Nymphadora Tonks

"Don't call me Nymphadora, Remus. It's Tonks."

- Tonks' intense dislike of her first name

Nymphadora Tonks (c. 1973 – 2 May, 1998) more commonly known as Tonks, occasionally Dora, was a half-blood witch and the only child of Ted and Andromeda Tonks. She was a Metamorphmagus and attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from 1984-1991. She was Sorted into Hufflepuff House and 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, Tonks joined the second Order of the Phoenix, working undercover in the Ministry and helping to guard the Department of Mysteries. In June of 1996 she fought in the Battle of the Department of Mysteries and at some point fell in love with Remus Lupin. Remus (a werewolf) 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. Tonks later fought in the Battle of the Astronomy Tower and, after seeing the love Fleur Delacour held for Bill Weasley despite his injuries, publicly declared her love for Remus.

Tonks and Remus were married in the summer of 1997. She became pregnant shortly after and Remus began to worry that he had passed on his werewolf condition to his son, though this proved not to be the case (Teddy inherited his mother's metamorphic abilities). Remus in response to this attempted to leave Tonks, but was convinced by Harry Potter to return to her. She gave birth to a son, Teddy Remus Lupin (named after her late father Edward Tonks) 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 murdered by Bellatrix Lestrange. Bellatrix was her maternal aunt and a Death Eater, a loyal and devoted servant of Lord Voldemort. Tonks' murder was avenged by her order colleague and friend Molly Weasley. After her death, her son was raised by her mother and Harry Potter.

Early life
Nymphadora Tonks was born in late 1972 to 1973 to Edward Tonks, a Muggle-born wizard and Andromeda Tonks, a pure-blood witch and former member of the noble House of Black although she was burned 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, meaning she was a Metamorphmagus.

Hogwarts years


Tonks began her first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in 1984 and was Sorted into Hufflepuff House at the Sorting ceremony.

Third year
This was the first year in which students were able to take at least two elective classes, it is unknown which electives Tonks signed up for. 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, also 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 being 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 werewolf burst out of a 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 did not 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. Tonks was especially looking forward to visiting Zonko's Joke Shop and Honeydukes, along with having Butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks Inn. After the lesson Tonks 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 also revealed that she had often gotten detentions for turning into teachers using her Metamorphmagus abilities.

When revisiting an old lesson in Herbology, repotting baby Mandrakes, Tonks forgot her Earmuffs, and resorted to rolling some Jelly Slug and sticking them in her ears, which proved to be sufficient, for not only were she 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
One night in her fourth, 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 did not 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 exams and qualified for Auror training when she left school in 1991. This means that she presumably took Defence Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, Charms, Potions, and another subject in sixth and seventh year. She earned 'Outstanding' or 'Exceeds Expectations' on all of her N.E.W.T.s. Being the daughter of the ostracised Andromeda Tonks, she was rejected by the supremacists of the House of Black.

Career as an Auror
"Nearly failed on stealth and tracking. I'm dead clumsy! Did you hear me break that plate downstairs?"

- Tonks talking to Harry Potter about Auror training

After passing a series of character tests that exam practical skills and how well candidate react under pressure, Tonks then underwent three years of Auror training under the tutelage of Alastor Moody. Tonks's 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, her 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.

Second Wizarding War
"Oooh, he looks just like I thought he would. Wotcher, Harry!"

- Tonks meeting Harry Potter for the first time

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 had not 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 was considered a considerable asset to the Order. She also took shifts guarding Harry Potter's prophecy in the Department of Mysteries, along with other members of the Order.



In the summer of 1995, Tonks was part of the Order's Advance Guard sent to escort Harry Potter 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, Tonks 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, helping him pack his trunk, although she was not very good with household spells, something at which her mother excelled. She was also 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 was not 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
"Then, high above them, two more doors burst open and five more people sprinted into the room: Sirius, Lupin, Moody, Tonks, and Kingsley."

- The Order arrives in the Death Chamber



In June of 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, along with Kingsley, Mad-Eye, Remus Lupin, and Sirius Black. During the battle with the Death Eaters, she shot a Stunning Spell at Lucius Malfoy and duelled her aunt, Bellatrix Lestrange. Bellatrix proved too strong for Tonks, though, and she was severely injured and knocked unconscious in the fight. Tonks was also very disappointed 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
"Harry thought she looked drawn, even ill, and there was something forced in her smile. Certainly her appearance was less colourful then usual without her customary shade of bubble-gum-pink hair."

- Description of Tonks' sickly complexion



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. Harry once met her in the halls after she 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.

Tonks also underwent physical changes, including her hair becoming mousy brown and lank, and she also 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. He felt a relationship with her would be disastrous for her; he was too dangerous as a werewolf, too old for her, and too poor. Tonks confided her feelings to Molly Weasley, and was often at the Burrow for "tea and sympathy". Her feelings also 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.

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.

Battle of the Astronomy Tower
"An extraordinary assortment of people had already settled into half of the chairs: shabby and smart, old and young. Most Harry did not recognise, but there were a few that he did, including members of the Order of the Phoenix: Kingsley Shacklebolt, Mad-Eye Moody, Tonks, her hair miraculously returned to vividest pink, Remus Lupin, with whom she seemed to be holding hands..."

- Tonks and others attend Dumbledore's funeral

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, Tonks 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 were not 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 its preferred bubble-gum pink colour.

Marriage
"Harry, guess what?" said Tonks from her perch on top of the washing machine, and she wiggled her left hand at him; a ring glittered there."

- Tonks happily showing Harry Potter her wedding ring



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 could not 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
"Bellatrix... she wants me quite as much as she wants Harry, Remus, she tried very hard to kill me. I just wish I got her, I owe Bellatrix. But we definitely injured Rodolphus..."

- Tonks recounting her airborne fight

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; Voldemort 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 Lestrange 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. She was Mad-Eye's favourite, and his protégée at the Ministry of Magic.

Wedding of Bill and Fleur
"Wotcher" said a familiar voice as he came out of the marquee again and found Tonks and Lupin in front of the queue. She has turned blonde for the occasion."

- Harry Potter remarks upon Tonks' apperance at the wedding



In the days following, Tonks found out that she was expecting Remus's child. Remus seemed to become withdrawn and sullen at the news, but Tonks was over the moon and radiant, although she did not reveal why. She briefly attended Harry's birthday party before leaving at the imminent arrival of Rufus Scrimgeour, and was a guest at Bill and Fleur's wedding the day after. Tonks 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 can be presumed that she was questioned by the intruders, along with the other guests, before being released.

Childbirth
"Don't you understand what I've done to my wife and my unborn child? I should never have married her, I've made her an outcast! And the child — the child... my kind don't usually breed! It will be like me, I am convinced of it!"

- Remus Lupin explains why he thinks marrying Tonks was a grave mistake

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. She moved back in with her parents. However, their split did not 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 learned 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 also inherited Tonks's metamorphmagi abilities, which he demonstrated mere hours after his birth, and showed no signs of lycanthropy.

Battle of Hogwarts and death
"Harry had a clear view of the bodies lying next to Fred: Remus and Tonks, pale and still and peaceful-looking, apparently asleep beneath the dark, enchanted ceiling."

- Description of Tonks's and Remus's lifeless bodies



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 did not answer the call. She was staying with her mother, Andromeda, and her infant son Teddy. However, she could not stand not knowing what was happening while Remus was fighting. She 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 and she rushed off to find him, it is unknown if she ever did.



During the battle, Nymphadora was murdered by her own aunt, Bellatrix Lestrange, in the third of their duels. Tonks's death was avenged by Molly Weasley when she in turn killed Bellatrix. Tonks' body was laid out, pale and peaceful looking, in the Great Hall next to her husband, who had died at the hands of Dolohov.

Tonks', Remus's, Colin Creevey's and Fred Weasley's deaths caused Harry great pain before and after his ultimate defeat of Lord Voldemort. Teddy would be raised by Tonks' mother, Andromeda, though he would dine at Harry's and the Weasleys' homes three or four times a week. Teddy also 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.

Physical appearance
"Listen, no bloke in his right mind's going to fancy Tonks when Fleur's around. I mean, Tonks is okay-looking when she isn't doing stupid things to her hair and her nose..."

- Tonks' physical appearance



Tonks was a young woman who exuded an aura of hipness. She had an unconventional sense of style in regards to her hair colour (usually bubble gum pink) and wardrobe. Ron Weasley stated that Fleur Delacour was prettier than her and that no man would pick Tonks over Fleur, stating that Tonks was "okay looking when she's not doing stupid things with her nose and hair".

Upon first being introduced in 1995 she was described as having dark twinkling eyes, a pale heart-shaped face, and short spiky hair. But as a Metamorphmagus, she could change her appearance at will. Her natural hair colour was a mousy brown.

Her appearances included, several different hair styles: violet hair, bubblegum pink hair, curly white-blonde hair, waist length tomato-red hair. Also several different noses: a pig nose resembling Dudley's, a "beak-like protuberance" that looked like Snape's, and a nose like a buttonne 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.

Personality and traits
"Last year she had been inquisitive (to the point of being a little annoying at times), she had laughed easily, she had made jokes."

- Tonks' light and curious personality

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 she was known for using her gift for lighter purposes, such as experimenting with her appearance for entertainment. Despite this, Tonks had difficulty controlling her magical abilities when she was unhappy, such as when her love was rejected by Remus Lupin. She was not good at household spells and was also notoriously clumsy. 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. 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 not only an excellent witch, but 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. She insisted to be called "Tonks" instead. She did not express any rejection when others refer her as "Dora", a shortened form of the given name she detested so much. This may haven been because her father, whom she loved called her it.

Magical abilities and skills


"I got top marks in Concealment and Disguise during Auror training without any study at all, it was great."

- Tonks regarding her own magical abilities

Having been trained in the use of both defensive and offensive magic by Alastor Moody, Tonks was an accomplished and skilful witch. She was a proficient duellist as well as a Metamorphmagus (a witch with the ability to alter her appearance at will). She could also conjure a corporeal Patronus, a very advanced piece of magic and a mark of superior magical ability. Her skills allowed her to hold her own against (and even defeat) several experienced Death Eaters.
 * Auror skills: Tonks was rather young for an Auror, which spoke for her considerable magical skills. She was the last person to become a fully fledged Auror before Harry Potter was accepted, which when combined with the fact that becoming an Auror required proficiency in the practical application of magic and exceptional marks at school, highlighted her abilities as a witch. Besides this, Tonks's father also 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.
 * Metamorphmagus: Unlike most other wizards and witches, Tonks possessed the ability to change her physical appearance without the need for a potion or a spell to assist. With simply a thought, Tonks was capable of changing her facial features, nose shape, and even the colour of her hair and eyes. She used this ability both to entertain people and to stop people from recognising her. This rare skill was invaluable for espionage, and she also passed the disguise and concealment portion of her Auror training without any studying.
 * Duelling: As an official Dark Wizard catcher, Tonks' duelling talents were naturally considerable. She was capable of duelling Thorfinn Rowle to a stalemate, before Harry Potter hit him with a hex. She fired a stunning spell at top Death Eater Lucius Malfoy, though it should be noted that he was caught of guard and it's unknown if it actually hit him. She also 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. Indeed, during her second encounter with her aunt, Tonks was able to duel her to a standstill in a mid-air battle between the two, and was capable of overcoming Bellatrix's husband, Rodolphus Lestrange, at the same time. Tonks was ultimately murdered by Bellatrix during the Battle of Hogwarts, though it is unknown what the nature of this encounter was, and her death may or may not have been the result of a duel between the two.
 * Defence Against the Dark Arts: A natural exceller in defensive magic, Tonks proved this ability as a Auror and Order of the Phoenix member.
 * Charms: Tonks had demonstrated a talent in Charms. She could cast a corporeal Patronus, which was a very advanced piece of magic. 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, and used another charm to pack Harry's belongings before leaving Privet Drive. She was also able to cast the Shield Charm, as a means of protection.
 * Potions: Tonks had achieved a N.E.W.T. in the subject, considering poisons and antidotes are essential studies for Aurors. She had earned either an 'Outstanding' or an 'Exceeds Expectations' on her N.E.W.T. exam.
 * Transfiguration: It is very likely that Tonks had achieved an N.E.W.T. in this subject as well, since Minerva McGonagall once stated the Aurors frequently have to transfigure and un-transfigure things in their line of work.
 * Healing magic: In 1996, Tonks effectively used a healing spell to fix Harry's nose when it was broken.
 * Non-verbal magic: Tonks was also capable of performing non-verbal magic. For instance, she was able to Stun Lucius Malfoy and duel her aunt Bellatrix and other Death Eaters without saying a single word. This testifies to her being a skilful powerful witch, as non-verbal magic is very difficult. She even cast the highly advanced Patronus Charm without the incantation.
 * Flying: Tonks was also a great flier, as demonstrated by her escorting Harry from the Dursleys' house along with the Order, and being able to emerge unscathed from a duel fought on a mid-air broomstick during the Battle of the Seven Potters.
 * Apparition: Tonks was capable of Apparating. In 1996, after visiting Molly Weasley, she left by Disapparating.
 * Detective abilities: As an auror Tonks was an effective detective. She was intelligent and able to make deductions. For example, she quickly found Harry immobilised on the Hogwarts Express based on subtle clues. She was additionally able to effectively fulfil her duties to the Order without jeopardising her job at the Ministry.

Possessions



 * Wand: As is the case with most wizards and witches, Tonks' wand is among her most valued magical possessions. Nymphadora's wand is 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 a Auror.
 * Comet 260: Tonks owns a Comet 260 broomstick with a rounded wood twig accent piece and strings and ribbons tied to the handle. It is seen in the fifth and seventh books and in the fifth film and seventh film so far.
 * T-shirt of the Weird Sisters: Tonks owns a Weird Sisters T-shirt, implying she could be a fan of the band.

The House of Black
"Bellatrix wants me quite as much as she wants Harry, Remus. She tried very hard to kill me. I just wish I'd got her, I owe Bellatrix."

- Tonks to Remus Lupin after the Battle of the Seven Potters

Tonks maintained a 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, referring to the Dursleys' immaculate home as she rescued Harry from the house. She was affectionately called Dora by both her husband and her father, which she didn't seem to mind even though it was technically a shortened version of her first name.



Tonks's extended family was populated by members of the House of Black, although she was not 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. Sirius mentioned that Tonks' mother was his favourite cousin while growing up. Since Sirius spent most of Tonks' 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. She was most likely upset 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 fell guilty because of this, but it was only speculated.



Her aunts included Bellatrix Lestrange and Narcissa Malfoy, which meant Draco Malfoy was among her many cousins. Bellatrix seemed particularly eager to kill her niece whenever they encountered one another (especially after Voldemort instructed her to "prune" her family tree,) and eventually succeeded during the Battle of Hogwarts on 2 May, 1998. 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. 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 the werewolf Remus Lupin.

It can be assumed that Narcissa did not 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 was not on the Black's family tree. As such, 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 fell in love with Remus Lupin. She let him know of her feelings, although he reciprocated them, he 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.

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). 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. Her Patronus also changed, resembling a wolf that showed her love for Remus.

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, and Tonks became pregnant shortly after. 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.

The couple's son, Teddy Remus Lupin, was born just after Easter, 1998, named after Tonks 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 was raised by his grandmother, Andromeda, and spent a lot of time with his godfather, Harry.

Teddy Lupin


Nymphadora Tonks married Remus Lupin in 1997 and they had a son. He was born in April and the couple choose to name him Teddy. They named him Teddy after Tonks' murdered father. It was obvious that Tonks loved her son very much. He was a Metamorphmagus, like his mother. Nymphadora was excited about her newborn son and wanted Harry Potter to be his godfather. She and Remus decided that there was no one better then Harry 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
"Mad-Eye, you do know that's disgusting don't you?"

- Tonks' casual conversations with Alastor Moody



Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody was Tonks' 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 Potter 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. The pair immediately took a liking to each other, and Harry was particularly impressed by Tonks's position as an Auror, as well as her 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".

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. 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' friendship with Harry grew for the next two and a half years. In 1996, Harry hoped Tonks would be among the Aurors set 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. Tonks 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 disappointing at how gloomy Tonks had become, missing his new friend's bubbly nature. When Tonks married Remus Lupin in 1997, she 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' mother, would spend three or four nights a week dining with the Potter and Weasley families.

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 go high and get good positions after school. Both, however, 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; Tonks was, albeit distantly, related to Ginny anyway. Hermione and Ginny somehow felt worried about Tonks being depressed lately, that even affected her magical abilities. The two, however, became glad about her marriage with Remus Lupin in mid-1997.

During the Battle of Hogwarts, they were very devastated when they found out during the one-hour armistice that she 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' son Teddy, considering that Ginny's husband was Teddy's godfather and served as a father figure to him.

Molly Weasley
"Thanks for the tea and sympathy, Molly."

- Tonks after confiding in 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; several people suspected that Molly hoped her son Bill Weasley would fall in love with Tonks, rather than marry Fleur Delacour. Molly appeared to be the only person that Tonks confided her love of Remus Lupin to, and was noted by Harry Potter as acting somewhat frosty to Lupin during the Christmas holidays, though he misinterpreted the reason why.

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 closest adult friend. For her part, Molly reacted heatedly to disparageing 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 possible 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.

Weasley family
"Ron was great... wonderful! Stunned one of the Death Eaters, straight to the head, and when you're aiming at a moving target from a flying broom..."

- Tonks praising Ron's fighting abilities during the Battle of the Seven Potters



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 fought along 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' son, Teddy.

She 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. George lost his ear during the Battle of the Seven Potters, but survived. 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.

"They searched the whole area but couldn't find the snake anywhere. It just seems to have vanished after it attacked you, Arthur... but You-Know-Who can't have expected a snake to get in, can he?"

- Tonks about the investigation of Arthur's attack

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's relationship with Bill, Charlie and Percy is unknown. Being the same age, she may have been friends with Charlie Weasley. It is also possible that she and Bill were friends as she attempted to help him put away some Order of the Phoenix secrets during 1995, although Molly wanted them to marry each other. Furthermore, Bill's love with Fleur made Tonks publicly declared her love for Remus. Bill and Fleur's daughter Victoire Weasley was known to be dating Tonks' son Teddy in 2017.

Order of the Phoenix


Nymphadora Tonks was a good friend of Kingsley Shacklebolt. Kingsley was 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 she was murdered, Kingsley was very sad.

She 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 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.

Tonks seemed to have no particular opinion of Severus Snape regarding his loyalty, though it can be assumed that she trusted him because Dumbledore did but did not view him as a friend. Snape insulted her wolf Patronus, which by extension was an insult to her love for Lupin. After Snape's murder of Dumbedore 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. Snape was Tonks' 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.

Tonks shared the fate of being one of many members of the Order killed in various battles during the wars.

Etymology

 * Nymphadora literally means "Gift of the Nymphs." Nymphs are nature spirits in Greek mythology who rule trees, sacred groves, streams and the ocean. 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. The metamorphic Tonks could be described as a "changeling".
 * 'Nymph' is also the name of the immature stage of a dragonfly or damselfly before it moults, before metamorphosing into a winged adult. This could be a reference to her metamorphosing skills.
 * A 'Tonk' literally means, 'a fool or idiot', 'a powerful hit or strike'. This could be related to Tonks's clumsiness.

Behind the scenes

 * Tonks was the first confirmed Metamorphmagus introduced in canon.
 * While her mother Andromeda presumably uses Nymphadora's first name, and her father calls her "Dora", everyone else uses Tonks (including, at first, her husband, which was odd since that was most likely not her last name anymore).
 * The name Tonks may have been taken from notable British painter, art teacher and surgeon Henry Tonks. Henry Tonks 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 chose 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 a Metamorphmagus, as Tonks 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 also 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.
 * In, if selecting Tonks as the distraction for Madam Irma Pince, and as the person who later accompanied Jacob's sibling, Tulip Karasu, and Barnaby Lee into the Vault of Fear, when meeting up at the Training Grounds, Tonks would reveal that all of the occurring threats caused by Dark Magic had her considering to become an Auror. After practising together, Jacob's sibling told Tonks she could really be an Auror someday, given her being so powerful. Tonks thanked her friend for the compliment, and stated that she started to take things more seriously after their talk.
 * Tonks brought a pot of baby mandrake for the distraction.
 * Tonks was in the same year as Charlie Weasley. She also shared four years with Oliver Wood. Additionally, as Tonks left school in 1991, her time at Hogwarts would have coincided with that of the five eldest Weasley children, however there is no reference in the books of her having had any contact with them before joining the Order. Having finished her schooling in the spring of 1991, she just barely missed attending Hogwarts at the same time as Harry Potter, who began his schooling in the fall of that same year.
 * Tonks and Lily Evans have much in common. Both opposed Voldemort and married a Marauder (Tonks married Remus Lupin and Lily married James Potter); both only had one son, Tonks' being Teddy Lupin and Lily's being Harry Potter. Along with their husbands, they also both lost their lives to Voldemort. Both have muggle relatives (Tonks's paternal grandparents and Lily's parents). Both lost their lives while their sons were merely infants.
 * J. K. Rowling originally intended for Tonks to survive the Battle of Hogwarts, but chose to have her and Remus die in reparation for giving Arthur Weasley a reprieve in the fifth book.
 * In the books, her hair is described as "short and spiky", but in the film's it's usually shoulder-length. It is also purple as opposed to pink as the film-makers had associated the colour pink with Professor Dolores Umbridge. It was portrayed as short and brown in the film adaptation of Half-Blood Prince however, as it had been in the book of the same name. It is possible she may be depressed over the death of her cousin Sirius, as in the book.
 * Despite having a different hair colour in each film that she appears, Tonks only ever has purple hair in.
 * Molly Weasley hoped that Tonks and Bill would fall for each other. Ironically, Tonks' son and Bill's daughter fell for each other.
 * Considering the birth of Delphini, daughter of Voldemort and Bellatrix, before Battle of Hogwarts, it's possible that the reason Voldemort told Bellatrix to prune her family tree and get rid of Nymphadora was Voldemort's pride cause he didn't want his offspring to have such unworthy relatives, as Tonks would be Delphini's first cousin, half-blood and married to werewolf. Interestingly, it seems that Voldemort never paid any special attention to Bellatrix's niece before, though Tonks was half-blood, child from the scandalous marriage between Bellatrix's sister from the noble House of Black and Muggle-born, not to mention Auror who fought against Dark Lord and his minions. Only after this instruction from Dark Lord Bellatrix eagerly made killing Nymphadora her priority. Delphini was born at the Malfoy Manor, so it's possible that at the moment of the Meeting at Malfoy Manor she already was born or that Bellatrix was in early stages of pregnancy.

In films

 * Tonks is portrayed by Natalia Tena in the film adaptations of, Half-Blood Prince and Deathly Hallows: Part 1 and Part 2. Coincidentally, Tena shares her character's initials.
 * During Natalia's audition for the role of Tonks, she tripped over a table and chair giving the impression that she's clumsy (like Tonks). Wherein the director found her energy and humour as the very thing he's looking for, for the role of the young witch.
 * English actress Anna Friel, who was David Thewlis' common law wife at the time, auditioned for the part of Tonks since the character is romantically linked to Remus Lupin. However, she did not get the role.
 * Kelly Macdonald was originally asked to play Tonks . She was later cast as Helena Ravenclaw.
 * In, to get Tonks's look, the front part of her hair was dyed, and the back part was a dyed wig.
 * On the second disc of the Order of the Phoenix DVD, there is a special feature in which Natalia Tena, in make up, costume and character, gives everyone a tour of the Harry Potter studios and sets. She chats with cast and crew members and plays with props from both the fifth and previous films, practises her duelling and demonstrates her talents as a musician. She does more in this feature than in any of the films.
 * In, Tonks isn't seen changing her hair colour the way she does in the books. Instead, it only changes once involuntarily (from purple to red) when she angrily tells Mad-Eye Moody not to call her "Nymphadora." It does briefly change to white when she apparates in during the fight in the Ministry.
 * In Tonks is shown to trip on the umbrella stand, as in the books.
 * Several publicity photos show Tena wearing a blonde wig as Tonks, but she does not do so in any of her four film appearances to date.
 * In the last film it appears that Tonks is shown in the Quad Battlements with Kingsley, Mr Weasley and her husband Remus, whereas in the books Tonks most likely ran to the grounds to find Remus because that's where Aberforth Dumbledore told her Remus was.
 * Her shortest appearance to date was Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, in which she appeared only in two brief scenes and had no lines. However, a deleted scene shows her being reunited with Remus on The Quad. He tells her that she should be with Teddy, and she responds: "He'll sleep 'till dawn, and snore like his father. It's you that needs me tonight."
 * Tonks has very little to do in any of the Harry Potter films in which she appears. She has four lines in Order of the Phoenix, four lines in Half-Blood Prince, five lines in DH Part 1 and no lines in DH Part 2 (except in a deleted scene where she has one line). Her romance with Remus, her pregnancy and her Metamorphmagi were not given much light, only being briefly mentioned due to pacing in the films. She is a character that is 'squeezed in,' but loved nevertheless, by her fans.

Notes and references
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