Something That Always Bugged me in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

[Winter]

Okay there's a LOT of things that bug me in the The Cursed Child but one thing in particular that didn't make any sense in terms of the ending of the final book in the series which is Albert ending up in Slytherin House. I get what the play was trying to do, showing a more positive side to the house that is often associated with people who are the most vial, selfish, pig headed, short sighted and bigoted assholes... You know just realized that Rowling likely would have been in Slytherin if she went to Hogwarts.

But the issue here is Albert, as presented in the final story, had no interest in going to Slytherin and was told that he had the choice to go into any house he wanted and that the Sorting Hat took ones choices into account... So why is he in Slytherin?

Maybe this was explained in the play itself, don't know haven't seen it, but it seems out of what little character he had. Harry trying to be supportive and say that one of the men he's named after was in Slytherin he didn't want to go so WTH?

I know Rowing didn't really write this play and it's just fan fiction that got officially promoted by but I've written better FF then this.

In my own story I just created a new character who is a Slytherin who is one of the heroes and friends with the other main characters who are all from different houses. He's also a character who's new to Hogwarts (he's American and a transfer student) and has no real bias to any house (he is a son of one of the characters from HP who herself is a Slytherin but she never talks about her time at the school). The long and short of my point here is this is a new character who ending up in the house he does doesn't hurt the story.

I know this is a weird thing to complain about but it's always bugged me and I wanted to talk about something in relation to this series that wasn't really connect to the creator of said series.

[clearspira]

It occurs to me though that the only person who ever claims that the sorting hat allows you to choose what house you are in is Harry - and he was a special case as the part of Voldemort's soul within him was confusing the hat.

Otherwise, what's the point of the sorting hat in the first place? Or having different attributes per house? What if an evil coward wants to be in Gryffindor?

More bad world building in a story that is full of them.

[CharlesPhipps]

I mean, I'm fine with it.

Rowling didn't want all Slytherin to be fascist scum.

It just sort of turned out there was all fascist scum except one social climber.

[Winter]

I mean, I'm fine with it.

Rowling didn't want all Slytherin to be fascist scum.

It just sort of turned out there was all fascist scum except one social climber.

Actually that reminds me, when ND Stevenson used HP to describe Adora and Catra (pretty sure this was before Rowling went completely insane) he said that Catra was a Hufflepuff trying to be a Slytherin and Adora was a Slytherin trying to be a Gryffindor. That idea in and of itself is interesting and fits with both characters' arcs.

Catra is learning that all she really wants is to just be loved and have friends while Adora is learning that it's okay to be selfish and want things for yourself.

Being selfish is not inherently bad and that's really the driving force behind Slytherin mindset, being selfish, wanting something for ones self. And being selfish does not preclude that someone is incapable of wanting to help others in need or that they cannot be selfless.

One idea I had in terms of a HP sequel was that the main antagonist was a Gryffindor and was every bit as bad as Voldemort but in different ways. He's not a narcissist or really that selfish, he wants to make the world better and bring order to it, regardless how many bodies he was to leave in his wake to get there.

This is one of the weaker parts of the series is Rowling really never delving into the ideas of Hogwarts and only barely touching on it in one book.

[hammerofglass]

That idea of Slytherin selfishness is pretty close to Terry Pratchett's idea of what makes a witch that I've always loved. I WILL serve this community and protect it's people even when they are flawed and venal and stupid, because they are MINE.