Summary
- Salazar Slytherin, despite his moral corruption, is still considered one of the greatest wizards in the Harry Potter universe.
- Some descendants of Slytherin strive to break the malicious chain of hatred and blood-purity.
- Not all Slytherin descendants adhere to the supremacist beliefs; some, like Rionach Steward, actively work against pure-blood supremacy.
As morally corrupt as he is, no one can deny that Salazar Slytherin is one of the greatest wizards of all time in the Harry Potter universe. His hatred towards muggles, half-bloods, or those whom he deems as lowlifes and unworthy is malevolently running through most of his bloodlines, although a minority of his descendants are trying to break the malicious chain.
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One even swore to never have children, to stop the Slytherin bloodline that is often consumed with deep hatred and cynical thoughts toward others. However, in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, those who shared similar values to the great wizard who was also one of the founders of Hogwarts, were not shy to murder anyone who was against blood-purity.
7 Corvinus Gaunt
Keeper Of The Chamber Of Secrets
Not much information about Corvinus other than the fact that he is a proud Slytherin's descendant, a Parselmouth, and a die-hard keeper of the Chamber of Secrets. During his time as a Hogwarts student in the 1700s, he worked hard to figure out a way to keep the Chamber of Secrets safe from the new plumbing system in Hogwarts.
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Not only did he figure out a way to find the deadly Chamber that hadn't been found for centuries, he also brilliantly understood and made a way for the chamber—tucked away in the Girls' lavatory—to still be isolated yet accessible for other Slytherin's descendants. Although helping to keep the Chamber of Secrets safe, he never opened the chamber to kill muggle-born witches, as he probably did not want to be responsible for the killings.
6 Merope Gaunt
A Victim Of A Cycle Of Abuse
Merope Gaunt lived a harsh life, being the only girl in the family. She was constantly abused by her father and brother. Centuries of inbreeding within the Slytherin's descendants—in order to keep the blood purity—has left the family succumbing to unstable mental illnesses and less fortunate physical appearance. Merope who was often called "a filthy squib" by her father was actually a great witch who self-taught herself to improve her magical skills, despite no formal education.
She was even skillful enough to make love potions to bewitch Tom Riddle Sr., a handsome and wealthy muggle whom she was obsessed with. Unfortunately, once the effect wore down and Tom ran away from her, she was severely depressed. Her depression led her to her demise as she never used magic again, even when she could use it to survive during her complicated childbirth, after her only reason to live abandoned her and their unborn child.
5 Marvolo Gaunt
A Proud Pure-Blood Supremacist
Marvolo Gaunt is every stereotypical pure-blood maniac anyone could ever think of. He is deeply bigoted, arrogant, violent, and abusive towards everyone, including his own daughter. During his lifetime, he treated his only son, Morfin Gaunt, as well as he treated himself. He saw himself in Morfin, as they are both bigoted and extremely proud of the Slytherin bloodline they possess.
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He also wasn't afraid of assaulting the Ministry of Magic officers, who were severely concerned about the use of magic they both did in front of muggles. His violence then led him to be sent to Azkaban, along with Morfin. He took care of the Slytherin heirlooms such as the gold ring and the Slytherin locket very well, even better than he treated his daughter.
4 Rionach Steward
The Bloodline Breaker
Rionach Steward is one of the very rare cases of Slytherin's descendant being a wholesome human being who was against pure-blood supremacy. She was born in 1634, Massachusetts, where she taught Defence Against the Dark Arts at Ilvermorny Schools of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
She was well aware of her ancestor's crime and morally corrupt vision, and she was one of the early descendants willing to stop the possible evil visions by the future generation of Slytherin descendants by remaining single until she died. She was also a possible Parselmouth, a trait that reminded her of her Slytherin ancestry that she hated the most. Unfortunately, her attempt failed as her family were not the only Slytherin living descendants.
3 Ominis Gaunt
The Misfit Of The Family
Fruits do not fall far from the tree, just like how Slytherin's descendants are mostly pure-blood supremacists. But not for Ominis Gaunt, not only did he condone these horrifying values, but he also tried his best to distance himself from his family. He was born blind in two eyes, with no spell that could ever heal it. However, he was a great wizard who figured out a way to use his magic amicably.
He also refused to cast the forbidden curse, out of the trauma he endured during his childhood. He was the misfit of the family, as his siblings weren't afraid to curse muggles for sports. Like any other Slytherin's descendant, he was a Parselmouth, but he was never proud of being the descendant of a bigoted wizard, no matter how great he was.
2 Isolt Sayre
The Ilvermorny Founder
Isolt Sayre was the mother of Rionach Steward who sailed to America in 1600 as an attempt to run away from her psychotic pure-blood supremacist aunt, Gormlaith Gaunt. Isolt Sayre's parents are two prominent figures in the Wizarding World, Rionach Sayre (a direct descendant of Salazar Slytherin) and William Sayre (an Irish wizard who was a direct descendant of Animagus expert, Morrigan).
After her parents died in a house fire that Gormlaith Gaunt set up, Isolt was kidnapped by her to be raised as another pure-blood supremacist. She was supposed to attend Hogwarts but was deeply isolated by her aunt, and she later escaped to America and opened her own Wizarding School with her partner. She was also one of Slytherin's descendants who was against pure-blood supremacy.
1 Tom Riddle Jr.
The Legendary Dark Lord
Tom Riddle Jr., also known as Lord Voldemort, would be the golden child of Salazar Slytherin if he was still alive. He was everything Slytherin could ask for, he was unforgiving, severely bigoted, and extremely powerful, although he was a half-blood. During his time at Hogwarts, Tom was able to open the Chamber of Secrets, killing a muggle-born student who was later known as Moaning Myrtle. He also succeeded in creating 7 Horcruxes, one of the most complex dark magic in the Wizarding World.
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He also had an extensive knowledge of dark creatures, even successfully creating an army of zombie-like creatures named Infery. He also led 2 deadly wars in his reign as a pure-blood supremacist, killing many innocent souls in the process. His demise was beyond painful, as he was stuck in limbo for eternity, as a result of his horcruxes. Nonetheless, he will always be remembered as a great wizard, although very morally corrupted.
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