Only A True Slytherin Will Pass This Harry Potter Test
- by Rose Moore
- – on
- in Movies and TV
You're in the Great Hall, the sorting hat upon your head, but there's no fear for you - you have always known that there is only one Hogwarts House that you could be sorted into: Slytherin. Sure, the reptilian types at Hogwarts might have a little bit of a bad name, but Slytherin isn't just about the Dark Lord or snooty pureblood types. There just as many reasons to be as proud to be a Slytherin as a Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, or Gryffindor.
Slytherins are cunning and smart, as well as being extremely focused on getting what they want - sure, in Voldemort's case, that wasn't a good thing, but for anyone less bent on world domination, keeping your eyes on the prize is a great quality. Those in Slytherin are ambitious, capable, and know how to play the game. These are the people that you want on your side in a debate (or in a court of law), and they are the ones who are able to come up with brilliant plans and execute them flawlessly, even when circumstances change.
The true Slytherin already knows everything that is wonderful about this much-maligned Hogwarts house, but if you are a true Slytherin, that's not all you should know! From the basics about your time at Hogwarts to the history of the most underrated house in the Wizarding World, do you know enough to mark you as a true member of Slytherin?
Where are the Slytherin dorms?
The Ravenclaw dorms are high in a tower of Hogwarts, with windows that look out over the grounds. The Gryffindor dorms are in a cosy tower in the heart of the castle, and the Hufflepuff dorms are cosy and plant filled, next to the Hogwarts kitchens. But where do Slytherins go at the end of a long hard day of classes in the castle, to study their magic, relax with their friends, and plot world domination... I mean, talk about Quidditch?
What is the house animal?
Ok, this is a really easy one... and if you don't know it, you might just be an actual muggle. Sorry. Each of the Hogwarts houses is represented by an animal: Gryffindor has the lion, Ravenclaw has the Eagle, Hufflepuff has the badger. Slytherin's creature isn't entirely symbolic, though. The founder of the house could talk to these creatures, a magical gift that only a few witches and wizards possess. He also loosed a giant one of these on the school...
Which legendary wizard was in Slytherin?
There have been plenty of famous wizards from Slytherin in the wizarding world, of course - Voldemort is a name that leaps to mind! However, there is also one wizard who was in Slytherin, and who was so powerful that their name has made it into Muggle legends as well. This wizard was even taught by the founders of Hogwarts, as one of the first generations of wizards at Hogwarts, and is recognized as one of the most powerful who ever lived.
Who was Slytherin's founder?
The four Hogwarts founders are the stuff of wizarding legends; four powerful wizards who decided to build a school in the highlands to educate the magical youth of Britain. Each of the founders created their own house, to teach those they thought most worthy: Godric Gryffindor valued bravery, Helga Hufflepuff loyalty and hard work, and Rowena Ravenclaw was most concerned with wit and intelligence. The fourth founder wanted students with cunning and ambition - but what was his full name?
What are the Slytherin house colors?
Another distinguishing feature of each of the Hogwarts houses are the house colors. Each house has two colors that are worn together to signify that the wearer belongs to that house: Gryffindor is red and gold, Hufflepuff is yellow and black, and Ravenclaw is blue and bronze (or blue and silver in the film adaptations). Slytherin's two colors can be seen in the robes of their Quidditch team, in the colors of their common room, and of course, in their school ties and scarves.
Who was the Slytherin Quidditch Seeker?
Obviously there have been many Seekers for the House Team over the years, but when Harry Potter was at Hogwarts, the Slytherin team changed things up to allow a new Seeker to join - once his father had bought the whole team brand new racing brooms, of course. This new Seeker is a rival and nemesis to Harry (second only to Voldemort himself, at times), and the two had plenty of scuffles on and off the Quidditch pitch over the years.
Who was the Slytherin Quidditch captain?
Like the Seeker, the position of Slytherin Captain changes, and throughout the Harry Potter series, there is more than one Captain who plays for this house. Urquhart took over as Captain after the original Captain graduated from Hogwarts, but we never learn too much about him (as by that point, Harry has bigger things to worry about). Who was the first Captain of the Slytherin team while Harry was at Hogwarts, also the team Chaser and a bit of a brute?
Who is the head of Slytherin?
Although all the Hogwarts teachers have the ability to dole out some sorts of punishments, give detentions, and deduct points from all students, ultimately it is the Head of House who deals with anything more than a minor infraction. The head of house is also an alumnus of the house itself, and shares the same traits as their students. The head of Slytherin house is known to show members of his own house preference, and even dole out extra punishments to try and win the house cup.
Who is the ghost of Slytherin house?
As well as having various symbols, colors, and a professor in charge of each house, the Hogwarts houses also have their own respective ghosts. These ghosts wander the castle, come into the hall for the great feast, and generally do not have any particular responsibilities or requirements for their positions as 'house ghost'. However, they feel quite strongly about their attached house, even if it is a purely ceremonial position to lead them. Which of the Hogwarts ghosts does Slytherin boast as their own?
Are only purebloods sorted into Slytherin?
Slytherin is known, sadly, for being a house obsessed with the bloodlines of wizards. Salazar Slytherin certainly believed that the wizarding community should be kept as 'pure' as possible, and many of the students of this house share that belief. Voldemort and his Death Eaters and supporters, most from Slytherin, were obsessed with eradicating 'mudbloods' from not just the school, but the wizarding community as a whole! But is it true that there are only purebloods sorted into Slytherin, or are there muggle-born and mixed-blood Slytherins too?
What did Salazar leave in the Chamber of Secrets?
Although the four school founders were initially close, they fell out over the issue of blood purity. Unsurprisingly, it was Salazar Slytherin who wanted to only teach purebloods, and he ended up leaving the school over the disagreement... but before he went, he left a nasty surprise at Hogwarts. A creature, penned in a chamber underneath the school, ready to be released by the true heir of Slytherin. The creature was released twice, and attacked mudbloods - but what was it?
Where in the Chamber of Secrets did the Basilisk live?
Salazar's evil basilisk spent many, many years in the Chamber of Secrets between the time that Salazar left it there, and the two times that it was freed to attack students before Harry managed to kill it. The Chamber itself was also impressive, with a massive door that could only be magically opened, and a series of statues surrounding the chamber. The basilisk had a specific spot within this massive underground chamber where it liked to live, though - where was it?
What rare magical gift did Salazar Slytherin possess?
Salazar Slytherin is known for many things - being an accomplished legilimens, being power-hungry, being pureblood (and being obsessed with purebloods), but he is also known for having a gift that not many wizards do. Voldemort also had this gift, as did Harry Potter himself, and it's not one that has a great reputation. In fact, many wizards believe that only Dark wizards have this ability, although in reality, it is simply very rare and some Dark wizards have had it.
Who said that all bad wizards come from Slytherin?
When Harry Potter is first learning about the magical wizarding world, he is told about Hogwarts, and the Hogwarts Houses. He is also told that every wizard or witch who ever went bad was in Slytherin - an assertion that is absolutely false. Although the best-known Dark wizards and witches were in Slytherin, there were Slytherin students who have done wonderful things, and there were supporters of Voldemort who were in other houses as well. But who told Harry this in the first place?
Which of these was a password to the Slytherin common room?
Like the other Hogwarts common rooms, the Slytherin common room has safeguards to make sure that only Slytherins can enter. While the Ravenclaw common room is guarded by a statue that asks riddles (and the students must be clever enough to guess the answers), and the Gryffindor common room is guarded by a painting, the Slytherin common room can be accessed only from a specific spot in the dungeon wall, using a password. Which of these was a password during the events of the Harry Potter series?
Who was head of Slytherin House before Snape?
Before Severus Snape took over as potions professor and the head of Slytherin house, another teacher who appears in the Harry Potter series had that position at Hogwarts. This professor embodies some of the better qualities of Slytherin - a great ambition, to be sure, but not a bad one. He collected students and made connections to help them succeed, loving the feeling of being known by so many people in high places. He returned to Hogwarts briefly in Harry's later years.
Was the entire Black family sorted into Slytherin?
One of the oldest and best-known wizarding families is the House of Black, a pureblood family whose members became some of Voldemort's most faithful supporters. Some members, however, threw off the family values to go on to marry muggle-born or mixed-blood wizards, and even to join the Order of the Phoenix - and were burnt off the family tree and exiled from the Black family as a result. Unsurprisingly, the Blacks are known as a Slytherin family, but have there been Blacks who were not sorted into Slytherin?
What kind of gems are in the Slytherin hourglass?
At Hogwarts, competition for the House Cup is fierce, and points are tracked using gemstones in magical hourglasses in the entrance hall. As students earn points, gems will float downwards into the bottom half of the hourglass, and when points are deducted, the gems float back upwards to the top half. Each of the hourglasses is filled with a specific gemstone that corresponds to the color of the house itself; rubies for Gryffindor, sapphires for Ravenclaw, and diamonds for Hufflepuff.
Which member of the Black family stole a horcrux?
More proof that not all Slytherins are terrible lies in the actions of one of the notorious Black family, who went from being a Death Eater to a secret opponent of Voldemort. This Black turned against his Dark Lord and learned of his secret Horcruxes, setting out to destroy them. He found only one - the locket that was hidden in a seaside cave. Although he was able to steal the locket, he was never able to destroy it, and left that for Harry to manage.
Which Slytherin antique became a horcrux?
When Voldemort was considering what he would use to house the pieces of his shattered soul, he wanted to choose only those items that had the greatest significance to both himself and the most powerful people in the wizarding world. He chose items from his own family and from his own life, as well as items from three of the four Hogwarts founders (he couldn't find something from Gryffindor). One of these items was an antique originally belonging to Slytherin, but what was it?
What element is Slytherin connected to?
The founders of Hogwarts really did love their symbolism! As well as giving each of the houses a set of colors, an animal, and a ghost (which, to be fair, wasn't necessarily intentional), each of the Hogwarts houses is also associated with one of the four elements. Like the other symbols, these are connected to the main attributes of the house - in Slytherin's case, their flexibility and willingness to do what it takes to win, as well as some connection to their animal and their color.
Who was shockingly sorted into Slytherin in The Cursed Child
After the events of the Harry Potter book series, and the film adaptations, J K Rowling wrote something new for the wizarding world to continue Harry Potter's story: The Cursed Child. This play takes place when Harry, Ron and Hermione are adults, sending their own children off to Hogwarts. And with many families tending to be sorted into the same house for generations (just look at the Weasleys!), it was expected that all of these children would be in Gryffindor - who ended up in Slytherin instead?
Which professor thought Harry might be a Slytherin?
Before the legendary Harry Potter ever set foot in Hogwarts, there were some assumptions made about who he might become. The Boy Who Lived was certainly the subject of much speculation, not least about which house he might be sorted into. His father, James, was a Gryffindor, and so was his mother, Lily. But one of the professors believed that Harry might have the kind of cleverness, determination, and willingness to break the rules that would make him a perfect Slytherin fit.
Which Fantastic Beasts character might be a Slytherin?
Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them finally gave a Hufflepuff the spotlight, as Newt Scamander himself is a member of this Hogwarts house. Most of the other characters in the film would have attended the American school of witchcraft and wizardry, Ilvermony, but one of Newt's schoolfriends is also mentioned in the film. Although her Hogwarts House is not officially revealed, her family connections make fans think that she may well have been another Slytherin - and we are likely to find out later in the franchise.
What was Salazar Slytherin's wand made of?
While most wizards have to buy their wands, Salazar Slytherin was a wandmaker himself, and was able to make his own (something that was more common at that point in wizarding history). Like all wands, his is made of a magical wood, with a separate core, and he chose both of these items very carefully, to correspond with his own personal magic. His wand materials are very uncommon, and his wand was eventually stolen and buried on the grounds of Ilvermony.