I also asked my self this question but the answer I had found that Tom Riddle has the exact qualities that should be in the Slytherin. So he got in also he is a half bood.

it does say somewhere that only pure bloods are welcome into slytherin but he is half blood. But like andrew said above he has so many qualities to be in slytherin AND be the heir of Slytherin.

It could also be a mistake, we all make them *shrug*

I don't think so either, it never said that Slytherins didn't have any half-bloods in their house. It just said that Slytherins typically don't want half-bloods to be taught magic. There are those people that are rejected in every situation, and I would imagine that there are some slytherins who are half blood who aren't wanted by their fellow slytherins

^ I agree that you don't have to be pure blood to get into Slytherin. It's your personal qualities, choices etc... as others have mentioned. Salazar Slytherin did prefer pure-bloods, but if the hat went just by that there would probably be very few kids in Slytherin as there are not many pure families left. By that standard Ron would be a Slytherin!

err welll
A- he is slytherins heir
B: he is pure EVIL
C: he wated to be a slytherin

I believe that a muggle born wizard has the same chance of getting in to Slytherin as a pureblood wizard and a half blood wizard because it is the character of the person that matters not the blood.

The Sorting Hat only guides a person to the most suitable house for them but it is the individual who in the end has to choose.
Not all Slytherin are evil look at Draco he could talk the talk but could not walk the walk as a deatheater. He could not kill DD and not all Griffindors are brave look at Peter wormtail.

In the words of Sirus Black "the world is not spilt into death eaters and good people."

Tom Riddle coming from his orpanage backgroud was a survier and a very good one at that, Slytherin was the natural choice for him as they always look after there own interests first and Tom had too before going to Hogwarts and You live what you learn, need I say anymore.

I think this question is easliy answered. First of all Riddle is the heir to Sltherins heir and we also know that you could be half blood and put into Sltherin... look at Harry for example, if he wanted to he could have gone into Sltherin and hes a half blood too.

I think that Tom Riddle got into Slytherin for a couple of reasons:

1. He is the Heir of Slytherin. The fact that he was so closely related to Slytherin canceled out any muggle blood Tom Riddle had in him.
2. He has Slytherin's traits. His personality matches Slytherin's.

Tom Riddle both had Slytherin blood in him and he was like Slytherin. The Slytherin House fit Tom Riddle perfectly.

He probally asked to be in slytherin and he is salazar slytherins' heir...

I've always wondered how Tom could have gotten in Slytherin too, until I read that quote. That's a really good point. I never thought of it. I totally agree with what's said above.

Keep in mind that the sorting hat says:

You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folks use any means
To achieve their ends.

Concerning Slytherin. Seems an adequate enough description of Mr. Riddle to me. Also note he did not know about his heritage until years after being accepted at Hogwarts.

Well Slytherin is all about putting yourself first, and Tom Riddle did do that...he had no true friends, only followers..even at the orphange, he had no friends....the Sorting Hat could sense that I am sure. He, being the heir, along with all the personality traits, he was pretty much destined to be in Slytherin.

he picked 2 b in slytherin obviously

Personaly I think that the sorting Hat does not just take Prueblood wizards in this House!
It takes the students would suit Slytherin best!
Ron was a Prueblood he did not suit Slytherin!
To say Slytherin only takes prueblood is a lie.

Te sort hat is self says Slytherin TOOK pureblood like himself
this is past tense not present tense! That is what happen when Slytherin was still at Hogwarts!


Harry nearly got in not a prueblood, Riddle not a pureblood but heir of Slytherin and a half-blood got in.

That girl in Chamber of Secrets who get Hermine in a head lock is not Prueblood and she is a Slytherin. She's a muggleborn.
How I know this was when I saw JK Rowling's list of who was in Harry year
I looked in the columefor house and blood type and hers was Slytherin/Muggleborn.

If you go in Slytherin your past if your a half-blood or a muggleborn gets wiped they treat you as a pureblood.

The Sorting Hat lets the person pick their house and shows them there best match according to there values and personally!
They do not have to follow the hats line of throught.
They can choose thier house!
I think the sorting hat is a way of working thourgh a person throughs
to find the right house for them.

I disagree with the line of thourght that just because Tom was the Heir of Slytherin he should be in Slytherin!
That is like saying all Blacks should be in Slytherin because they hate half-bloods, muggleborns and muggles!

Oh wait what about Sirus Black he choose not to be in Slytherin unlike the rest of his family !
IT IS YOUR CHOiCE and personally not your family that decsides your house!

I also disagree with the line of thourght that an 11 years old can be evil they can be warped and twisted but evil like all things has to learned like being good!

Tom at this point in his life was not truely evil yet! He was developing his skills!

Bloody he-*Teddy smacks Ottery* LOL I mean, of course not, blood, schmlood.

But since traits are genetic...it could be argued that it had everything to do with his blood... *fires the cannons* But this is fantasy not science fiction so...
*Teddy busts in* It's upbringing I tell you...
O: Well his 'Papa was a rolling stone...' Poor Tom, he didn't exactly have the most loving of families...*Ottery relates* So it was blood in the sense that his family done screwed him up...*fires the cannons*



But no, like Dainsie said, being sorted into Slytherin has nothing to do with being a Pureblood or Half-Blood, or even Muggle born

even though slytherin only takes purebloods, he really couldnt deny having his very own descendant in his house now could he? and well, like it's been established, tom did have the traits most prized by slytherin - cunning, power-hungry, devious...so obviously, the hat picked the house which best suited him. and we all know what a bad boy tom was..even at 11..*chides him*

I dont think you have to bee pure-blood to get into slytherin...but I dont know.. :S

He's the heir of Slytherin himself. Not just any decendant. He controlled Slytherins snake! How could he not be in there?

well even though hes a half blood, he was a descendant of slytherin himself and the heir of slytherin. also, he had all the qualities a slytherin has... i dont think you need to be a pure blood to get into slytherin... the sorting hat wanted to put harry in slytherin and hes not a pure blood