Jellyn’s Collection of Curiosities

Well, long-awaited by me if no one else.

Right after I read book 6 (Half-Blood Prince), I came up with this brilliant theory. I kept intending to write it up in a nice little literate essay. I never have. And I’m likely to not do it at all before book 7 comes out, since I’m extremely busy. That’s what procrastination will buy you.

So, since it ties in to book 5 and movie 5 might have a hint of it, I thought I should quickly post before the movie came out!

So here it is in quick and dirty blog-form. Spoilers for books 5 and 6. Duh.

J’s Grand Theory of Sirius and Tonks

Tonks was not acting herself in book 6. And Lupin was not acting himself in book 6, which is more to the point!

That’s because Tonks, after the Veil scene in book 5, is actually Sirius, or at least half-Sirius. Perhaps in the way that McCoy was holding Spock’s katra. Or maybe Tonks is actually dead. I’m not in the camp that would care particularly if she was.

Tonks is knocked out before Sirius falls through the Veil. Moody goes to try to revive her. We next hear of her recovering in St. Mungo’s. She shows up again at the end with pink hair and even says something, but it’s not out of character for either her or Sirius.

It explains why Dumbledore and Lupin acted as they did. No one seems to reactly strongly enough to Sirius’s death, except for Harry. It’s because they knew he wasn’t actually dead. And at the end, Lupin is hanging out next to Tonks/Sirius, to keep an eye on him. To make sure he doesn’t give the game away.

I suspect the pink hair then was just a potion or spell of some sort. Because in book 6, Tonks is very drab. The reason behind this is that Sirius is having trouble controlling the Metamorphmagus ability.

And I actually just dug up my rough draft of this theory, which was more complete than I remembered and has some good stuff in it. So I’m going to paste it in. It trails off at the end and goes into an extended quote, but it’s good enough for government work.

Here it is:

—

A Word to the Fans and to J.K. Rowling

I’ve got a theory. It’s got nothing to do with bunnies or demons, but everything to do with a Metamorphmagus and an Animagus. I have two hesitations about writing this down and putting it out there on the web. I am so convinced I’m right that I worry about spoiling all of you by simply proposing the idea. My second hesitation is that Rowling will get wind of this theory and revise her intentions before book 7 is published. So to all of you, the fans, beware that the following theory may be a spoiler. And to Rowling, please, if I’m right, go ahead with it anyway. It doesn’t mean you’re less brilliant. I know it’s tempting to mess with a reader’s preconceived notions, but in this case, please stick to your guns. You’ve already set it up at least two books ago, so it wouldn’t ring true now if you didn’t follow through.

The Theory

Fans and readers warned. Rowling appealled to. Now let’s get to the theory. Tonks by book 6 contains Sirius’s soul. At first I thought they might be sharing the body, but now I believe Sirius is in Tonks’s body alone. Mourn the loss of Tonks if you will; I know I won’t. She was cool, in her way, but annoying, in her way. Sirius is much cooler, and I’m getting a bit side-tracked.

How and When it Came to Me
I suppose I first had my suspicions when Tonks was acting weirdly, but what really started to get me wondering was when she sent a messenger spell, aka Patronus to the castle. Why do we care what her Patronus is? Snape then immediately remarks that this is a new Patronus for her. So, I wondered. Not too long after this, I guessed that probably her Patronus was a dog. I was actually expecting this to be revealed and confirmed for me by the end, if not my entire theory. It never is confirmed, but I’ll come back to that later. So, my theory was nearly entirely formed about halfway through the book. I feel this is important to note, considering what comes at the end.

The Clues

I started looking for clues once the idea hit me, and a few did come out. On reflection, of course, I came up with many more. I will be starting with book 6. We’ll get to book 5 a little later on.

We first see Tonks at the Burrow (chapter 5). Immediately Harry notices she doesn’t look well. Her hair is mousy brown instead of bright pink and “there was something forced in her smile”. She also doesn’t meet Dumbledore’s eyes as she leaves. Perhaps not signs of anything definite here, but she’s definitely changed from the previous book. Which intrigued me, so I kept an eye on her. Of note also, she refused a dinner invitation which was to include Remus and Mad-Eye.

Next she’s being talked about by the kids. Ginny thinks Molly is constantly inviting Tonks around to try to hook her up with Bill. A good reason for Sirius-Tonks to stay away. Then Ron says “She hasn’t been much of a laugh lately.. Every time I’ve seen her she’s looked more like Moaning Myrtle.” Hermione thinks she’s upset about Sirius’s death and that it was her fault he died. We hear Lupin’s tried to talk her out of this idea, apparently without success. And that she’s having trouble Metamorphosing. Which explains the mousy brown hair. Now of course this could be caused by depression, but if you were new in Tonks’s body and had never been a Metamorphmagus yourself, you’d have trouble doing it too.

We next see Tonks on the train after Harry’s been body-binded, roughed up, and hidden under his invisibility cloak (chapter 8). She’s still got her mousy brown hair and is acting gloomy, without any smiles.

[ She does a healing spell here. Did she say somewhere she wasn't good at those? I think someone did..]

Of note here, she jumps off a moving train without so much as a stumble.

Then we see her Patronus, described here as “an immense silvery four-legged creature”. Could be anything, right? Could also be a large dog. On the walk to the castle, Harry wonders at the change in her some more. Rather observant for Harry, really. “Last year she had been inquisitive (to the point of being a little annoying at times), she had laughed easily, she had made jokes.” There’s a very nice line right after that: “Now she seemed older” – Like say.. 20 years older? “and much more serious”. Ha! After Rowling had made a point of playing with this pun in the first chapter even. To finish the line up: “and purposeful.” Then it goes on: “Was this all the effect of what had happened at the Ministry?” Why, yes, Harry, yes it was. But more on that later.

When they meet Snape at the gates, Tonks shows a real expression now. She frowns. Then Snape can’t resist remarking on her new Patronus and promptly insulting it. “I think you were better off with the old one. The new one looks weak.” How could any “immense four-legged creature” look weak? And why would Snape feel a need to insult it in any case? If it looks like Padfoot, that would be reason enough. Tonks reacts to this insult with “a look of shock and anger”. Naturally, Sirius would be angry at the insult, shocked that Snape recognized the Patronus for what it was, and no doubt rather worried what Snape would do with the information if he sussed out the reason behind it.

The next mention of Tonks is at the Burrow again (chapter 16). Fleur makes a reference that she’s clumsy. Molly says she invited Tonks, but she wouldn’t come, then asks if Remus has spoken to her. The answer “No, I haven’t been in contact with anybody very much. But Tonks has got her own family to go to, hasn’t she?” Molly replies that it’s possible, but she got the impression Tonks would be spending Christmas alone. Then she gives Remus an annoyed look.

Harry asks Remus about Tonks’ Patronus at this point. “Lupin took his time chewing his turkey and swallowing before saying slowly, ‘Sometimes…a great shock…an emotional upheaval…’” Sounds like dissembling to me, Remus. Harry’s response: “‘It looked big and it had four legs,’ said Harry, struck by a sudden thought and lowering his voice. ‘Hey…it couldn’t be—?’” Then he’s interrupted, of course. I think he must’ve been thinking it was Padfoot at this point. From all everyone’s said to him about Tonks being broken up about Sirius. He certainly had no reason to think it was a wolf at this point.

Jump to near the end. Tonks is fighting at least one Death Eater at the castle, but does nothing of particular note.

(chapter 29, some questions about Snape, but nothing hint-y here – 615,616)

(620)

(625) Tonks and Remus go at it.

“‘You see!’ said a strained voice. Tonks was glaring at Lupin. ‘She still wants to marry him, even though he’s been bitten! She doesn’t care!’”

“‘It’s different,’ said Lupin, barely moving his lips and looking suddenly tense. ‘Bill will not be a full werewolf. The cases are completely–’”

“‘But I don’t care either, I don’t care!’ said Tonks, seizing the front of Lupin’s robes and shaking them. ‘I’ve told you a million times…’”

“And the meaning of Tonks’s Patronus and her mouse-colored hair, and the reason she had come running to find Dumbledore when she had heard a rumor someone had been attacked by Greyback, all suddenly became clear to Harry; it had not been Sirius that Tonks had fallen in love with after all.”

“‘And I’ve told you a million times,’ said Lupin, refusing to meet her eyes, staring at the floor, ‘that I am too old for you, too poor…too dangerous…’”

“‘I am not being ridiculous,’ said Lupin steadily. ‘Tonks deserves somebody young and whole.’”

“‘But she wants you,’ said Mr. Weasley, with a small smile. ‘And after all, Remus, young and whole men do not necessarily remain so.’”

“‘This is…not the moment to discuss it,’ said Lupin, avoiding everybody’s eyes as he looked around distractedly. ‘Dumbledore is dead…’”

(641 – chapter 30)

“Tonks, her hair miraculously returned to vividest pink; Remus Lupin, with whom she seemed to be holding hands”

[ There's probably at least two references I missed. One where Tonks goes to find Dumbledore, apparently.. and one where thehy're discussing that she's in love with Sirius. ]

——

So there’s the bits and pieces of my theory and my evidence. When I turn out to be right, you can say you heard it here first!