Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. The World Cup just got interesting. Very interesting. Well, of course it would have been interesting because it was the World Cup and England had got through to the Final and had even won (woo! Go England!) but that wasn't what she was talking about. Not by a long shot.

Things had suddenly got a lot more interesting for her. For everyone. There was going to be no more grumbling about patrolling fields and stupid peacocks that bit your butt (she still wasn't sure what was meant by that). No, everything was busy, busy, busy and there was so much going on.

Wait. She was going to have to stop, take a deep breath and rewind a bit.

Remember how they had been scathingly told that events like this were at a higher risk for terrorist activity? Well, despite all the grumbling that nothing was happening that was what happened. Terrorist activity. Terrorist, well, alleged terrorist activity had gone on at the World Cup. Because, you know, they could make bold claims about this sort of thing without proof and all that. Her and McCabbert had been pretty well scolded for referring to it as if it were already true. Because although the Dark Mark and muggle baiting had been seen at the World Cup that did not mean that the people behind it were actually Death Eaters. They might be. But they needed proof either way.

The Dark Mark and muggle baiting. Now, there was something she hadn't really heard much of outside of overheard whispers from her parents. Oh, of course, she had grown up during the War but she had been so young when it ended. Eight. Eight. She didn't actually know what it was like to have a War going on around you and actually understand what was going on. She just remembered feeling a bit scared every now and then, especially when she saw the paper get delivered every morning but she was pretty sure that was just her reacting to the tense silence of her parents every morning.

Well, then there was that whole incident with Bellatrix and Diagon Alley but she really didn't want to think about that. Bellatrix was safe and sound in Azkaban and that's all that mattered there. She shivered at the thought of her Aunt. Yeah, there was going to be no thinking about her than strictly necessary.

Where was she going with this? Dark Mark. Muggle Baiting. Oh yes, alleged terrorist activity. Which had to be investigated. Because, you know, suspected terrorism and seeing the Dark Mark got everyone, rightfully, on edge. And Aurors were the ones that did the investigating. And she was an Auror.

Of course, her and her friends weren't going to be allowed anywhere near the actual investigating. Obviously not. But it was something they could watch. And that was exactly what they had been told to do.

"You will stand back, stay out of everyone's way and watch," Scrimgeour said sternly.

"Maybe they'll learn something," Senior Auror Crawford sniggered quietly.

Not quietly enough, it turned out because Scrimgeour turned to him with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm sure you'll be learning something throughout all this as well, won't you Crawford?"

The man straighter quickly. "Yes, sir."

Scrimgeour smirked. "Excellent. You can teach the Probies as you learn then."

Tonks didn't think she had ever seen a man's face fall so fast and she had once seen Charlie Weasley be extremely confident that he could raise a nargle in his dorm. Thankfully, McGonagall had a sixth sense for that type of nonsense and had put a stop to it.

"Yes, sir," Crawford said begrudgingly after Scrimgeour stared him down.

He basically stayed at attention until Scrimgeour left them before he turned to her and McCabbert with a frown.

"You better stay out of my way, okay?"

"Scrimgeour literally just told us to watch you," Tonks protested.

"And I'm literally telling you to stay out of my way," he said in a mocking tone.

They didn't know what to make of that. It wasn't like they could force themselves on him. He'd probably report them for insubordination or something, knowing their luck.

"Just get out of my sight," and he even gave them a shove towards the door!

They got his point and left. Tonks made sure she did so with a huff. This wasn't fair.

[xxxxxx]

"We can help sort things into piles," Tonks complained some time later, taking a sip of the coffee. "Like, he would have to check to make sure he would do it like that but we could do something."

"Even Matt and Mainwaring have been researching history of mugglebaiting," McCabbert complained. "Sure, it's also to keep them out of the way but they still have to report back on it and they're learning something. We aren't learning anything."

"And Eggleston, Fontaine and Jean got to help with the clear up from the World Cup," Tonks reminded her.

She didn't think that she would ever be complaining about cleaning up but here she was. And it wasn't like they were actually cleaning up; they were scanning the area for Dark Magic materials. Well, those three were watching people do it but still! They were doing something, unlike the two of them! Just sitting around trying to look busy so no one gave them a second look. It was so stupid. They could be useful! Or at the very least he could explain what he was doing while they stayed out of his way! But no, they were just sitting here, drinking coffee and wondering how the hell they were supposed to keep themselves busy.

Well, they were until Scrimgeour's shadow loomed over them.

"What are you two doing here?" Scrimgeour demanded. "Last I checked Crawford was checking other reported Dark Mark sightings and was sorting reports into probable and unlikely."

"He is," McCabbert said carefully.

"You were told to observe and learn. That's something you two should be able to help with."

"Yes, sir."

"Do I have to show Probie Aurors how to do everything?" He grumbled under his breath and then said to them in a curt voice. "Come."

They followed after him, exchanging worried looks.

"Where is he?" Scrimgeour demanded.

"In here, Sir," Tonks said after taking a deep breath.

"Get in there and do your jobs!"

They almost tripped over each other in their effort to do as they were told.

"What are you two doing? I thought I told you to leave me alone!" Crawford said as soon as they saw him.

Before they could say anything, Scrimgeour had barged past with blazing eyes.

"What was that, Crawford?"

"Scrimgeour!" He gasped, straightening up and knocking a whole pile of parchment to the flood. "I mean, Sir!"

"Did I just hear that you did not do as you were told and not teach the Probationary Aurors?"

The man gulped and didn't say anything.

"Well?"

"You did," he said with his head down.

"You're going to fix that then, aren't you?"

"Yes, sir."

Scrimgeour stared at him for a moment before turning to them.

"You two!"

Tonks and McCabbert had never straightened themselves up so fast, she was pretty sure she had strained a back muscle.

"May as well get started on that," he said, pointing at the parchment on the floor. "And then await further instruction from Crawford," he said pointedly to the sheepish man.