The 3 good Slytherins (was: The two good Slytherins)

[Zara]

No: HPFGUIDX 176397

Eggplant: 
> so as far as Phineas Nigellius knew Snape
> was a loyal Death Eater, and yet he worshiped him. Calling Hermione a
> Mudblood did not exactly endear him to me either. As for Andromeda
> Tonks, we know little about her, we can't even be certain she's a
> Slytherin. 

zgirnius:
Regarding Phineas, in "The Prince's Tale" he reports to Snape that 
Harry and Hermione are in the Forest of Dean, and Dumbledore excitedly 
tells Snape to take the sword to them, without answering Snape's 
question about what to with it. At this point Phineas definitely knows 
Snape is no Death Eater. 

Quite possibly, however, he has also witnessed all of the scenes 
between Snape and Dumbledore which took place in Dumbledore's office. 
The former headmasters do seem to listen in and know these sorts of 
things. (Like knowing that Harry slew a Basilisk, e. g.). In which case 
he saw Snape's remorse over the death of Lily, his promise to help 
protect Harry, his saving of Dumbledore's life and agreement to kill 
him when the time comes, and any number of other conversations.

I took his comment at the end of DH, about Slytherin's contribution to 
the victory, to mean, among other things, Snape's contribution.

As for Andromeda, she is older than Sirius, and a Black. Slughorn's 
statement to Harry in HBP about Sirius being the first Black not in 
Slytherin implies that Andromeda was. Slughorn would hardly forget the 
sister of two girls that were in his House in the same period.