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sorting hat - Why didn't Harry want to be placed in Slytherin?


I just read a question regarding Slytherin, then I searched around and found this question and corresponding answers: How far can a Hogwarts student persuade the Sorting Hat?


This brings up another question: Why didn't Harry want to go to Slytherin? He didn't even know he was a wizard until a few days before and had no relatives who could tell him about Hogwarts. So why was he so adamant about Slytherin when he had no clue what the differences between the houses were?


I have to say, I only saw the movies and didn't read the book - maybe there he is introduced into the houses before he is judged by the sorting hat?



Answer



As you have not read the books, the following conversation happens between Harry and Ron in the train compartment:




"What house are your brothers in?" asked Harry.


"Gryffindor," said Ron. Gloom seemed to be settling on him again. "Mom and Dad were in it, too. I don't know what they'll say if I'm not. I don't suppose Ravenclaw would be too bad, but imagine if they put me in Slytherin."


"That's the house Vol-, I mean, You-Know-Who was in?"


"Yeah," said Ron. He flopped back into his seat, looking depressed.



It is mentioned here that Voldemort was in the Slytherin house. Harry already knew that Voldemort had killed his parents. So it may be his disgust, anger, fear of being evil or hatred towards the house because Voldemort was in Slytherin; Harry very badly doesn't want to be sorted into Slytherin.


That's why,



Harry gripped the edges of the stool and thought, Not Slytherin, not Slytherin.




In the movies, Ron does not specifically tell Harry that Voldemort was in Slytherin, but he tells him that, "All the darks witches and wizards come from Slytherin" soon after the Sorting Hat yells, "Slytherin!" for Draco Malfoy.


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