![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}
Meeting the newest recruit
Ya know, they really should have added ‘go-fer’ to the job description for Auror – at least where anyone to be the Git’s partner was concerned. Lucky for me, I’m the one who gets the pleasure of keeping track of every owl, every parcel, every note and inter-office memo he touches - and either hauling them where they go, or collecting them, from points at one end of the Ministry to the other.
‘Course, I reckon I shouldn’t complain too much. Gets me out from under his nose, it does, and I’m really not the sort to enjoy hanging around the office too much anyway.
So I’m just back from hand-carrying a big parchment envelope down to Serena Hollis, a witch in payroll who seems to be handling something for Willie. I can bet from her girlie giggles and the way she stops everything to open those envelopes, that what she’s handling for him has nothing to do with payroll and everything to do with after-hours activities done starkers in his bedroom. And now that I’ve just managed to gag myself on that mental image, I swing through the department door.
Oddly, it seems my desk chair is already occupied. Though as I get closer, I can’t help but smile at the magenta-haired lovely swinging it back and forth with her legs, while at the same time driving the Git mad with her overly-loud humming.
Yep – I even have time to think of something to play our game with today – and a few seconds to convince myself I can say it without stumbling for Willie’s benefit.
“Keeping it warm for me, love?” I ask Tonks, grinning down at her.
Tonks grins up at me and winks. "Not half so comfortable as where I'd prefer to be sitting," she grins, stroking a hand up my leg as she stands to vacate my chair for me, her hands trailing over my shoulders as she circles behind me as I sit before taking her usual place in my lap. Just as she sits I hear a wild cursing from Willie and a tiny streak of white and brown fur darts from under his desk to mine, leaping into Tonks' lap.
Tonks' feined concern for her fellow Auror lasts only brief seconds before I hear her start to snicker, petting the crup, "Good girl."
Willie shoots a look of death at the crup and I stifle a snigger myself. What's even funnier is that the pup looks inclined to growl back at him. "Good girl," I repeat, grinning. "When did you get her, Tonks? She's great."
"Not long ago, last week I think it was. Remus started working at that new Creatures store in Diagon Alley, part time. I went to check it out...puppy-eyed Remus to get her, then just sorta...didn't give Moody a choice about her being a 'working Auror crup'. It's official, she's on the books and everything after Moody's recommendation. Her name's Angua," she tells me still fussing the crup. Angua scrables her way up Tonks' body to look over her shoulder at me, sniffing with interest, the little stumpy remains of her tail wagging furiously. "She likes you."
She is really cute. I grin at how excited she is and lift my hand slowly up where she can see to pet her head - wouldn't want to lose a finger or two for startling her until she gets used to me. "I like her too. Hello Angua." Then I chuckle. "Welcome to the department, though I know you won't get that from everybody."
GitWillie, not even pretending he's not listening in, makes a noise of disgust and shakes his head. "What are things coming to? Auror crups now?" he mutters.
"Well, things went to the dogs when they hired you Williamson so what can you expect?" Tonks retorts, nuzzling against my ear briefly to add to our act.
I start to laugh out loud at what Tonks said, and Willie fires me the same death look he gave the crup a few minutes earlier. But then, I'm used to that. What does take me by surprise are the warm tingles running down my neck from whatever it is Tonks just did to my ear. Yeah, she and I know we're just kidding around, but once in a great while my body forgets it's all a game and reacts. I shiver without meaning to, but I can tell Tonks felt it because she gives me a cheeky grin. I give her a quick mock scowl when the Git's not looking and quickly try to think of something to carry on the conversation.
"So what happens with her now?" I ask, moving very slightly to keep my ear out of range. "She have special training or something to be an Auror crup? Or is that up to her owner?"
"She is indeed getting special training, basic obedience, sniffing out certain substances...that sort of thing. The owner of the shop I bought her from is helping me train her, teaching us both the commands to trigger different responces. Personally I want to get her to whizz on command so I can get her going under Willie's desk...but that might get her kicked off the force."
Willie grumbles something under his breath, then snatches up the parchment work he's been looking at and storms off, settling himself at one of the empty desks against the far wall.
"Awww," I laugh. "We scared him off." I look at Tonks and we both enjoy the moment for a bit. The crup's sitting on her lap, panting away happily now and I reach over to pet her again. "That should be cool - to have your own crup with you on jobs. I don't remember ever seeing an Auror with one. How'd you convince Moody?"
"She did all the convincing herself. Turns out the old grouch is quite a softy at heart. Puppy eyes and a couple of licks from her he was signing the recommendation for the Head of the Office," Tonks laughs, ruffling my hair. "Like all men she has a way of handling him."
"Don't reckon I'm in any position to argue that last point at the moment, am I?" I ask. "But I think it's only you and yours have that power over Moody. Might be because you're the only witch Auror we have right now-" I glance over at Rigetti's office, thankful it looks like she's out for the moment, " 'least the only witch Auror we have who looks like a witch. But really, I reckon it's just you who's managed to wrap Moody 'round your finger's all."
"What can I say? I've got talent," she shrugs and winks at me. "I'm easy to love and difficult to stay mad at. Come on, in my NEWT year I dated a Slytherin purely for the potions help to get the grades I needed to become an Auror. A halfblood hufflepuff...but he was only happy to help."
"And don't be telling me just why he was so happy to help either, please," I tell her, laughing. "There is such a thing as too much information, ya know."
I laugh and Angua yips happily, wagging her little stump of a tail. "Jealous, loverboy?" I tease, hushing Angua's barks before she disturbs anyone who's actually working in this office. "I had toyboys before you came along y'know."
"Aww," he teases, putting one of his big hands over his heart. "And here I reckoned I was your one and only ever. Well, aside from that husband sort you've got a thing for." He pauses a moment, looking at Angua. "Angua goes home with you too, yeah? How does Profess- oi, how does Remus like her? Or did you have to use your 'talents' with him too?"
"Ah, I had back up where he was concerned. I asked him about it first, pleaded with him a little and then when he agreed I got Teddy involved to make sure he couldn't change his mind," I tell him scratching Angua behind her ears.
He laughs. "Yeah, that's some back up. in other words, we're talking about giving him a choice of saying 'yes' or 'yeah'. Not necessarily fair, Tonks. But I'm glad you talked him into it, no matter how it happened. I think she's great, both for here and for Teddy at home."
"Not fair at all, but you Griffindor Wizards developed a major evolutionary disadvantage in that inability to resist a pleading helpless witch. You might want to warn Fred about that, I taught Astrea everything I know," I smirk at the thought.
"Hmm, hadn't thought of that. But I reckon you're right, in some ways." He frowns a bit, thinking, but then raises a brow. "On the other hand, gets us some mighty fine witches sometimes."
"Ah yes, the best witches have to be earned. Not like that bimbo receptionist downstairs who practically gave herself away in the Christmas raffle," I shudder. On principle that witch makes me want to smack some sense into her.
"Nah. Who'd want that anyway?" he asks. " 'Course, ya know how it goes on our side, yeah? You brilliant witches who plead and play helpless? Yeah. We know you're not. We just let ya and play along. Because if you really were just the helpless bimbo sort, we might help get ya out of whatever pickle you're in, but we wouldn't stay around."
"I don't know...sometimes a talented witch can be helpless for real. We're not always trying to manipulate you. I know your brother came to my rescue more than once at school..." I grin thinking about Charlie. Oddly enough, working with Ron feels alot like it did at school with Charles. Having a buddy to mess around with and torment and knowing no matter what he's got my back, like I've got his. "You're alot like your brother actually."
"Yeah?" His ear tips redden at that, I notice. "Well, I'd reckon that's probably a good thing, but I hope that's how you meant it. I s'pose if he was rescuing you, it was."
"Yeh, it's a good thing," I assure him with a grin, "Charles and I tormented people at school as badly as we torment Willie. Except we didn't convince them we were having an affair to do it."
Ron laughs loudly. "Well, that only works because it torments his ego. He can't believe any witch'd want the likes of me over him. I gotta say I'm kinda surprised myself we got him to buy into it for that reason. But it's great we did - and do - almost daily."
"What I can't figure out is why any witch'd want him at all, over the likes of anyone. I've known flobberworms with less slime and doxy bites less irritating," I sigh, play wrestling with Angua who chews on my fingers with sharp but mostly harmless puppy teeth. "I should probably get back to work now though...or at least look like I'm working. I'm training the new recruits later. Down on concealment and disguise lessons again. I hate teaching concealment and disguise."
"Aw, yeah, but you're so good at it," he teases. "But yeah, I reckon Moody'll wander through soon wondering just what sorta case we're working on like this. Thanks for bringing her, though. It was all good to meet ya, Angua. Fellow Auror Angua, that is." He reaches over and playfully rubs her head one more time.