Phoenix Fire? / Tonks

[houyhnhnm102]

No: HPFGUIDX 154235

DA Jones:

> The one word answer to houyhnhnm question about where 
> the sensitivity is in Slytherin is prob: Tonks!

> We don't have in canon anwhere that I'm aware of a 
> statement of what house she was in and since her mother 
> was a Black there is a very good chance that she is a 
> Slytherin. In OOP of the Phoenix isn't something stated 
> to the effect that the blacks have all been Slyutherins 
> for generations, except for Sirius. JKR hasn't shown us 
> much of the female side of Slytherin's. Females are 
> usually more sensative. Pansy is the only female Slytherin 
> we know much about and hasn't she been shown to always 
> be sensitve to Draco at least. Slughorn has some sensitivity 
> too. He is not a total cold fish.

houyhnhnm:

I like the idea of Tonks being a Slytherin.

In OotP Tonks says:

"I was never a prefect myself," said Tonks brightly ... 
"My Head of House said I lacked certain necessary qualities."
"Like what?" said Ginny who was choosing a baked potato.
"Like the ability to behave myself," said Tonks.

Now if McGonagall had been present, I could see Tonks
using this curiously impersonal mode of referring to 
her HoH, accompanied by a wink.  But since McGonagall 
was not there, it seems an odd way of putting it.

Combining Tonks' statement with what Lupin said a little 
later, it appears that Dumbldore made the final decision
to appoint prefects but the Heads of Houses could make 
recommendations.

Now who do we know that would nix a student's chance of 
becoming prefect because she couldn't behave?  Misbehavior
hardly seems to be a disqualifier for the office of prefect 
in Gryffindor House.

Even though Snape was an Order member, he was clearly 
personally unpopular with the bevy of Gryffindors sitting
around the table with her.  She may have been reluctant 
to draw attention to either her House of her HoH under the 
circumstances.

What does sensitivity mean exactly?  Does it mean being 
prone to having one's feelings hurt?  Does it mean being 
attuned to the nuances in a social situation?  Among 
Wizarding folk might it mean a heightened awareness of 
magical traces?  I'm going to have to give that some more 
thought.  I do think that Slytherins are very quick to 
perceive a slight, so they in that sense they could be 
considered to show sensitivity.