Tonks as Slytherin (Was: Phoenix Fire? / Tonks)

[houyhnhnm102]

No: HPFGUIDX 154251

Ceridwen:

> Snape also calls Tonks by her given name in HBP. He 
> calls other Slytherin students by their first names, 
> but so far, I haven't noticed him using first names 
> with students from other houses, or at least students 
> from Gryffindor.

Carol responds:

> As for Tonks being a Slytherin, I like your arguments 
> and evidence (and we also have Snape addressing her 
> as Nymphadora,

houyhnhnm:

Though I still like my theory that calling Tonks "Nymphadora" 
to verify her identity was part of the Orders security protocol.  
Just as a Molly who likes to be called "mollywobbles" is the 
real Molly, a Tonks who reacts with a frown to being called 
"Nymphadora" is the real Tonks.

Oh woe, one piece of evidence, two theories.  I like them both.  
I can't decide. :-(

Carol:
 
> But cunning? Ambitious? Willing to use any means to 
> achieve her ends?

> and Dumbledore himself listed "a certain disregard for 
> rules" as a Slytherin trait,

houyhnhnm:

But which characters have we been *shown* breaking 
the rules? Sure the Slytherin kids are a bunch of sneaky 
little provocateurs and they hex people up and down the 
hall, but which house not only produces serious rule 
breakers generation after generation, but takes *pride* 
in their scalawags.

I don't think we can take Dumbledore's word for what 
Slytherin's true nature is, nor can we take what the 
Hat says about them in years one, four, and five.  
Dumbledore is a Gryffindor and may have as much trouble 
empathizing with the temperaments of the other houses 
as he does with youth (however devoted he is to the 
welfare of all his students).

The Hat is a magical object which appears to be able 
to think for itself.  Its sings a different song every 
year and its song is always topical.  So it shows what 
Slytherin has become (and may have become a thousand 
years ago) not what it is capable of. 

I have been thinking about whether Tonks shows sensitivity
or deep feelings or whatever, and I realized well, yeah, 
she wears her heart on her sleeve all through HBP.

Now wearing your heart on your sleeve would certainly be 
seen as lacking in "certain necessary qualities" by your 
HoH if your HoH was Severus Snape.

And yet, if Slytherin is water, to deny feelings is to 
deny your nature. As Snape does.  And see how it has 
warped his soul. 

zgirnius:

> For ambition, using the word in a more positive 
> connotation than is usually used in a discussion of 
> Slytherins (the Sorting Hat, after all, said it saw 
> in Harry a thirst to prove himself...is that not 
> ambition?) well, Tonks is an Auror.

I agree that Tonks' becoming an auror shows ambition.  
There is an interesting essay in _Harry Potter and 
Philosophy:  If Aristotle Ran Hogwarts_ that shows why 
ambition could be considered a virtue in the Aristotelian 
sense.  Have you read it?  I don't know if we are allowed 
to discuss such things here or if it would be considered 
off topic.