"I'm telling you, Shacklebolt, if you want new information go and interrogate that new recruit."

"What new recruit? There's like half a dozen of them. Which isn't a lot, by the way, surely there should be more?"

"Who cares how many there are! And you know who I'm talking about. she's the one with the weird hair!"

"Tonks?"

"Yeah. That one."

"I thought her hair was kind of cool..."

"Why? Because you don't have any?"

"That doesn't make sense, and I shave my head."

"What difference does that make?"

"All the difference! I have hair, I just choose to remove it."

"Whatever. Just go question that strange girl who somehow managed to become an Auror."

"Pretty sure she passed all her exams..."

"You're infuriating, you know that?"

"I don't know what you're talking about..."

Tonks got the idea that they were talking about her. Why? She had no clue but they definitely were. Well, the obnoxious one definitely was. Kingsley Shacklebolt was the Senior Auror heading up the investigation into Sirius Black. She had been wrong the other day when she had said he was one of the investigators. Well, technically he was still one of the investigators but he was the most important one. Tonks wasn't sure what she had been expecting for such a person, but Kingsley Shacklebolt wasn't it. Oh sure, he always looked so serious and sometimes even brooding but he was also the guy who came out with stuff like "I would throw a duck across the office for that" and "wet socks, although highly unpleasant, is much more preferable than having this conversation with you". The man was equal parts savage and odd. She felt like if they were the same age, they would be friends. Oh, and not heading up the investigation into Sirius, obviously.

But still, it was enough for her to be at least the appearance of being friendly to him. Turns out watching her mother deal with people at Ministry Balls and other functions actually came in useful. Tonks was pretty adept at keep, if not a politely interested face, at least a neutral one.

"She's a Black, Shacklebolt!"

Were they seriously still talking about her?

"I thought her surname was Tonks..."

"Don't be dense."

"I didn't think I was..."

He did actually sound confused, too. She wasn't sure that was any better because it didn't mean that he was going to be okay with her being half Black. It just meant that he was confused. Which she supposed was better than being outright hostile...

"Her mother was a Black; don't you know that?"

The fact that her family's business was considered common knowledge was a bit weird to her. But then again, her mother had been a Black of all people, so, unfortunately it was to be expected. Even if she really didn't like the idea of other people knowing more about her family than she did. It was weird. And shouldn't other people think that was weird?

"Obviously I know that, I'm not that oblivious!"

"Could have fooled me..."

There was a thumping noise where she assumed Shacklebolt smacked him on the arm or something. Good. He deserved to be thumped.

But oh, not this again. These were fully grown adults, some decades older than her. Surely, they should have more sense? She should have guessed that something like this was going to happen ever since the whole being briefly told about Sirius Black's case debacle from a few days ago. Seriously, she was right, people really were stupid. Stupid. stupid. Stupid. It looked like she couldn't avoid that even in the Auror Department.

What was she supposed to do in a situation like this? Duck her head down and hoped they ignored her? That was never her style. Which only really left.

"Hi," she said, walking up to the pair of them (wow, Shacklebolt was tall) and sticking her hand out. "You're right," she looked at Shacklebolt. "My name is Tonks. Not Black."

The other Auror snorted at that.

"Your mother's one."

"Used to be one," Tonks said stubbornly. "Strangely enough, her surname is currently Tonks as well."

Shacklebolt smothered a snort at that. She resisted the urge to grin at him. At least he wasn't going to be suspicious over her just because this other idiot told him to be. Wow. Someone who could actually use their brain when it came to the more unfortunate side of her family. Unfortunately, it was this other idiot with him. Who had actually been rude and not introduced himself. Not that she cared about his name. Not if he cared so much about hers.

"Well, I don't trust you."

"Good to know," Tonks bit out even though she knew she should be more respectful.

He narrowed his eyes at her like je didn't understand why she had said that. Apparently, he didn't like this confusion and just snorted and stormed off. Idiot.

"Don't worry about him," Shacklebolt told her after the prick left. "He always goes around-"

"Like he's got a stick up his arse?" Tonks said without thinking Nd then immediately covered her mouth with her hands in horror.

Shacklebolt paused for a moment while her stomach sank and then he thankfully chuckled.

"Well, I was going to say 'in a bad mood' but I suppose yours works too."

She felt brave enough to grin at him.

[xxxxxx]

It turned out that her vague hope that everyone would be like Shacklebolt when it came to her heritage was pointless. Because, yeah, apparently no one was happy with her heritage. Merlin, after that whole stupid conversation with who she had found out was called Orpington, Senior Auror Jenkins made it a point to come over to her and tell her that she better not think that she could get on Shacklebolt's good side just to get on his team for Sirius Black's manhunt because that was never going to happen. That hadn't been what she was doing at all! But did he care? No, he didn't. She didn't want to be anywhere near responsible for tracking Sirius down. One, that was such a massive conflict of interest that even a first year at Hogwarts would know and two, she didn't want to be responsible in any way for trying to track down Sirius. She had told Jenkins both of these things but he had just scoffed at her and told her that no one in this department in their right mind would ever trust her with anything important. Because that was what she had wanted to hear. Not.

Oh, this was all so stupid. Was this really going to follow her around for the rest of her life? She would like to hope not. But that's all that was. Hope. Stupid, stupid hope. People's memories were long in the Wizarding World. Merlin, whole families were still sworn enemies thanks to slights from like four centuries ago! Malfoys and Weasleys anyone? She didn't actually know the exact story behind those two families but everyone knew that someone had insulted the other decades ago. Her mum would probably know. Definitely know. She wondered if Charlie knew the real reason for his family's feud with the Malfoys?

It would be something to take her mind off the stupid Black family and their stupid bloodline that went through her veins.