History

Early Life

Andromeda was born in the early 1950s as the second daughter of Cygnus and Druella Black. On her father’s side, Walburga and Orion Black were her aunt and uncle, and Sirius and Regulus were her cousins. In addition, Alphard Black was also Andromeda’s uncle. She was Sirius’s favorite cousin. However, Sirius never got to meet her married family before his imprisonment in Azkaban in 1981.

Before the three sisters left for Hogwarts, their mother gave them a keepsake box. In the box, they later kept their most treasured possessions. The box had three locks for each of them, and each lock was enchanted to be opened with a different magical act. With this, the sisters had a rule. The other two would turn around while each of them would unlock their respective lock. This way, only they would know how to unlock them.

Hogwarts

During a potions class in her first year, Andromeda met a Muggle-born wizard, Ted Tonks. The boy had accidentally knocked over a Cure for Boils potion. Andromeda helped him clean it up, as her sisters laughed at Ted. Later, Ted managed to ask the girl out on a date to the Three Broomsticks. After that, they started dating despite Andromeda’s family believing in blood purity.

Whilst years at Hogwarts, Andromeda was close with her two sisters, and they were practically inseparable. They shared a keepsake box, where they still kept their most precious possessions. Andromeda kept the first love note that Ted Tonks had sent her and the old flower he had given her on the first date.

She may have been skilled in both Charms and Defense Against the Dark Arts. In her adult life, she even managed to resist torture without revealing any information or losing her sanity.

Marriage and family life

When Andromeda married Ted, she was disowned and burned off the family tapestry by her parents, sisters, and aunt Walburga. Her sisters had cut off contact with Andromeda because they considered her a blood traitor by her marriage.

In 1973, Andromeda and Ted had their daughter, Nymphadora Tonks. Andromeda selected the name, but her daughter strongly disliked it, wanting to be known simply as ‘Tonks.’ Ted, Andromeda, and Remus Lupin called the girl Dora. Unlike her husband and daughter, Andromeda had a talent for cleanliness.

In 1984, Nyhmphadora started her first year at Hogwarts and got sorted into Hufflepuff. During the 1986-1987 school year, Andromeda returned to celebrate the school’s founding. Her daughter and a friend found the keepsake that once belonged to Andromeda and her sisters. With Andromeda’s help, Nymphadora’s friend was able to trick Narcissa’s son, Draco Malfoy, into telling them about his mother. This allowed them to figure out that Narcissa used the Black family lullaby as the key to her lock.

Andromeda found out that her older sister Bellatrix used a blood payment as the key for her lock after consulting Albus Dumbledore about the Death Eater ideology of blood. When the two locks opened, the curse activated and would affect those who tried to open it without Bellatrix. However, Andromeda focused on opening the lock by thinking of happy memories while her daughter and the other student dueled a magical knight that was conjured.

Once the knight was defeated and the box was opened, they saw the treasure of the three sisters. Andromeda’s treasure was the first love note and rose from Ted. Naricissa’s treasure was the Malfoy family brooch. When it came to Bellatrix, whatever she put in the box was reduced to ash. However, Andromeda swept the ashes into a phial and took it to keep it safe.

By 1991, Nymphadora graduated and went to train and work as an Auror. She worked as an Auror between the wars and during the Second Wizarding War. This made Andromeda worry frequently for her daughter and her safety.

Second Wizarding War and Later Life

Though they were not official members of the Order of the Phoenix, Andromeda and Ted provided their home as a safe house. In 1997, Nymphadora married Remus Lupin. Remus had a suspicion that her parents did not approve of him since he was a werewolf. However, it is unknown if it was true.

Following the Battle of the Seven Potters, Harry Potter and Rubeus Hagrid were temporarily taking refuge in their home. There, Andromeda took care of Hagrid’s injuries. When Andromeda learned that the Order had been ambushed, Ted tried to reassure her that their daughter had handled worse as an Auror.

The Ministry of Magic fell under Lord Voldemort’s control in August of 1997. The magical protection around the safe houses was broken. That way, Andromeda and Ted were tortured and interrogated. Remus reported that they were okay despite being shaken. After this event, Nymphadora found out she was pregnant. She stayed with her parents. However, Remus temporarily left Nymphadora, afraid that he would pass on lycanthropy.

After the birth of Edward ‘Teddy’ Lupin, Ted Tonks was murdered by the Snatchers. Then, during the Battle of Hogwarts, Nymphadora and Remus were both killed in action by Bellatrix Lestrange and Antonin Dolohov. Following this, Bellatrix was killed by Molly Weasley.

The war robbed Andromeda of her husband, daughter, and son-in-law. This left her with the custody of her grandson. However, Teddy spent a lot of his time with his godfather, Harry Potter, and the Weasley Family.

Credits/References

Written by Mila Grace
Base code by Andrew Sutherland, edited by Iselin Merilä and Desmond Gray.