Thoughts on Tonks - LONG and rambling (was:Re: What's In A Patronus?)

[jessicabathurst]

No: HPFGUIDX 141550


I've been meaning to respond to this post for a while.   Since I'll be snipping and reordering a long and complex post within an inch of its life, those who'd like to read it in its eloquent original form can find it here. 

While I'm not entirely convinced of Narcissa!Tonks, I love the theory that someone else could be impersonating Tonks for the entirety of HBP.  Tonks seems way too different in this book than in OotP, so something must be out of whack.  

ewe2/silmariel:

> 1.  There are several good reasons for Narcissa!Tonks:
> a) Keeping an eye on both Snape and Draco
> b) The patronus/metamorphagus question
> c) Tonk's unexpected appearances
> d) Tonk's ignorance
> e) The legend doesn't fit.

<snip>

> We suspect that Snape and Narcissa may be in it together. This better
> fits 2a. It covers the Vow (Spinner's End), Snapes interesting remark
> about Patronuses (Snape Victorious pp152-153), the Polyjuice requirement,
> and certain Tonks appearances.


<snip>

> Silmariel thinks two things: Snape Loves Narcissa. Snape's Patronus is a
> dragon. Yes, we *do* mean Draco. Never awaken a sleeping Dragon, or daddy
> Snape. 

Jessica:

*sonorous voice*  Draco, search your feelings.  You know it to be true.  <grin>

Since my only requirement for enjoying Book 7 is that no character be (shockingly!) revealed to be the parent of another character, I'm going to propose another alternative.  Narcissa!Tonks is on her own.  This leaves a number of questions unanswered - mainly, how did Narcissa kidnap Tonks, and how does she maintain the transformation?  Which leads me to my next thought:  Metamorphmagi are rare, and you have to be born one.  Does it run in families?  Could Narcissa be a metamorphmagus?  (I know, I know, what are the odds?  But hey, it's only a theory.)   Maybe she doesn't need the Polyjuice at all.

Of course, having Snape in on the whole Narcissa!Tonks plan would allow him to recognize her Patronus when she sends it.  I've been wondering how Patronuses carry their authorship if you can change their shape.  How would Tonks expect to know that *she* was sending a message to Hagrid, if her Patronus changed?  Are members of the Order in the habit of answering strange Patronuses, just in case someone's changed their signal,  in the same way that I sometimes read the contents of my spam email file?

ewe2/silmariel:

> 2.  Molly's involvement:

> We assume either that Molly is (a) inadvertently backing up Narcissa's
> cover or (b) is actively involved. (Spinner's End)

<snip>

> While not ruling out Silmariel's idea below, Molly is ideal protection
> for Narcissa's cover. She provides Narcissa with the means to track OotP
> movements whilst also diverting others from close inspection by
> championing the "unrequited love" legend.

<snip>

>  Silmariel suggests that Molly may be in with Narcissa on the basis of
> saving their children, which is a good motive.

Jessica:

I find it difficult to believe that Molly and Narcissa would be secret allies.  Lucius Malfoy and Arthur Weasley came to blows in CoS, and in HBP Narcissa has her own nasty run-in with the trio.  (What is it with shopping and the Malfoys?  Apparently, capitalism is a corrupting force.)  While Narcissa s certainly Slytherin enough to put all that unpleasantness on the back burner to help save her son, I'm pretty certain Molly isn't.

However, considering Narcissa's skill at manipulating other people's emotions (assuming one believes she snookered Snape), it's not at all far-fetched to assume that Narcissa!Tonks could spin quite a tale of romantic woe for Molly, who'd not only believe it, but maybe do Narcissa!Tonks a few favors with regard to an order Member who shall remain nameless. *cough*Lupin*cough*  Tracking the werewolf who's tracking the werewolf who likes to bite children and is running around with your son's new pals seems like a vigilant mom thing to do.

On to the list of things that do not make sense re: Tonks in HBP:

ewe2/silmariel:

> The Patronus excuse is too weak, and in apparent conflict to canon (A
> Very Frosty Christmas p319. What did Harry guess it was?). A metamorphagus
> unable to metamorph (pp93-94, why didn't Ron think so? He immediately gets
> contradicted) is believeable but not in conjunction with a different
> Patronus. And where's the clumsiness, eh? (according to Fleur, ibid.)


Jessica:

Where's the clumsiness, indeed?  In fact, since we don't know very much about Tonks, I find it interesting that the two things we know for sure about her don't make an appearance in HBP.  Is Tonks less clumsy when she's grieving/in love?  Why doesn't she ever metamorphose?  

ewe2/silmariel:

> "Tonks" appears in odd places. She needs an excuse to be close to
> Snape/Draco but wasn't assigned guard duty (p126 suggests she shouldn't
> have been anywhere near the train or Hogwararts. Why the sudden change?),
> but somehow manages it. So why was she elsewhere? (Silver and Opals p232)
> Where was she really during the fight at Hogwarts? (The Phoenix Lament
> p578 but see also p571 for an intriguing comment) Is her story credible?
> But she is often near Draco, and conveniently not too close (3d for why).


Jessica:

YES!  Tonks's sudden appearances are the heart of the confusion for me.  Does Dumbledore have her following Draco?   Are she and Snape working together thwart Draco from fulfulling his mission, or is she Dumbledore's secret backup plan?  (I should confess here that I find this far more likely than Narcissa!Tonks, as fun as she is to consider.)  Why does Harry compare Draco's weight loss to Tonks's haggard look?  Do "guilt" and "stress" read the same as "lovesick"?  Could Tonks be like Draco because they are, in fact, on the same side?  Could Tonks be ESE?

And most importantly, what does Snape think of Tonks?  (Kidding.  For the love of all that is good and holy, KIDDING.)

Yours, 

Jessica

 

 


 



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