Aaaand because I want to keep talking about this, I will go ahead and out myself as a fanfic writer.
One of the things I have LOVED about playing in Alternity is the opportunity to explore the intersection of the classic "Slytherin" traits, and heroism. Alternity is an alt-u Hogwarts, in which Voldemort killed James and Lily, then adopted Harry. It's now Year Three; Harry is Harry Marvolo, who was Sorted into Gryffindor but moved to Slytherin on the orders of his father, the Lord Protector. Draco Malfoy is his best friend, although he's maintained some tenuous connections to Ron. Hermione is his personal servant. The Carrows teach at Hogwarts. Barty Crouch is the head of Magical Law Enforcement and Bellatrix Lestrange is an auror (and has a daughter who is a second-year student at Hogwarts).
In a fascist dystopia, if you want to think your own thoughts, you HAVE to be able to lie, shamelessly -- shamelessly is important, because when you feel shame, you start to adjust your own thoughts to match the things you're being forced to say. In a fascist dystopia, only the most crazily ambitious people will look at the situation and think, "I am going to change this."
(Incidentally, even though I know she's a Slytherin, Bellatrix Lestrange could totally have been Sorted into Gryffindor. She is INCREDIBLY brave. Also incredibly EVIL. But really brave. Kind of the flip side of Neville: all is lost, but she still believes. JKR really values bravery and seems to feel on some level that only good people are brave -- Pettigrew was a mis-Sorted Gryffindor, someone who probably should have been in Hufflepuff but was likely Sorted into Gryffindor because he so desperately wanted to be. Pettigrew turned to the dark side because ultimately he was a coward. Bellatrix sought out the dark side and embraced it and didn't even fear Azkaban.)
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One of the things I have LOVED about playing in Alternity is the opportunity to explore the intersection of the classic "Slytherin" traits, and heroism. Alternity is an alt-u Hogwarts, in which Voldemort killed James and Lily, then adopted Harry. It's now Year Three; Harry is Harry Marvolo, who was Sorted into Gryffindor but moved to Slytherin on the orders of his father, the Lord Protector. Draco Malfoy is his best friend, although he's maintained some tenuous connections to Ron. Hermione is his personal servant. The Carrows teach at Hogwarts. Barty Crouch is the head of Magical Law Enforcement and Bellatrix Lestrange is an auror (and has a daughter who is a second-year student at Hogwarts).
In a fascist dystopia, if you want to think your own thoughts, you HAVE to be able to lie, shamelessly -- shamelessly is important, because when you feel shame, you start to adjust your own thoughts to match the things you're being forced to say. In a fascist dystopia, only the most crazily ambitious people will look at the situation and think, "I am going to change this."
(Incidentally, even though I know she's a Slytherin, Bellatrix Lestrange could totally have been Sorted into Gryffindor. She is INCREDIBLY brave. Also incredibly EVIL. But really brave. Kind of the flip side of Neville: all is lost, but she still believes. JKR really values bravery and seems to feel on some level that only good people are brave -- Pettigrew was a mis-Sorted Gryffindor, someone who probably should have been in Hufflepuff but was likely Sorted into Gryffindor because he so desperately wanted to be. Pettigrew turned to the dark side because ultimately he was a coward. Bellatrix sought out the dark side and embraced it and didn't even fear Azkaban.)