Guard duty she could take. A nightshift? Sure! No extra pay at all? Anything in the name of duty! Acting as a glorified babysitter for the Hogwarts kids? Why the bloody hell not!
But this was just inhuman.
When Tonks was given this shift, nobody told her they were being forced to drag out the ~*Ceremonial*~ crap.
Tonks made a face beneath the hood that shadowed well over half her face, trying desperately not to fidget in the large ceremonial robes the Aurors reserved only for special events: Graduation and Death. Which meant only having to wear the bloody things once while in possession of self awareness and a pulse. But no-o. Apparently they were to go fancy for tonight's Hogwarts festivities! It was a ball after all! Tonks cringed. After all, she had never really slipped into anything without breaking some part of her face, and these clothes were no exception. The red robes were a large, cumbersome, old-fashioned and overall annoyingly ornate thing composed of more layers than common decency demanded. Tonks felt more like some walking display than a bloody soldier on duty. It was heavy and difficult to walk in, but apparently that didn't matter as in the end, the robes were just another testament to the Ministry's pride and opulence, and the Aurors were the Ministry's special little adverts for the night. Despite the recent attacks, despite the small undercurrent of threat that had snuck into their society, tonight the Aurors were just decoration to keep the more skittish civilians calm in case anyone had thought Hogwarts would be a target during the ceremony. Might as well show off while they were at it.
Even still, beyond her utter bitterness, Tonks found herself taking note of the splendorous hall, alight in colour, golden light and merriment. The students sparkling in their best dresses, the alumni in their most beautiful robes, everyone happy, everyone at peace. It was a world of opulence and splendour, a world of peace and prosperity, and it was strange to think they had nearly lost it all not so long ago. It was strange to think of this world as being so fragile, as having come so close to being destroyed forever. It was something that, no matter how hard she thought about it, she simply couldn't imagine.
Tonks stretched, leaning back against the wall to keep herself from sitting down on the floor. Not that she thought her robes would allow her to go that far, but she was more than happy to sacrifice some stupid clothes for a minute of rest, which was exactly why she wasn't allowed to move too much. But when Tonks tried to step back, her foot got caught in the heavy flowing fabric of her robes and when expensive fabric met slippery floor, the Auror careened back, smacking against the wall and sliding down the floor. Something told her by the time this night was done, she was going to be missing a couple of month's salary when it came to the bloody monkeysuit.