Tamara is a half-blood born and raised in Northern California by her wizard father and Muggle mother. She and her younger sister Julia both attended Alta California Academy of the Arts Magical, where she excelled in her studies. After graduating she became a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at her alma mater, but later moved to Texarcana School of Wizardry and Witchcraft to teach Potions. There she met and married Charles Reed, a Muggle, and had a son named Kevin, but Charles left them when Kevin was four. Two years later, looking for a change for them both, Tamara volunteered to go with Scott Fisher to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardy to help fill the teaching gap caused by the war against Voldemort.