Throughout Harry Potter, he has a constant fear around whether or not he’s like Voldemort and whether or not he actually belonged in Slytherin. After all, he is a parseltongue. There’s something that never felt right about Harry being sorted into Gryffindor. And, amongst the Harry Potter fanbase, it’s a topic that’s been much deliberated.
People in Slytherin have been described as ambitious, resourceful, determined, and clever. So, what does one do to discover Harry’s true house, for sure? Let’s go to the words of the Boy Who Lived himself to find out.
When He Has A Heart-Wrenching Epiphany
“The prophecy said: neither one can live for the other one survives. It means one of us is going to have to kill the other in the end.”
At the end of the Order of Phoenix, Harry has a realization after he finds his prophecy: that either he or Voldemort will die in the end. It also means that one will have to kill the other. This is a realization for Harry about who he is as a person and who he has to be. He now must find it in himself to kill Voldemort or be killed.
Does this quote represent Harry as ambitious, resourceful, determined, and clever? Well, it’s a realization that he must be all these things to beat Voldemort. Of course, he must be brave to defeat Voldemort, but he must be determined and resourceful enough to do it, and he must be clever and ambitious enough actually to kill Voldemort and stop him for good.
When He Finally Gets Back At Umbridge
“Sorry, Professor, but I must not tell lies.”
A moment every fan was waiting for: when Harry got back at Umbridge for abusing the children at Hogwarts. And he does so with this great line. This is the moment where Harry finally takes power back from Umbridge and letting the Centaurs take Umbridge away is probably one of the most satisfying parts of the film for fans.
This is very Slytherin for Harry to do because he’s actually getting back at Umbridge instead of forgiving her and turning the other cheek. Instead, he lets her get dragged off to her potential death, and he does so with a smile on his face. He enjoys getting revenge against her and does so in any way he can.
When He Gives Advice To His Son Before He Leaves For Hogwarts
“Albus Severus Potter, you were named after two headmasters of Hogwarts. One of them was a Slytherin, and he was the bravest man I ever knew.”
During the epilogue at the end of the final Harry Potter film, the audience sees Harry advise his son about going to Hogwarts for the first time in this line.
What’s important about this quote, other than its sentimentality, is that Harry admits that a Slytherin can be brave. This is a moment of admission from Harry where he states that you can be brave and still be sorted into Slytherin, just like he should have been.
When He Revels In the Joy of Magic
“I love magic.”
In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Harry finally lets his love for magic shine through when he says this quite. It’s important to know that he hasn’t spent the majority of his life in the Wizarding World at this point in the films. He only knows what he’s learned from the people around him.
This quote represents Harry’s understanding of the Wizarding World and of when he first joined it, knowing nothing, right at the beginning of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. He also knew near nothing about Slytherin, other than that Draco Malfoy was sorted into the house, right before him. This begs the question not of whether or not Harry is a Slytherin, but instead, what would have happened if he hadn’t asked to not be sorted into Slytherin.
When He Begs The Sorting Hat To Not Choose Slytherin
“Not Slytherin. Not Slytherin.”
At the beginning of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, we see Draco Malfoy sorted into Slytherin right before Harry’s turn to be sorted. And at this point, Harry knows little to nothing about the different houses, other than that he doesn’t like Draco and, therefore, doesn’t want to be sorted into Slytherin, a somewhat misunderstood house in Harry Potter.
The Sorting Hat hears him utter this line and considers what he wants, in turn, sorting him into Gryffindor. And as the next quote suggests, Harry has always been aware that he chose where he was sorted, and he passes that knowledge down to his son.
When He Again Advises His Son
“You’ll be able to choose Gryffindor over Slytherin. The Sorting Hat takes your choice into account.”
At the end of Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows: Part Two, the audience gets an epilogue scene between the Golden Trio and their children. There’s even a cameo of Draco and his son. When Albus Severus Potter, Harry and Ginny’s son, gets nervous about being placed into Slytherin, Harry responds by saying this quote.
This indicates that Harry is aware that he had a choice in the house he was sorted into and he chose not to be in Slytherin. Knowing what fans know, Albus Severus Potter is sorted into Slytherin, just like his father should have been all along.
When He Stands Up To Voldemort
“You’re the weak one. You will never know love or friendship. And I feel sorry for you.”
One of the most Slytherin qualities about Harry Potter is his ability to keep going, no matter what. When he stands up to Voldemort by calling him weak, saying that he will never know love or friendship, and that feels sorry for him, it’s clear the intentions that J.K. Rowling had behind these lines.
There’s a reason that Harry was sorted into Gryffindor, and it was so he could be with the rest of the Golden Trio. And although Ron, Hermione and Harry had some bad fights throughout Harry Potter, this was the purpose behind writing him as a Gryffindor, even if it was never where he was meant to be.
When He Makes A Witty Remark While On Liquid Luck
“Well then, by all means, come along, sir.”
Harry lets it all hang out when he takes Liquid Luck in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. He says this line to Professor Slughorn and the audience sees all of Harry’s inhibitions slip away and what he’s really like without his anxiety and self-doubt.
What’s extremely Slytherin about this quote is its sheer sass. It’s not something that typically would come out of a Gryffindor’s mouth. It isn’t chivalrous or charming, and it’s simply stating the facts in a way that gets Harry what he wants (in typical Slytherin fashion).
When He Mentions The Marauder’s Legacy
“I solemnly swear I am up to no good.”
Harry must say this line in order to get the Marauder’s Map to reveal itself and although the words are coined by the Marauders, it seems to be something that Harry enjoys saying a little too much and it’s something that is very Slytherin of him to say.
The phrase indicates that the Marauder’s Map is actually something that surrounds cunning and cleverness, making the phrase a little too Slytherin for fans’ tastes.
When He Asks An Honest And Desperate Question Of Dumbledore
“Is this all real? Or is it just happening inside my head?”
One of the most enlightening scenes in the entire Harry Potter franchise is when Harry asks this question of Dumbledore. It’s a moment of profound realization and awareness, in which Dumbledore responds with, “Of course, it’s happening inside your head, Harry. Why should that mean that it’s not real?”
This is one of Harry’s most clever realizations. He’s aware of what’s going on, and instead of saying something brave and courageous, he asks a simple question that will gain him more knowledge, and he does. And even though it’s one of his bravest actions to come back from the dead and keep fighting, as Harry said earlier, the bravest person he ever knew was a Slytherin.
