Andromeda Tonks

 Andromeda Black a.k.a Healer Tonks

Biographical information

Full Name

Andromeda Black

Nickname(s)

• Andie (by her sister, Narcissa, once)

• Dromeda (by her husband, Ted)

• Mother, Mom (by her daughter, Nymphadora)

• Grandma (by Teddy)

• Ms. Black

• Mrs. Tonks

• Blood traitor (by her sister, Bella)

Date of Birth

1953

Blood status

Pure-blood

Marital status

Widowed

Nationality

English

Also known as

• Disowned Black

• Healer Tonks

Physical information

Species

Human

Gender

Female

Hair colour

Light brown

Eye colour

Dark brown

Skin colour

White

Family information

Children

Nymphadora Tonks-Lupin † (daughter)

Siblings

• Bellatrix "Bella" Black-Lestrange † (estranged older sister)

• Narcissa "Cissy" Black-Malfoy (estranged younger sister)

Parents

• Cygnus Black III † (estranged father) 

• Druella Rosier-Black † (estranged mother)

In-laws

• Prof. Remus Lupin † (son-in-law) 

• Mr. Tonks † (father-in-law)

• Mrs. Tonks † (mother-in-law)

• Rodolphus Lestrange † (estranged brother-in-law)

• Lucius Malfoy (estranged brother-in-law)

• Victoire Weasley-Lupin (granddaughter-in-law)

Nieces/Nephews

• Delphini (estranged niece)

• Draco Malfoy (nephew)

Grandparents

• Pollux Black † (estranged paternal grandfather) 

• Irma Crabbe-Black † (estranged paternal grandmother)

Uncles/Aunts

• Walburga Black † (estranged paternal aunt) 

• Alphard Black † (paternal uncle) 

• Orion Black † (estranged paternal uncle by marriage) 

Cousins

• Walburga Black † (estranged paternal second cousin once removed) 

• Orion Black † (estranged paternal second cousin once removed-in-law) 

• Sirius Black III † (paternal first cousin/paternal third cousin) 

• Regulus Black II † (paternal first cousin/paternal third cousin)

Great-Nephews/Nieces

Scorpius Malfoy (great-nephew)

Grandchildren

Edward Remus "Teddy" Lupin (grandson/former ward)

Relationships

Allies/Friends

• Bellatrix Black-Lestrange † (formerly; she was killed by Molly Weasley)
• Narcissa Black-Malfoy (possibly)
• Ted Tonks † (closest friend/love interest)
• Order of the Phoenix (her allies)
• Albus Dumbledore † (her former headmaster, who was killed by Snape for Dumbledore's orders)
• Prof. Remus Lupin † (her daughter's husband, who was killed in the battle along with her daughter)
• Sirius Black III † (her closest cousin, who was killed by her sister, Bellatrix)
• Harry Potter (her ally and her grandson's godfather)
• Weasley family (closest friends)
• Hermione Granger (closest one)
• Scorpius Malfoy (her nephew's son, with whom she has a close relationship)
• Draco Malfoy (her nephew, who was estranged at the beginning but is now close)

Romances

• Edward "Ted" Tonks † (muggle; late husband)

• Rabastan Lestrange (pure-blood; promised to marry by her family in the 1970s, but she disagrees)

Enemies

• Death Eaters (archenemies)

• Lord Voldemort † (archenemy)

• Bellatrix Black-Lestrange † (archenemy, her daughter and son-in-law's killer)

• Lestrange family †

• Lucius Malfoy (despises him)

• Druella Rosier-Black †

• Cygnus Black III †

• Orion and Walburga Black †

Magical characteristics

Powers/Skills

• Duelling

• Healing magic

• Defence Against the Dark Arts

• Charms (and Dark Charms)

• Dark Arts (has used Imperio once, except Crucio and Killing Curse)

Wand

Unknown length, wood, and core

Fate

Raises her grandson alongside Harry Potter

Affiliation

Occupation

Healer

School

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (1964 - 1971)

Residence(s)

• Tonks' house (currently)

• House of Black (formerly, birthplace)

House

Slytherin

Loyalty

• House of Black (disowned)

• Rosier family (formerly)

• Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

• Slytherin

• Tonks' family (in-laws)

• Albus Dumbledore †

• Order of the Phoenix

• House of Weasley

• Potter family

Character information

Seen

• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1

• Sisters of House Black (An Unofficial Fan Film)

Played by

Abbi-Kaye Ellison

Andromeda Tonks, also known as Andromeda Black, is the mother of Nymphadora Tonks and the sister of Bellatrix Lestrange and Narcissa Malfoy. She was disowned by the Black family for marrying Ted Tonks, a Muggle-born wizard.

Sirius told Harry that Andromeda had been "blasted" off the Black family tapestry. Disowned because she married Muggle Ted Tonks and represented by a burn hole in the Black Family Tree. Nymphadora was born in 1973, so Andromeda probably started Hogwarts in the early to mid-1960s, making her older than her cousin Sirius. Andromeda was Sirius's favorite cousin.

Harry and Hagrid went to her and Ted's house in the Battle of the Seven Potters. After Voldemort's defeat, with her husband, daughter, and son-in-law dead, Andromeda raised her grandson Teddy Lupin with Teddy's godfather, Harry Potter.

Biography

Early life

Andromeda was born on 4 April 1952, at Black Manor, Westbury, Wiltshire, England. She was the second-born daughter of Cygnus Black III and Druella Rosier, and younger sister of Bellatrix Lestrange and older sister of Narcissa Malfoy. Walburga and Orion Black were her aunt and uncle on her father's side, and Sirius and Regulus Black were her cousins. Evan Rosier is a cousin on her mother's side. Alphard Black was also Andromeda's uncle.

She was Sirius and Regulus Black's favourite cousin; their families were very close, spending holidays together and raising their children together.

Hogwarts years (1963 - 1971)

Andromeda attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from 1963 to 1971 and was sorted into Slytherin House. She was very skilled in Charms class, giving her proficiency with casting various household charms. She was also 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.

During her years 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. Her older sister, Bellatrix, cut off contact with Andromeda because she considered her a blood traitor for her marriage. Narcissa, although keeping up public appearances, secretly remained in contact with Andromeda.

In 1973, at 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. Andromeda claims this was imposed on her by her mother, Druella.

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. Nymphadora 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.

Second Wizarding War (1995-1998)

Although Andromeda and Ted were not official members of the second Order of the Phoenix, they allowed their home to be one of the Order's safe-houses and were supportive of the organisation to which their daughter belonged. Nymphadora married Remus Lupin in the summer of 1997; he suspected that her parents did not approve because he was a werewolf, though that was not true, given the fact that Andromeda was not a pure-blood supremacist.

After the Battle of the Seven Potters, they were instrumental in Harry Potter's moving from Potter Manor to The Burrow: Harry Potter and Rubeus Hagrid took temporary refuge in Tonks' home, where Andromeda took care of Hagrid's injuries. She seemed somewhat offended when Harry first reacted to her as if she were her sister Bellatrix because of their resemblance. She and Ted were both very worried about their daughter when they learned that the Order was ambushed by Death Eaters when transporting Harry, though Ted tried to reassure his wife by pointing out that their daughter had been through worse in the course of her work as an Auror.

When the Ministry of Magic fell under Lord Voldemort's control in August of 1997, the magical protections around the Order's safe-houses were broken. Andromeda and Ted were interrogated and tortured by Death Eaters for information about Harry Potter and the Order. Their son-in-law reported that they were "shaken, obviously, but otherwise okay". Soon after this, their daughter discovered that she was pregnant and came to stay with Andromeda and Ted, as her husband temporarily left her out of fear that he would pass on lycanthropy to their child.

The Ministry soon began persecuting Muggle-borns by forming the Muggle-Born Registration Commission, which charged Muggle-borns with having stolen their magic and their wands from "real" witches and wizards. Ted refused to register on principle and was forced to go on the run; Andromeda, as a pure-blood, was safe and stayed with her pregnant daughter. Some time before the birth of her grandson Teddy, Andromeda was left a widow, as her husband was murdered by Snatchers.

During the Battle of Hogwarts, Andromeda's older sister, Bellatrix, murdered Andromeda's daughter and son-in-law. However, Bellatrix was eventually killed in a duel by Molly Weasley after Bellatrix attempted to murder Ginny Weasley.

Later life (Post 1998)

Andromeda helped her daughter raise her grandson, Teddy, and thus also spent a lot of time with his godfather, Harry Potter, and the Weasley and Black families.

Physical appearance

Andromeda had an uncanny physical resemblance to her older sister, Bellatrix, to the extent that Harry almost attacked her during their first meeting. She 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 and traits

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 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 helped raise her daughter's son.

Apart from her husband and daughter, her cousins Sirius and Regulus Black considered her to be their only true family, demonstrating that Andromeda always treated them 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.

Magical abilities and skills

• Healing magic: After the Battle of the Seven Potters, Harry and Hagrid took refuge in her house, where she successfully healed Hagrid's injuries. Given Hagrid's half-giant nature and concomitant natural magical resistance, this does imply she was a talented Healer.

• Household magic: Andromeda had a talent for cleanliness and household spells, a talent that her husband and her daughter did not share. According to Nymphadora Tonks, Andromeda mastered the Pack Charm, getting stuff to fit itself in neatly and even getting socks to fold themselves.

Relationships

Family:

Parents

Andromeda's relationship with her parents was 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. Her parents did not consider her their daughter anymore after her marriage and, like Bellatrix, cut off all contact with her.

Siblings

Bellatrix Black

Bella was Andromeda's older sister. 

When they were younger, Bellatrix and Andromeda were very close. Although they never shared the same ideals, the two were very close. And although Bellatrix never admitted it, she felt betrayed when Andromeda married Ted Tonks.

After she married the Muggle-born Ted, Andromeda was disowned, and both her parents and older sister cut off all contact with her. Andromeda's relationship with Bellatrix was particularly hateful, given that Bellatrix attempted to murder Andromeda's own daughter (though Bellatrix was eventually killed by Andromeda). Bellatrix did not hesitate to try to kill Andromeda when she saw her sister during the Battle of Hogwarts. Andromeda also seemed to be offended when Harry Potter, upon first seeing her, reacted as if she were her older sister. Andromeda showed no remorse for her older sister's death at her own hands, given Bellatrix's cruelty towards her and her attempts to murder both her child and Sirius.

Narcissa Black

Narcissa was Andromeda's younger sister.

Andromeda was never as close with Narcissa as she was with Bellatrix, but the two were nonetheless inseparable, as Andromeda practically raised Narcissa. Despite their different ideals, Narcissa did not stop seeing her sister even after her family's disapproval of Andromeda's marriage. The two secretly remained close through the years.

Andromeda's relationship with Narcissa, however, was not hateful and was more of a caring one. Following Voldemort's defeat and Lucius Malfoy's arrest, Narcissa renounced her formerly valued pure-blood supremacy.

Husband and Children

Edward Tonks

Ted was Andromeda's late husband.

Andromeda married Ted Tonks in spite of her family's hatred of Muggle-borns, which led to her being disowned and shunned by her sister. The two loved each other greatly. Ted comforted his wife when they were unsure what happened to their daughter after the Battle of the Seven Potters, reassuring her that, as an Auror, Tonks had been through worse.

However, Andromeda was left a widow, as her husband was murdered by Snatchers.

Nymphadora Tonks

Nymphadora was Andromeda's daughter.

Nymphadora and her mother were close, though Tonks disliked the given name her "fool of a mother" gave her. Andromeda was delighted when news that her daughter and Remus Lupin were in love and that they planned to marry got to her. She was overjoyed when she found out about Nymphadora's pregnancy. Andromeda was frantic with worry over her daughter's participation in the Second Wizarding War and opted to stay with her during her pregnancy, while Ted went on the run from the Muggle-Born Registration Commission. When Tonks went off to fight in the Battle of Hogwarts, Andromeda accompanied her daughter, and the two left Teddy in the care of Diane Juneberry, a half-elf who worked at the Macmillan Manor. Andromeda fought alongside her daughter, although the two were separated, during which time her older sister, Bellatrix, attempted to kill her daughter. Andromeda did not take the news lightly, attacking and killing her sister with a deadly blow.

After the final battle of the Second Wizarding War, Andromeda would help raise her grandson.

Other relatives:

Cousins

Sirius Black III

Sirius was Andromeda's favorite cousin.

Andromeda's younger cousin, Sirius Black, told Harry Potter in 1995 that Andromeda was his favourite cousin. Like her, Sirius was considered a "blood traitor" by their family and was disowned for his beliefs. The two were really close in their younger years. Sirius considered Andromeda and Nymphadora's family and thus spent a lot of time with the Tonks family.

Regulus Black II

Regulus was Andromeda's second cousin.

Born into a lineage that fervently upheld traditions of blood purity and allegiance to dark magic, Andromeda and Regulus shared a complex familial bond shaped by the oppressive expectations of their upbringing. Andromeda, the middle sister among the three Black sisters (alongside Bellatrix and Narcissa), defied her family by marrying Muggle-born Ted Tonks, an act that led to her disownment and her name being blasted from the family tree. Regulus, in contrast, initially embraced the family’s ideology, joining the Death Eaters at a young age. However, he later experienced a crisis of conscience and attempted to defy Lord Voldemort, ultimately sacrificing his life in the process. While there is little direct account of their personal relationship in the Harry Potter series, it can be inferred that, despite their different paths, both Andromeda and Regulus broke from the family's dark legacy in their own ways—Andromeda through love and loyalty to those outside pure-blood circles, and Regulus through a courageous, if tragic, redemption. Their stories reflect quiet rebellion and the possibility of moral awakening within a family long defined by prejudice and pride.

Nieces/Nephews

Draco Malfoy

Draco was Andromeda's nephew.

As a staunch traditionalist, Malfoy, Draco, likely viewed his aunt with a mix of disdain and distance, aligning with his parents’ prejudice against Muggle-borns. The Malfoys, as die-hard pure-blood advocates, would have seen Andromeda’s union as a betrayal of their heritage. This ideological clash overshadowed any blood bond, with minimal direct interaction depicted in the Harry Potter series. However, a subtle hint of potential reconciliation emerges in the epilogue of Deathly Hallows, where Draco, after a lifetime of internal conflict, names his youngest daughter Andromeda, perhaps symbolizing a reluctant nod to his aunt’s legacy. Though their story is one of division, it underscores the power of generational change and the enduring, if strained, threads of family.

Delphini

Delphini was Andromeda's niece.

Despite the clear genealogical link, the two women never share a scene in any canonical text, and their paths never cross in the known narrative. The reasons are both narrative and symbolic. Andromeda, after her exile, retreats into a modest life with her family in the countryside, eventually raising her daughter Nymphadora Tonks – a half‑blood witch who becomes a proud member of the Order of the Phoenix. Her world is one of quiet resistance, love for the “Muggle‑born” side of her family, and a deep remorse for the crimes of her sister. Delphini, on the other hand, is the embodiment of Bellatrix’s fanaticism and Voldemort’s lingering ambition. Her sole purpose is to rewrite history, restore her father’s reign, and erase the very act of defiance that Andromeda represents.

If the two ever had a chance to meet, the encounter would be laden with dramatic irony. Andromeda would recognize in Delphini the dark mirror of her own sister – a woman who chose power over compassion, purity over love. Yet, Andromeda’s own story is one of redemption: she survived the war, raised a daughter who fought for the greater good, and ultimately witnessed her daughter, Nymphadora “Tonks” Tonks, die a heroic death. Delphini, meanwhile, is destined to be vanquished by the very forces Andromeda helped nurture. Their relationship, therefore, is less about personal interaction and more about the stark contrast between two divergent paths taken by members of the same bloodline: one that embraces love and sacrifice, the other that clings to an oppressive legacy. In the broader tapestry of the Wizarding World, Andromeda’s quiet defiance stands as an unspoken counterpoint to Delphini’s ruthless quest, reminding fans that even the smallest family branches can bear the weight of profound moral choice.