Admiration and Respect

Professor Snape,

I really admire you, and I’d love for you to give me your opinion on a few things. I am new at Hogwarts, and am excited to learn everything I possibly can about magic. I can’t wait to learn Potions, so I can learn how to bottle fame, brew glory, and even stopper death. However, I have a bit of a problem.

The Sorting Hat put me in Slytherin. As you surely know, that house has a terrible reputation for producing evil wizards. Right now, the only thing I can think of to like about my placement in Slytherin is that I share a house with you. You’re a good, brave man who has a kind heart and who has done many great things, not the least of which was being the only one to trick the Dark Lord, and you’re a Slytherin, but are wizards like you only the exception there?

Other than you, the house does seem to have a lot of bad wizards placed there. I think I’m a nice girl, so I don’t understand why I would be placed there. Many of ! the wizards there are malevolent, and I certainly don’t like the idea of sharing a house with people like that. Gryffindors are known for their bravery, Ravenclaws their intelligence, and Hufflepuffs their kindness. But most Slytherins, except you, are known for being devious Dark wizards, or for being selfish and unpleasant.

The only cruel Gryffindors I can think of are Peter Pettigrew, as well as James Potter and Sirius Black, since at the time of their sorting, they were nasty kids who bullied you for their own amusement and wanted to hurt you. For the most part, however, the wizards in the other houses are known for their good deeds for wizardkind. Tell me honestly, are most Slytherins bad? You would know, since you were placed there, and were later the Head of Slytherin House, and I highly value your opinion.

You must have known quite a few Slytherins. Are they mostly immoral, or is Slytherin House undeservedly vilified? I could understan! d how that might be true. After all, wizards and Muggles alike! tend to stereotype unfairly, but it does seem like it will be true. Does me being placed there mean than I’m evil or obnoxious like He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named or Draco Malfoy and his goons? I feel like maybe I’m somehow bad to have been placed there, but I don’t want to be. I want to be as good as I possibly can, like you.

What do you think my placement in Slytherin says about me? Knowing that I am one, what do you think of me? Do you think I can still be good? You were placed there, like I was. Is being a Slytherin something to be ashamed of or proud of? I do really like that I will be in the same house as you, and it’s a much better house to me than it would be if you weren’t in it. I was wondering if you are happy with your placement, and proud to be in the house you were placed in.

If you had the option, would you want to have been sorted into a different house or would you want to stay in Slytherin? If you think Slytherin is a house! worthy of respect, I will do it proud for your sake. Do you think that there’s any chance my placement there means that I’m something like you? I’d love to know if you think I should be disappointed with or take pride in my placement.

If you think that although I’m a Slytherin, I still can be good, and that it’s a house I can be proud of, I’d feel so much better about being placed there. Then, I will be glad to be in Slytherin and will defend the house against those who say it’s unscrupulous.

If you say that it’s actually a fine house and that most wizards in Slytherin House aren’t evil, I will certainly respect it and be glad to have been placed there. I know this letter is long, but I have a lot of questions for you.

You’re such a noble man and I look up to you and vastly treasure your opinions, so I want to know your opinions on Slytherin and my placement there. Do you think that it will be a good ho! use for me? If you think I will be a great person, and would b! e a good Slytherin like you, that would mean the whole world to me. I don’t know if you’ll have the time to answer my questions, but if you do answer them, in advance I thank you from the deepest part of my heart.

I love, admire and respect you immensely. Always.
Love, Stephanie Snape

Dear Stephanie Snape,

There are good and bad wizards in all houses. There is good and bad in all people. You are defined not by a single moment, nor by a single year. A person is defined by how they spent their life. A person may also redeem themselves at any moment. No one is bound for their life, by the choices made in their youth.

Slytherin House has many great wizards who did many great deeds. And yes, some very terrible and obvious skeletons that aren’t exactly in the closet. You have been sorted correctly, and you should embrace that. I have been asked, on occasion, if I would have chosen a different house. Many think that maybe now, knowing the outcome…that I should. I would not. I am proud to be a Slytherin. I am, where I belong.

A wise muggle once said “There’s nowhere you can be that isn’t where you’re meant to be…”

Apply yourself to your studies, be the best wizard you can be…and Slytherin House will be grateful for it. Slack off in my class however…with a name like that… you don’t even want to know the repercussions.

Yours,
Professor Snape