Slytherin

House information
Founder	Salazar Slytherin
House colours	Green, silver
Animal	Serpent
Traits	Cunning Ambition Resourcefulness Fraternity Determination Leadership Self-Preservation Lineage
Head	Horace Slughorn Severus Snape
Ghost	Bloody Baron
Common room	Slytherin Dungeon

“	Or perhaps in Slytherin, You'll make your real friends, Those cunning folk use any means, To achieve their ends.	”
–The Sorting Hat, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

Slytherin is one of the four houses of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and was founded by Salazar Slytherin. Slytherins are known for being cunning and ambitious, although it is also known to have produced many Dark witches and wizards. According to J.K. Rowling, Slytherin roughly corresponds to the element of water.

Associated traits

Slytherins are associated with cunning, ambition and a tendency to look after their own.

Slytherin has produced its share of Dark witches and wizards, but members are not afraid to admit it.

Slytherins are always striving to be the best, something they have in common with Ravenclaws. However, Slytherins will never leave their own behind.

Notable Alumni

Founder

Salazar Slytherin was the founder of Slytherin house. His chocolate frog card describes him as one of the first Parselmouths, an accomplished Legilimens and a notorious champion of pure-blood supremacy.

Head of House

The Head of Slytherin house is Severus Snape. He is the Hogwarts Potions master. Professor Snape's office is in the dungeons.

Ghost

The Bloody Baron is the Slytherin House ghost. He seems mysterious and unfriendly to the other houses, but he is actually very kind to Slytherins and will usually agree to scare people for them if asked nicely. Just don't ask how he got bloodstained, he doesn't like it.

Notable Members

• Merlin
• Phineas Nigellus
• Tom Riddle (Lord Voldemort)
• Horace Slughorn
• Bellatrix Lestrange
• Narcissa Malfoy
• Andromeda Tonks
• Lucius Malfoy
• Severus Snape
• Regulus Arcturus Black
• Gemma Farley
• Dolores Umbridge

1991-1998 school year

• Adrian Pucey
• Blaise Zabini
• Draco Malfoy
• Gregory Goyle
• Marcus Flint
• Millicent Bulstrode
• Pansy Parkinson
• Terence Higgs
• Vincent Crabbe

Slytherin Dungeon

Slytherin Common Room

The Slytherin common room and dormitories are located in Slytherin Dungeon. Students enter the Dungeon through a concealed stone wall. They must present the correct password (it changes every fortnight) to open the wall and reveal the entrance to the common room.

Slytherin's common room looks out into the depths of the Hogwarts lake. The Giant Squid and other interesting aquatic creatures often pass by the windows. It has the feel of a mysterious, underwater shipwreck, but it is still quite cosy.

The dormitories have ancient four-posters with green and silk hangings and beadspreads embroidered with silver thread. Medieval tapestries depicting the adventures of famous Slytherins hang from the walls. The light comes from silver lanterns hung from the ceilings.

No outsider has entered the Slytherin common room for more than seven centuries*.

*Note, this is not including Ron and Harry's sneaking in to the common room in the Chamber of Secrets, as it happens after the sorting in the second year, and they were never discovered, as they disguised themselves as Crabbe and Goyle using Polyjuice Potion.

Welcome Message

"You probably know that some of Slytherin’s most renowned members include Severus Snape and Bellatrix Lestrange. But did you know Merlin himself was a Slytherin, or that according to legend, the ribbon of a First Class Order of Merlin is green to reflect his Hogwarts house?

Here you can discover more about your beloved house through writing by J.K. Rowling, articles by Pottermore and all the latest Slytherin news."

Old Pottermore

Welcome Message

"Congratulations! I'm Prefect Gemma Farley, and I'm delighted to welcome you to SLYTHERIN HOUSE. Our emblem is the serpent, the wisest of creatures; our house colours are emerald green and silver, and our common room lies behind a concealed entrance down in the dungeons. As you'll see, its windows look out into the depths of the Hogwarts lake. We often see the giant squid swooshing by – and sometimes more interesting creatures. We like to feel that our hangout has the aura of a mysterious, underwater shipwreck.

Now, there are a few things you should know about Slytherin – and a few you should forget.

Firstly, let's dispel a few myths. You might have heard rumours about Slytherin house – that we’re all into the Dark Arts, and will only talk to you if your great-grandfather was a famous wizard, and rubbish like that. Well, you don't want to believe everything you hear from competing houses. I'm not denying that we’ve produced our share of Dark wizards, but so have the other three houses – they just don't like admitting it. And yes, we have traditionally tended to take students who come from long lines of witches and wizards, but nowadays you'll find plenty of people in Slytherin house who have at least one Muggle parent.

Here's a little-known fact that the other three houses don't bring up much: Merlin was a Slytherin. Yes, Merlin himself, the most famous wizard in history! He learned all he knew in this very house! Do you want to follow in the footsteps of Merlin? Or would you rather sit at the old desk of that illustrious ex-Hufflepuff, Eglantine Puffett, inventor of the Self-Soaping Dishcloth?

I didn't think so.

But that's enough about what we’re not. Let's talk about what we are, which is the coolest and edgiest house in this school. We play to win, because we care about the honour and traditions of Slytherin.

We also get respect from our fellow students. Yes, some of that respect might be tinged with fear, because of our Dark reputation, but you know what? It can be fun, having a reputation for walking on the wild side. Chuck out a few hints that you've got access to a whole library of curses, and see whether anyone feels like nicking your pencil case.

But we’re not bad people. We’re like our emblem, the snake: sleek, powerful, and frequently misunderstood.

For instance, we Slytherins look after our own – which is more than you can say for Ravenclaw. Apart from being the biggest bunch of swots you ever met, Ravenclaws are famous for clambering over each other to get good marks, whereas we Slytherins are brothers. The corridors of Hogwarts can throw up surprises for the unwary, and you'll be glad you've got the Serpents on your side as you move around the school. As far as we’re concerned, once you've become a snake, you're one of ours – one of the elite.

Because you know what Salazar Slytherin looked for in his chosen students? The seeds of greatness. You've been chosen by this house because you've got the potential to be great, in the true sense of the word. All right, you might see a couple of people hanging around the common room whom you might not think are destined for anything special. Well, keep that to yourself. If the Sorting Hat put them in here, there's something great about them, and don't you forget it.

And talking of people who aren’t destined for greatness, I haven't mentioned the Gryffindors. Now, a lot of people say that Slytherins and Gryffindors represent two sides of the same coin. Personally, I think Gryffindors are nothing more than wannabe Slytherins. Mind you, some people say that Salazar Slytherin and Godric Gryffindor prized the same kinds of students, so perhaps we are more similar than we like to think. But that doesn't mean that we cosy up with Gryffindors. They like beating us only slightly less than we like beating them.

A few more things you might need to know: our house ghost is the Bloody Baron. If you get on the right side of him he'll sometimes agree to frighten people for you. Just don't ask him how he got bloodstained; he doesn't like it.

The password to the common room changes every fortnight. Keep an eye on the noticeboard. Never bring anyone from another house into our common room or tell them our password. No outsider has entered it for more than seven centuries.

Well, I think that's all for now. I'm sure you'll like our dormitories. We sleep in ancient four-posters with green silk hangings, and bedspreads embroidered with silver thread. Medieval tapestries depicting the adventures of famous Slytherins cover the walls, and silver lanterns hang from the ceilings. You'll sleep well; it's very soothing, listening to the lake water lapping against the windows at night."

House Cup

• Slytherin won the first house cup with 72,734,274 house points.
• Slytherin came second for the second house cup with 48,495,275 points.
• Slytherin won the third house cup with 26,990,924 points.
• Slytherin came second for the fourth house cup with 24,865,387.
• Slytherin came second for the fifth house cup with 27,795,479 points.
• Slytherin came fourth for the sixth house cup with 31,926,625 points.
• Slytherin won the seventh house cup with 52,652,850 points.
• Slytherin came second for the eighth house cup with 26,564,159 points.

Behind the Scenes

• Scarlett Byrne was Sorted into Slytherin.

See also

• Slytherin Welcome Letter
• Slytherin on the Harry Potter Wiki
• Rune's Potions Chamber
• Haus of Slytherin