Harry Potter: 5 Most Likable Slytherins (& 5 We Can't Stand)
In the Harry Potter universe, no group of people comes in for as much criticism as House Slytherin. There’s some justification for this, considering the fact that they have produced some of the most notable villains of the wizarding world, including none other than Lord Voldemort himself. It’s also not surprising that many of the Slytherins that appear are incredibly unlikable; in fact, they’re often the characters that audiences and readers love to hate.
However, it’s also worth looking at those Slytherins who are actually a little likable (and, believe it or not, there are more than most people assume).
10 Likable: Horace Slughorn
From the moment that he appears, Horace Slughorn is an affable and likable fellow. This is certainly helped in the film versions by the fact that he’s played by the delightful Jim Broadbent.
He is, of course, as ambitious as any other member of his house but, unlike them, he does seem to have something of a moral compass. Thus, he eventually confesses to Harry that he was the one who gave Tom Riddle the knowledge that he needed to produce Horcruxes.
9 Can’t Stand: Bellatrix Lestrange
There are quite a few villains that appear during the course of the series, but Bellatrix Lestrange is truly something else.
She’s one of those villains that seems to exist simply for the pleasure of torturing others. She fully devotes herself to Voldemort and all of his ambitions, which means that there is very little, if anything, that she won’t do in the pursuit of his affection and approval, including murdering her own cousin Sirius Black in cold blood (definitely one of her more heinous crimes).
8 Likable: Severus Snape
Severus Snape is a man of phenomenal complexity. While he did for a time turn to the dark side, it was love that eventually brought him back into the service of the Order of the Phoenix.
Fans continue to debate whether or not he was a hero or a villain (or something in-between), but it has to be said that, despite his sometimes cruel behavior, he is still a likable character, particularly as portrayed by Alan Rickman in his various film appearances.
7 Can’t Stand: Lord Voldemort
Lord Voldemort is one of the most straightforwardly evil characters to have ever appeared in a fantasy novel. He’s not content with simply ruling the wizarding world; he goes out of his way to ensure that muggles are made as miserable as possible.
He also has no qualms about murdering and torturing anyone who gets in his way, even those who he thinks have been his most loyal servants. His murder of Snape in the final novel is but the most notorious example of the way that he rewards those who are faithful to him.
6 Likable: Narcissa Black
Most of those who hail from the noble wizarding families are incredibly unpleasant people, who go out of their way to be cruel not just to muggle-born wizards and witches, but also to wizarding families that they don’t consider to be up to snuff. One occasional exception to that is Narcissa Black.
Though she isn’t exactly likable, it’s worth pointing out that she does a great deal of good in the novel, particularly when she connives with Harry to convince Voldemort that he is, in fact, quite dead.
5 Can’t Stand: Lucius Malfoy
Narcissa’s husband Lucius, however, is a very different sort of person. Possessed of all of the arrogance that his wealth and pedigree give him, he looks down on almost everyone with whom he comes into contact.
There’s a lot to dislike about this character, ranging from the way that he treats the Weasleys to his notorious torment of his house elf Dobby. The most frustrating thing, though, is that somehow he manages to escape mostly unscathed from his alliance with Voldemort.
4 Likable: Draco Malfoy
It might seem counterintuitive to suggest that Draco Malfoy, who has all of the unpleasant characteristics of the rest of his family, would be likable. The truth is, though, that he is. Part of this is the fact that he’s played by Tom Felton, who manages to imbue the character with at least a bit of charm.
More than that, though, is the feeling that the viewer gets that he’s very much an unwilling party to his family’s alliance with Voldemort, and it’s entertaining to think about what he might have become had he not been so beholden to his family honor.
3 Can’t Stand: Dolores Umbridge
Voldemort may be the most evil character to appear in the books, but a close second is Dolores Umbridge.
Like so many other members of Slytherin, she really does seem to take a lot of pleasure in tormenting others, particularly after she takes over as Headmistress of Hogwarts. She’s one of those characters that most people love to hate, in part because she doesn’t really seem to have a lot of depth or nuance. There’s no denying, though, that Imelda Staunton’s portrayal of her is extraordinary.
2 Likable: Regulus Black
Regulus Black, like most of the other members of his family, was originally quite taken with Voldemort and his mission. It’s gradually revealed, however, that he soured on his master and ended up doing everything in his power to destroy his Horcruxes.
Though he really only plays a tangential role in the series as a whole, there’s no denying that he has the distinction of being one of the very few members of House Slytherin that is actually noble and more than a bit likable.
1 Can’t Stand: Vincent Crabbe
Crabbe and Goyle are, of course, Draco’s cronies, and they are very much his accomplices in most of the mischief that he tries to create at Hogwarts.
Crabbe is notoriously brutal in his methods, and he seems to have a bit of an edge on his partner in crime Goyle in terms of how awful he is. Fortunately, he’s not given a lot of depth as some of the other villains, so it’s very easy for readers and viewers to strenuously dislike him.