Tonks didn't know what to think or feel as she pulled on her Auror robes the a few days later. Yes, she was going to work, just like she originally was going to after the wedding. It was just a few days later than she thought. Though, she had been planning on being a lot more hungover today. But, of course, that wasn't the case. Not at all.

They were going to sort out everything, they said. Figure out what they were doing. Except that couldn't happened over just one night. There was no way. So, she was going to work today. What else could she do? Remus agreed with her that she couldn't not go. That would make people suspicious even though he wasn't happy that she had to go. But if she went did that also make her suspicious? Oh, she didn't know. She didn't know what was the right thing to do here.

She couldn't ask Arthur or Kingsley what they were doing - she had got Arthur's Patronus about the Weasleys being watched which meant they were probably being watched. They didn't want to run the risk either way.

Remus looked up from the counter he had been drumming his fingers on as she entered the kitchen.

"That you ready then?" He asked in a tight voice.

"Yeah." She bit her lip. "I'm doing the right thing here, aren't I?"

Remus let loose a large sigh. "I don't know, Dora," he admitted. "This, I haven't- I- this hasn't happened before. I don't have any experience with this."

Which was scary enough. Remus had always had his experience with the last War to fall back on but, like he said, the Ministry had never fallen in the last War. What were they supposed to do?

"I guess we'll see after today," she said.

"Yes."

He didn't sound happy about it but knew she had to do it. Had to see what changed.

"You can defend yourself if things go wrong," he said, mainly to himself and then he looked at her. "Just get out as quickly as possible if something does go wrong."

"I will," she promised and then looked at the clock. "I better go."

A quick kiss layer and she was gone.

The first thing she noticed when she arrived was the silence. No one was talking, there was a general air of anxiety about the place. The next thing she noticed were the people by the exits. Very obviously Death Eaters or supporters of this new order. They were checking people as they went past, directing some of them as if they were going somewhere they wouldn't normally.

Tonks approached the door that would take her to the Auror Department cautiously but she wasn't stopped. Huh. That was odd. She was very recognisable, she knew. There was no way that they would just let her through?

But they did, she made it all the way down to her office. People were milling about. Her colleagues. Again, no one was talking. Everyone was shifty looking, untrusting.

Auror Williams' office door was ajar but a quick check showed that he wasn't in there. Where was he? Had he been a casualty of the take over?

She looked across to the noticeboard and then did a double take. It was empty - it was never empty - except for one massive bit of parchment.

'NO ACTIVE DUTY. PAPERWORK ONLY UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE'

Huh.

[xxxxxx]

The next few days passed in a similar manner. She went to work. Did some paperwork and came home.

"I can't do this." Tonks muttered to herself, resisting the urge to pace.

It had been an odd few days now, nothing had happened. The Auror Department had been left to their own devices, though, notably with no one heading up anything. So, everyone kind of continued on with their normal work with an air of nervousness about the place. Which made no sense because if they had been taken over by the Death Eaters, they shouldn't be tracking down Death Eaters. It didn't make sense and it made her extremely tense. So, tense that it was actually hard for her to shift. Which was not something she wanted to go down again.

Dawlish came in to drop something off on her text. Even he had been quiet the last few days, uncharacteristically keeping out of everyone's way.

"No, I'm not doing this."

She couldn't support this. She couldn't.

"Some of us don't have that choice," Dawlish said tartly but also in a low tone.

Even so, it startled her. She hadn't thought that he had hung around. Some constant vigilance she had.

"What do you mean?"

His eyes narrowed at her, very obviously weighing up something in his mind. He then pointed to his ear and then gestured around the room.

Ah, he was asking about listening spells. Tonks shook her head. She had scanned for those that first day back. None in her cubicle or the corridor. There was one on the break room area and the main door. But no, they were safe here.

Dawlish relaxed ever so slightly and opened his mouth as if to talk but Tonks put up her hand.

"Mufflato" she thought and then gave a nod.

"We're safe," she said, still keeping her voice low, just in case.

Dawlish raised an eyebrow but didn't comment on it.

"I meant that some of us can't just leave here and quit."

"But this situation-"

"Is bad," he finished. "Goes against everything we stand for."

"Exactly!"

"But it's a job. It's money."

"Yes, but surely we're now all targets. Our job is, was, to catch these people!"

Tonks was just waiting for the other shoe to drop. There was no way that the Aurors would be left alone.

She was paying again. She couldn't help it. All these thoughts swirling about her head... she had to move!

"Our jobs are to do what were told," he said firmly. "Thays what we do."

"No, it isn't, it's-"

"Not a time to be the hero." Dawlish said firmly. "It's time to watch and comply."

She agreed with the watching, not so much the complying.

"But-"

Tonks felt anger bubbling beneath the surface. This was so very Dawlish. Self-serving. Playing it safe.

"I'm not the only one that I need to keep safe!" Dawlish said in a harsh tone, standing toe to toe with her.

What the hell did that mean? His parents lived on the Isle of Mann; he had told them that before. And they weren't even that old if she remembered correctly. So, what the hell did he mean?

"I need to stay safe, I need the money, we ned to not draw attention to ourselves," he recited off.

Suddenly the penny dropped for her.

"You have kids?" Tonks hissed in realisation only to get a hand immediately clapped over her mouth.

"Not so loud," Dawlish hissed, looking all around them and then dragging her out into an old interrogation room apparently not even wanting to risk her cubicle

Old because pipes had burst in it a few years ago and instead of spending money to fix it the Auror Department just moved it to another location (which was far more cramped). It had been in disuse for so long that there wasn't even any recording or shielding spells anymore. Not even hints of one. They had all long since failed. And it seemed to be resistant to new ones. Yeah, magic was weird.

"I didn't know you had kids," she said more quietly.

"Well, you never asked," he said simply. "And I don't advertise it either."

"But why?"

Wasn't that a thing people with kids did? Talk about them? Brag about them?

"To keep them safe," he said simply.

Tonks stared at him and he sighed.

"Look, even at the best of times this job is dangerous, right?"

"Right..."

"And that Aurors can easily make enemies?"

She nodded. Yes, yes. This was all well known. It was what they were warned about a way back when they first started.

"Which would make my family targets for anyone like that," Dawlish pointed out. "Especially members that can't defend themselves."

Oh. Oh. That, that made a lot of sense. Actually, she was embarrassed that she never thought of that before but then again, everyone in her immediate family were all adults and could defend themselves. She never had to think like that before.

But now she was. She couldn't just walk away, could she? She was the only one out of her and Remus who was actively working. Sure, Remus got paid for the work he did for the Order - if Order work was basically your job like him and Dung and a few others then you got paid. But it was barely enough to live on and Tonks wasn't sure how that was going to work now that Dumbledore was gone. And anyway, from what she gathered (Remus didn't talk about it much) it wasn't very consistent, hence him getting odd jobs over the years. Her wages would be the only consistent money coming in.

Tonks groaned out loud. More things to think about. It seemed impossible to come to a confident decision on anything.

She hated this.

AN: Please check out my story 'Safe House' to see what happened to Andromeda and Ted during the last chapter.