Andromeda Tonks

**Andromeda Dorea Tonks** (née **Black**; born 29 December, 1953) was an English Pureblood witch, the middle daughter of Cygnus Black and Druella Rosier, who gave her a rich lifestyle and raised her to be proud of her pure-blood heritage. She was a member of the House of Black, an old wizarding family and one of the Sacred Twenty-Eight.

After Hogwarts, she married a Muggle-born, Ted Tonks, and was disowned by her prejudiced pure-blood supremacist family.

### Early life

Andromeda was born on 29 December 1953 to Cygnus and Druella Black (née Rosier), the younger sister of Bellatrix and older sister of Narcissa. Walburga and Orion Black were her aunt and uncle on her father's side, and Sirius and Regulus Black her only cousins at the time. Alphard Black was also Andromeda's uncle.

Andromeda did not have an especially happy childhood, but luckily, that changed once she left for school. Her parents, Cygnus and Druella, despised each other with every fibre of their beings, and took little interest in their daughters. Druella was especially cruel to them. When Andromeda was eleven years old, she witnessed her mother and father's explosive duel which ended up sending both of her parents to St. Mungo's.

### Hogwarts (1964-1971)

Andromeda Black was, like the majority of her family before her, sorted into Slytherin, a patron shared with her sisters.

She may have been very skilled in Charms class, given her proficiency with casting various household charms. It is also possible that she was talented in Defence Against the Dark Arts, because in her adult life she managed to resist torture without revealing any vital information or losing her sanity. At some point during or after her education at Hogwarts, Andromeda met and subsequently fell in love with Muggle-born wizard Ted Tonks, despite her family's steadfast belief in the importance of blood purity.

### Life after Hogwarts

Andromeda married Ted and was subsequently disowned and burned off the family tapestry in 12 Grimmauld Place by her aunt, parents and sisters. Statements by her sisters indicate that both of them cut off contact with Andromeda because they considered her a blood traitor for her marriage.

In 1973, around the age of twenty, Andromeda and Ted had one child, Nymphadora Tonks. Andromeda selected the name, which her daughter strongly disliked, preferring to be known simply as "Tonks" by her friends. Ted, Remus Lupin, and Andromeda called her Dora for short.

Andromeda had a talent for cleanliness that her husband and daughter did not share.

Her daughter, Nymphadora, began her first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in 1984 and was sorted into Hufflepuff House at the Sorting ceremony. Nymphdora graduated from Hogwarts in 1991 and went on to train and later work as an Auror for the British Ministry of Magic. Nymphadora worked as an Auror between the wars and during the Second Wizarding War. Andromeda frequently worried about her daughter's safety.

## Physical Appearance

Andromeda was described to have an uncanny physical resemblance to her older sister, Bellatrix, to the extent where Harry almost attacked her during their first meeting. Hence, she most likely had the patrician beauty and aristocratic bearing that were the typical characteristics of the House of Black, the only differences being that, while Bellatrix was dark-haired and had heavily-lidded malicious eyes, Andromeda had light brown hair, and her eyes were wider and kinder.

## Personality

It is safe to assume, given her marriage to a Muggle-born, that Andromeda was very different from both of her sisters: while her sisters married into "respectable" pure-blood families, she married for love despite her family's opposition, leading to her family's hatred of her.

She was clearly a good mother, as seen by her showing her concern about her daughter's whereabouts after the Battle of the Seven Potters and taking care of her during her pregnancy. She was also a good grandmother, as she raised her daughter's son after her death.

Apart from her husband and daughter, in his youth, her cousin Sirius Black considered her to be his only true family, demonstrating that Andromeda always treated Sirius with respect and kindness.

In addition to being a good wife, mother, and grandmother, she was a good friend because, despite being under torture, she did not reveal anything that could harm Harry Potter or any of her friends. Like Molly Weasley, Andromeda was a woman dedicated to her family and friends. Thus, in many ways, Andromeda's personality contradicted the "evil Slytherin" stereotype held by many students of the other Houses. Instead, she appeared to embody the Slytherin principle of fraternity, as seen by her standing by her friends, family, and allies.

## Abilities and Skills

*See Power Scale for more information.*

*Bella's Abilities and Skills*
 Dueling Experience
 Non-verbal magic

### Other Skills

* **Occlumens**: Andromeda was a skilful Occlumens, taught by her grandfather Pollux. She is not as proficient as her elder sister Bellatrix, and as such lacks the necessary ability for Legilimency. Nevertheless, she can protect her mind well.
* **Apparition:** Andromeda is quite formidable in Apparition, moreso than Bellatrix. Nevertheless, Narcissa has more ability in this field.
* **Healing Savant**: Andromeda is a gifted Healer, a trait she shares with her younger sister Narcissa.

## Relationships

### Cygnus and Druella Black

Andromeda's relationship with her parents was likely a bad one. Because she married a Muggle-born against her family's ideals of blood purity she was disowned and not considered a Black after that. It is safe to assume that her parents did not consider her as their daughter anymore and, like Bellatrix and Narcissa, cut off all contact with her. It is also possible that Andromeda's parents never met their granddaughter.

### Bellatrix Lestrange

After she married the Muggle-born Ted, Andromeda was disowned and both her sisters cut off all contact with her. Andromeda's relationship with Bellatrix was likely particularly hateful, and it can be assumed that Bellatrix would not have hesitated to kill Andromeda herself if she ever encountered her again.

### Ted Tonks

Andromeda married Ted Tonks in spite of her family's hatred of Muggle-borns, which led to her being disowned and shunned by her own sisters. Thus, it can be assumed that the two loved each other greatly.

### Nymphadora Tonks

Nymphadora and her mother were close, though Tonks disliked the given name her "fool of a mother" gave her.