Slytherin was one of the four Houses at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, founded by Salazar Slytherin. In establishing the house, Salazar instructed the Sorting Hat to pick students who had a few particular characteristics he most valued. Those characteristics included cunning, resourcefulness, leadership, and ambition. Many Slytherin students tended to clique together, often acquiring leaders, which further exemplified Slytherin's ambitious qualities. 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?


The founder highly valued and favoured pure-blood students and the Sorting Hat admitted that it could be a factor when being sorted. Students of any blood status could be placed in the house. However, a Muggle-born student from that house was considered to be quite rare.

The emblematic animal of the house was a snake and the house's colours were green and silver.

Slytherin corresponded roughly with the element of water due to serpents being commonly associated with the sea and lochs in western European mythology, as well as serpents being physically fluid and flexible animals. Similarly, in Celtic mythology, water is seen as a portal to another world, leading some to speculate that the element was chosen to symbolise many Slytherins' hope for a pure-blood only community. The colours also corresponded with waters around lakes and lochs often being green, and silver being often associated with grey rainwater.

Slytherins tended to be ambitious, shrewd, cunning, strong leaders, and achievement-oriented. They also had highly developed senses of self-preservation. This means that Slytherins tended to hesitate before acting, so as to weigh all possible outcomes before deciding exactly what should be done.



"The wand is made of fir wood with a unicorn core 9 ½" and unbending flexibility."

Gerbold Octavius Ollivander, always called wands of this wood ‘the survivor’s wand,’ because he had sold it to three wizards who subsequently passed through mortal peril unscathed. There is no doubt that this wood, coming as it does from the most resilient of trees, produces wands that demand staying power and strength of purpose in their true owners, and that they are poor tools in the hands of the changeable and indecisive. Fir wands are particularly suited to Transfiguration, and favour owners of focused, strong-minded and, occasionally, intimidating demeanour.

Unicorn hair generally produces the most consistent magic, and is least subject to fluctuations and blockages. Wands with unicorn cores are generally the most difficult to turn to the Dark Arts. They are the most faithful of all wands, and usually remain strongly attached to their first owner, irrespective of whether he or she was an accomplished witch or wizard.

patronus - the eagle

Eagles are magnificent birds of prey that can be found all over the world, and hold much symbolization, especially in Native American culture. Eagles hold a position of strength, leadership, and vision. They can spot prey from miles up in the sky, dive at striking speeds and soar for long periods of time. To the Natives, the eagle was the chief of all winged creatures, and conveyed power and majesty from animal to animal, man to bird. There are many different species of Eagle, each unique and adapted to its own habitat.

Having an Eagle patronus means you are strong-willed and free, and aren’t afraid to try something new and soar to new heights. The whole world is about you, you cannot fence yourself in, and you long to see new things, but still take comfort in home and familiarity. You can be grounded when necessary, but take every opportunity to test the impossible. You’re a natural born leader, and perhaps you can be bossy sometimes, but you like to be in control. Though you may not be overly social, you certainly have a few close friends that you can count on in times of need.

(sources ici, ici et ici), mise en page emprunté à @Spencer Blackwell