ebonlock | Potter Ragnarok Continues (Reply)

One of the other things that bugged me on a profound level was that during the battle of Hogwarts when all the houses were joining together to defend their school, not a single Slytherin stood with them. There was a perfect opportunity there to show that a) Albus was right in thinking that maybe they did sort too son, and b) Slytherin house wasn't just inherently bad. Because realistically speaking I can't imagine the school keeping Slytherin after the fall of Voldemort. Why would they? Simply for tradition's sake?

Yeah I know what you're thinking, but what about Snape? After all he was Slytherin. Yeah but that's one exception, one. And before him we presume that Phineas Nigellus rocked pretty hard to be made headmaster, and Slughorn wasn't a total dick...but that's it.

In my mental version of book 7 Draco's been working with Slughorn since the beginning of term, pissed off about how shitty his family is being treated, and allowing his pride and anger to rule him instead of his cowardice. He's a devious little bastard and can, we discovered in HBP, actually pull off a plan on occasion. So he's got Sluggy brewing up a shitload of Felix Felicus which he makes sure gets to every single Slytherin before the final battle. He then makes it real clear to his house that they don't all want to either bet against Potter's luck or that they're going to come out ahead if Voldie takes over.

Goyle protests and aims a hex at Draco which Pansy intercepts without blinking an eye and lets him know in painful terms that nobody messes with her Draco. She and Draco then lead a small band of Slytherins to join the other houses. True house unity and an actual full-on redemption for Draco. Much more satisfying, IMHO.

Of course in my mental version Snape also takes out Nagini while being killed by it because he is just that fucking awesome.

And speaking of satisfying, I would really love to read what folks could come up with for a better epilogue to book 7. If you'd had the chance to write this for Rowling and tie up some serious loose ends what would you focus on? Would it be grand a sweeping, filling in every single hole in each character's life? Would it merely consist of a conversation between the portraits of Dumbledore and Snape (hey, he was a headmaster too so he should be there in the office in portrait form)? Or a scene at Azkaban where Umbridge is on Dementor wrangling duty for the rest of her natural life?

You tell me, how would you have wrapped the series up?