Slytherin is notorious for providing some of the Wizarding World’s nastiest characters, with wizards such as Draco Malfoy and Lord Voldemort having belonged to this much-maligned Hogwarts house. However, Slytherin has also been home to some of the franchise’s nicest individuals, suggesting that its unfavorable reputation is somewhat undeserved.
These members of Hogwarts’ most despised house have demonstrated a kinder attitude than their more devious Slytherins, with their actions reflecting their good-hearted nature. Slytherin’s friendlier members show a different side to the Hogwarts house, with these witches and wizards having shown a more compassionate perspective to the world that they inhabit.
As one of the world’s most iconic wizards, Merlin has appeared in countless fantasy stories over the years. His Harry Potter counterpart is one of the most heroic Slytherins around, with the powerful individual having committed many noble acts throughout the Wizarding World's history.
Merlin’s belief that the Wizarding community should help and live alongside Muggles leads to the creation of the “Order Of Merlin,” which strictly forbids the use of spells on non-magical folk. Furthermore, Merlin’s firm stance on Muggle protection sees him defeat the villainous Morgan Le Fey, in a truly heroic moment for the Slytherin house.
Although he may be responsible for some of the franchise's worst things, Horace Slughorn has also proven to be one of Hogwarts’ nicest Slytherins. The potions master shows Harry considerable kindness during his stint teaching at the school, as he offers words of encouragement to The Boy Who Lived in light of his potions success.
Slughorn’s warm and welcoming personality also sees him decide to hold frequent parties in his office, delivering a real morale boost for the school’s most hard-working students. Perhaps his most kind-hearted moment comes as he joins Hagrid at Aragog’s funeral, despite having not known Hagrid’s arachnid friend, demonstrating much compassion as he helps the half-giant through his pet’s unfortunate death.
Beginning life as a member of the Black household, Cedrella’s marriage to Septimus Weasley results in her being disowned by her birth family. The fierce and determined witch is a prime example of a “good” Slytherin, as she views muggles and magical folk as equals within the confines of JK Rowling’s Wizarding World.
Cedrella’s views on Muggles culminate in the poor woman being labeled a “pure-blood traitor,” with her fellow Black family members being particularly vocal about the supposed betrayal of her wizarding roots. Her accommodating nature towards non-magical folk ends with her losing the support of her family, as she selflessly sacrifices a relationship with her loved ones to marry fellow pure-blood Septimus, who has similarly dedicated his life to campaigning for Muggle rights.
Through her passionate relationship with Lupin, Tonks is one of Harry Potter’s key characters, with many believing Tonks and Lupin to be clear soulmates. The quirky and outgoing Hogwarts student is a loyal ally to Harry and his friends in the fight against Lord Voldemort, and her brave actions show her to be one of Slytherin’s most noble members.
Among Tonks’ most heroic feats include her rescue of Harry following his savage beating from Draco aboard the Hogwarts Express, and escorting The Boy Who Lived to the Weasleys while being pursued by Death Eaters, despite being heavily pregnant. Her most selfless act, however, comes through her decision to stand by Lupin, upon discovering his werewolf status. While other members of the Wizarding community are more fearful of Remus upon learning his secret, Tonks supports her husband through his terrible condition, showing the Hogwarts professor considerable kindness.
As the son of Draco, Scorpius’s status as a Slytherin appears somewhat unsurprising throughout Harry Potter And The Cursed Child’s script. However, while the young lad may share Draco’s genes, he shows considerably more affection for his fellow students than his more villainous father, as he accompanies his friend Albus on his time-traveling adventures.
Scorpius demonstrates a friendlier approach than his fellow Slytherins from the very beginning of his Hogwarts journey, as he agrees to share his sweets with Rose and Albus onboard the Hogwarts Express. While his decision to help Albus save the life of Cedric Diggory is somewhat misguided, his rather reckless behavior is well-intentioned, with Scorpius placing his life on the line to resurrect Amos’s deceased son.
Hailing from the Fantastic Beasts movies, Leta Lestrange is an especially popular character among Wizarding World fans, with many believing Leta should have been Newt’s romantic partner rather than Tina. Despite her family having birthed some of the most notorious Death Eaters, such as Bellatrix and Rodolphus Lestrange, Leta possesses more honorable qualities, with the Slytherin choosing to team up with Newt to defeat Grindelwald and his followers.
The warm-hearted Slytherin displays great compassion during her time at Hogwarts, assisting Newt in looking after an injured baby raven. Perhaps her nicest act, however, comes as she sacrifices herself to Grindelwald during the dark wizard’s Paris rally, which serves as a distraction to bid Newt and his allies time against the wizarding dictator, making Leta one of Slytherin’s most noble members.
Studying in the same year as Harry and Draco, Adrian Pucey is one of Slytherin’s greatest Quidditch players. Fulfilling the role of Chaser on the Quidditch pitch, the determined young lad demonstrates true athletic prowess on the field, and his sportsmanship also demonstrates a nicer side to the Slytherin house.
Adrian possesses a more honest side than his fellow teammates. While the other Slytherin players adopt underhand tactics such as dressing as Dementors to spook their rivals and knocking their competitors off their brooms, Pucey refuses to follow their lead. Instead, he follows the rules of Quidditch precisely, offering a more truthful approach to the other team members, marking Adrian as one of Hogwarts’ most trustworthy Slytherins.
As Hogwarts’ snarky potions teacher, Severus Snape developed something of an unfair reputation among Hogwarts students as a seemingly uncaring individual. Underneath Snape’s acid tongue is a much more sympathetic figure, however, with the head of Slytherin being responsible for some of Harry Potter’s saddest moments. His more complex and troubled personality has a more sensitive side, which leads to him committing one of the franchise’s most courageous acts.
Snape spends many years of his life operating as a double agent for Dumbledore, as he gathers valuable intel on Voldemort’s plans while undercover as a Death Eater. Additionally, the potions professor saves Harry’s life on numerous occasions, most notably when his broom is jinxed by the cruel Professor Quirrell. Snape’s heroic deeds are driven by his love for the late Lily Potter, and result in his untimely demise, representing one of Slytherin’s most dedicated and compassionate individuals.
Belonging to the Black family, Phineas is one of Slytherin’s loveliest members. Taking a greater moral standpoint than his other family members, who mostly believe in pure-blood supremacy, this good-natured wizard has shown himself to be an especially well-behaved member of the otherwise unruly Hogwarts house.
Phineas possesses a firm belief in muggle rights, as he holds the view that wizards should treat non-magical folk with equal respect. His strong moralistic stance results in the kind-hearted individual being disowned by his family, who are disgusted by his progressive ideals. By choosing muggles over his relations, Phineas makes the ultimate sacrifice, becoming an especially nice member of the Slytherin house.
As the son of The Boy Who Lived, Albus is placed under considerable pressure upon beginning his education at Hogwarts. The wizarding community places somewhat unrealistic expectations on the poor lad due to his connections to Harry Potter, which are made considerably worse when he is sorted into Slytherin. Thankfully, Albus manages to bypass the cynical attitudes displayed towards this much-criticized house, emerging as an especially lovely member of Slytherin.
Albus Potter shows a great deal of compassion towards Amos Diggory, as he opts to help save the struggling wizard’s son from his untimely demise. Additionally, upon learning that Scorpius’s mother has died, he vows to attend her funeral to support his best friend, despite having never met Scorpius’ beloved parent. While Albus may not have been sorted into the same house as Harry, these moments of empathy prove that he maintained his father’s heart.
