My Slytherin Friend

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Dear Professor Sprout,

Since my studies have begun here at Hogwarts I have been lucky enough to have made a large and diverse group of friends. Not only in my own house, Hufflepuff, but I can also count among my friends a few Gryffindors, a couple of Ravenclaws, and one Slytherin. Now this Slytherin is probably the best friend I’ve ever had. Oh sure, we can get competitive over Quidditch matches and the House Cup. But at the end of the day we care for one another and try to spend as much free time as we can with each other. However I’m afraid to say that some of my fellow badgers don’t understand how I can be friends with a snake. My Slytherin friend is not evil or vindictive or stuck up in any way. He’s just very driven to succeed and has high goals for himself, which I don’t see as bad thing. How can I help my fellow badgers see the error of their judgments?

Sincerely,

Badger & Snake

Dear Badger & Snake,

When gardening, I scatter seeds on the ground and tend to the shoots in exactly the same way. Roses smell sweet, but nettles are more useful. It is good that you have a variety of friends, but I find your fellow badgers’ attitude rather hard to divine. Have you talked to them about it? Has your Slytherin chum slighted them in some way? Hufflepuffs are renowned for their generosity of spirit, so I wonder if something else is upsetting them. Perhaps one or two of your friends resent the amount of time you spend away from them. Anyway, my advice to you is to include all your friends in your plans. That way your housemates can get to know your Slytherin friend in a neutral setting. And the Slytherin boy might relax a little and stop being so driven.

Good Luck!

Pomona Sprout