Horace Slughorn: Character Analysis

Welcome to the post-DH discussion of Horace Slughorn. Previous discussion without spoilers can be found here: Horace Slughorn: Character Analysis (http://www.cosforums.com/showthread.php?t=96613)


1. Slughorn surrounds himself with select students and helps them get ahead in exchange for favor both in schoold and beyond. Does he feel genuine affection for these students of is he just using them to flatter his own ego.

2. Slughorn refuses to join both the Death Eaters and the Order. Why do you think he refuses to side with either group? Why do you think he chose to live on the run before deciding to work at Hogwarts?

3. Did Slughorn know what he was doing when he told Riddle about the horcruxes? Did he realize later when Riddle became Voldemort?

4. Is Slughorn a good person? A bad person?

5. Why do you think Slughorn returned to Hogwarts after HBP? Why do you think he stayed after Snape took over?

6. What do you think of Slughorn's decision to fight in the final battle?

2. Slughorn refuses to join both the Death Eaters and the Order. Why do you think he refuses to side with either group? Why do you think he chose to live on the run before deciding to work at Hogwarts?

I think that he didn't want to be involved at all so he chose not to take a side.

3. Did Slughorn know what he was doing when he told Riddle about the horcruxes? Did he realize later when Riddle became Voldemort?

I do not think that he knew what he was doing (mabey a momentary laps in judgment)

4. Is Slughorn a good person? A bad person?

I believe that he is a good person

5. Why do you think Slughorn returned to Hogwarts after HBP? Why do you think he stayed after Snape took over?

If he had left it might have given the impression that he didn't want to be around unless albus was there to controll snape. He could also have stayed to help protect the students from the death eaters.

6. What do you think of Slughorn's decision to fight in the final battle?

well if i'm not misstaken in chapter 36 The Flaw In The Plan page 588paragraph 3 it says "... and Harry saw Charlie Weasley over taking Horace Slughorn, how was still in his emeraled pyjama's." that would mean that he had choosen to fight with Voldemort and against the Order. but on the next page, 589 paragraph 4, "Voldemort was now duelling McGonagall, Slughorn and Kingsley all at once," So I was a bit confused. He was bad then good again. i don't really know what that was about but he choose the right side in the end and thats all that counts really.

6. What do you think of Slughorn's decision to fight in the final battle?

well if i'm not misstaken in chapter 36 The Flaw In The Plan page 588paragraph 3 it says "... and Harry saw Charlie Weasley over taking Horace Slughorn, how was still in his emeraled pyjama's." that would mean that he had choosen to fight with Voldemort and against the Order. but on the next page, 589 paragraph 4, "Voldemort was now duelling McGonagall, Slughorn and Kingsley all at once," So I was a bit confused. He was bad then good again. i don't really know what that was about but he choose the right side in the end and thats all that counts really.

JKR says here that Slughorn and Charlie "have returned at the head of what looked like the families and friends of every Hogwarts student who had remained to fight, along with the shopkeepers and homeowners of Hogsmeade." So Slughorn and Charlie have recruited reinforcements to defend Hogwarts against the DE, and Charlie is overtaking Slughorn on the stairs because Charlie the dragon-keeper is young and fit, and "old Sluggy" isn't.:)

1. Slughorn surrounds himself with select students and helps them get ahead in exchange for favor both in school and beyond. Does he feel genuine affection for these students or is he just using them to flatter his own ego?

I think that both of these are true. Slughorn clearly felt real affection for Lily. After Aragog's burial in HBP, Harry appealed to Slughorn to help him because of Lily, saying "be brave like my mother" asks him to help "get rid of the wizard who killed Lily Evans." I also think it's telling that after Slughorn hears that Snape killed Dumbledore, he's shocked, saying "Snape! I taught him! I thought I knew him!" Slughorn enjoys the things his former students can do for him, but I think he also truly believes that being their teacher gives him a special relationship with them. He may not be the best teacher at Hogwarts, but he takes the job seriously and is proud of it. Slughorn seemed like a familiar "type" of teacher to me--the professor who will toss back a few with his a select group of his favorite pupils and will be politely encouraging to the rest. There's certainly some self-flattery there, "basking in the reflected glory," but I couldn't help liking a guy with such a benign lack of shame in showing favoritism.

2. Slughorn refuses to join both the Death Eaters and the Order. Why do you think he refuses to side with either group? Why do you think he chose to live on the run before deciding to work at Hogwarts?

I think that Slughorn refused to take sides until the very end because he was hoping to stay out of things--he likes his comfy armchairs and crystallized pineapple, and didn't want to leave them to join a war. I think that he lived on the run for the year before HBP because he was afraid of being recruited by the DE--he knew he didn't want to join them, but he was afraid of making enemies of them. I think he suspected that Voldemort had made seven horcruxes (see #3 below), so unlike Lucius Malfoy, say, he knew he would be dealing with someone with only a fraction of a human soul--very scary stuff.

3. Did Slughorn know what he was doing when he told Riddle about the horcruxes? Did he realize later when Riddle became Voldemort?

No and yes, in that order. All the more reason for him to fear Voldything!

4. Is Slughorn a good person? A bad person?

Well, like most of us, he's neither--it's all about the choices we make, right? His decision to fight against the DE instead of running away at the end was definitely a good choice, though.

5. Why do you think Slughorn returned to Hogwarts after HBP? Why do you think he stayed after Snape took over?

Maybe he realized he liked living at Hogwarts better than being on the run and in hiding--Hogwarts meant a bed to sleep in and someone else to get food and make decisions, as Harry noted when he was hiding in the woods. Maybe some small part of him--the part that gave Harry the memory in HBP and that fought the DE at the end--felt like it was his duty to stay there for the students. I'd like to think that he stayed partly because he thought his students needed him--and that was probably good for his ego, anyway!

6. What do you think of Slughorn's decision to fight in the final battle?

He would certainly never make the sacrifices Dumbledore makes for his students, but when it comes time to decide his loyalty, Slughorn defends Hogwarts against Voldemort (although I have to admit, leaving to recruit reinforcements does take him out of direct action for a little while, and I don't think that's a coincidence...but he does come back and fight). I really wondered before DH which side Slughorn would choose (and I felt like he would definitely have to choose a side), and I was very pleased with his decision--particularly in light of the fact that he's a Slytherin. I didn't want all of the Slytherins to be bad! I like the idea that you always have a choice about the path your life will take, even when you're a "broken-down old buffer" like Slughorn.

I was disapointed by his actions in DH. We only see him in the last few chapters, but he seems cowardly. I was really surprised the he survived.

Slughorn was one of the three people (also McGonagall and Kingsley) fighting Riddle at the very end, so I'd say he's hardly a coward. I think he just takes a little persuading before he can gather his courage. That's been the case ever since we met him in the beginning of HBP and Dumbledore had to bring Harry along to convince him to teach.

1. Slughorn surrounds himself with select students and helps them get ahead in exchange for favor both in schoold and beyond. Does he feel genuine affection for these students of is he just using them to flatter his own ego?

I think it is both, he helps them, they help him. He might like them for themselves a bit, too.

2. Slughorn refuses to join both the Death Eaters and the Order. Why do you think he refuses to side with either group? Why do you think he chose to live on the run before deciding to work at Hogwarts?

I think he finds it too dangerous to put himself in the front lines, he treasures his life, and by choosing to be in either, he is putting himself in danger.

3. Did Slughorn know what he was doing when he told Riddle about the horcruxes? Did he realize later when Riddle became Voldemort?

I don't think he realized what Riddle was getting at; that he wanted to be immortal. I think he just saw Tom as someone hardworking, and brilliant. I think he realized when Tom became Voldemort, why else would he change the memory?

4. Is Slughorn a good person? A bad person?

I think he's a good person, with flaws.

5. Why do you think Slughorn returned to Hogwarts after HBP? Why do you think he stayed after Snape took over?

I think he returned because he had to; in the light of Albus's death, they couldn't spare another teacher to be replaced by DEs. I think he stayed to help protect the students and himself.

6. What do you think of Slughorn's decision to fight in the final battle?

I think that was couragous of him, to align himself with someone, which he hates/fears doing. He probably knew he couldn't desert the students or teachers, and fought well.

I agree that Slughorn is basically a good person but he needs persuading. Remember he wakes up in the middle of the night after McGonagell has dueled with the headmaster and learns that Snape has jumped out the tower through the fall and fled, Harry Potter is back, and Voldemort and his army is coming to Hogwarts. That's got to put a shock into him. But after he realizes the stakes, he uses his connections to round up shopkeepers and is the *only* Slytherin to stay and fight against Voldemort.

After Slughorn's huge role in HBP I wasn't expecting him to be almost completely abscent in DH. Much of the analysis on this board put him as an extremely talented potion maker and Occlumens, and the only living professor that taught Voldemort. He could have helped Harry is figuring out where in Hogwarts Riddle would have stashed the diadem.

Thoughts?

Personally, I was very proud of old Horace in this one. I mean I expect Mcgonagal and Kingsley to try fighting Voldemort, but not a man who was previously scared to use his name. That took considerable guts (insert your own joke here) and he certainly deserves a box of crystalised pineapple for it.

I was mostly impressed because he fought the entire battle in pajamas.

I was proud of him too, because my first impression was that he was going to give some excuse to do something else. But I knew that he was a good man so proud of his job as a teatcher and of some of his students that he could not leave then at that moment. I also spent some time imagining his figure out of bed in pajamas preparing himself for a great fight. I don't know yet who is playing his part in the next movie (HBP), but I'm looking for to find out if my imagination is close to what they will bring us.

I thought it was a nice moment for old Sluggy to come charging in at the head of all the families, creatures, etc, and a good vindication moment for him to be dueling Voldemort.

As we didn't go back to Hogwarts until the end of the book however, I wasn't surprised how small his role was.

For a few moments when DH mentions Slughorn, I was waiting for that moment when he reveals allegiance with Voldemort. That would have been interesting.

personally speaking, I was terribly disappointed...I really expected Slughorn to have a much major role than just in the final battle, fighting like any other teacher.
considering the fact that he was "wanted" by voldy and co. and he was one of the very few people who knew about voldemort's childhood and his horcruxes...one really expected him to play a very useful role in harry's quest for the horcruxes

I was mostly impressed because he fought the entire battle in pajamas.

I agree! That was just so very Slughorn. I wish he had played a greater role, but he fought Voldemort himself, and I was so proud of him.

I was mostly impressed because he fought the entire battle in pajamas.
:lol: true! i hope he had some sturdy slippers on!

i can imagine the guy had lived through a tough year at Hogwarts too, i wouldn't have wanted to be head of Slytherin that year! and considering he's the type of guy who went on the run in the early stages of the war, props to him for staying at Hogwarts, esp since there was no Dumbledore.

I was quite pleased with ole Sluggy in DH, and I don't think Harry was ever going to ask him for assistance, and assuming that we would is kind of silly. Harry was so bent on being secretive towards Dumbledore's word that he kept out everyone except Hermione and Ron. Everything he needed to know from Slughorn he saw in the Pensieve.

As for Sluggy taking on Voldemort: bravo, good sir! Bravo!

He was great, I never imagined Slughorn to stand up like that. We know that he was against Voldemort, and didn't like him, but he was scared, I didn't imagine him to fight like that. Slughorn definitely deserves a box of crystalized pineapple. It was amazing how he fought the entire battle in pajamas, I imagined him to take some time to at least put on robes.

Go Slughorn!

I was mostly impressed because he fought the entire battle in pajamas.

:lol: Yeah, I bet ol'Slughorn was a sight, hehe. Anyway, I was proud that he fought against Voldemort. I couldn't help but like him since HBP even though he did cozy up to those who had good connections. His personality was so refreshing for someone who was over Slytherin House.

The majority of the book was centered around Ron Hermione and Harry so I wasn't surprised that many major characters did not have a big part, slughorn is just one of many that didn't receive at all that much attention.

I agree, I had always figured Slughorn a coward. When McGonagall told him LV was coming I fully expected him to flee from Hogwarts. I disagree with some of you though, I never worried about him joining up with LV and the Death Eaters, I mean the reason he's at Hogwarts was to stay out of their reach because he didn't want to be forced to help them, which probably means he doesn't agree with their ideology, and their pure blood mania.

I was impressed with him. He seemed like he put up an excellent fight, and as someone already said he did the whole thing in his pajamas. He always reminded me of the music teacher in my school: short, really fat, barely able to move but extremely wise and smart. In HBP he showed us how smart he is (and that he's a good Occlumens), and in DH he he showed us that he can still fight with the rest of them. Although, in the book it says (if I remember correctly) while running after a Death Eater he kind of got winded and Charlie Weasley ran past him after the Death Eater so he wouldn't lose him.

Proff Slughorn is one of my favorite character in the series. I wish we had seen more of him in the las book. But i also wished for this book to be all about Sirius Black. (Sighs...)

I didn't really think Slughorn would be a major part of this book. Major characters in one book might not be so important in the others. For example, Quirrell and Lockhart!

I personally thought he was going to run like a coward and hide in a broom closet when no one was looking. When we were introduced to him in HBP, he was hiding. He was reluctant to even come where the best protection was. Heck, I was even surprised he stayed at Hogwarts after what happened in the beginning of DH.

I personally thought he was going to run like a coward and hide in a broom closet when no one was looking. When we were introduced to him in HBP, he was hiding. He was reluctant to even come where the best protection was. Heck, I was even surprised he stayed at Hogwarts after what happened in the beginning of DH.

I felt that too!! after remembering what a state he was in and his initial refusal to go to Hogwarts, i thought he'd be first through the portrait!!!I was extremely pleased at his courage in fighting voldy

I bet he used some Felix Felicis like a liter of it before he came to fight. He probably had it brewing for a year and had a stock of it so he would be ready for the impending battle haha.

Though I wonder if effect of different potions in dueling. Are there any potions that could counter spells or make you abnormally fast?

Welcome to the post-DH discussion of Horace Slughorn. Previous discussion without spoilers can be found here: Horace Slughorn: Character Analysis (http://www.cosforums.com/showthread.php?t=96613)


1. Slughorn surrounds himself with select students and helps them get ahead in exchange for favor both in schoold and beyond. Does he feel genuine affection for these students of is he just using them to flatter his own ego.

2. Slughorn refuses to join both the Death Eaters and the Order. Why do you think he refuses to side with either group? Why do you think he chose to live on the run before deciding to work at Hogwarts?

3. Did Slughorn know what he was doing when he told Riddle about the horcruxes? Did he realize later when Riddle became Voldemort?

4. Is Slughorn a good person? A bad person?

5. Why do you think Slughorn returned to Hogwarts after HBP? Why do you think he stayed after Snape took over?

6. What do you think of Slughorn's decision to fight in the final battle?

I think Slughorn is probably a really good example of positive Slytherin attributes. The house ethic may be different than other houses, but they are not of themselves a bad thing.

He's seems to be an individualist who is neutral about politics. That's not a bad thing - all other things being even - but when forced to choose sides, he chose the "good" rather than the "bad" even though it probably would have been easier to go along with the other Slytherins.

In the end, he joined his colleagues and defended the students of Hogwarts.

Slughorn's appears to be interested in (his own and others') advancement, and believes in generously rewarding achievement and innovation. I think that's a good thing.

I think he's a good character who has genuine affection for his students.

Loved him, loved that he fought in his pyjamas; just encapsulated his whole personality, that one detail, it just said: ‘Fine I'll fight, but I can't be bothered to get dressed first'; loved it. He was a good person, not admirable in the way the members of the Order of the Phoenix were, but when push came to shove, he stood up for what he believed in.

Listen, Slughorn was only introduced for HBP. He had no real point in Book 7 so we can't analyze him.

I was very surprised with "Old Sluggy" in this book.

When Miverva said that Voldy and the DEs were coming, I expected him to flee the castle. When he was later mentioned fighting Voldy along with Minerva and Kingsley, we all learned where his true loyalties are, and that he is a competent wizard. (I never pictured him as a strong wizard, sorry.)

I found Slughorn to be a fascinating character, from the beginning, when he was introduced in HBP, to the point when he was fighting against Voldemort. He is intriguing and you have the feeling that, as a reader, you like and dislike him at the same time.
I think he portrays the usual Slytherin trait: 'Don't do something unless it is absolutely necessary.'. It is very clear from HBP that he didn't want to join the DEs and Voldemort [maybe because of fear due to the Horcrux memory, and/or maybe because he didn't like their belifs and methods and prefered his comfort.]. The point is, when he saw the battle of Hogwarts taking place, he realized that if he ran away, and Voldemort won, he would certainly be found eventually. Being found now and being found later is about the same -- he chose to stay and fight. And anyway, I don't imagine him running away without taking a box or two of pineapples with him, and he probably wouldn't have had the time and opportunity to do that.
It impressed me that Slughorn was the only Slytherin to remain and fight against Voldemort. I think he too should be considered a hero, in his sluggish sort of way. [And yes, him fighting in pyjamas sure must have been funny to watch :lol:].

I liked Slughorn, in his limited involvement in this book. He did seem rather "Slytherin-ish", but mostly in the self-preservation aspect. But his guilt at having helped out Voldemort's rise to power must have overcome that; so he charged in to fight. Not only that, he fought against Voldy himself - he could have probably gotten away with fighting against some of the lesser-talented DE's, and not helping out MM and Flitwick. Unless LV sought him out and then MM and Flitwick came to his aid, which is a possibility, especially since LV must have figured that Sluggy blabbed about the horcrux discussion.

I liked Slughorn, in his limited involvement in this book. He did seem rather "Slytherin-ish", but mostly in the self-preservation aspect. But his guilt at having helped out Voldemort's rise to power must have overcome that; so he charged in to fight. Not only that, he fought against Voldy himself - he could have probably gotten away with fighting against some of the lesser-talented DE's, and not helping out MM and Flitwick. Unless LV sought him out and then MM and Flitwick came to his aid, which is a possibility, especially since LV must have figured that Sluggy blabbed about the horcrux discussion.


He seemed averse to the Death Eater cult long before the final battle. He, for example, seemed to avoid Draco's obvious attempts to curry favor. I think Slughorn was basically a guy who wanted to appreciate his comforts and not get mixed up in dangerous movements of any kind, for as long a possible. Ultimately he was forced to take a stand, and he clearly was allied with the "good guys" despite the trend in Slytherin and the fact that many of the Death Eaters had children there.

Incidentally, I note that the late Nigellus Black (in portrait) was sort of taking credit for Slytherin's contribution to effort when it was done. Considering Slytherin's contribution amounted to Horace and Snape (as a spy for the Order) and indirectly Narcissa (saving Harry - whatever her motivation), from what we can tell, I think that's pretty funny.

He seemed averse to the Death Eater cult long before the final battle. He, for example, seemed to avoid Draco's obvious attempts to curry favor. I think Slughorn was basically a guy who wanted to appreciate his comforts and not get mixed up in dangerous movements of any kind, for as long a possible. Ultimately he was forced to take a stand, and he clearly was allied with the "good guys" despite the trend in Slytherin and the fact that many of the Death Eaters had children there.

Incidentally, I note that the late Nigellus Black (in portrait) was sort of taking credit for Slytherin's contribution to effort when it was done. Considering Slytherin's contribution amounted to Horace and Snape (as a spy for the Order) and indirectly Narcissa (saving Harry - whatever her motivation), from what we can tell, I think that's pretty funny.

I think that Nigellus Black was crowing about Snape's contribution, too.

And, agreed about Slughorn's motivations and the choice he had to make. He wanted to just live the good life, but guilt took hold in the end and he did fight against what he helped create (inadvertantly).

I think that Nigellus Black was crowing about Snape's contribution, too.

Yeah I think so, I mean his protrait would have been one of the few that knew exactly what the story was between Snape and Dumbledore, for years!

i think slughorn definitely was acting in his best interest, as any good slytherin would do, i think he decided that staying at hogwarts was the safest thing for him to do. now he did tell harry/DD about the horcruxes BUT he doesn't remember doing so because he was drunk. if he knew that he had given that part of the conversation up, i wonder what he would have done. but he knew that harry/dd knew about the horcruxes so he probably figured that he was in some danger.

I think that, even if he knew he'd divulged the conversation to Harry while drinking, he still would have stayed at Hogwarts. Up until the final battle he was safer there than he would have been on the run - Voldemort had proven quite adept at finding folks on the run not named Harry Potter.

Slughorn surprised me in joining the final battle, from our previous experience with him I expected that he would have made a run for it to safer areas. But I guess that he might have developed a fondness for Hogwarts and it's students thus he felt himself obliged to defend it, maybe he saw it as his true home. Maybe he thought he owed it to Dumbledore to fight and protect the castle.

Before the battle there wasn't really a reason to run, Voldemort pretty much controlled the whole country including Hogwarts and Slughorn had seen for himself that the Death Eaters had no particular interest in him, so no need to run. Hogwarts even under Voldemort's control was still a good place to be for someone with a healthy appetite.

I'm actually one of the few who thought that Slughorn would join the final battle. I always believed that while Slughorn wasn't exactly the bravest character in the series, he did not agree with the death eaters' ideology.

It's funny that when Harry tells him about a Muggleborn, he has almost averse reaction. But we find out later that it's not because he cares about blood purity; he cares about contacts. Lets face it, if you're a Muggleborn, you've got no contacts in the Wizarding World. When we found that about Slughorn, my opinion of him changed entirely. Let's face it, while he did have some select favourites, he wasn't mean at all to those students who weren't part of the Slug Club. He treated them with polite indifference.

I think what motivated Slughorn to stay at the battle was guilt in having helped, in some small, trivial way, to the ascension of Voldemort. It did take some bravery and I don't want to take that away from him and call him a coward; he was far from it, in fact. I think that he likes to keep his nose out of things and likes to act behind the scenes (as Dumbledore tells us in HBP). However, I didn't think that he would run away. If he's not motivated by guilt or doing the right thing, he is motivated by keeping up his reputation. But after we saw him dueling Voldemort, I'm pretty sure it was a combination of guilt/doing the right thing that kept him at the battle.

Overall, I really like Slughorn's character. He's a good person. He does like to live in comfort, but I get the impression that he values his own life as much as his students'.

1. Slughorn surrounds himself with select students and helps them get ahead in exchange for favor both in schoold and beyond. Does he feel genuine affection for these students of is he just using them to flatter his own ego.
Both. Notice how he picks not only famous/well-connected people, but also genuinely good students (Hermione, Lily).

2. Slughorn refuses to join both the Death Eaters and the Order. Why do you think he refuses to side with either group? Why do you think he chose to live on the run before deciding to work at Hogwarts?
He does not believe in DE's ideals. Not joining OoP is self-preservation.

3. Did Slughorn know what he was doing when he told Riddle about the horcruxes? Did he realize later when Riddle became Voldemort?
What teacher won't help a brilliant student? I think he couldn't imagine Tom actually creating a Horcrux. He did regret it later, that's why he meddled with the memory.

4. Is Slughorn a good person? A bad person?
Good, but prone to influence.

5. Why do you think Slughorn returned to Hogwarts after HBP? Why do you think he stayed after Snape took over?
I think he thought he owed it to Dumbledore, the students and the school to stay.

6. What do you think of Slughorn's decision to fight in the final battle?
That shows bravery. I think, subconciously, he tried to redeem Slytherin.

For most of the story, I felt Slughorn was opportunistic and tried to go with whoever he felt could protect him the most (Dumbledore was an obvious choice) without having to be truly committed (If he had gone over to the DE, he would have had to prove his loyalty in overt ways). I was glad that finally, at the very end, he took a stand and fought against the DE and finally, against Tom Riddle himself. I think he chose to do this because he felt like maybe it would cancel out the guilt he carried all those years of discussing Horcruxes with his former student.

I do wonder how much of Slughorn fighting Voldemort was the guilt and how much was that he realized that, of the fighters left at Hogwarts, he was one of the few that could stand toe-to-toe with Voldemort. It was perhaps the three best duelists (or three of the four - where was Flitwick?) left on the Order's side taking on Voldy at that point.

That being said, I was glad to see Slughorn stick around. Even though few of his students did, he never abandoned the school - despite opportunities to.

I do wonder how much of Slughorn fighting Voldemort was the guilt and how much was that he realized that, of the fighters left at Hogwarts, he was one of the few that could stand toe-to-toe with Voldemort. It was perhaps the three best duelists (or three of the four - where was Flitwick?) left on the Order's side taking on Voldy at that point.

There must have been some guilt, he must have been aware that he was the one that helped Voldemort to eventually create the horcruxes.
He also must have realized, that since Dumbledore died, Voldemort would at some point take over the Ministry and the school. At the point it wouldn't have mattered if he had stayed or had left the castle.

He was aware that Voldemort wasn't particulary interested in his person (like he feared in HBP) and so at least in Hogwarts castle he could be pretty comfortable. Deep in his heart he probably cared for the castle and it's inhabitants, after all it had brought him so many contacts and luxuries in the past. So he decided to stay and fight, he had probably little to lose.

As for Flitwick I am sure he was at the castle but he is so tiny that he is easily overlooked.


That being said, I was glad to see Slughorn stick around. Even though few of his students did, he never abandoned the school - despite opportunities to.

Me too, in the end it still surprised me that he stayed, because everything that he said and did in HBP told me that he was far from happy at Hogwarts and only stayed there because of Dumbeldore's presence and the protection he got at the castle. However he must have been more attached to the castle then he gave away.

1. Slughorn surrounds himself with select students and helps them get ahead in exchange for favor both in schoold and beyond. Does he feel genuine affection for these students of is he just using them to flatter his own ego.
A bit of both, I think. He does seem to feel some genuine affection for Lily, if Harry was able to effectively guilt-trip a drunk Slughorn into giving him a memory that made him look very bad indeed. And I have no doubt he was shocked by the treatment of his Muggle-born former students under Voldemort's regime. He does seem to appreciate students with genuine talent in a different way from those who are just rich or well-connected, though.

2. Slughorn refuses to join both the Death Eaters and the Order. Why do you think he refuses to side with either group? Why do you think he chose to live on the run before deciding to work at Hogwarts?
I think he didn't want to take sides. He really badly wanted to not have the Death Eaters come calling, but didn't want to leave or risk his armchairs and crystallised pineapple- he just wanted the problem to go away, and made his choice only when Dumbledore, using Harry, reminded him of what was at stake and why they were fighting.

3. Did Slughorn know what he was doing when he told Riddle about the horcruxes? Did he realize later when Riddle became Voldemort?
I don't think he realised just what exactly he was doing just then...but he certainly must have, when Tom Riddle finally became Voldemort.

4. Is Slughorn a good person? A bad person?
I'd say he's avaricious but tends towards good because he does, after all, have a conscience.

5. Why do you think Slughorn returned to Hogwarts after HBP? Why do you think he stayed after Snape took over?
As I said, Dumbledore forced his hand, after a fashion. And he's probably enough of a sweet-talker to be well able to deal with Amycus and Alecto and make sure they caused as little harm as possible to the students (all the students, since Slughorn doesn't seem to share Snape's extreme anti-all-houses-but Slytherin stance).

6. What do you think of Slughorn's decision to fight in the final battle?
I'd say it was courageous, especially since, if he knew about the Horcruxes (having given Riddle the information), he knew he was duelling a wizard who couldn't be killed- I don't think he knew Harry was after Horcruxes, he forgot about giving him the memory after he fell asleep that night. So yes, definitely a brave thing for old Sluggy to do.

i think slughorn was pretty brave to stay and join in the fight other than running away. but i wished there would of been some dialogue between Tom and Slughorn about Horcruxed and/or Loyalty. that would of been a pretty good read.

ATTENTION PLEASE

I'd like to direct your attention to:

REVISED: Character Bashing/Worship: aka Shades of Gray (http://www.cosforums.com/showthread.php?t=108021)

Please read it carefully and post accordingly!

The only member of Slytherin house, who decided to stay and fight for the freedom of the school, I think that says a lot about his character!

1. Slughorn surrounds himself with select students and helps them get ahead in exchange for favor both in schoold and beyond. Does he feel genuine affection for these students or is he just using them to flatter his own ego?
I'd say he's using them to flatter his ego, but that doesn't mean he might not develop an affection for some of them. For example, he had a soft spot for Lily. Slughorn is concerned with surrounding himself in a web of connections, people who are famous or people who are likely to become famous/recognized. So I'd say it's mainly for that reason that he gathers the students in the Slug Club together.

2. Slughorn refuses to join both the Death Eaters and the Order. Why do you think he refuses to side with either group? Why do you think he chose to live on the run before deciding to work at Hogwarts?
He probably refuses to side with either group because he doesn't want to be a target of any of them. If the Death Eaters win and he sided with the Order, he'd be harmed; the same if he sided with the Death Eaters and the Order won. He wants to be left out of all of it so things don't go badly for him. That he decided to live on the run before he started work at Hogwarts demonstrates his desire not to get involved and shows a bit of paranoia perhaps.

3. Did Slughorn know what he was doing when he told Riddle about the horcruxes? Did he realize later when Riddle became Voldemort?
Like many people, Slughorn was charmed by Tom Riddle. He had a high opinion of him because Riddle was smart, and didn't think it could hurt to tell him something that he was just asking out of a desire for knowledge. I don't think he realized at the time what he was doing, but later on he definitely realized what he'd done when Riddle became Voldemort, or he'd not have tried to rewrite his memory of the event.

4. Is Slughorn a good person? A bad person?
I'd say neither. He is a bit selfish, but he does have good qualities too.

5. Why do you think Slughorn returned to Hogwarts after HBP? Why do you think he stayed after Snape took over?
He may have wanted to be involved in the school's politics and perhaps to keep up the Slug Club. After Snape took over, I wonder if he was glad to have a fellow Slytherin in charge. He may have thought it could work to his advantage. Or there could have been other reasons, I'm not sure.

6. What do you think of Slughorn's decision to fight in the final battle?
I thought it was a good one - heaven knows the Order can always use a helping hand against the Death Eaters. I think this shows that in the end, he did choose a side.

1. Slughorn surrounds himself with select students and helps them get ahead in exchange for favor both in schoold and beyond. Does he feel genuine affection for these students of is he just using them to flatter his own ego.

While I do believe Slughorn was flattering his ego and securing his future by becoming friendly with a select group of students; I think he did genuinely like being surrounded by the group he chose. Based on their ancenstry, the children would likely prove to be amusing if nothing else, because there would be some special element associated with them - or so Slughorn thought. His picks were, after all, not always the most intelligent or gifted of people necessarily. For example, the only thing we found out "special" about Blaise Zabini was that his mother was incredibly beautiful and on top of it, suspected of having a hand in the death of her 7 husbands. Not exactly a high recommendation for Blaise. And yet, Blaise was a pureblood Slytherin, holding blood purist views, but refusing to align himself with Voldemort and the Death Eaters - so that might have played into Slughorn's reason for selecting him as well. Perhaps he saw in Blaise someone like himself (although I don't think Slughorn held prejudice views - tho he might have when younger). On the other hand, he asked Ginny along for the talent she herself showed. So his picks seemed somewhat based on a random self-determined scale, that only he would understand.

2. Slughorn refuses to join both the Death Eaters and the Order. Why do you think he refuses to side with either group? Why do you think he chose to live on the run before deciding to work at Hogwarts?

Well in the end he did side with the Order. I believe he didn't wish to be involved at all. Self-preservation is something important to many Slytherins JKR pointed out, and that may have been his incentive. But I believe Slughorn was firmly against Voldemort and supportive of the Order the entire time (in his mind) and that is why Dumbledore wished to have him at Hogwarts and why he did not allow anyone in his slug club who was a potential death eater - independent of their ancestry and connections.

3. Did Slughorn know what he was doing when he told Riddle about the horcruxes? Did he realize later when Riddle became Voldemort?

I don't believe he thought the boy would actually create horcruxes. Slughorn seemed reluctant to discuss the matter at all, lest he give anyone ideas about doing so. I think he felt Riddle too wise to do something so foolish in the end - but he underestimated his desire to be immortal.

4. Is Slughorn a good person? A bad person?

He was a very good person.

5. Why do you think Slughorn returned to Hogwarts after HBP? Why do you think he stayed after Snape took over?

I think Harry and Dumbledore convinced him to come along in the end. I believe in his heart, he wanted nothing more than the good side win the war and by the time Voldemort took over Hogwarts and placed Snape in power, he was firmly allied with the Order and remained to do what he could to defend the students and perhaps reason with some of his housemates (Slytherins, many of which were likely assigned to the campus by Voldemort).

6. What do you think of Slughorn's decision to fight in the final battle?

I never doubted he would do so. I also believed that other Slytherin students would have helped in the final battle - even before JKR assured us that they had returned with Slughorn to do so. Prior to her telling us that, I had imagined that some had merely remained in Slytherin house and later snuck out to do what they could to help out on the sly. But her version was much better and cracked me up. They were all self-preservationists and very intelligently went to illicit more help for the good side so that they would stand a fighting chance against Voldemort and his death eaters. :lol:

1. Slughorn surrounds himself with select students and helps them get ahead in exchange for favor both in schoold and beyond. Does he feel genuine affection for these students of is he just using them to flatter his own ego.

I think it's a mixture of both. He doesn't get attached to random people, he selects those that deserve his attention. But once he gets to know someone he is capable of affection. I believe that Sluggy liked Lily Evans and was truly shaken by her death.

2. Slughorn refuses to join both the Death Eaters and the Order. Why do you think he refuses to side with either group? Why do you think he chose to live on the run before deciding to work at Hogwarts?

Slughorn is all about self-preservation. It's not in his interest to make himself a target for either group. Let's face it, keeping a low profile in times of war is the safer way. It's not a heroic or brave decision but Slughorn outlived many brave and heroic men and women.

Horace Slughorn is probably one of the more interesting minor characters introduced in the series - his fondness for creature comforts, his impassioned interest in the powerful and talented, his own considerable magical prowess, his relation to the pre-Voldemort Tom Riddle. He is, much like his similarly-shaped counterpart Umbridge, neither essentially good nor inherently evil. He is not, however, as has been suggested, neutrality-minded -- at least, there is no evidence of this in the text.

He is an incredibly powerful wizard, or at least we are led to assume such, based on Dumbledore's suggestion that the DEs may have been looking to recruit him, a concept which seems to be reinforced by his hiding for over a year when we meet him in HBP. I, however, am unable to discern any exceptional gifts; he is, perhaps, an accomplished occlumens and potions maker, but so is Severus Snape. Did Voldemort perhaps recall his discussion with Slughorn regarding horcruxes, and fear that his secret may be discovered? If that were the case, then why wasn't Slughorn removed from Hogwarts after Dumbledore's death, to ensure that the information never got to Harry? After all, in Deathly Hallows, Voldemort still doesn't believe that anyone knows about his horcruxes. We may assume that Slughorn is a marginally-gifted wizard, and for that reason alone would be valuable to Voldemort, if only because it would be one less person for the side of good/OoP/Harry.

Slughorn's refusal to join the Death Eaters, while also resisting the Order, is merely symbolic of his own desire for self-preservation. I do not believe that he simply feared a loss of comfort - that seems, to me, a bit too easy of a cop-out in regards to his character. He chooses to engage in the Battle at Hogwarts on the side of good, not because of any vestige of loyalty to Hogwarts or Dumbledore, but instead based on his own self-interest. Slughorn would not be treated well if their side lost, and I believe he fully realizes that - it would mean returning to hiding with a considerably more powerful and more populous force of Death Eaters seeking out all those who had stood against Voldemort. Because he took up a post at Hogwarts under Dumbledore and Voldemort had finally realized that his horcruxes had been discovered, he likely realized that he would not be counted a friend.

[QUOTE=hermy_weasley2;4629896]1. Slughorn surrounds himself with select students and helps them get ahead in exchange for favor both in schoold and beyond. Does he feel genuine affection for these students of is he just using them to flatter his own ego.


I think it is a bit of both- he does want to be seen to have an influence, to make or break careers. On the other hand, I think he does come to care for his favourites- it was Harry's emotional blackmail about Lily that caused Sluggy to hand over the true memory after all. I have seen it posted, ages ago, (can't remember who by, sorry) that Slughorn's blatant favouritism may have led students, especially those from his own House who felt overlooked to turn to Voldemort to feel significant -Voldemort was good at fooling many of his DEs into thinking they were important, trusted. It makes sense, in a way - ambitious students, who were treated as inferior by their Head of House would have sought recognition elsewhere, especially given the attitude of other teachers and students to Slytherin House.


2. Slughorn refuses to join both the Death Eaters and the Order. Why do you think he refuses to side with either group? Why do you think he chose to live on the run before deciding to work at Hogwarts?

I think he genuinely doesn't agree with the Dark Lord's ways. As for the Order, I think he considered it too much of a risk to openly defy Voldemort.

3. Did Slughorn know what he was doing when he told Riddle about the horcruxes? Did he realize later when Riddle became Voldemort?

I don't think he knew at the time - or maybe he was just fooling himself, believing what made him feel better. He did seem to realise almost immediately that he had made a mistake in telling Riddle about Horcruxes though. I believe he definitely realised in later years though - giving Harry the memory he admits he "did terrible harm that day."


4. Is Slughorn a good person? A bad person?

I think he is more or less a good person, if a selfish and vain one. He tries to overcome the prejudices he grew up with, especially if he sees a Muggleborn talented enough to disprove them, like Hermione, Lily or Dirk Cresswell. He doesn't deliberately ill-treat the students who are not his favourites (as Snape does), but ignoring them and not even knowing their names can be just as hurtful. Not intentionally cruel, just not considering them worthy of his attention. However, he does fight to defend Hogwarts and deeply regrets his huge mistake regarding Riddle.

5. Why do you think Slughorn returned to Hogwarts after HBP? Why do you think he stayed after Snape took over?

I'm not sure -maybe he considered it his duty to protect the students, maybe he wasn't given much choice in the matter.

6. What do you think of Slughorn's decision to fight in the final battle?

I think it showed courage and loyalty to something bigger and beyond himself. He duelled the "Chief Death Eater" himself along with McGonagall and Kingsley(I think). If that isn't impressive, I don't know what is.

[QUOTE=excusemydust;5309955]Horace Slughorn is probably one of the more interesting minor characters introduced in the series - his fondness for creature comforts, his impassioned interest in the powerful and talented, his own considerable magical prowess, his relation to the pre-Voldemort Tom Riddle. He is, much like his similarly-shaped counterpart Umbridge, neither essentially good nor inherently evil. He is not, however, as has been suggested, neutrality-minded -- at least, there is no evidence of this in the text.

I think there are a lot of shades of grey in between Slughorn and Umbridge. Plus, I would respectfully disagree and say that Umbridge comes quite close to evil, but I'll say no more about her in this thread.


Did Voldemort perhaps recall his discussion with Slughorn regarding horcruxes, and fear that his secret may be discovered? If that were the case, then why wasn't Slughorn removed from Hogwarts after Dumbledore's death, to ensure that the information never got to Harry? After all, in Deathly Hallows, Voldemort still doesn't believe that anyone knows about his horcruxes. We may assume that Slughorn is a marginally-gifted wizard, and for that reason alone would be valuable to Voldemort, if only because it would be one less person for the side of good/OoP/Harry.

Is this part of why Slughorn went into hiding pre-HBP? Now that you bring it up, why didn't Voldemort try to kill Slughorn earlier/have him killed? Knowing that he had discussed Horcruxes with Sluggy- admittedly, prior to Snape's tenure, Slughorn was teaching at Hogwarts and thus more or less safe. However, he wouldn't have spent his summers there, he could have been ambushed somewhere.



He chooses to engage in the Battle at Hogwarts on the side of good, not because of any vestige of loyalty to Hogwarts or Dumbledore, but instead based on his own self-interest. Slughorn would not be treated well if their side lost, and I believe he fully realizes that - it would mean returning to hiding with a considerably more powerful and more populous force of Death Eaters seeking out all those who had stood against Voldemort. Because he took up a post at Hogwarts under Dumbledore and Voldemort had finally realized that his horcruxes had been discovered, he likely realized that he would not be counted a friend.

But if he was purely motivated by self-interest, he would have taken the head-start to go into hiding, rather than return with reinforcements.

But if he was purely motivated by self-interest, he would have taken the head-start to go into hiding, rather than return with reinforcements.

I think that's probably a fair point; I am, probably, too harsh with Slughorn. Although I think self-interest plays an important role, it's probably true that he also acts on his own convictions as well, and should be given credit for that.

1. Slughorn surrounds himself with select students and helps them get ahead in exchange for favor both in school and beyond. Does he feel genuine affection for these students of is he just using them to flatter his own ego? I think he does it to flatter his own ego.

2. Slughorn refuses to join both the Death Eaters and the Order. Why do you think he refuses to side with either group? Simple: He doesn't want to be seen as showing favours, trying to kiss up to one group over another. He realizes that if he joined the Death Eaters, no one would trust him with their Children, question his motives, etc. However, if he joined the Order, the Death Eaters would see this as an act of Treachery, especially with him having been the head of Slytherin. Why do you think he chose to live on the run before deciding to work at Hogwarts? Because he got scared, didn't want to get caught in the middle of things.

3. Did Slughorn know what he was doing when he told Riddle about the horcruxes? I'm not 100% sure here. I don't think he realized who he was dealing with. At the time, I think he honestly felt he was dealing with a really curious Student who wouldn't take an "I don't know" or "None of your business" as an answer. Maybe he felt threatened in some manner. Did he realize later when Riddle became Voldemort? Yes, and that's probably what frightented him more than anything.

4. Is Slughorn a good person? A bad person? He's definitely manipulitive in some ways, but bad, no, I don't think so.

5. Why do you think Slughorn returned to Hogwarts after HBP? Because I think next to Dumbledore, he knew Voldemort/Tom Riddle the best. He probably knew what made the Death Eaters tick and in his own way was trying to make peace with what happened. Plus, while he probably hated being in the middle of things, it was much worse for him to be sitting at home, getting second wind of what was going on. Plus, I also believe he may have realized he could be of some benefit to the Students when something happened. Why do you think he stayed after Snape took over? Simple, like many others, he thought Snape was a cold-blooded Murderer and couldn't walk away and let a fellow Teacher smear the good in Slytherin.

6. What do you think of Slughorn's decision to fight in the final battle? Again, I'm not 100% sure of his motive. But I applaud the fact he didn't turn and run.

1. Slughorn surrounds himself with select students and helps them get ahead in exchange for favor both in school and beyond. Does he feel genuine affection for these students of is he just using them to flatter his own ego.
A bit of both. I think he selects them originally to boost his ego, but it's obvious he does develop genuine affection for at least some of them (Exhibit A: Lily).

2. Slughorn refuses to join both the Death Eaters and the Order. Why do you think he refuses to side with either group? Why do you think he chose to live on the run before deciding to work at Hogwarts?
Ol' Sluggy is the truest Slytherin of them all. He doesn't join sides just for a cause - even though it's obvious he doesn't support Voldemort, his beliefs or his methods, he doesn't sign up for the Order because he's out for himself first and foremost and doesn't want to risk his fat arse. (Not that I see that as a bad thing - I'd do the same). As for being on the run, he wants to hide from both sides, does he not? Plus, it's not like he doesn't have his creature comforts which do matter to him.

3. Did Slughorn know what he was doing when he told Riddle about the horcruxes? Did he realize later when Riddle became Voldemort?
I think that at the start of their talk he doesn't fully realise, but once Tommy boy mentions making seven Horcruxes I think it hits Slughorn what he plans to do - that explains his strong reaction to Riddle's observation and his attempt to smooth it over after that. Unfortunately, it was too late. And yes, he certainly realises what he's done later.

4. Is Slughorn a good person? A bad person?
Fundamentally, I think he is a good person - he may be self serving and play favourites, but he doesn't have a racist bone in his big fat body. Plus, even if he does have his favourites among students, he doesn't make any real attempt to hide it and, unlike Snape, he treats all the others pretty well - we never seem him bullying anyone.

5. Why do you think Slughorn returned to Hogwarts after HBP? Why do you think he stayed after Snape took over?
I think he realised that he would be safer at Hogwarts than anywhere else. Same deal even when Snape took over - even if they did have to deal with the Carrows, at least Voldemort wasn't there himself.

6. What do you think of Slughorn's decision to fight in the final battle?
I think it was a brave decision, but not completely out of character. If he had run, no matter who had won they would have hunted him down and kicked his arse. As McGonagall had said, the time had come for Slytherin (and by extension, him) to decide his loyalties. Slughorn knew that what Voldemort was doing was wrong and he had to fight for the good side, and he gave it his all. Not many wizards (even with two very capable partners) can take on Voldemort and survive.

If it isn't obvious, I love Slughorn. I'm so glad JKR wrote a character to show that not all Slytherins are evil, racist Dark wizards.

1. Slughorn surrounds himself with select students and helps them get ahead in exchange for favor both in schoold and beyond. Does he feel genuine affection for these students of is he just using them to flatter his own ego.

Hard question, but I think he does care for those students. I believe he would have been upset when, for example, Dirk Cresswell died.

2. Slughorn refuses to join both the Death Eaters and the Order. Why do you think he refuses to side with either group? Why do you think he chose to live on the run before deciding to work at Hogwarts?

Well, he obviously wouldn't join the Death Eaters because he doesn't believe in controlling, torturing, or murdering innocent people just because of how they were born. He doesn't go to Hogwarts because he worries that Voldemort would take that as a pledge of allegiance to Dumbledore; even though he doesn't agree with the methods of the Death Eaters, he doesn't exactly want to be controlled, tortured, or killed himself. Slytherins do have a tendency to take the most prudent course of action, and I imagine being difficult to find was going to be the best mixture of survival and comfort for Slughorn.

3. Did Slughorn know what he was doing when he told Riddle about the horcruxes? Did he realize later when Riddle became Voldemort?

I think Slughorn was slightly suspicious of it, but that he knew Tom Riddle was going to find out anyway. I don't believe that he expected Riddle to do it himself; Riddle was a top notch student and I think top notch students have a bad habit of needing to know everything. I do think that he tried to discourage Voldemort from doing it, which we can see in the book, and that he regretted it. I think he knew Voldemort created a horcrux or more, and I believe his characters greatest flaw was refusing to tell that to Dumbledore.

4. Is Slughorn a good person? A bad person?

I think he is a good character with a few bad traits. He is a bit of a coward sometimes, yet one of the bravest characters at other points. He ignores some students, but he certainly tries to help them if they need it (i.e. Ron). He certainly has some significant flaws in his character, but I do believe he eventually makes up for them. He was one of three people to fight Voldemort just before the end; Had Harry chosen to move on, I think one of those three would have likely been the one to disarm, stun, or kill Voldemort in the end. I think you must hold people up to very, very high standard to believe that Slughorn had not made up for any faults of his own during the years.

5. Why do you think Slughorn returned to Hogwarts after HBP? Why do you think he stayed after Snape took over?

I'm not sure, I didn't expect him to come back in all honesty. I suppose he originally went there because he believed the ministry to still be in power and knew that Voldemort was not ready to step into the open yet. I think he stayed because leaving while Snape was headmaster might have caused Voldemort to think that Slughorn opposed his rise to power.

6. What do you think of Slughorn's decision to fight in the final battle?

I think if two people went bungee jumping and one has a fear of heights, the one with the fear of heights is far braver. I think his decision to fight in the final battle was a decision to overcome his fear. I think it also says a tremendous amount about his skill when he is the only one fighting Voldemort along with the next Minister of Magic and someone who seems to be second in command to Dumbledore.

1. Slughorn surrounds himself with select students and helps them get ahead in exchange for favor both in schoold and beyond. Does he feel genuine affection for these students of is he just using them to flatter his own ego.
Perhaps a mixture of both, but he leans more on the latter. He likes to surround himself with these smart, influential, popular and talented people, and feel that he has had a hand in their success. However, he does develop a genuine affection for them, especially Lily.

2. Slughorn refuses to join both the Death Eaters and the Order. Why do you think he refuses to side with either group? Why do you think he chose to live on the run before deciding to work at Hogwarts?
Self-preservation. Even though Slughorn is the nicest Slytherin in the books (He was one of my favourite characters) I should say that, as a former Slytherin and the Head of House, he does possess most of Slytherin's traits, and self-preservation is a very Slytherin trait.

3. Did Slughorn know what he was doing when he told Riddle about the horcruxes? Did he realize later when Riddle became Voldemort?
I think he was a little suspicious after Riddle asked all those questions. I think he only realised what happened when Voldemort didn't die after getting hit by the AK curse.

4. Is Slughorn a good person? A bad person?
I feel that Slughorn is a good person. He may have favourites, but he takes in all sorts of people, irregardless of blood status. Also, he came back to fight.

5. Why do you think Slughorn returned to Hogwarts after HBP?
Perhaps he didn't want to hide anymore. In Hogwarts, he would have had the best protection.
Why do you think he stayed after Snape took over?
I think he wanted to protect the students.


6. What do you think of Slughorn's decision to fight in the final battle?
I never doubted Slughorn, I always knew he would stay back to fight-after getting reinforcements. Deep down, he is someone who would fight for the good side.

1. Slughorn surrounds himself with select students and helps them get ahead in exchange for favor both in schoold and beyond. Does he feel genuine affection for these students of is he just using them to flatter his own ego.

I think he uses them to flatter his ego. There may have been a couple, like Lily, that he really liked. Mostly, though, I think it was just so he would have connections he could call on for favors later on.

2. Slughorn refuses to join both the Death Eaters and the Order. Why do you think he refuses to side with either group? Why do you think he chose to live on the run before deciding to work at Hogwarts?

He's always been one of my least favorite characters because he seemed to be such a coward. IMO, he wasn't sure which way things were going to go during either the first or second war with Voldemort, so, he evidentally found it easier to stay on the run. I guess there were places outside of England he could hide, as well as flitting about the country. It just screamed "spineless" to me as I read more and more about him.

One would have thought that, since he contributed somewhat to Riddle/Voldemort's knowledge of Horcruxes, that he would have been doing everything he could to fight to help bring him down. Of course, I'm sure many of his "brighter" students were DEs, and he may not have wanted to offend them. He said they had been trying to recruit him, so, he wasn't on a list like poor Olivander, to be kidnapped and forced to work with Voldemort.

3. Did Slughorn know what he was doing when he told Riddle about the horcruxes? Did he realize later when Riddle became Voldemort?

Yes and no. Yes, because he had an idea of what Tom Riddle was like since he was Head of Slytherin House and taught Riddle for several years. No, in that, I don't think he was really aware how advanced Riddle's powers were. I don't think he thought Riddle could do the Horcrux "procedure."

4. Is Slughorn a good person? A bad person?

I certainly wouldn't call him good. I don't think he was bad as in "evil." I think he was just a selfish, self-serving, egotistical person who leached off of others all of his life. I don't see that as "good." But, I don't think he was evil, either. Just not a nice person -- not someone I'd want as a "friend."

5. Why do you think Slughorn returned to Hogwarts after HBP? Why do you think he stayed after Snape took over?

Because it was the path of least resistance. He remained neutral and so there was no reason for the DEs to pay any attention to him. I think he may have stayed, in part, to help look after the students. Once Severus was Headmaster, I suppose Slughorn was Head of Slytherin House again. He probably felt an affinity toward it and the students...as long as it didn't endanger him or put him in an awkward position.

6. What do you think of Slughorn's decision to fight in the final battle?

I was glad to finally see him "man up" and show some guts. It softened my very negative opinion of him just a bit.

I loved Slughorn as a really interesting character. He's the opposite of Umbridge, really, and exemplifies Sirius' remark: The world isn't divided into good people and Death Eaters. I think it's important to note that most of us aren't unfailingly brave and selfless, and that Slughorn represents that ordinary characteristic of being a bystander, neither bully nor victim. His heart is in the right place, but his fear is all too real. Wouldn't you be hesitant to openly resist Voldemort if you knew that you could be killed/tortured? Most of us are not as brave as the Trio; we're brave in a quiet way or a way that only comes out at the most desperate of times.

1. Slughorn surrounds himself with select students and helps them get ahead in exchange for favor both in schoold and beyond. Does he feel genuine affection for these students of is he just using them to flatter his own ego.

Both. He wants to believe he is a good man, and the acknowledgements he gets from former pupils will be gratifying to him.

2. Slughorn refuses to join both the Death Eaters and the Order. Why do you think he refuses to side with either group? Why do you think he chose to live on the run before deciding to work at Hogwarts?


He wants to stay out of trouble. He also realises he will have to reveal to Dumbledore the true memory, which would be mortifying. His "reputation" is all-important to him.

3. Did Slughorn know what he was doing when he told Riddle about the horcruxes? Did he realize later when Riddle became Voldemort?


He didn't realise at the time, but did later and should have told Dumbledore much sooner.

4. Is Slughorn a good person? A bad person?
He's a weak person, dedicated to his own comforts.
Good or bad? Hmmm. IRL I recall hearing some friends talking about visiting their home country to see relatives. It was a place where the government was repressive, political opponents were locked up or disappeared. But they said "If you stay out of trouble you will be OK". Staying out of trouble = don't speak up or confront the evil you see. They convinced themselves that the best thing to do was keep quiet and hope for the best. Their lives and loved ones would be under threat otherwise. This is what was happening in HP as Voldemort rose to power, and Slughorn's reaction is an understandably human one.

5. Why do you think Slughorn returned to Hogwarts after HBP? Why do you think he stayed after Snape took over?
Becaues he thought he might be safer at Hogwarts than on the run. He stayed because it was most prudent to do so. However, I think for all his selfishness he was a decent person, and would have tried to protect the students as best he could.

6. What do you think of Slughorn's decision to fight in the final battle?
He showed courage in this. Some people show their best when pushed to extremes and here was his chance to redeem himself for withholding the memory so long. Perhaps he expected to die, so threw off the last of his fear for the sake of the school he loved and the students in it.

1. Slughorn surrounds himself with select students and helps them get ahead in exchange for favor both in schoold and beyond. Does he feel genuine affection for these students of is he just using them to flatter his own ego.

I think it might be a mixture of both. I think he really liked them and they really liked him back, and that in turn flattered his ego. For example, Tom Riddle was closest to Prof. Slughorn when he went to school at Hogwarts, and Prof. Slughorn really liked him, and having such a bright young boy like him probably went to his head.

2. Slughorn refuses to join both the Death Eaters and the Order. Why do you think he refuses to side with either group? Why do you think he chose to live on the run before deciding to work at Hogwarts?

I think he refuses to join the Death Eaters for obvious reasons, but I think he refuses to join the Order because he doesn't want to become a target. He might've lived on the run to avoid both the Death Eaters like he said, but also maybe because of Dumbledore. They were both trying to recruit him, but it might've been harder to turn down Dumbledore repeatedly because they were friends. Instead of trying to face Dumbledore he decided to run away.

3. Did Slughorn know what he was doing when he told Riddle about the horcruxes? Did he realize later when Riddle became Voldemort?

I think when he originally when he told Tom about Horcruxes, he didn't think that poor, sweet, brilliant Tom would ever try something so Dark and evil. But I believe he understood later on what had happened, and that's why he tampered his memory - so as to not incriminate himself.

4. Is Slughorn a good person? A bad person?

I believe he is a good person. He's nice, he does help Harry when he gives him the true, unaltered memory, he's a good teacher, he's friendly, he always - in the end - does the right thing...These are all qualities of a good person, in my opinion.

5. Why do you think Slughorn returned to Hogwarts after HBP? Why do you think he stayed after Snape took over?

I think he returned because he perhaps he thought Harry was returning - and we all know Harry was his pride and joy. But once Snape became Headmaster, he decided to stay - even though Harry wasn't there - to protect the studnets like the other teachers did.

6. What do you think of Slughorn's decision to fight in the final battle?

I feel that everyone who stayed behind showed amazing loyalty to Hogwarts and bravery in the fact that they knew going into the battle they could very well die fighting, yet they did it anyways.

2. Slughorn refuses to join both the Death Eaters and the Order. Why do you think he refuses to side with either group? Why do you think he chose to live on the run before deciding to work at Hogwarts?

I think Slughorn mainly stayed neutral, to keep himself safe. He was a Slytherin, and it isn't difficult to imagine that his own safety was his no. 1 priority. In joining the Order, there was a great danger of being hunted down or getting harmed while on a mission. In joining the Death Eaters, there's the danger of facing Voldemort's wrath, and also being harmed on a mission. From the memory of Slughorn we saw, he appeared to be quite a lazy person, who didn't like adventure himself, but rather the people who were in it.

3. Did Slughorn know what he was doing when he told Riddle about the horcruxes? Did he realize later when Riddle became Voldemort?

Sure he realised later (in my opinion, he's one of the first people to believe Voldemort's return). But I'm also sure he didn't know what he was doing, when he told Tom about the Horcruxes. The fact the he didn't think or dream Tom would really use this informations, shows what a 'good' person he is. The thought of murdering one person seemed to horrify him, to the point that made him think no-one else was capable of it.

4. Is Slughorn a good person? A bad person?

A good person. But in his earlier life, I also think his was rather naive, (question 3).

The only reason, I think could make him a 'bad' person, is refusing to join Dumbledore and fight with them. Also refusing to give Dumbledore the Horcrux memory. But I think both things don't make him essentially bad. He did fight against Voldemort, and the memory, I think he only refused to give it to Dumbledore, because he thought the latter might want to tell his secret, he didn't think Dumbledore could really benefit from the information.

5. Why do you think Slughorn returned to Hogwarts after HBP? Why do you think he stayed after Snape took over?

Because he thought Dumbledore would expect him to stay and protect the school? I think he was naturally protective of the students and the school. After going back to Hogwarts, he might've saw how selfish it is to stay hidden and not help protect/teach people who needed the protection or knowledge he could offer.

6. What do you think of Slughorn's decision to fight in the final battle?

It's a brave decision. Because up to HBP Slughorn had still felt for Tom and didn't want to harm him. Deciding to fight against him, and not even hide it, was very risky for his standards, and quite brave in my opinion.

I really like Slughorn as a character. He's funny nice, but also has his flaws and insecurities. He's also an example (probably the only one) of a Slytherin who is on the good side, without having been exposed to loss or torture or anything of the sort.

If Slughorn is the only Slytherin on the good side, where does that leave Snape? I know that this thread is about Slughorn, but he isn't the only good Slytherin.

I wasn't too sure about Slughorn when I first read HBP. I didn't trust him, for some reason. I couldn't exactly say why, I just felt uneasy. I had to re-read the book and then watch the movie before I accepted him.
Arthur and Molly Wealsey didn't care for him either.

He seemed kind of weird to me until the last book where he rallied and battled against Voldemort. I'm curious to see what you all think.

He seemed kind of weird to me until the last book where he rallied and battled against Voldemort. I'm curious to see what you all think.

Well, I always liked Slughorn. He might not have been overtly brave and noble, but I beleive he was essentially good at heart. His coming back to fight after his neutral stance all through book 6 and 7 was heartening.

1. Slughorn surrounds himself with select students and helps them get ahead in exchange for favor both in schoold and beyond. Does he feel genuine affection for these students of is he just using them to flatter his own ego.

Mostly for ego. Occasionally there may be one he actually likes.

2. Slughorn refuses to join both the Death Eaters and the Order. Why do you think he refuses to side with either group? Why do you think he chose to live on the run before deciding to work at Hogwarts?

Because the Death Eaters probably realised that not joining them was pretty much the same as joining the Order.

3. Did Slughorn know what he was doing when he told Riddle about the horcruxes? Did he realize later when Riddle became Voldemort?

He must have realised eventually. At the time it seemed he was merely giving a talented and curious student some advice.

4. Is Slughorn a good person? A bad person?

Good for a specific purpose. A useful character who prevents Slytherin from being portrayed as being virtually entirely evil. However this is setback somewhat by Slughorn being rather doddering in nature.

5. Why do you think Slughorn returned to Hogwarts after HBP? Why do you think he stayed after Snape took over?

Passion for the subject and the house

6. What do you think of Slughorn's decision to fight in the final battle?

Disappointing. He should have sided with the Death Eaters like a true Slytherin.

. . .He's also an example (probably the only one) of a Slytherin who is on the good side, without having been exposed to loss or torture or anything of the sort.

emphasis mine

If Slughorn is the only Slytherin on the good side, where does that leave Snape? I know that this thread is about Slughorn, but he isn't the only good Slytherin.

. . .

emphasis mine

I don't think that Bella was saying that Slughorn was the only Slytherin on the good side. She's saying that Slughorn does not have any loss or torture that we know of that would cause him to oppose Voldemort. In contrast, Snape is an example of a Slytherin who is on the good side because he was exposed to loss and torture and things of that sort.

And even Slughorn finally decided to give the memory over to Harry and Dumbledore when Harry reminded him what happened to Lily, which could be seen as a loss in that Slughorn had fond memories of Lily as a student.

He seemed kind of weird to me until the last book where he rallied and battled against Voldemort. I'm curious to see what you all think.

I think he was always against Voldemort, just not daring enough to face this fact, or admit it to himself. And as long as he didn't have to make the decision, he stayed neutral. But in the Battle of Hogwarts it was inevitable, he had to make the choice, and was probably motivated to do so by Minerva's urging. I don't have a doubt that he was always in the good side in his heart, and some of his actions showed them. For example, on the train he didn't invite Nott to his little party, because he knew his father was captured among the Death Eaters who broke into the Ministry. He wasn't prejudiced and many of his favourite students were muggle-born. And most certainly, he didn't treat students according to their house or blood status.

She's saying that Slughorn does not have any loss or torture that we know of that would cause him to oppose Voldemort.

That's what I was trying to say. Thanks for making it more clear, :).

Carried over from the Snape thread:

Slughorn was quite mistaken in his judgement that Harry was a natural at potions. And since we are shown that Harry's "talent" was actually due to Snape's ability, there is at least an equal chance that Lily benefitted significantly from Severus' tutelage. It is quite likely Slughorn was as clueless to her success as he was to Harry's.

Saying Harry "inherited" a talent like potioneering from his mother who died when he was a year old is stretching it to me.

Okay, but I don't really see a significant contradiction between your statement and what Mirrormere said (Slughorn was wrong in his assumption).

One could have a prexisting apptitude for that type of learning or subject matter but saying Harry was good at potions or not good at potions based on whether his dead mother was good at potions or not good at potions is going to far.

Okay, but who was ever saying this? Mirrormere??? Slughorn???

What Slughorn said was that Lily had an intuitive grasp of potion-making, and that could be interpreted as having a "pre-existing aptitude". I would say this intuition is synonymous with "natural talent", and I don't see why it's so outlandish to assume that talent/intuition/aptitude can be inherited.

Basically what I'm saying is that obviously Slughorn was mistaken in his assumption -- but not because it's a huge mistake to assume such a thing (imo). He was mistaken because of a factor that he was not aware of (the HBP). From Slughorn's perspective Harry was a very intuitive potions student, and since Harry obviously was never tutored by Lily, and it never crossed his mind that he was copying someone else's work, I think he just assumed that Harry had inherited his mother's intuition for the subject (and I think that's reasonable).

What's being left out is the time and effort that Lily would have put in to building her abilities at potions and James's hard work and dedication in wanting to become an animagi and maybe Harry just had an aptitude for flying. Harry never shows this kind of will to apply himself to schoolwork.

But Slughorn hasn't taught Harry for 5 years, so he doesn't know that about Harry. Besides, it clearly takes more than just brains & hard work to become a "dab hand" at the subject. Just look at what Hermione went through that year. Arguably the most hard-working and intelligent student in her year, she followed the book recipies to the letter and could not manage what Snape was able to do at her age. She lacked the intuition in this subject that Snape and Lily had. Harry's "intuitive grasp" gave him the edge over Hermione's rote-understanding, and I'm sure Slughorn had seen this alot over his teaching career.

In fact, I'm sure most teachers are well aware of the difference between innate talent and learned skill. McGonagall knew pure talent when she saw it (Harry flying, spotting, and catching the rememberall). He only got better as the years went by, and if one can reasonably assume that he inherited his physical coordination from his father, why not his mental intuition from his mother? Why was Slughorn so wrong to assume that he got his talent from Lily?

1. Slughorn surrounds himself with select students and helps them get ahead in exchange for favor both in school and beyond. Does he feel genuine affection for these students or is he just using them to flatter his own ego.

I think a little bit of both.

2. Slughorn refuses to join both the Death Eaters and the Order. Why do you think he refuses to side with either group? Why do you think he chose to live on the run before deciding to work at Hogwarts?

I think he cares more about himself than these causes. I don't think he is selfish or uncaring, he's just not that keen about going out of his comfort zone. The same reasons for his being on the run.

3. Did Slughorn know what he was doing when he told Riddle about the horcruxes? Did he realize later when Riddle became Voldemort?

No, I don't think he knew until he learned about Voldemort.

4. Is Slughorn a good person? A bad person?

I think he is a good person. He can be ambitious and self-centered, but he is pretty transparent about this. He doesn't really try to hide his qualities.

5. Why do you think Slughorn returned to Hogwarts after HBP? Why do you think he stayed after Snape took over?

I think he might have anticipated Slytherin House regaining some power at the school.

6. What do you think of Slughorn's decision to fight in the final battle?

It was courageous because he finally picked a side.

Welcome to the post-DH discussion of Horace Slughorn.

1. Slughorn surrounds himself with select students and helps them get ahead in exchange for favor both in school and beyond. Does he feel genuine affection for these students of is he just using them to flatter his own ego.

I think, both. Lily Evans seems a case of a student he favored in school, for whom he also felt genuine affection. He still remembers her fondly years after her death, and even though she has not in any way provided him with tangible benefits from her successful career (which, being dead, she never had. ;) )

2. Slughorn refuses to join both the Death Eaters and the Order. Why do you think he refuses to side with either group? Why do you think he chose to live on the run before deciding to work at Hogwarts?

I think that despite holding mildly bloodist views, Slughorn is a Voldemort opponent at heart. Thus he would naturally not join the Death Eaters. Also, he has personal knowledge of Tom Riddle, and both fears him and disapproves of him based on that knowledge. His reasons for not joining the Order, I would imagine, are a feeling that stopping a threat like Voldemort is not a job for a teacher like him, it is a thing the Ministry should take care of.
3. Did Slughorn know what he was doing when he told Riddle about the horcruxes? Did he realize later when Riddle became Voldemort?

Both Albus and Horace, in the conversation they have in the Muggle house in HBP, seem convinced the Death Eaters would like to recruit Horace. This seems a sensible reason to live on the run if one is not planning to join, I thought.

4. Is Slughorn a good person? A bad person?

Like all HP characters, a mixed bag. Certainly, he is on the "good side", and we see him battle Voldemort himself in the final chapter of DH.

5. Why do you think Slughorn returned to Hogwarts after HBP? Why do you think he stayed after Snape took over?

I think Dumbledore was able to remind Slughorn of the advantages of living at Hogwarts as opposed to life on the run, and Harry appealed to him despite his efforts to resist the temptation of Harry's fame.

As to why he stayed, I think, for one reason, that Snape asked him to. Which would have kept the Death Eater recruiters away. ;)

6. What do you think of Slughorn's decision to fight in the final battle?

I approve!

3. Did Slughorn know what he was doing when he told Riddle about the horcruxes? Did he realize later when Riddle became Voldemort?
I think this is an interesting question. He was clearly uncomfortable when Riddle asked him about horcruxes and I suspect he was afraid that Riddle might actually try it. He seemed to have admired Tom before that but I wonder if his attitude to him changed after that conversation; whether he began to think Tom was not the ideal student he had seemed. I'd have thought he might have told someone else that Tom had been enquiring about horcruxes as it was a very serious matter (Dumbledore or Dippett maybe?) but he seems to have kept it to himself. He clearly felt guilty about the conversation or he wouldn't have modified his memory when he gave it to Dumbledore but I can't quite see why as he didn't say anything that should have encouraged Tom to go ahead and try it. In fact he showed how horrified he was at the thought of it. Consequently I think he did realise that Voldemort had been making horcruxes and that perhaps he should have let someone know earlier. Exactly when he realised that Riddle and Voldemort were one and the same we can't tell, but I don't think he'd have modified the memory if he hadn't realised it.

If he had come to mistrust Riddle and if he did realise Riddle was Voldemort that would be a good reason for his not wanting to join the DEs. I wonder if he feared that Voldemort might want to silence him so that the secret of the horcruxes would never come out. He came over when we first met him as a frightened man, I thought. I think that for many years he had put his head in the sand, ostrich-style, and tried to forget that he had ever told Riddle anything about horcruxes.

I don't know why, but I really enjoyed reading about Slughorn :) It's not that I love him as a character, but I liked the scenes he appeared in.

1. Slughorn surrounds himself with select students and helps them get ahead in exchange for favor both in schoold and beyond. Does he feel genuine affection for these students of is he just using them to flatter his own ego.
Both of them. I think he does feel affection for some of them -Lily or Tom, for instance-, but he also needs to feel that he's been their boost to success

2. Slughorn refuses to join both the Death Eaters and the Order. Why do you think he refuses to side with either group? Why do you think he chose to live on the run before deciding to work at Hogwarts?
I think he just wanted to live a comfortable life, out of troubles; or maybe he was too coward to put his life at risk.

3. Did Slughorn know what he was doing when he told Riddle about the horcruxes? Did he realize later when Riddle became Voldemort?
I suppose he didn't have bad intentions at all when telling Riddle about the horcruxes; he just thought he was satisfying his pupil's curiosity -he was a brilliant student, it seems logical to think he also had more 'advanced' interests than the rest-. Perhaps he'd have become suspicious if it had been another student who had asked the question: Tom was very cunning, but I don't think Slughorn could have ever thought that his charming pupil would use his knowledge to master Dark Arts.
He must have realized his mistake much later.

4. Is Slughorn a good person? A bad person?
I see him as a good person, the problem is that his selfishness and own convencience makes him stay away from problems. On the other hand, he was a helpful teacher and he even fought in the final battle.

5. Why do you think Slughorn returned to Hogwarts after HBP? Why do you think h
e stayed after Snape took over?
Probably he wanted to protect the students in the absence of Dumbledore, as most of the teachers did.

6. What do you think of Slughorn's decision to fight in the final battle?
Despite his selfishness he was on the good side, and maybe he wanted to show that slytherins also have loyalty to Hogwarts.

4. Is Slughorn a good person? A bad person?
I see him as a good person, the problem is that his selfishness and own convencience makes him stay away from problems. On the other hand, he was a helpful teacher and he even fought in the final battle.

But would you say that having no intent to cause harm makes someone a good person? I think Slughorn's character represents a big majority of people who stand by when bad things happen until they can no longer look away. I wouldn't say that he was evil or bad, but that his self-interest and love of comfort were the cause for other characters' troubles, if he wanted to or not. Slughorn was, after all, the one who told Riddle about the Horcruxes because he was easily to flatter. In my view, Slughorn was very bad at judging other people's character. He seemed to be interested in greatness and willing to swallow a certain degree of dodgy dealings.

Slughorn was, after all, the one who told Riddle about the Horcruxes because he was easily to flatter. In my view, Slughorn was very bad at judging other people's character. He seemed to be interested in greatness and willing to swallow a certain degree of dodgy dealings.

Personally, i think Slughorn was a good judge of character, being particularly skilled at picking out students who had the potential to excel and aligning himself with those students (he would enjoy flattery from one, though, and I think he saw Riddle as an up-and-comer). I think he recognized Riddle's brilliance, and I think he also had that Slytherin sense of self-preservation as well as a feeling of how dangerous Riddle was, and he didn't want to become a target. I think his greatest failings were selfishness, his preference of ignoring what was going on and to put his own needs and safety above all else.

I didn't care for Slughorn. He was not a very good person, simply because he was like Harry imagined, a giant spider luring people into his web. He didn't realise until later, how dangerous his information to Riddle was. slughorn should have discussed this with someone, if not professor Dippet, then Dumbledore. but, he was too ashamed, embarrassed and couldn't admit that he talked about the horcruxes with a student.

But the strange thing is that his "great sinful act" really wasn't much of anything: He never really answered Tom Riddle's questions and Tom already knew about Horcruxs at that point. What was strange was Slughorn acting like he did something awful.

Slughorn confirmed to Tom Riddle that horcuxes were powerful and very dark magic. Tom suspected it but needed someone to confirm the fact. Still, I think Slughorn should have talked to someone, to just reassure himself that he didn't do anything bad. We don't know when horcruxes were no longer discussed at Hogwarts .There could have been a ban on the subject and Slughorn broke the ban by talking about it. He couldn't admit to anyone that he broke the ban. That's why he tried to change his memory.

Perhaps if Slughorn had told Dumbledore about the conversation on horcruxes Dumbledore would have gotten an idea of one of the things making Voldemort more powerful. It is that memory that confirms the enitre horcrux theory. Something could have been done earlier if Dumbeldore knew this. The original Order of the Phoenix could have been hunting horcruxes. Dumbledore seemed to have needed this confirmation from the memory if he had suspicions earlier.

But I do understand why Slughhorn might have kept his head in the sand. Once he realized it was Riddle and Death Eaters tried recruiting him he most likely became afraid that Riddle would want to kill him. If he had told Dumbledore about the horcruxes and Dumbledore had failed to find them all Riddle could have thouht that it was Slughorn that supplied Dumbledore with the information. Btw, I'm thinking of before Harry was born, if Slughorn had given up the information at the peak of the first war.

Personally, i think Slughorn was a good judge of character, being particularly skilled at picking out students who had the potential to excel and aligning himself with those students (he would enjoy flattery from one, though, and I think he saw Riddle as an up-and-comer). I think he recognized Riddle's brilliance,

I see a difference between recognising potential and talent and being a good judge of character. I see a difference between ability and character. IMO, Slughorn was a poor judge of character. He was easily fooled by Riddle's flattery and blinded by Riddle's academic skills which he felt were of potential future benefit to him. Slughorn could certainly pick out the students who were gifted or who had connections, the students who could be useful to him.

But the strange thing is that his "great sinful act" really wasn't much of anything: He never really answered Tom Riddle's questions and Tom already knew about Horcruxs at that point. What was strange was Slughorn acting like he did something awful.

I think the bigger mistake was in keeping quiet about Riddle's interest in horcruxes. As others have pointed out, Slughorn was only confirming much of what Riddle already knew. And while Dumbledore suspected for a long time that Riddle had made horcruxes, Slughorn did not know that. Nor do we know when Dumbledore began to suspect horcruxes. He knew at Halloween 1981 that Voldemort had not died - meaning that he already suspected horcruxes. Slughorn's information would have confirmed this, and let Dumbledore know that Riddle wanted six horcruxes.

Slughorn did not know that Dumbledore was working on the horcruxes. Slughorn knew that he was sitting on the secret of Voldemort's immortality and the key to defeating him. I think that was a bigger mistake than telling Riddle.

There could have been a ban on the subject and Slughorn broke the ban by talking about it. He couldn't admit to anyone that he broke the ban. That's why he tried to change his memory.

I think there was - didn't Slughorn tell Riddle that they were a banned topic at Hogwarts, and Dumbledore in particular was very opposed to the topic? However, Dumbledore took it a step further and removed all the books on horcruxes from the library when he became Headteacher.

Perhaps if Slughorn had told Dumbledore about the conversation on horcruxes Dumbledore would have gotten an idea of one of the things making Voldemort more powerful. It is that memory that confirms the enitre horcrux theory. Something could have been done earlier if Dumbeldore knew this. The original Order of the Phoenix could have been hunting horcruxes. Dumbledore seemed to have needed this confirmation from the memory if he had suspicions earlier.

I think Dumbledore had suspicions, even in the first war - he knew immediately that Voldemort had not died at Halloween 1981. And I doubt he would have sent the Order out looking for horcruxes - if Voldemort had got wind of that, he would have moved them.