GLBT wizards/Sinistra's name

[Flying Ford Anglia]

No: HPFGUIDX 8509

Naama said:

<<Don't you think that many people in their 50-60s would not feel 
comfortable dancing cheek to cheek with a person of their own gender?
>>

Well
 not if they were both gay <g>.  I don't think Susan was 
suggesting that two elderly heterosexual men would be likely to do 
a `Fred and Ginger' on the dancefloor, but I'm sure she
will clarify


Also, on a technicality, Moody wasn't himself at the Yule Ball - he 
was the considerably younger Barty Crouch Jnr in the guise of someone 
older.  However, I'm inclined to think that Sinistra is female.

BTW, did Moody dance cheek to cheek with Sinistra? I must have missed 
that bit.  

****

Is there any significance in Professor Sinistra's name?  Most of the 
characters in JKR's world have extremely apposite names, so why 
should Professor S be any different?

Dictionary moment:

-SINISTRA is Italian for "left".
-SINISTRAL' means "of or inclined to the left" 
- There is a term in chemistry – SINISTRATION – which, I think, has 
something to do with the chirality (left or right forms) of 
molecules, i.e. mirror images, but otherwise the same structure (any 
organic chemists in the house?).
SINISTER, of course, has a range of dark meanings, from "evil" 
through "highly unfavourable" to "ominous". 
SINISTER also means "left" in heraldic terms, as our resident experts 
will no doubt be able to confirm and BEND SINISTER, apart from being 
a great record by The Fall, apparently is the heraldic indication of 
bastardy.

So, what does this tell us about Professor Sinistra?:-

A – probably an Italian communist;
B – possibly having the left leg shorter than the right;
C – maybe an identical twin; 
D – almost certainly evil; 
E – arguably a bastard.

Neil