It was apparently going to be a bit different today. Someone had decided that they should probably show Tonks what a normal Training Auror acted like and assigned her to another Senior Auror for the day. Because the whole McGowan debacle didn't count apparently. Or no one in the Auror Department was aware of it outside the Academy. Or a fortnight rather but they were going to see how one day went first. Because, well, the Auror Department assigned her and Mad-Eye to another Auror because apparently leaving him to his own devices in the Ministry was a bad idea. That was the general gist of what Auror Taylor told her. And technically, she was temporarily to an actual Senior Training Auror considering that Mad-Eye wasn't even Training Auror it turned out. Hence the one-day trial for the fortnight. To see if Mad-Eye would scare the person off or not.
Which he probably would and was it had that Tonks was actually looking forward to it? A bit of chaos was always fun and Mad-Eye had been running her ragged the past week or so, so a bit of a break and some entertainment sounded amazing.
"So, who even have they assigned to us?" Tonks asked deliberately blowing a bubble with her gum and letting it pop just to annoy him.
He glared at her and, without even bothering to say anything summoned it from her mouth and dumped it in the bin.
"Hey!"
Of course, he ignored her outrage.
"You mean assigned to you."
"Both of us," she corrected, because the Auror Office doesn't think you can train properly and thinks I need to see what normal training looks like."
He scowled at that.
"I train you properly," he said, crossing his arms.
Tonks raised an eyebrow. "Really? Zapping me at random with stinging hexes is training me properly?"
"It's testing you proper dodging techniques."
She rolled her eyes but didn't really have cause for complaint. Her reflexes were a lot better, after all.
"I just hope it isn't Scrimgeour," he grumbled. "Got a real stick up his arse, that one."
Tonks raised an eyebrow but he didn't bother to elaborate.
"Maybe it's someone you can intimidate," she tried to encourage him.
Which actually perked him up, the weirdo.
So, enter Auror Martha McGowan; her tall, willowy frame slipping around the door without even a warning knock. Which got a spell fired at her from Moody but she just dodged it with a mischievous glint in her eyes. The complete opposite of Mad-Eye. Not that that was particularly difficult to be.
"Too slow, old man," she greeted.
Neither of them answered her because they were too busy gaping at her. Her again? But this time the Ministry assigned her? What were the odds?
McGowan didn't appear to be too concerned about their lack of response.
"Right, I'm not going to even get in the way of anything Moody's got going on here unless it's blatantly illegal," Auror McGowan said bluntly as they regained their wits.
"And maybe show you how paperwork is supposed to be done because I'm sure he," she jerked her thumb behind her at Mad-Eye, "has shown you squat about that. And I didn't bother the last time because I didn't think I would have been with you as long as I was."
The man in question grumbled unintelligibly, shooting the woman a dark look that she was unfazed by. In fact, she plopped herself in a spare seat, apparently not bold enough to nick his, and leaned back. Tonks liked her immediately.
Which was weird because she obviously already knew the woman and thought she was alright but she hadn't acted like this when Moody had unceremoniously assigned her to her. It was weird.
"But, other than that, I'm doing absolutely nothing for the next two weeks," she continued. "I'm not
stupid enough to go against him and, to be honest, I can't be bothered. I'm using this as an unscheduled break."
As if to prove her point, she propped her feet up on his desk and closed her eyes.
"Continue on with your fear-mongering and 'constant vigilance'," she instructed with a lazy wave of her hand.
This made Mad-Eye's expression turned from disgruntled to pleased. Good. Tonks sort of didn't want anything changing with the way her training was being managed. Her and Mad-Eye kind of suited each other. And she did end up liking McGowan all those weeks ago but, well, Mad Eye was her Mentor. Not her.
Mad-Eye eyed the woman, who was giving both of them a lazy grin, and nodded. "You'll be useful for the 'multiple opponents' training I have planned."
"What part of 'unscheduled break' don't you understand, Moody?" McGowan complained.
"You earn your keep around here, right Tonks?" Mad-Eye barked, making her jump.
"Yes, sir!" She responded automatically to the tone and, with McGowan's presence emboldening her (Mad-Eye wouldn't zap her with witnesses, would he?), gave the lazy salute she had used last time he was being sarcastic.
It was very satisfying even if it didn't have quite the same shock value. This time he didn't look like an idiot with bugged out eyes. Just a raised eyebrow and then snorting like he was amused by the whole thing. Which was still odd to her, by the way, in her mind a grizzled, old Auror like him should be big on disrespect. But when did Mad-Eye ever meet expectations? Auror McGowan was gaping at her so Tonks gave her a wave.
That seemed to snap the woman out of her trance and she shook her head, feet sliding off the table and sitting herself more upright.
"Did you just-?"
"Don't encourage her, McGowan," Mad-Eye grumbled but there was an odd look on his face.
Amusement? Pride?
"And you just let her-?"
She was starting to lose the plot and blather a bit. Her head bobbed between Tonks and Mad-Eye, mouth opening and closing rapidly as she tried to find something to say. Eventually, she gave up and slumped back into her seat, a defeated look on her face.
"This is what I get for eagerly volunteering," she grumbled much to both Tonks' and Mad-Eye's amusement. "Should have known better. One of the rules is always double check, for Merlin's sake!"
Tonks looked at her mentor. "Another of yours, sir?"
"Yep, don't forget it," he responded, not looking at her as he was giving Auror McGowan an exasperated look.
"Isn't it the basics of investigative work?" Tonks asked, scratching her head, the hair in her face flashing through a few colours.
Auror McGowan yelped. "And you're a metamorphmagus!" she demanded.
"Isn't that on my file?" Tonks whispered to Mad-Eye as Auror McGowan let her head fall on the desk with a loud 'clunk'.
"It is," Mad-Eye agreed before giving her a firm look. "And yes, that rule is the basics of investigative work. That's why it's a rule. People tend to forget about it too easily."
"Okay."
Mad-Eye gave her a long look before nodding at her hair which she quickly shifted back to its previous solid pink. He grunted only slightly disapprovingly at it this time before turning back to Auror McGowan.
"You'll be firing hexes and curses at her with me next week," Mad-Eye instructed his fellow, extremely put upon Auror.
Tonks nodded enthusiastically, just to drive the point in. Then what Mad-Eye said actually registered in her brain as two identical smirks were now being directed at her.
Wait. What?