Nymphadora Tonks

**Nymphadora "Dora" Lupin** (née **Tonks**) (c. 1973 – 2 May 1998), more commonly known as **Tonks**, was a British half-blood witch and a Metamorphmagus. She was the only child of Ted and Andromeda Tonks (née Black). Tonks attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from 1984 to 1991 and was Sorted into Hufflepuff House. She was in the same year at Hogwarts as Gryffindor Charlie Weasley.

After leaving Hogwarts, Tonks joined the Ministry of Magic and trained to become an Auror under the watchful eye of Alastor Moody, qualifying in 1994. In 1995, she joined the second Order of the Phoenix, working undercover in the Ministry and helping to guard the Department of Mysteries. On 18 June 1996, she fought in the Battle of the Department of Mysteries.

At some point, Tonks fell in love with Remus Lupin, her fellow Order member and a werewolf who felt he was too poor, old, and dangerous for her and thus rejected her feelings, although he felt the same way. In the wake of the return of Lord Voldemort, Tonks was assigned to Hogsmeade as part of the Auror task force sent to guard Hogwarts. She later fought in the Battle of the Astronomy Tower. After seeing the love Fleur Delacour held for Bill Weasley despite his injuries, she publicly declared her love for Remus. Tonks and Remus were married in the summer of 1997. She formed part of the Advance Guard and bravely participated in the Battle of the Seven Potters. Tonks became pregnant by this time and Remus began to worry that he had passed on his werewolf condition to their son, though this proved not to be the case as the child had inherited only Tonks's metamorphic abilities.

Remus, in response to this, attempted to leave Tonks, but was convinced by their friend Harry Potter to return to her. She gave birth to a son, Teddy Remus Lupin (named after her late father Edward "Teddy") shortly after Easter in 1998 and the couple named Harry the godfather. On 2 May 1998, Tonks fought in the Battle of Hogwarts and was finally murdered by Bellatrix Lestrange, her maternal aunt and a Death Eater, a devoted servant of Lord Voldemort. Her murder was avenged by her order colleague and friend Molly Weasley. After her death, her son was raised by her mother and Harry.

## Biography

### Early life (1973–1984)

Nymphadora Tonks was born in late 1972 to 1973 to Edward Tonks, a Muggle-born wizard and Andromeda Tonks (née Black), a pure-blood witch and former member of the noble House of Black although she was blasted off the family tree after marrying a Muggle-born, which was considered a betrayal to the family.

Her mother noticed that Tonks changed hair colour on the day of her birth when she was still in the hospital, meaning she was a Metamorphmagus. Given her common use of the greeting "Wotcher", which is strongly associated with London, she likely grew up in southern England.

### Hogwarts years (1984–1991)

#### First year

Tonks began her first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in 1984 and was sorted into Hufflepuff House at the Sorting ceremony. Being the daughter of the ostracised Andromeda Tonks, she was rejected by the pure-blood supremacists of the House of Black.

#### Third year

In her third year, Tonks took at least Divination and Muggle Studies as her elective subjects. Also in the 1986–1987 school year, at the start of the Herbology lesson on Valerian Sprigs, Tonks warned people to watch out, for she spilled some soil on the floor. When the Herbology Professor (her Head of House) Pomona Sprout, asked fellow Housemate Penny Haywood to fetch a pail for the watering demonstration, Tonks took the time to briefly wonder aloud about which plant would be most suitable for bothering a certain "irritable, birdlike" librarian.

The musing was cut short by Penny's scream, and the class realised in shock that a supposed werewolf had burst out of a plant pot. Professor Sprout took care of the situation by casting the Boggart-Banishing Spell, and introduced the class to what a Boggart was. As Professor Sprout left to report the incident to Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, Tonks asked Jacob's sibling in puzzlement about Penny's fear, implying she didn't understand why Penny's worst fear would be werewolves.

Before the start of the lesson on "rolling" in the Flying class, Tonks chatted excitedly with Rowan Khanna and Jacob's sibling, for as third years, they would finally get to go to Hogsmeade. She was especially looking forward to visiting Zonko's Joke Shop and Honeydukes, along with having Butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks Inn. After the lesson, she revealed she had crashed into the Owlery, the Astronomy Tower, the Whomping Willow, and Rubeus Hagrid's garden, but that apparently was a few crashes fewer than her average. Tonks later revealed that she had often gotten detentions for turning into teachers using her Metamorphmagus abilities.

When revisiting an old lesson in Herbology, re-potting baby Mandrakes, Tonks forgot her earmuffs and resorted to rolling up some Jelly Slugs and sticking them in her ears, which proved to be sub-optimal, for though she was not affected by the screaming Mandrakes; after class, she also could not properly converse with Jacob's sibling, due to being unable to hear.

#### Fourth year

At some point, Tonks taught herself the highly advanced Patronus Charm. She later saved Jacob's sibling from a Dementor, after Penny was knocked out by one. She was then able to teach Jacob's sibling and Merula Snyde the same spell.

One night in her fourth year, Tonks took the biggest Venomous Tentacula from Sprout's greenhouse. She attempted to put it under Filch's desk, but fell on her face on the way, accidentally tossing it into the Potions Classroom. The plant ended up grabbing Professor Severus Snape. He and Sprout agreed to give Tonks daily detention until the end of her school days, but Sprout gave her the chance to not get detention if she managed to pass a special Herbology test.

Tonks studied for the test in the Hogwarts Library, where she came across Jacob's sibling. Tonks told them what had happened and the two agreed to study together.

#### Fifth year

Professor Sprout didn't make her one of Hufflepuff's prefects in her fifth year because she lacked the ability to behave properly.

Despite her behaviour, Tonks achieved good marks on her O.W.L.s, advancing to N.E.W.T.-level in Defence Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, Charms, Potions, and Herbology at the least in her sixth and seventh year.

#### Sixth year

During her sixth year, Tonks proceeded to take N.E.W.T.-level classes in Defence Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, Charms, Potions, Herbology, Divination, and Muggle Studies. Sometime that year, she became a founding member of the Circle of Khanna, a group devoted to avenging Rowan Khanna and locating the final Cursed Vault. It was at the group's first meeting in the Hog's Head Inn that she learned of the malevolent organisation R and its motives to locate the final Cursed Vault before them.

She joined Jacob's sibling on his mission to infiltrate R's meeting, using her Metamorphmagus abilities to turn into a dark witch. She kept an eye on the meeting, inducing the suspicion of the wizard in white robes. However, she managed to get through the meeting, until Patricia Rakepick Apparated into the scene and attacked Jacob's sibling. She duelled the wizard in white robes and an unidentified dark witch alone, and managed to hold her ground, even managing to disarm and bind the wizard in white robes in ropes.

Tonks continued her rebellious behaviour with her friend Tulip Karasu during her sixth year at Hogwarts. They kept their pranking until they ended up in detention in the kitchens.

She was also predicted to fall in love with a vampire, during her Palmistry Divination classes, although the prediction, which was prognosticated by Jacob's sibling, was most likely wrong, as she would later marry Remus Lupin.

#### Seventh year

During the 1990–1991 school year, Tonks participated in the Ministry of Magic student programme, a Ministry-sponsored programme that allowed seventh-year Hogwarts students to experience various careers first-hand.

She and Jacob's sibling were initially assigned to the Auror Office under Alastor Moody. During her first assignments, she and her friend helped Moody track down a rogue alchemist whose fake panacea had given several victims boils.

At the end of the year, she earned 'Outstanding' or 'Exceeds Expectations' on at least five of her N.E.W.T.s, (of which one was an 'Outstanding' in Transfiguration, and an 'Exceeds Expectations' in Charms) thus qualifying for Auror training when she left school in 1991.

### Career as an Auror (1991–1995)

After passing a series of character tests that examine practical skills and how well candidates react under pressure, Tonks underwent three years of formal Auror training also under the tutelage of Alastor Moody. Her natural metamorphic abilities allowed her to easily pass the Concealment and Disguise portion of the training without doing any work or study at all. However, Tonks's clumsiness gave her trouble with the Stealth and Tracking portion of the course. She admitted to Harry Potter that she almost failed, as she had a habit of breaking items.

Tonks qualified fully as an Auror in 1994, she was one of the last ones taken on. According to her father, she had been through worse experiences than many of her next battles.

### Second Wizarding War (1995–1998)

*Main article: Second Wizarding War*
With the return of Lord Voldemort in 1995, Tonks was one of the few Ministry employees to be convinced of the truth, rather than accepting the Ministry lie that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named hadn't returned. She joined the reconstituted Order of the Phoenix, and, alongside Kingsley Shacklebolt, worked as a covert operative inside the Ministry, feeding the Order information. Tonks had to be careful around the Ministry, though, as indiscreet actions would have seen her lose her position as an Auror. She also took shifts guarding Harry Potter's prophecy in the Department of Mysteries, along with other members of the Order. She was considered a considerable asset to the Order.

In the summer of 1995, Tonks was part of the Order's Advance Guard sent to escort Harry from 4 Privet Drive to 12 Grimmauld Place, after his encounter with Dementors in Little Whinging. In order to lure the Dursleys from the house so they could retrieve Harry Potter, she sent a letter via the Muggle post, informing them that they had been short-listed in the "*All-England Best Kept Suburban Lawn Competition.*" With the Dursleys out of the way, the Advance Guard arrived to protect Harry during the journey to London.

Tonks befriended the young wizard immediately and helped him pack his trunk, although she was not very good with household spells, something at which her mother excelled. She was impressed by his Firebolt broomstick. During the broomstick flight to Grimmauld Place, Tonks flew in the lead of the formation and convinced Moody to land immediately instead of doubling back.

After rescuing Harry from the Dursleys, Tonks was extremely busy at the Ministry, and the situation wasn't helped by Rufus Scrimgeour asking awkward questions, possibly due to her association with Mad-Eye Moody. Still, she found the time to attend the party at Grimmauld Place for Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger to congratulate them on becoming prefects. She was later part of the Order task force, disguised as an old woman, that escorted Harry, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Fred, and George to King's Cross Station, so they could catch the Hogwarts Express.

At Christmas of the same year, Tonks accompanied Harry, Hermione, and the Weasleys to St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries to visit Arthur Weasley, who had been attacked by Lord Voldemort's snake, Nagini. She gave Harry a miniature replica of his Firebolt as a Christmas present. Tonks, along with Remus Lupin, escorted Harry, Hermione, and the Weasley children back to Hogwarts on the Knight Bus to start the new term.

#### Battle of the Department of Mysteries

*Main article: Battle of the Department of Mysteries*
18 June 1996, Tonks was part of the Order force that went to rescue Harry, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Neville Longbottom, and Luna Lovegood from the Department of Mysteries. The forse consisted of her, Mad-Eye, Kingsley, her cousin Sirius Black, and Lupin. Addmidatly afetr arriving she helped fellow order members get the D.A. students to safety. During the battle with the Death Eaters, she shot a Stunning Spell at Lucius Malfoy.

Tonks also duelled her aunt, Bellatrix Lestrange, who proved too strong for Tonks. "*Harry saw Tonks fall from halfway up the stone steps, her limp form toppling from stone seat to stone seat, and Bellatrix, triumphant, running back toward the fray*". She was severely injured and knocked unconscious in the fight. She was injured to the point were Moody crawled across the room in an attempt to revive her. Later, Tonks was saddened when Sirius died in the fight.

Following the conclusion of the battle, Tonks needed to spend some time at St Mungo's to recuperate. Fortunately, she was released in time to join several Order members at King's Cross station to confront the Dursleys over their treatment of Harry.

#### Protecting Hogwarts

Tonks continued to serve the Order of the Phoenix, but she had become withdrawn and depressed. The change in personality — and her seeming difficulties in controlling her metamorphic abilities — was noted by those around her. Her physical changes included her hair becoming mousy brown and lank, while her body became thinner. Some, including Hermione and Harry, thought the change in her mood and appearance was caused by the death of her cousin, Sirius, since she had been fighting his murderer, Bellatrix, and had failed to stop her, and thus might be feeling guilty.

However, there was more than one reason for it and yet another cause of her depression was her love for Remus Lupin, who became her close friend over a year. One night when they lay in hiding outside a known Death Eater's house, she revealed her feelings. However, he felt a relationship with her would be disastrous for her, as he was a werewolf, too old and poor for her, so he started to volunteer in dangerous, long-term missions in order to keep distance between them. Tonks confided her feelings to Molly Weasley, and was often at The Burrow for "*tea and sympathy*". Her feelings even caused her Patronus to change its form to that of a wolf, although its large, shaggy intermediate form only reinforced Harry's "Sirius" theory.

With the news that Lord Voldemort had returned being confirmed by the Ministry, Hogwarts received a team of Aurors to help protect the castle from any threats. Tonks was part of the task force and was stationed in Hogsmeade. On 1 September, she rescued Harry from being sent back to London in one of the carriages on the Hogwarts Express, where he had been incapacitated by Draco Malfoy, then covered with his Invisibility cloak, and escorted him to the school gates. She could do this because she had been watching the students exit the train and immediately went to investigate when Harry had not gotten off too.

Tonks often patrolled the corridors of Hogwarts at the request of Albus Dumbledore, when he knew he would be away from the school searching for information regarding Voldemort's Horcruxes. She also patrolled Hogsmeade and met Harry shortly after he had confronted Mundungus Fletcher, when the latter was trying to sell items from Grimmauld Place to Aberforth Dumbledore. She apparently had abandoned her guard post in Hogsmeade and "*come bursting in to see Dumbledore, if that's really why she was here*". This may have been linked to a werewolf attack on a five year old boy.

#### Battle of the Astronomy Tower

*Main article: Battle of the Astronomy Tower*
Tonks was patrolling the school with Remus and Bill Weasley on the night that the Death Eaters managed to invade the castle, via a Vanishing Cabinet in the Room of Requirement, and fought against them in the Battle of the Astronomy Tower in 1997. During the battle, she duelled Thorfinn Rowle, who fired spells rapidly at the young Auror in an attempt to subdue her, though he ultimately failed and was forced to retreat with his companions.

In the aftermath of the battle, Tonks saw the love that Fleur Delacour held for Bill Weasley despite injuries suffered at the hands of the werewolf Fenrir Greyback. In the hospital wing, she publicly told Remus that she loved him, and that was all that mattered. Despite his protests that his and Bill's situations weren't the same, the two started a relationship, since Remus also held feelings for her. At the funeral of Albus Dumbledore, Tonks and Remus stood together, holding hands, and her hair had returned to her preferred bubble-gum pink colour.

#### Marriage

Tonks and Remus married in a quiet ceremony in July, 1997, shortly before the Order operation to spirit Harry away from the Dursleys ahead of his seventeenth birthday. Both Remus and Tonks were unhappy that Harry was unable to attend their small wedding, as he couldn't be allowed to leave the protection of his relatives' home, since it was linked to the power of his mother's loving sacrifice when she willingly died for him.

Pius Thicknesse, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, had made it an imprisonable offence to create a Portkey near Harry's home, and as he was underage he could be Traced if he Apparated, and hence could not leave to attend without endangering his life. This did not leave Harry nor the Order a lot of options.

Tonks had unexpectedly become pregnant sometime after the wedding and presumably tried to tell Harry before the Battle of the Seven Potters, but was interrupted by "Mad-Eye" Moody.

#### Battle of the Seven Potters

*Main article: Battle of the Seven Potters*
The Order ultimately decided that they would break the charm around Harry several days before his birthday on 31 July, so that they would have the element of surprise; as Voldemort apparently expected them to wait until he was seventeen to attempt to whisk him away. Tonks, along with a dozen members of the Order and Harry's friends, travelled to 4 Privet Drive, where they were to escort Harry to safety. Tonks took the role of a protector, flying on a broom with Ron Weasley (disguised as Harry).

It soon became clear that Voldemort had expected such a move, as at least thirty Death Eaters were waiting to engage them in battle. During the flight from Little Whinging, Tonks and Ron were chased by Bellatrix as they headed to Ron's Great-Aunt Muriel's home. Tonks and Bellatrix engaged in a mid-air duel, whilst Ron stunned one of her fellow Death Eaters straight to the head. Bellatrix seemed as determined to kill Tonks as she was to rid Voldemort of Harry, though Tonks ultimately escaped from her and gravely injured her husband, Rodolphus Lestrange.

They made it to Muriel's, but missed their Portkey to The Burrow. Muriel delayed them further by fussing over them, but they appeared to Apparate into the sky above The Burrow and perform a crash landing into the garden. Remus was grateful and relieved that she was alive, but "*sounded almost angry at Tonks*" when he demanded what kept her so long and what had happened to her. As she told what happened; "*A muscle was jumping in Lupin's jaw. He nodded, but seemed unable to say anything else*".

Mr and Mrs Weasley ran outside when they got the news of Tonks and Ron's arrival, and thanked Lupin and Tonks repeatedly for bringing back their sons alive. The moment was sobered by Bill Weasley's revelation that her mentor, Mad-Eye Moody, had been murdered by Lord Voldemort. Tonks openly cried in front of her friends at the news that her beloved mentor had been murdered, as she was Mad-Eye's favourite and protégée at the Ministry of Magic.

#### Wedding of Bill and Fleur

*Main article: Wedding of William Weasley and Fleur Delacour*
In the days following, Tonks was over the moon and radiant, although she didn't reveal why. She briefly attended Harry's birthday party before leaving at the imminent arrival of Rufus Scrimgeour. Tonks later was a guest at Bill and Fleur's wedding the day after.

She was talking to Charlie Weasley when the wedding was disrupted by Death Eaters, following the Fall of the Ministry and death of Scrimgeour. Tonks was seen with Remus preparing for the battle and casting a Shield Charm. It is unknown if she escaped or if she was questioned by the intruders, along with some of the other guests, before being released.

#### Childbirth

Shortly after the wedding, Tonks and Remus split up. Remus feared for the child Tonks was carrying, worried that the child would be a werewolf like him. All of his old fears over his relationship with Tonks resurfaced, and he withdrew from her rather than hurt her. Tonks moved back in with her parents. However, their split didn't last very long. Remus, after arguing with Harry at 12 Grimmauld Place, finally saw sense and reunited with Tonks sometime before Christmas.

Before Easter in 1998, Tonks learnt that her father had been murdered by Snatchers. She ultimately gave birth to a son, Teddy Remus Lupin, just after Easter and named him in honour of her late father. Tonks and Lupin both felt that Harry should become Teddy's godfather, and he accepted. To the relief of Remus, Teddy inherited Tonks's metamorphmagi abilities, which he demonstrated mere hours after his birth, and showed no signs of lycanthropy.

#### Battle of Hogwarts and death

*Main article: Battle of Hogwarts*
When Neville Longbottom had raised the call to arms for Dumbledore's Army and the Order of the Phoenix to fight against the Death Eaters in the Battle of Hogwarts, Tonks initially didn't answer the call. She was staying with her mother Andromeda and her infant son Teddy. However, she couldn't stand not knowing what was happening while Remus was fighting.

Tonks Apparated to the Hog's Head and travelled through the makeshift tunnel in the bar and into the Room of Requirement. She then joined the battle and fired spells down at Death Eaters from a window of the castle, along with Ginny, before asking Aberforth Dumbledore if he had seen Remus. He replied that he was duelling Antonin Dolohov and had not been seen since, so she rushed off to find him. It is unknown if she ever did.

During the battle, Nymphadora was finally killed by her own aunt, Bellatrix, in the third of their duels, probably and partially because she had just recovered from childbirth. Tonks's body was laid out, pale and peaceful looking, in the Great Hall next to her husband, who had died at the hands of Dolohov. Her death was avenged by Molly when she in turn killed Bellatrix.

### Legacy

Tonks's, Remus's, Fred Weasley's and Colin Creevey's deaths caused Harry great pain before and after his ultimate defeat of Lord Voldemort. Teddy would be raised by Tonks's mother, Andromeda, though he would dine at Harry's and the Weasleys' homes three or four times a week. Her son seemed to have a close relationship with Bill Weasley's daughter, Victoire Weasley, making it possible that he could become an official member of the family Tonks herself had been so close to.

#### Calamity

During the 2010s, Tonks appeared as a Foundable during the Calamity. Volunteer members of the Statute of Secrecy Task Force were able to free her, allowing Tonks to return to her original time.

## Physical description

Tonks was a young witch with a pale heart-shaped face and dark twinkling eyes. As a Metamorphmagus, she could change her appearance at will. She typically kept her hair short and spiky, and often bubblegum-pink.

She has also worn short and spiky violet hair, curly white-blonde hair, and waist length tomato-red hair. Her natural hair colour might have been mousy brown since it was stuck on that colour during the year she had difficulty morphing.

While joking around with Hermione and Ginny at Grimmauld Place, Tonks changed her nose into a pig nose resembling Dudley's, a "beak-like protuberance" resembling Snape's, and a nose like a button mushroom.

In 1995 she disguised herself as a tweedy tall woman with iron grey hair and an old lady in a purple hat shaped like a pork-pie.

Ron Weasley believed that no man would choose Tonks over Fleur Delacour, stating that Tonks was "*okay looking when she's not doing stupid things with her nose and hair*" but not as pretty as Fleur.

## Personality and traits

Tonks was enthusiastic, bubbly, and easily able to make friends with people she had just met. She was eager and would often want to help Molly Weasley in the preparation of dinner at Grimmauld Place, something that Molly was not eager about. As a Metamorphmagus, Tonks was known for using her gift for lighter purposes, such as experimenting with her appearance for entertainment. Despite this, she had difficulty controlling her magical abilities when she was unhappy, such as when her love was rejected by Remus Lupin or when she was very angry.

Tonks was notoriously clumsy and curious. For example, she smashed a plate in the Dursley's kitchen during their rescue of Harry Potter and knocked over an umbrella stand in Grimmauld Place. In her youth, Tonks tried to solve her mistakes in unorthodox ways, though they were not always effective.

Despite her young age, Tonks possessed an incredible will. This is evident when she cast a non-verbal Patronus Charm, which requires a powerfully happy memory, despite being highly miserable at the time. Tonks was a staunchly loyal supporter of Albus Dumbledore. In her work for the Order of the Phoenix, she was brave, dependable, and selfless. She repeatedly put her life on the line for the sake of following through with Dumbledore's plans.

Tonks rather disliked her given name and considered her mother as a fool for naming her as such, thus insisting to be called "Tonks" instead. She didn't express any rejection when others referred to her as "Dora", a shortened form of the given name she detested so much. This may have been because her father and her husband both called her it.

## Magical abilities and skills

Having been trained in the use of both defensive and offensive magic by Alastor Moody, Tonks was a highly accomplished and skilful witch. She was a proficient duellist and a Metamorphmagus. Her skills allowed her to hold her own against and even defeat several experienced Death Eaters. She was also able to conjure a corporal wolf Patronus, a mark of superior magical ability.

* **Metamorphmagus**: Unlike most other wizards and witches, Tonks possessed the ability to change her physical appearance at will, without the need for a potion or a spell to assist. With simply a thought, she was capable of changing her facial features, nose shape, the colour of her hair and eyes, or even her entire form. Tonks used this ability both to entertain people and to stop people from recognising her, as evidenced by her ability to take the form of Professor Binns, a ghost. Tonks's rare skill was invaluable for espionage, as she worked as a covert operative inside the Ministry to feed the Order information and disguised herself as an old woman to escort Harry to the Hogwarts Express. She also passed the Disguise and Concealment portion of her Auror training without any studying.
* **Charms**: Tonks demonstrated considerable talent in charm-work. Furthermore, Tonks could cast a corporeal Patronus, which is an incredibly advanced piece of magic, by the time she was in her fourth year in Hogwarts. Besides this, she was one of only a handful of people who knew how to use a Patronus as a means of communication. In 1995, she effectively cast a Scouring Charm to clean Hedwig's cage, another charm to pack Harry's belongings before leaving Privet Drive, and the Stunning Spell against Lucius Malfoy. She was also able to effectively cast the Shield Charm as a means of protection.
* **Defence Against the Dark Arts**: A natural performer in defensive magic, Tonks proved her skill in this field as an Auror and Order of the Phoenix member, including counter-curses as she could remove a Full Body-Bind Curse. She knew how to check if a door had an Imperturbable Charm on it, by flicking objects at the door in question, teaching this skill to Ginny Weasley. Seeing as how a N.E.W.T. in the subject is a mandatory requirement for Auror training, she likely achieved excellent results at both O.W.L. and N.E.W.T. level.
* **Duelling**: As an official Dark wizard catcher, Tonks's duelling talents were naturally considerable and her reflexes were very fast despite her clumsiness, which sometimes got her into trouble at work. In her youth, she was even able to hold her ground against Verucca Buckthorn-Snyde and the White-robed wizard alone, and even managed to disarm and bind the wizard in white robes in ropes, while she was only a sixth year and her enemies were adults. She fired a Stunning Spell at top Death Eater Lucius Malfoy, though it should be noted that he was caught off guard and it is unknown if it actually hit him. She was capable of duelling Thorfinn Rowle to a stalemate despite him rapidly firing spells at her, before Harry Potter hit him with a hex. Tonks survived her first two encounters with the most powerful lieutenant of Lord Voldemort, her aunt Bellatrix Lestrange. Despite being defeated by her aunt during the first encounter, she was able to duel her for a significant period of time. During her second encounter with her aunt, she was able to duel her aunt to a standstill in a mid-air battle between the two and injured Bellatrix's husband, Rodolphus Lestrange, at the same time, albeit with help from Ron Weasley. However, Tonks was ultimately murdered by Bellatrix during the Battle of Hogwarts, though she just had recovered from giving birth and it is unknown what the nature of this encounter was.
* **Herbology**: As an Auror, Tonks would have had to have achieved either an "Outstanding" or "Exceeds Expectations" in her O.W.L. and N.E.W.T. in this subject, considering how Aurors often have to handle dangerous magical plants in their work. She studied it at N.E.W.T. level, having gained earned a high O.W.L. grade in the subject, showing she was skilled with handling magical plants.
* **History of Magic**: Tonks was knowledgeable about wizarding history, as she gained an O.W.L. in the subject at Hogwarts, allowing her to study it further at N.E.W.T. level.
* **Divination**: Tonks possessed considerable proficiency and knowledge in the field of Divination. She she earned either an "Exceeds Expectations" or "Outstanding" in the subject at O.W.L. level that allowed her to study it further at N.E.W.T. level.
* **Muggle Studies**: Tonks earned an O.W.L. in Muggle Studies at Hogwarts. She continued the subject on N.E.W.T. level, showing her proficiency and knowledge in this field.
* **Auror skills**: Tonks was rather young for an Auror and the last person to become a fully fledged Auror before Harry Potter was accepted, which spoke for her considerable magical skills. However, her clumsiness gave her trouble with the Stealth and Tracking portion of the course, as she almost failed for this. Her work position required proficiency in the practical application of magic and exceptional marks at school, highlighting her abilities as a witch. Besides this, her father noted that she had been in several sticky situations in her time as an Auror and had always found a way to emerge from them unscathed.
* **Detective skills**: As an Auror, Tonks was an effective detective, intelligent and able to make logical deductions. For example, she quickly found Harry immobilised on the Hogwarts Express based on subtle clues. Additionally, she was able to carefully fulfil her duties to the Order without jeopardising her career at the Ministry.
* **Flying**: Tonks was a great broomstick flyer, as demonstrated by her escorting Harry from the Dursleys' house along with the Order. She was even able to emerge unscathed from a duel fought on a mid-air broomstick against her aunt, who was also proficient in flying a broomstick.
* **Transfiguration**: As an Auror, Tonks would have achieved a N.E.W.T. in this subject as well, since Aurors frequently have to transfigure and un-transfigure things in their line of work. She achieved either an "Exceeds Expectations" or "Outstanding" in this subject.
* **Nonverbal magic**: Tonks was capable of performing non-verbal magic, including advanced charms. For instance, she was able to duel several skilled Death Eaters without saying a single word, as well as conjure a corporeal Patronus non-verbally. This testifies to her being a skilful powerful witch, as non-verbal magic is very difficult.
* **Apparition**: Like most adult wizards and witches, Tonks was capable of Apparating successfully at will. In 1996, after visiting Molly Weasley, she left by Disapparating.
* **Healing magic**: In 1996, Tonks effectively used the healing spell *Episkey* to fix Harry's nose when it was broken, showing she was skilled with medical magic.
* **Potions**: Tonks had achieved a N.E.W.T. in the subject, considering how knowledge of poisons and antidotes are essential studies for Aurors. She must have earned an "Outstanding" in her O.W.L. exam, since she was taught by Severus Snape, and likely had earned either an 'Outstanding' or an 'Exceeds Expectations' on her N.E.W.T. exam.

## Possessions

* **Wand**: As was the case with most wizards and witches, Tonks's wand was among her most valued magical possessions. Her wand was of unknown length, wood, and core materials. This wand was manufactured by Garrick Ollivander sometime before 1984. She wielded this wand throughout her career as an Auror.
* **Comet 260**: Tonks owned a Comet 260 broomstick with a rounded wood twig accent piece and strings and ribbons tied to the handle.
* **T-shirt of the Weird Sisters**: Tonks owned a Weird Sisters T-shirt, implying she was a fan of the band.
* **Handkerchief**: Tonks owned a small cloth handkerchief.
* **Wedding ring**: Following her wedding to Lupin, Tonks owned a wedding ring which she showed to Harry prior to the Battle of Seven Potters.

## Relationships

### Family

#### The House of Black

Tonks maintained a very good relationship with her parents, although she utterly detested the name Nymphadora, which was bestowed upon her by her mother. She took after her father, preferring a little disorder and mess to fanatical cleanliness which mother ironically excelled at, referring to the Dursleys' immaculate home as she rescued Harry from the house. She was affectionately called Dora by her father, which she didn't seem to mind even though it was technically a shortened version of her first name. Shortly before her death, Tonks learned that her own father died and decided to name her son after him.

Tonks's extended family was populated by members of the House of Black, although she wasn't considered a member of the House since her mother had married a Muggle-born and had been struck off the family tree, much like her first cousin once removed, Sirius Black. He mentioned that Tonks's mother was his favourite cousin while growing up. Since Sirius spent most of Tonks's life in Azkaban, the two never got a chance to really know each other. On occasion Tonks mentioned that she thought Sirius was still handsome even after the time he spent in Azkaban.

Despite the fact that they barely knew each other, it can be assumed that she was upset by his death, most likely because he was family and an ally to the Order of the Phoenix. Prior to Sirius's death, Tonks was duelling Bellatrix (Sirius's murderer) and was defeated by her. Hermione stated that she might feel guilty because of this, but it was only speculation.

Her aunts included Bellatrix Lestrange and Narcissa Malfoy, which meant Draco Malfoy was among her many cousins. Both Bellatrix and Narcissa refused to acknowledge Nymphadora as their niece, as they had already severed all bonds with Andromeda when she married a Muggle-born, and even felt humiliated when Voldemort made fun of them about Tonks's marriage with a werewolf. Bellatrix seemed particularly eager to kill her niece whenever they encountered one another, especially after Voldemort instructed her to "*prune*" her family tree. The pair had several duels, and Tonks noted that Bellatrix seemed as keen to murder her as she was to rid the Dark Lord of Harry. She eventually succeeded during the Battle of Hogwarts on 2 May, 1998.

It can be assumed that Narcissa didn't consider Teddy Lupin, Nymphadora's son, to be a member of the Black family either, as he had known Muggle ancestry and a werewolf for a father, thus making his blood impure. Since her mother was disowned after marrying her father, Tonks's name wasn't on the Black's family tree, so the family house-elf, Kreacher, who was supposed to listen to anyone in the family, refused to take orders from Tonks. Instead, he kept muttering insults about her half-blood status.

#### Remus Lupin

At some point during her time with the Order of the Phoenix, Tonks met and fell in love with fellow member Remus Lupin, who found her amusing, then impressing, and eventually reciprocated her feelings, although he didn't notice them at first because he was used to considering himself unclean and unworthy. After a year of increasingly warm friendship, Tonks made an idle remark about one of their fellow Order members during a mission they had together ("He's still handsome, isn't he, even after Azkaban?"). Before he could stop himself, Remus had replied bitterly that he supposed she had fallen for his old friend ("He always got the women."). At this, Tonks replied: "You'd know perfectly well who I've fallen for, if you weren't too busy feeling sorry for yourself to notice."

Both of them were similar in youth, as Tonks had a tendency to impersonate her teachers.

Despite being extremely happy, Remus felt that any relationship between the two of them was too dangerous because he was a werewolf. He also felt he was too old for her — being thirteen years older than she was — and too poor due to his difficulties in maintaining a job because of his condition. She tried on several occasions to convince him otherwise, but he constantly refused her pleas and even volunteered for long-term, lethal missions to keep distance between them. Tonks became depressed over this and confided in Molly Weasley. Her emotional state caused her metamorphic abilities to suffer, and her hair became mousy brown rather than its usual pink (although it is possible that this is just due to her either wanting to look more like her husband or her misery at him not loving her appearing deliberately). Her Patronus also changed, resembling a wolf that showed her love for Remus. While on Hogsmeade duty, Tonks was informed that a werewolf had been killed by Fenir Greyback. She showed great concern by immediately contacting Dumbledore, to confirm whether or not it had been Lupin who was killed.

In 1997, following the death of Albus Dumbledore and the scarring of Bill Weasley, Tonks openly declared her love for Remus, citing that Fleur Delacour still loved Bill despite the nature of his injuries and the possibility of werewolf contamination. Remus protested that the situations were not the same, but eventually relented and the two began a relationship. They were married quickly in a quiet ceremony in the summer of 1997, shortly before the Battle of the Seven Potters. Tonks became pregnant by this time, so Remus, fearing that his child would be a werewolf, was initially horrified at the prospect, believing he had put both Tonks and his unborn child in great jeopardy. They split up just after Bill and Fleur's wedding, and Tonks went to stay with her parents. However, they reconciled sometime before Christmas, after Harry and Remus had argued over his responsibilities as a husband and father at Grimmauld Place.

After this on the radio station *Potterwatch*, Remus said that if he could talk to Harry then, he would have told him to follow his instincts because they are almost always right, it can be assumed that he was talking about returning to Tonks, with whom he passed almost all her pregnancy. The couple's son, Teddy Remus Lupin, was born just after Easter, 1998, named after Tonks's father who had been killed a few weeks earlier by Snatchers, and his father Remus. Sadly, the family would not have long together. During the Battle of Hogwarts, both Tonks and Remus were killed.

#### Teddy Lupin

Tonks got pregnant in 1997 and was excited about her newborn son despite the fact that his birth would be around the time of a war. He was born in April and the couple choose to name him Teddy after Tonks's murdered father. It was obvious that Tonks loved her son very much. He was a Metamorphmagus, like his mother. Nymphadora wanted Harry Potter to be his godfather, as she and Remus decided that there was no one better than their young friend and wanted him to raise their son if they died.

Unfortunately Tonks was murdered by her aunt, Bellatrix Lestrange in the Battle of Hogwarts and never got to see her son grow up. Teddy was raised by his grandmother, Andromeda. He also spent much of his time with Harry, Ginny, and their children. Teddy visited the Potter home four nights and week for dinner and was over so much that Harry thought he might as well move in with them. It can be assumed that Harry acted as a parental figure towards Teddy, honouring Tonks and Remus.

### Alastor Moody

Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody was Tonks's mentor during her time training as an Auror, and later whilst they were both in the Order of the Phoenix. Despite Moody's surly attitude and behaviour, Tonks was always at ease with him, making funny comments at his opinions and lectures, such as the one he gave Harry Potter on elementary wand-safety the night the Advance Guard escorted him to Grimmauld Place. Other witches and wizards found him too intimidating and weren't brave enough to tease him openly, but because the pair were quite close, Tonks didn't mind laughing at him.

For his part, Moody was openly fond of Tonks. Harry once noted that she had been his favourite during their time together at the Ministry. When Tonks was injured during her duel with Bellatrix Lestrange in the Department of Mysteries, Mad-Eye crawled his way to her side in an effort to help her regain consciousness, despite having been injured himself by Antonin Dolohov. Tonks was devastated by Moody's death in 1997, openly crying in front of the Weasley family and rest of the Order of the Phoenix members.

### Harry Potter

Nymphadora Tonks and Harry Potter met in 1995 when, as a member of the Advance Guard, she was a part of the Order's operation to transfer Harry from 4 Privet Drive to 12 Grimmauld Place. At the time of their first meeting, Harry was intimidated by the rest of the Advance Guard, but not Tonks who was clumsy and funny. The pair immediately took a liking to each other, and Harry was particularly impressed by Tonks's position as an Auror and extraordinary Metamorphmagus powers. Tonks was impressed with Harry's Firebolt and tried to comfort him during his trying times with the Ministry of Magic. Adopting a big sister role for him, Tonks would greet him by saying "*Wotcher, Harry*". Later, during the Battle of the Department of Mysteries, Tonks was among the Order members that came to the rescue of Harry and his friends. Harry was later relieved to hear that she would recover from the injuries she suffered at the hands of Bellatrix Lestrange.

Tonks's friendship with Harry grew for the next two and a half years. In 1996, Harry hoped Tonks would be among the Aurors sent to escort him to the Hogwarts Express, though she sadly was not. Shortly after, Tonks rescued Harry on the Hogwarts Express; she performed the counter-curse to remove the Full Body-Bind Curse placed on him by Draco Malfoy, healed his broken nose and ensured he reached safety within Hogwarts. She could do this because she had been watching the students exit the train and immediately went to investigate when Harry had not gotten off too, indicating her protectiveness towards him despite her heartache. Harry was disappointed by how gloomy Tonks had become, missing his friend's bubbly nature.

When she married Remus Lupin in 1997, a happier Tonks was sorry that Harry couldn't attend the wedding due to him being required to remain with his Muggle relatives to ensure the protective charm on him held. Later, when Lupin briefly left Tonks, due to fears that the child she carried would be infected with lycanthropy like himself, Harry was furious with him for leaving his family and wanting to leave his friend to raise a baby without its dad. It was largely because of Harry's words that Lupin returned to Tonks. In 1998, when she gave birth to a son named Teddy Lupin, both Tonks and Lupin agreed that Harry would be the godfather. Harry was devastated when he learned that Nymphadora was murdered by her aunt, Bellatrix Lestrange. He noted that the grief he felt over the death of Tonks was akin to a physical wound.

Even after defeating Voldemort, the pain of losing Tonks still affected him and he likely never stopped missing her. In memory of both Tonks and Lupin, Harry acted as a father figure to their orphaned son Teddy. Teddy despite being raised by Tonks's mother, would spend three or four nights a week dining with the Potter and Weasley families.

### Molly Weasley

Tonks and fellow Order member Molly Weasley had a rather close relationship. Though there was a significant difference in age between the two, the pair often confided in one another. Molly often invited Tonks to dine with the Weasley family, and she was always a welcome guest at the events held by the Weasley matriarch. Indeed, Mrs Weasley appeared to be Tonks's closest adult friend. Molly appeared to be the only person that Tonks confided her love of Remus Lupin to, and was noted by Harry as acting somewhat frosty to Lupin during the Christmas holidays, though he misinterpreted the reason why.

Several people suspected that Molly hoped her son Bill Weasley would fall in love with Tonks, rather than marry Fleur Delacour. For her part, Molly reacted heatedly to disparaging remarks made by Fleur in regards to Tonks, which is indicative of the high opinion she held of Tonks.

At the conclusion of the Battle of Hogwarts, it was Molly who duelled and killed Tonks's murderer, Bellatrix Lestrange. It is likely that Molly knew Teddy Lupin, Nymphadora's son, because Teddy was dating Victoire Weasley, Molly's granddaughter. In addition to this, as Harry Potter's godson, he frequented Harry and Ginny's house.

### Hermione Granger and Ginny Weasley

Tonks met Hermione Granger and Ginny Weasley in the summer of 1995. She immediately struck up a friendship with them, acting somewhat like an older sister to the teenagers during their time at Grimmauld Place. Ginny appreciated Tonks since, although she was an adult, she was interested in having fun and taught her how to check if a door had an Imperturbable Charm on it, by flicking objects at the door in question. Hermione liked the fact that Tonks was proof that women could also be successful and get good positions after school. Both liked the fact that she could change her appearance at will, as she entertained them both over dinner by changing her nose into various shapes.

In 1996, Ginny revealed that she would prefer Tonks rather than Fleur to marry her brother Bill and be part of their family. Ironically, Tonks was, albeit distantly, related to Ginny anyway. Hermione and Ginny felt worried about Tonks being depressed lately, such that it even affected her magical abilities. The two, however, became glad about her marriage with Remus Lupin in mid-1997.

During the Battle of Hogwarts, Tonks and Ginny fought against some Death Eaters. Later, the two girls were very devastated when they found out during the one-hour armistice that Tonks had been murdered, and mourned over her body together along with Remus', Fred's, and over fifty others that had fallen during the battle. It is also possible that Hermione and Ginny provided a surrogate aunt and mother figure, respectively, during the childhood of Tonks's son Teddy, considering that Ginny's husband was Teddy's godfather and served as a father figure to him.

### Weasley family

Ron Weasley and Tonks became good friends in 1995, when they were both staying at the 12 Grimmauld Place, headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix. Ron liked Tonks and thought she was a nice girl, but less beautiful than Fleur Delacour. However, he acknowledged her funniness and friendliness. Tonks and Ron both fought during the Battle of the Department of Mysteries, the Battle of the Astronomy Tower, the Battle of the Seven Potters (where they were paired together and barely escaped from Bellatrix Lestrange), in the attack at The Burrow, and in the Battle of Hogwarts, where Tonks was murdered by Bellatrix Lestrange. Ron was saddened by her death, and after the war he became a friend of Tonks's son, Teddy.

Tonks had a good relationship with the other members of the Weasley family, too. She seemed to be friendly with the twins Fred and George, as they all were funny and enjoyed having fun. Fred was killed during the final battle, like Tonks was. Their bodies were put near to each other at the Great Hall, as well as the body of Remus Lupin.

Arthur Weasley and Tonks were both members of the Order of the Phoenix and both worked at the Ministry of Magic. They were possibly close to each other, as Tonks was among the ones who visited Arthur at St Mungo's Hospital, when he was bitten by Nagini. After the Battle of the Seven Potters was over, Arthur thanked Tonks and Lupin, because they saved Ron and George. Arthur was saddened by Tonks's death during the Battle of Hogwarts.

Tonks was in the same year as Charlie Weasley, and they would presumably form a special bond over both being in the Circle of Khanna as well. Though not always directly being in contact, the two were often involved in their friend Jacob's sibling's business.

Tonks had known Bill Weasley in her school years, as she often attended his extracurricular Defence Against the Dark Arts study sessions at night. In 1995, she also attempted to help him put away some Order of the Phoenix secrets. Therefore, it is likely that the two were friends, although Molly assumedly wanted them to marry each other. Furthermore, Bill's love for Fleur inspired Tonks to publicly declare her love for Remus. Ironically, Bill and Fleur's daughter Victoire Weasley was known to be dating Tonks's son Teddy in 2017.

Tonks's relationship with Percy is unknown.

### Order of the Phoenix

Nymphadora Tonks was a good friend of Kingsley Shacklebolt, an auror like her and also one of the most recent members of the Order. They fought together in many battles for the Second Wizarding War. After Tonks was murdered, Kingsley was very sad.

Tonks might have been a friend of Sturgis Podmore, Elphias Doge, Emmeline Vance, Arabella Figg, Hestia Jones, and Mundungus Fletcher, as they had contact through the order. She shared the fate of being one of many members of the Order killed in various battles during the wars. Tonks also knew Aberforth Dumbledore.

Nymphadora greatly respected Professor Albus Dumbledore, founder and leader of the Order. She also had a good relationship with Minerva McGonagall, as they sat together grieving (along with others) after Dumbledore's death. When Tonks publicly declared her love for Lupin, McGonagall thought that Tonks should marry him, and that Dumbledore would be happy if he knew that there was a little more love in the world.

Severus Snape was Tonks's Potions professor and would therefore have contributed to her becoming an Auror, as a high N.E.W.T. score is required for all major magical subjects. During her years as a Hogwarts student, however, Tonks almost killed Snape by inadvertently throwing a Venemous Tentacula at him. This mishap served to infuriate Snape to such a degree that Tonks deemed him capable of "killing [her]", but, under Pomona Sprout's prompting, he relented to give her permanent detention instead. In her adulthood, Tonks seemed to have no particular opinion of Snape regarding his loyalty, though it can be assumed that she trusted him because Dumbledore did but did not view him as a friend. In 1996, Snape insulted her wolf Patronus, which by extension was an insult to her love for Lupin. After Snape's murder of Dumbledore, Tonks came to view the former as an enemy. Tonks died before learning of Snape's true loyalty or that he had tried to save her husband during the Battle of the Seven Potters.

## Etymology

* *Nymphadora* literally means "Gift of the Nymphs." Nymphs are nature spirits and minor deities in Greek mythology who rule trees, sacred groves, streams and the ocean, and are capable of changing their form, just like Tonks. During the Renaissance, northern Europeans equated the classical nymphs with their own legends of elves. If we therefore read "gift of the nymphs" as "gift of the elves", this echoes the ancient myth of babies stolen by elves and replaced by hideous monsters called "changelings". 'Nymph' is also the name of the "immature stage of a dragonfly or damselfly before it moults, before metamorphosing into a winged adult". All three meanings reference Tonks's metamorphosing skills.
* A 'Tonk' literally means, 'a fool or idiot', 'a powerful hit or strike'. This could be related to Tonks's clumsiness and ability. The name *Tonks* may have been taken from notable British painter, art teacher and surgeon Henry Tonks, who combined his artistic and surgical background to record exact images of the various types of facial injuries that occurred among soldiers during World War I. His emphasis on recording, drawing and painting facial features may have led Rowling to choose this surname and more specifically used it to refer to a specific individual who had the ability to change her facial features at will.
* Her husband's surname, Lupin, is quite fitting for Tonks: As a Metamorphmagus, she was noted for her ability to change her appearance to adapt or blend in in her work as an Auror, as wolves are one of the most adaptive mammals on the planet. It is a fitting name for someone whose occupation is capturing dark wizards/witches, as wolves are known to serve the needs of their pack above all else, making Tonks somewhat wolf-like herself, not to mention her rebellious personality and that wolves are extremely wild animals. Further similarities between her and wolves include her having been sorted into Hufflepuff (whose dorms and common room are subterranean) much like the dens of wolves, and that she is a relative of Sirius Black (whose Animagus form is that of a dog, a distant cousin of the wolf).