Disclaimer: I forgot the Disclaimer in the first chappie, so I'm putting it here. Everything in this story belongs to the great Goddess of...everything, J. K. Rowling, so I no sell and you no sue, capiche?
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As Andromeda was fond of saying, Nymphadora had shown signs of being a Metamorphmagus at an early age. One night, when her daughter was about nine months old, Andromeda had come to kiss her goodnight and discovered that Charlotte now looked like Andromeda's great-aunt twice removed on her mothers side. Apart from giving Andromeda a heart attack, it also showed her that her daughter was a Metamorphmagi. Andromeda promptly changed 'Charlotte' into 'Nymphadora' and then sent a Howler to her mother, triumphantly announcing that "...the mudblood, as you call him, had fathered the only Metamorphmagi for over a century..." and that she would "... like to see a Black do any better!"
The Blacks didn't attend the Ceremony of the Magi either.
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"Nympha – dor – ah!"
Nymphadora grunted then went back to sleep. Ten minutes later, her mother's voice pierced, for the second time, the sleepy fog that wrapped itself around her brain.
"Nympha – dor – ah! Wake up, darling!"
Nymphadora gave up trying to sleep and dragged herself out of bed sleepily, wrapping the duvet around herself, then stomped downstairs.
"Hello, dear! Had a good night?" Andromeda seemed oblivious to her daughter's bad humour, fluttering around the pint-sized kitchen and placing a plate of scrambled eggs, bacon, sausages, and beans in front of Nymphadora.
Nymphadora replied non-committally.
"That's nice, dear! Now, eat up! You've got a long day ahead of you – imagine, my little Nymphadora going to Hogwarts!" Andromeda looked up from her cooking long enough to see that her husband had entered the kitchen. "Oh, hello darling! Breakfast is on the table if you want it."
Ted Tonks was not a tidy man by nature, whereas Andromeda was naturally neat, almost to the point of obsession. Nymphadora could never understand why her parents loved each other, but assumed that her mother turned blind every time she used the bathroom after her husband. However, her parents' strangely strong relationship was the least of her worries at the moment. Today she would be starting at Hogwarts. That in itself was hardly remarkable, but, when coupled with the name Nymphadora and the fact that said Nymphadora was a Metamorphmagi, meant that starting school turned into a death-defying leap of faith.
As the morning went on, the leaden feeling in the pit of Nymphadora's stomach became worse, until she had to shut her eyes every time she passed the fireplace in the (also pint-sized) dining room, with it's large pot of Floo powder on the mantelpiece. After seeing her daughter unconsciously changing her hair colour to a weak, sickly looking green each time Hogwarts was mentioned (a sure sign that Nymphadora was feeling blue – AN: no pun intended!), Andromeda refrained from mentioning the school at all.
At 10:45, Nymphadora, Ted, Andromeda, a large trunk, a Comet Two-Forty, and an owl were standing by the fireplace, Andromeda holding the large pot of Floo powder.
First Nymphadora, plus trunk, owl and broom, stepped into the fireplace and shouted "King's Cross Station!", then Andromeda, then Ted.
When the Tonks' were finally standing on Platform 9 ¾, having successfully negotiated the muggle platforms – thanks to Ted – Nymphadora, instead of feeling weepy and upset like she was supposed to, was thinking furiously. The reason for this was that she was trying to think of some way of shortening 'Nymphadora' into something vaguely acceptable. After having dismissed Dora, Nymph, Phaddie, and numerous others, she was forced to give up on Nymphadora. Then she had a brainwave. Why not use 'Tonks' as a nickname? There was nothing sissy or airy-fairy about Tonks, and it was easy to remember – a crucial factor in her case.
"Tonks. It has a certain ring to it, don't you think?" Her owl hooted resignedly in reply.