A/N: The first chapter, a foreword, is a summary of the events leading up to the beginning of the alternate ending. It can be skipped if going directly from The Nymph of House Black to this shorter ending.
This story starts at the beginning of November, 1979. At this point, Tonks-as-Pandora "Dora" Black has been working as a double agent for almost eight years following her time travel accident in 1996 from the Battle of the Department of Mysteries (end of Order of the Phoenix). She and Dumbledore have worked closely and obtained three horcruxes: the ring containing the Resurrection Stone, the previously lost diadem of Rowena Ravenclaw, and Slytherin's locket. All three are currently stored in a secret attic at Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place.
They know of the diary horcrux and its location at Malfoy Manor, though not its precise whereabouts in the manor. They know the Hufflepuff Cup is in the Lestrange vault, and Dora does not yet have primary access to the vault, despite working closely with Voldemort and the Lestranges. She is named as a beneficiary of the vault, but can only access it upon the death or imprisonment of all three living Lestranges: Rodolphus, Rabastan, and Bellatrix.
The prophecy regarding a boy born at the end of July hasn't been made yet. Neither Dora nor Dumbledore know the contents of the prophecy yet. Dora knows a prophecy exists because she was part of the Order of the Phoenix in 1996, but in a classic Dumbledore move, he did not reveal its contents to most of the Order, including Tonks.
They don't know if or when the prophecy will be made. They also don't know what the prophecy contains, except for the flawed knowledge that it has to do with Harry Potter, rather than the possibility of a boy born at the end of July to parents who have thrice defied the Dark Lord.
At this point in 1979, James and Lily are already married, though Dora isn't sure if Harry Potter has been conceived yet.
More importantly for her, she and Remus have been broken up since May. Dora had been betrothed to her cousin Regulus and in the spring, Walburga and Orion Black decided they would be married in August of 1979. When Remus learns that the marriage date had been set, he breaks up with Dora and storms off to join the werewolf packs.
Dora begs him to come back, insisting they can figure out a solution, but he refuses to listen. Regulus has his own set of troubles; his secret Muggleborn boyfriend, Cyrus, is murdered by Augustus Rookwood in July. In a jealous fit of rage, Regulus brings Rookwood with him to the cave containing Voldemort's horcrux locket. Though Kreacher survives to tell the tale and bring the horcrux to Dora, it meant that Regulus and Rookwood died in the lake of Inferi.
Regulus dies the day he should have married Dora, leaving her at the altar. She's heartbroken over his loss, and Sirius blames her for driving him to his death by encouraging him to become an undercover Death Eater, along with Severus Snape.
By November 1979, Sirius hasn't spoken to Dora for months. He blames her for her decision to go ahead with the marriage to Regulus, despite the fact that it's against her will. He blames her for Remus storming off to the werewolf packs, and for the premature death of Regulus.
In October of that year, a dragon pox epidemic hits magical Britain and kills off many people, including Orion Black. Because Sirius has been disowned and Dora is the only remaining Black heir, she inherits the Blacks' gold, Grimmauld Place, and the Wizengamot seat. She lives on her own and works as an Unspeakable in the Department of Mysteries, allowing Walburga to live alone at Grimmauld Place with Kreacher.
Every week, she has a "family dinner" with the Lestranges and Voldemort to keep up appearances. She hates these occasions and has suffered a great deal of trauma with the Lestranges and Voldemort. In the meantime, she continues a good relationship with Narcissa Malfoy and Andromeda Tonks, her mother. Neither of these women know her identity as the time-traveling Nymphadora Tonks. The only living people who know the truth are Albus Dumbledore, Mad-Eye Moody, and Severus Snape.
Dora has been suffering for some time now. She is lonely and all that keeps her going is the steadfast goal of defeating Voldemort once and for all. She's accepted that there's almost no chance of "merging" with her time traveling self, which means there will be two Tonkses for the rest of time. She has thought of leaving for America to join her Scamander "grandparents" once Voldemort is defeated, to begin a new life there free of her British past.
Until that time comes, however, Dora will stay in Britain to see the war through and ensure her loved ones have the happy ending she always wanted for them.
…
A few notes for readers:
This story has a bittersweet ending. It will contain major character death, a great deal of angst and suffering, and darker themes, in keeping with the tone of the latter half of The Nymph of House Black. The much happier ending, The Nymph of House Tonks, is available to read instead.
Otherwise, read on and enjoy!
