One of the big shocks of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child was that Albus Potter was sorted into Slytherin, but how and why did this happen? Albus Severus Potter was first introduced in the epilogue of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows when Harry accompanied his son to Platform 9¾ for his first year at Hogwarts. In this final Harry Potter book, little Albus shared a fear that he would be sorted into Slytherin—a concern inspired by the teasing of his older brother James. Harry ᴀssured Albus that, were this to happen, Slytherin would be lucky to have him. Of course, the truth was far more complicated.
Harry Potter’s son was ultimately placed in Slytherin house alongside Scorpius Malfoy in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, and the pair began a life-long friendship. While Harry had told Albus he wouldn’t mind which house he was sorted into, Cursed Child proved him wrong. Albus’ status as a Slytherin drove a wedge between father and son. Additionally, the irony that the son of the man who had defeated Lord Voldemort ended up in Slytherin resulted in years of bullying for Albus Potter. However, Harry Potter and the Cursed child ultimately demonstrated that Albus was sorted into the right house.
Albus Potter Has Many Of The Positive Traits ᴀssociated With Slytherin In Harry Potter
There Is A Thin Line Between Gryffindor & Slytherin
Though Gryffindors and Slytherins are known to be rivals, it’s often clear that a rather fine line separates these two houses. Slytherins are ambitious, and Gryffindors are brave, but both these traits tend to go together. The primary difference here is that while Slytherins are more likely to step back and consider their options, Gryffindors dive in head first. It was evident in Harry Potter that Harry could have been a Slytherin from day one. The sorting hat noted that he was thirsty to prove himself and had little regard for rules and regulations. However, his willingness to rush into danger head-on won out.
Out of Harry’s children, Albus is the one who is most like him in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. He was even more eager to prove himself when he started at Hogwarts since the legacy of the Boy Who Lived cast a vast shadow. The Sorting Hat picked up on this ambition. However, unlike Harry, Albus lacked the aggressive impatience of Gryffindors. He was a bit quieter, and though he wasn’t afraid to break the rules (a quality Gryffindors and Slytherins share), he was far more calculating regarding his actions and decisions. Combine this with Albus’ desire to stay with his friend, and Slytherin was the perfect fit.
Albus Probably Wanted To Be In The Same Hogwarts House As Scorpius Malfoy
Friendship Was Far More Important Than Fitting In
Albus was anxious about being sorted into Slytherin in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, but even more than that, he feared he wouldn’t make any friends at Hogwarts. Lucky for him, Albus met Scorpius Malfoy on the Hogwarts Express, and they quickly hit it off. Of course, this is complicated. Scorpius was Draco Malfoy’s son. The Malfoys were notoriously fascinated with the Dark Arts and had long embraced pure-blood ideology. However, Albus found Scorpius to be a great deal like himself. Both boys suffered under their family legacies, and this made them natural friends.
Scorpius was sorted before Albus and placed into Slytherin like his father and grandparents before him. This left Albus conflicted. He had been desperate to be sorted into Gryffindor, but this would mean being pitted against the person he had clicked so well with on the train. Harry told Albus that the Sorting Hat would take his opinion into account, and it is heavily implied in Cursed Child that this is precisely what happened. By the time Albus put on the Sorting Hat, his mind had been changed. Albus himself might not have realized it, but he chose Slytherin for the sake of his friendship.
Cursed Child Attempts To Upend The Negative Reputation Slytherins Are Given
Slytherin Has Always Had A Bad Rap
Though it was an unpopular decision both in and out of the world of Harry Potter, it makes great sense that Albus would be sorted into Slytherin. The ending of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows demonstrated that, despite the poor reputation, even Slytherins could be good. While the Hogwarts founder himself had turned against Muggle-borns, it didn’t necessarily mean that all ambitious witches and wizards had to be prejudiced. Lord Voldemort’s movement had made the reputation of Slytherin even worse, but with the villain out of the way, this could finally change.
Albus was ultimately able to stand apart from his father as a Slytherin while remaining a solidly moral person, proving that, with time, these backward perspectives could fade away.
It’s clear in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child that Slytherin still had a poor reputation. Harry had told Albus that he would be proud of him no matter what, and he likely meant it at the time. However, it became evident that Harry was disappointed and conflicted when he learned that Albus was sorted into Slytherin. After so many years of these students being regarded as Dark witches and wizards, this prejudice wasn’t so easy to wipe away. However, Albus was ultimately able to stand apart from his father as a Slytherin while remaining a solidly moral person, proving that, with time, these backward perspectives could fade away.
Cursed Child Makes It Seem Like Albus Didn’t Choose Slytherin, But He Subconsciously Did
Everyone At Hogwarts Has To Choose Who They Will Be
Albus being placed in Slytherin in Cursed Child continues one of the overarching themes of the Harry Potter series. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were all placed in Gryffindor in Philosopher’s Stone, but each could have just as easily been sorted into one of Hogwarts’ other houses. As previously mentioned, Harry could have done very well in Slytherin. Ron was the very representation of friendship in Harry Potter and deeply valued fairness, making him a great candidate for Hufflepuff. Then there is Hermione, who admitted in Order of the Phoenix that the Sorting Hat had considered her for Ravenclaw.
While the Hogwarts sorting implies that these young students are born to be placed in one house or another, the Harry Potter series repeatedly emphasizes that people choose who they are. Harry, Ron, and Hermione chose Gryffindor because qualities like bravery are a choice. Severus Snape was a Slytherin, but he chose to be brave—the bravest man that Harry ever knew, according to him. Albus Potter was as shocked as everyone else to be placed in Slytherin, but it’s evident that this was his own subconscious choice. Harry Potter‘s son had chosen the type of person he would be.
