Tonks stormed out of her office, an official Ministry document crushed in her hand. She was looking for Romy, to see if she'd gotten the same one.

She caught the new Auror in the hallway in front of the training room. Tonks nodded her head towards the training room's door, noting there wasn't anyone in there.

Seeing her former trainer coming towards her, a scowl firmly affixed on her face, Romy raised the memo she'd received. "Can you believe this shite? Why the fuck did they have us investigate at all?"

"It's utter shite!" Tonks shut the door firmly behind them. "Problems with how Greengrass was detained!? By the fucking book! That's how! This questions my authority and my abilities, as well as yours. Blame the Minster. Damnit!" She kicked the punching bag with her foot, setting it swinging.

"Procedural errors in questioning! Maybe that wouldn't have happened if they hadn't given it to someone else." Romy landed a series of furious blows on the bag, sending it back towards Tonks. "So she gets to walk for attempted murder. Bloody fucking bullshite!"

Tonks liked Daphne Greengrass. The woman had bollocks of brass. But Tonks also believed in justice, and Greengrass needed a trial for her crimes. Even if they ruled she was under the imperious. It was something the got stuck in Tonks' craw, because of Sirius. Her fist caught the punching bag as it swung back at her, and the sound echoed in the empty room.

"Incompetent bureaucracy. Sometimes I hate this part of the job," Tonks grunted as her foot connected again with the bag. "Shite fuck wanker bollocks." She felt a little better.

Romy thought of the raid they'd been part of, that had taken the life of an Auror and turned her into a killer. There had been virtually no follow-up on what they'd found. She didn't know what was going on, but something was not kosher. And it was inside the Ministry.

Looking around warily, Romy spoke in a quiet voice. "What the hell is going on around here, Tonks? Why aren't we allowed to do our jobs?"

Tonks sighed, then hit the bag one more time before throwing herself to lay on the floor. Romy had to know, to a point, what was going on. She wasn't stupid. But Tonks didn't want Romy involved with the Order, and was fairly sure Joscelin would have the same opinion. Romy wasn't made for the lines.

"Did you read the Quibbler article?" Tonks asked, finally.

Nodding slowly, Romy recalled the special report, claiming a faction of blood purists had control of several important aspects of wizarding life and government. She hadn't wanted to think the MLE was one of them, but it would be a stretch to say she was shocked about it.

"And no one is doing anything about it?" she asked, incredulous. That didn't make sense. There were several Aurors Romy knew were incredibly devoted to their job. She couldn't imagine they were just standing by and letting their service mean nothing.

"I wouldn't say that," Tonks replied slowly. "You'll notice Moody is back, and some of the trainees have been graduated early. And Kings had his fairy cake," she grinned at that. "The MLE straightens itself out." She hadn't checked for bugs, but motioned towards her ears as she pushed herself from the floor, then tucked the stray hair behind them to make it look like one movement.

Romy took the hint that it might not be safe to discuss these things here and ceased her questions. She had no intention of letting it go, though. If she couldn't get the answers she was looking for, she'd enlist the help of the most tenaciously upright person she knew. If anyone could pester people into sharing what they knew, it was Natalie.

"I say we go drown our sorrows at the Sticks. Sound good to you? It's past the end of a normal workday," Tonks spoke, pulling her hair down and straightening her jeans.

Giving the punching bag a final kick, Romy nodded. "Sounds like an excellent plan."

{Summary: Tonks and Romy share their frustrations.}