Tonks- Real Auror?

[R. Penar]

No: HPFGUIDX 69593

I did a search on the archive for this but didn't find anything, so 
my apologies if it's been asked and answered...

Something that struck me on my very first reading of OoTP (I was so 
darn proud of myself!) was that Tonks passed her Aurors test "last 
year". Yet when Harry goes to career counseling, McGonagall is 
telling him how difficult it is to become an Auror and says that she 
doesn't think anyone has passed "in the last three years". Both she 
and Tonks are in the Order, obviously they know each other, so 
what's the deal? Here are my thoughts:

1. Umbridge was in the room at the time McGonagall made this 
statement. Perhaps there is some reason why McGonagall wouldn't 
bring it up in front of her? To immediately shoot myself down - 
Umbridge works for the ministry, as do the Aurors, so she should 
*know* who the Aurors are.

2. Tonks is not a true Auror, she just told Harry that to try to 
impress him or something equally shallow. This leads to lots of 
other questions - why would she lie? Does this *prove* that she is 
some kind of spy or something?

3. McGonagall wants to appear as though she doesn't keep up with who 
has recently become Aurors. She is trying to keep a profile of 
Hogwarts Teacher Immersed in Education and Staying Out of the 
Ministry's Business.   This seems most plausible, except that she 
and DD are best friends (maybe more, but that's another story...) so 
obviously she would be supporting DD and most likely be up on the 
latest Ministry news.

Thoughts?

Becky, who is VERY VERY excited about Nimbus 2003 in 6 days!