How did Tom Riddle get into slytherin? He's a half blood, and we know that slytherin only takes in purebloods, so how did he end up in slytherin?

Thats not true you choose your fate. Just like Harry wanted to be in Gryffindor instead of Slytherin and where did he end up...
So yeah you don't have to be pureblood to be in Slytherin.

I think he ended up in Slytherin because he is the hier of Salazaar Slytherin.

I think the only reason was because he is slytherins heir. I mean it does say in the books that slytherin only takes in pure blood wizards. So really I have no idea how that happened. *Maybe JK didn't think about what she wrote* I have no clue.

It is definitely because he is the heir. I doubt it was an error on J.K.'s part.

Does it ever say that the house only accepts half-bloods? I don't remember reading that anywhere. It seems that the large majority of it is made up of Pure Bloods, but the real qualifications for getting into a house come from your choices and your personality. Tom would have chosen to be a Slytherin, he certainly has the personality... and he's the heir of Salazar. He's probably more qualified than most to be there.

yeah really if that (being the heir to salazaar syltherin) doesn't get you into slytherin i don't know what will lol

well, he is the heir of Slytherin so he has to be in Slytherin and he probabaly choose to be in Slytherin, too.

As well as being the heir, if your evil enough, then you dont need 2 worry about blood. Lol.

Being a pure-blood is one of many qualities that might help someone into Slytherin. I am sure Tom M. Riddle wasn't the first half-blood nor was he the last to be placed into Slytherin. Remember Tom was the direct heir of Salazar Slytherin. He was cunning and power hungry, both qualities favored by Salazar. He would have heard the Sorting Hat's whispers just like Harry did and chances are just as Harry rejected Slytherin, Tom selected it. He may have been whispering "not Gryffindor" or "Let it be Slytherin" like Harry thought of "not Slytherin".

Dumbledore in one of his conservations with Harry, I think it's at the end of Chamber of Secrets, talks about the difference between Tom and he are the choices they had made. While the Sorting Hat had stuggled to place Harry, it finally placed him in Gryffindor because Harry chose it.

Well isn't it obvious he was the Heir of Slytherin and he's a Parselmouth! :sorcerer:

• Heir of Salazar Slytherin
  Parselmouth
  Power-hungry
  Great ambition

Are just a few reason Tom was sort into Slytherin as an 11-year-old boy. Top that off with the fact it was his heart desire to be in Slytherin. His blood relationship to Salazar would have been enough yet Tom had all the quanities for a Slytherin.

Exactly..Tom Riddle was a true Slytherin, regardless of blood type.

well you really dont need to be a pureblood to get into slytherin...

The hat wanted to put Harry in Slytherin too, as has been mentioned above, but what hasn't been mentioned is that Harry is a half-blood as well, what with his mother being muggle born.
That's probably why Voldemort believed him to be the wizard the prophecy was about.
If Harry is a half-blood and he almost got put in Slytherin doesn't that prove that you don't have to be pure blood to get into Slytherin? It just helps you get there.

Tom got into Slytherin because he is Salazar's heir. It's in his bloodline so naturally he would be in Slytherin. However the fact that he is evil and cunning and can speak parseltoungue probably helped his chances of getting into Slytherin regardless that he is half-blood.

I agree with Alastar_Moody.

Tom Riddle spoke parseltongue, was sly, evil, etc.

You don't have to be a prueblood to be in Slytherin. You choose your own fate. You decide what you want to be. It's always your choice, no matter how much ou think it may not be! Harry wasn't a pureblood, but the sorting hat was considering putting him in slytherin. Then, Harry decided he didn't want to be in slytherin.

It depends on what you, yourself, want!

Our choices truly do describe who we are!

It's always our choices. Tom was destined to be in Slytherin anyway. He was Salazar Slytherin's Heir, not to mention just plain E-V-I-L!!

just look at it this way...would voldemore, he who must not be named, you-know-who be a HUFFLEPuFF? hes kinda stupid (to me) to be in ravenclaw and i wont even have to mention the possibility of him being a gyfinddor (like absoleutley no WAY)! so even if hes half he can be sylvhterin, he sure fits it doesnt he? and the hat also wanted harry to be one too and hes half like voldy...

hm never really noticed that odd -ponders- :/ :unsure:

^enough said.

Dumbledore called him 'perhaps the most brilliant student ever to pass through Hogwarts halls' or something like that, so yes he definitely could have been in Ravenclaw if his personality were different...

^enough said. [/b][/quote]
^mm hmm. you got that right.

Another significant question:

How did Wormtail get into Gryffindor?

::cringes:: I hate when this question comes up, because I actually have to defend Wormtail. ::sighs... takes deep breath:: In the "cringing piece of filth's" defense, he is courageous. He's not brave in the sense that we usually associate with the word, but he is brave.

Robbing a bank is not a very noble/good thing to do... I think we can all agree on that. But, the robber is still quite daring. That's much like Pettigrew's situation. Was it bad to work as a double agent for the Death Eaters? You bet. Was it daring going behind Dumbledore/The Marauders back? Very. I think the majority of people would curl up into the fetal position and simultaneously wet themselves if they met up with a half-crazed Sirius, but Pettigrew had the wits to fake his own death. Another disgusting, but daring act.

Besides, Pettigrew was sorted into Gryffindor as a child, he didn't start working for the Dark side until he was 20. Perhaps at school, he really did have some ::shudder:: redeeming qualities. It was your personality and choices as an eleven year old that sorted you, not the actions you would take in the future.

But then, I still believe him to be the ultimate literary coward for selling out his friends, so I don't know what to think.

/\ Very well said, even if it is awful

But this Tom Riddle thing, even though he is a half-blood he's Slytherin's heir. And just because you're a pure-blood doesn't mean you'll go into Slytherin, look at Sirius Black = Gryffindor and the Weasleys = Gryffindor.

So, really blood does have a part to play but that's not the most important factor, it's your personality that the Sorting Hat can see and things you see as good qualities in a person and in yourself, it's what makes you you.