'll give you Remus but Sirius was anything but an innocent. Remember the big incident with the life debt to James. I don't care how you paint that it was attempted murder on Sirius' part using Remus as the murder weapon. And considering they were at an age when they should have known better that would have been reason enough for him to go to Azkaban right there. Not only should Sirius have been arrested, but Remus would have been killed if it became public.

James literally saved both their asses right there alongside of Snape's and Snape had every reason to want to make Sirius pay for it for the rest of his life. The only true victim in the whole mess was Remus.

Fair enough. Though to be honest, we don't know why Dumbledore didn't punish Sirius, or if he did at all. Or what Snape did to provoke Sirius to do it. Or really, not a whole lot about the incident in question.

 

[DhampyrX2]

No, we don't. I'm not even that thrown off by the attempt to kill Snape itself. Gryffindor or not, Sirius was still raised in the Noble House of Black and things will rub off. I could see him trying to wipe out an enemy. What always bothered me was the way he used Remus as his weapon of convenience. Win, lose, or draw Remus would have been arrested at best or put down at worst for it. Even if Sirius somehow managed to hide his own involvement and escaped punishment Remus would most likely have turned himself in for killing Snape. That's just his nature.

It's the reason why it always bugs me whrn people call Sirius an innocent man. He wasn't. He went away for the wrong crime, but he had legitimate reasons to belong in Azkaban all the same.

 

[Canis]

*brushes off soapbox and steps on*

I apologize ahead of time, but...

Well one of my BIGGEST issues with Harry Potter fanfiction, especially since Book 6, has been the habit of the fanfiction community to essentially slander and crucify J.K. Rowling for writing HER series the way she sees fit. If you don't like it fine. But don't say she ruined the characters or anything like that. She created them, and, to hear her talk, she had a plan for where they'd end up all along.

*steps down*

Now that that's out of the way, as much as I enjoy the various fan-versions of Snape, I do believe that Snape, as he was portrayed in the books, was all to real. People like that, much as most people don't like to believe it, do exist. Normally they'll do something stupid and get slapped with a restraining order and/or prison time, but then again, Snape only got out of it because Dumbledore had a use for him.

So, while I would LOVE to see this story worked out with a fanon!Snape, I think it would be an even greater challenge if the author were to work with canon!Snape as a deterrent and have some Slytherin's decide that they're tired of the bum rap they've been given simply because a thousand year old enchanted pile of rags stuck them with a label and work to redeem that label in spite of Snape.

Edit:

Dhampyr, while Azkaban may be the Wizarding prison of note, the presence of Dementors makes it, in my opinion, cruel and unusual punishment no matter who you are. Thus, while Sirius did deserve jail time, he didn't deserve Azkaban.

Nobody deserves Azkaban.