Gryffindor | Ravenclaw | Hufflepuff

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Getting excited every time the giant squid would swim past the glass in the common room

Having to stock up on warm clothes bc damn it gets cold in there

Everyone in the dorms having like ten blankets on their beds during winter

Having huge games of Chinese whispers at the Slytherin table which confuses the whole school as to why all the Slytherins are deadly silent

Having the sassiest and most sarcastic conversations ever with your house mates

Staying up late on Friday nights with loads of other slytherins and playing weird drinking games with firewhisky while the minors watch in awe

Always defending people from your house even if you’ve never talked to them before

Getting confused as to why Slytherin is supposed to be the “badass” house because what actually goes on in the common room is eating competitions and rap battles

Creating the strongest and most last-longing friendships 

Passing notes in class 

saying “fight me” under your breath to literally everything

So much swearing

Everyone swearing all the time that you forget that swearing is “bad”

Getting told off in class for swearing

“God fucking dammit i just spilled my fucking ink”

“Excuse me?”

“Sorry professor…slip of the tongue…”

Getting extremely stubborn when people tell you what to do, making you do the opposite. 

Not being as huge a fan of Snape even though everyone thinks Slytherins worship him

Getting really annoyed when people are surprised at how lovely you are, despite being in Slytherin 

I’ve been thinking today about the word cunning and it’s meaning. I would generally assume the word cunning to have negative connotations of trickery and scheming to meet one’s own needs. As a Slytherin, cunning is one of the main traits of the house, however I personally and morally disagree with stepping on others and using deceit to further myself on the path to success.

So I ask myself: what really is cunning and is it an inherently negative thing to be cunning?

I look to our treasured scripture to find the answers I seek. Would it be cunning of Draco Malfoy to have lied about knowing it was Harry Potter within Malfoy Manor in order to save his life for the greater good? Is cunning truly bad if it’s deceptive nature is used to benefit the greater good and save the lives of others?

What about when Draco Malfoy’s mother, Narcissa Malfoy lied to the Dark Lord about Harry Potter being dead? Is this act of cunning and deception a bad thing if it will save many lives? Or does the mere act of deception mean that Narcissa is a bad person for lying, even though the consequences of her lie were beneficial for many? What if the benefits of the deception weren’t for the good of everyone, but for the good of the few, would history judge the actions of Narcissa more harshly?

I am inclined to believe that cunning, when used for the good of all, can be a positive thing. Nevertheless, cunning should be used cautiously and sparingly with the consequences of other’s in mind, as by failing to do so history will judge you as wicked, rather than good.