Fantasy Advent Calendar, Day 12: Why Slughorn Was Before His Time..

Late in the Harry Potter books, we were introduced to Horace Slughorn. Professor of Potions in Year 6 and keeper of the secret to Voldemort's immortality. The character was a fascinating addition to the lore and, despite being a late-comer, played a key role. He not only set Tom Riddle on the path that would to lead to his emergence as Lord Voldemort, but also put the Golden Trio and Dumbledore on a collision course, with him.

The Slug Club

Introduced as an eccentric but gifted Professor, Horace's darker side is slowly revealed. As recounted by Dumbledore, he basks in the glory of the famous and tries to be friends with them all, banking on them to increase his social standing in the Wizarding World. This vanity and self-serving behavior is what led to the formation of the Slug Club, a clique full of people who either know important people or are important or famous in their own ways.

Lily Evans Potter was one such student. Harry's mother was a gifted Potions student and thus, she, too, was "collected" by Slughorn during his time at Hogwarts. However, his most egregious collection was the student called Tom Marvolo Riddle. As masterfully shown in the movies and expanded upon in the books. Riddle was an exceptional manipulator and knew what strings were to be pulled to get things done in his way.

Playing on Slughorn's need for validation and self-serving importance, Riddle managed to weasel out the information on the Horcruxes, sending not only himself down a dark path with no return, but also dooming the Wizarding World to two wars and unspeakable crimes and losses. In a way, Slughorn is responsible for what happened. He could be held accountable not only to Harry's parents, but to the whole Wizarding World.

The Potioneer and the Potter

However, Harry helps Slughorn make peace with what he did. By giving Harry the unaltered memory about what he told Riddle a night all those years ago when he gave a promising student forbidden information, Slughorn comes to terms with the demons of his past. Not only that, but he also stands with the Professors during the Battle of Hogwarts, solidifying his status as a true hero. A hero who made mistakes, but stayed back to fight them and vanquish them.

Slughorn's story is poignant for those who believe that their mistakes are what they will be remembered for. Like this author, you too must have felt that the bad stuff about you will be what's remembered. However, that is not the case. People are complex. We fight, fall, and wage war on another. However, we are also the same people who come together and unite as one when the world needs us to, as seen in the climate change conundrum.

We are all Slughorns. We have all made mistakes that we wish we could forget and wipe away. Not just from our memories but from reality itself. However, the best we can do is stand strong and work to make it right. Learn from what we did wrong the first time. Go the extra mile to make sure that your mistake does not cause others harm, and, if necessary, fight those very people you once admired and respected.

We can all be heroes in our times, and the path to true heroism lies not in being perfect, but in running towards our problems and facing them head on. We may fall, yes but at least we fall, having tried. No excuses and no fear.