Why Didn't More Slytherins Try to Befriend Harry Potter?

Inter-house friendships at Hogwarts are notoriously difficult, primarily due to the strict expectation that students eat and interact within their own houses. This isolation is compounded by the fact that most Slytherins in Harry's year were part of Draco Malfoy's clique. But why didn't others try to befriend the famous boy who lived?

The Rejection of Harry

Draco Malfoy's attempted friendships with Harry were met with rejection, and it's no wonder why. Almost immediately after sorting, Harry noticed that Draco and his gang all viewed him as an insufferable snob. When Harry demonstrated loyalty to Dumbledore, it further solidified his image as an uppity boy. Additionally, when Harry got permission to play Quidditch and received the best broom available, it was viewed with envy by the Slytherins, only to be thwarted by the Gryffindor Headmaster's newfound favoritism towards Harry.

The School's Encouraging Environment

Education and societal structures at Hogwarts do not promote inter-house friendship. In fact, the school actively fosters inter-house animosity. If there were common rooms for different years of students, inter-house friendships might become more common. However, the existing traditional house systems perpetuate the prejudice of one house against the other, making cross-house friendships a rarity.

Hogwarts Houses are insular, and the insularity of these houses makes it extremely rare for cross-house friendships to occur. This insularity is evident in the series, and outside of a few notable exceptions, few students commonly interact with those outside their own houses.

The Common Myths About Friendships

Friendships with Harry are often pursued for pragmatic rather than personal reasons. Some might hope for future employment benefits, using their relationships with Harry to gain contacts in specific industries or to leverage the Potter name. However, these practical motivations are often ineffective. Even if someone can overcome Harry's aloofness, the infamy associated with his fame and the perception of him as a sidekick often overshadow any genuine talent or contribution that these individuals might bring to the table.

Others might seek fame via association with Harry. In-universe, and even in fan circles, Harry is often seen as a symbol of entitlement and neglect, rather than a mentor or a potential partner in achieving success. His fame and the fortune associated with his name are not in doubt, yet these factors do not bode well for those looking to gain recognition through association with him. The same can be said for his support from his best friends, who often receive less positive attention.

The Lack of Incentive

A real reason to befriend Harry, as a Slytherin, would be if his personality genuinely appealed to you. However, the distance created by the house system means that a true understanding of Harry’s character is often limited to superficial impressions.

Harry’s actions, when taken out of context, do not always reflect the personality of a person one would want to befriend. On a superficial level, Harry either sends out signals that make others feel unwelcome, or his actions might reflect unconscious biases against Slytherins, especially if he likes to see himself as unbiased. These factors, combined with the insular nature of Hogwarts, make it highly unlikely that many Slytherins would seek to befriend Harry without some immediate or practical incentive.

Overall, the lack of incentives and the ingrained prejudices of the Hogwarts system mean that Harry’s fame and success are not enough to attract friends across house lines. The real question is whether the distance and preconceptions that come with Hogwarts' house system are worth the effort of forming friendships with someone who might not reciprocate the interest or who might use such a relationship for their own gain.