(Wow, it's been a while. I know I promised I'd update quicker…… well, I lied. But now I'm FINALLY updating what is one of the longest chapters I've written in a while. Thanks so much to the reviewers and special thanks to Mello80 for the name Pinky.)

The weeks that followed were easy and there wasn't much to do. We made a couple of arrests, and that was about it. Mike and I even found time to fit in a lunch break one day. "I'm thinking about quitting," Mike suddenly told me.

I stared at him. "You mean quit the Order?" I asked. He nodded. "Why?"

He shrugged. "I'm 25 years young," he said. "I want to get married and have a family, go back to my old job."

"Yeah? And who do you plan to marry?" I asked.

"I don't know." Mike shrugged. "Katie, if you're willing to hand her over." I glared at him and he grinned.

"But why quit?" I asked. "I'm married and I have no need to quit."

"Don't be too sure."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, that maybe you should consider it too," he told me. "This job is getting more dangerous and you really do have to think of Katie."

"But she doesn't even know."

"Well, what's that going to do to her when she finds out?"

"That's just it!" I insisted. "She isn't going to find out."

"What if something happens to you?" Mike asked.

I shrugged. "I'm not too worried about it. Besides, Katie is fine with the way things are."

3rd Person POV

"I don't know Angelina," Katie sighed. "I can't figure out what I've done wrong. I mean, it's like he's not even there anymore. He's always hurrying off to do things for work. It's like he loves his job more than me. I know that he loves quidditch, but he's never loved it this much." She fell silent for a moment. "Unless he loves someone else."

Angelina Weasley sighed. "I think that might be jumping to conclusions. From what it sounds like, he's just distant. I don't think he's cheating."

"But he always has to leave! He's always late—he came home at 3 in the morning once!"

"Katie," Angelina started in a soothing tone. "I don't think there's any reason for him to cheat on you. He loves you, you know that."

Katie stared miserably into her tea. "I just don't see what went wrong."

"Kate, you didn't do anything wrong," Angelina said. "The two of you have just hit a rough patch. Every couple has their share of fights."

"That's just it!" Katie exclaimed. "We're not even fighting. We just…… I don't know. Things just aren't the same."

"Well why don't you ask him? You know, talk to him about it," Angelina suggested.

Katie shook her head. "I'm just going to let it go. If it happens again, then I'll talk to him."

Oliver's POV

The next day was Katie and my anniversary. I didn't really worry about being home on time since things had been so slow lately, but of course, my luck had run out.

The day started out pretty normal. I pretty much just sat around w/ Mike doing nothing until there was a knock on the door. "Come in," Mike called out. The door swung open and a woman walked in.

"Mike Smith and Oliver Wood?" she asked. We nodded and she held her hand out towards Mike. "I'm Jen. Jen Rawlings." Mike shook her hand and I followed pursuit. We stared at her blankly. "……Didn't they tell you?" she asked. We shook our heads. "I'm your new partner."

"Huh?" Mike asked.

"I'm your new partner. They assigned me with you two."

"You mean, you're working with us now?" I asked. Jen nodded. She flicked her wand and a desk and chair appeared. She sat down in the chair while we stared at her.

"So…… what do you guys do all day?" she asked. Mike and I shrugged in unison.

"We're usually a lot busier," I explained. "It's just been slow lately."

"So, you work for the Order," Jen said, studying me curiously. "I wondered what happened to the famous Puddlemere Keeper. They said you went to help out with the reserve team but I went to interview Peter McFee and didn't see or hear anything about you."

I shrugged. "I had to use some kind of cover."

Jen directed her attention to Mike. "And you……?"

"Er, I used to work at St. Mungo's," Mike said. "Security officer."

Jen nodded in acknowledgment. "Married? Single? Wife? Kids? Male partner?"

"Single," Mike answered.

"And you're married to Katie Wood," Jen said to me. "Who is a fashion designer." I nodded. "Wow, I absolutely love her designs! She makes the most fabulous clothes! This jacket is hers!"

No matter how many woman I meet, they're all obsessed with clothes. The door swung open and Leo Wiley came bursting in. "Wood! Smith! …… I don't know your name but whoever you are—we found another abandoned mansion. We think it was Malfoy's. Get over there now."

This was the first exciting thing to happen in a while, not to mention a big thing. We'd been searching for any information on Malfoy for ages. Our excitement and confidence skyrocketed…… until we got there.

"Mike, you search the south wing. Jen, you check the chambers. I'll check the upstairs," I ordered.

"Check the master bedroom first," Mike told me. I nodded and made my way upstairs until I found the master bedroom. The room was neat and tidy, except where the window was cracked and the walls were painted a dark shade of green. Suddenly, I heard a scraping noise coming from behind another door. I froze and listened silently. I heard the noise again and crept towards the door. Keeping my wand raised, I threw it open. On the closet floor was a house elf, shaking and hugging its knees to its chest. The house elf squeaked and began to sob, hiding its face. I called out to Mike and Jen and knelt down next to the elf.

"P-Pinky at your service," it stammered.

"I'm Oliver, Oliver Wood," I introduced, holding out my hand. Pinky flinched and drew away.

"W-what is it that you want?" Pinky asked.

"Nothing," I said gently. "I just want to ask you a few questions."

"P-Pinky doesn't know nothing!"

"I just want to know where your master is," I said.

"Master isn't here," Pinky told me.

"Can you tell me where he went?" I pried.

Pinky's eyes grew wider. "Pinky speaks of nothing. Pinky doesn't betray master."

"But I really need to know where he is," I said.

"Pinky doesn't say nothing! Pinky never betrays master!"

I thought hard for a moment and smiled. "But Pinky, you're holding a sock." Pinky looked at the sock in her hands and squeaked. "Pinky, did your master give that to you?" There was the sound of hurried footsteps as Mike and Jen appeared in the doorway. Pinky looked frightened.

"Master threw it at me," Pinky said. "Master was angry and-"

"Because you know what clothes mean," I said.

Pinky's eyes were the size of bludgers. "Pinky is free!" she said. "Master has freed Pinky!"

"Now Pinky," I said gently. "Can you tell me where your old master is?"

"He's gone," she answered. "With Master Crabbe."

"And do you know where Crabbe is?"

"It's in an old forest," Pinky said, dropping her voice to a whisper. "All kinds of creatures. Pinky dare not go there. Somewhere off the coast." I turned around and looked at Mike, who nodded.

"Do you know what coast?" I asked Pinky.

She shook her head. "Master did not tell Pinky," she answered.

"Thank you Pinky," I said. "You've been a great deal of help. Is there anything I can do for you?"

"No sir!" Pinky exclaimed. "Kind sir not ask that of a house elf. Such a shame, it is!"

"We'll need to take her with us," Mike said.

I nodded. "Well take her back to Headquarters. Jen, can you go on ahead and let them know what's going on?" Jen nodded and with a crack, she apparated.

We took Pinky back to Headquarters where they questioned her more. One of the analysts figured out the area where Crabbe's secret mansion was thought to be and Mike, Jen, and I were off again. The sky was growing dark as we took a portkey into a large forest where we found an old falling down mansion, covered in vines. I looked at Mike, who turned to look at Jen. "Don't forget, if something happens and we need back-up, just shoot blue sparks. They've got 4 others waiting nearby."

"So what's the plan, commando?" Mike asked.

"How about you two go through the east window," I suggested. "I'll try to main door and if it doesn't work, I'll enter the west window. But first, we should find out how many there are." No sooner had I said it when Jen slipped off, only to return several minutes later, looking confident.

"There's two that I could see," she informed us. "But I wouldn't be surprised if there's another."

"Do you think we should call the back-up?" Mike asked. I nodded and he sent blue sparks into the air. We waited until there were several cracks as 4 more members from the Order joined us and I told them the plan.

"Ready?" I asked. "On the count of three, we go. One, two…… three!"

We took off towards our separate ways as I made my way towards the front door. "Alohomora!" I shouted and the door unlocked and swung open as the shattering of glass could be heard. There was shouting and a loud bang went off as I made my way into the parlor of the house. Lucius Malfoy had his back to me, his wand pointed at Jen. "Stupefy!" I shouted. The spell hit Malfoy in the back and he fell to the ground as I heard someone yell, "Crucio!" I ducked flat down to the floor as the spell went over me. I rolled over and shot a stunning spell at Crabbe, who ducked and shot a spell at me. I rolled over again as the spell hit the floor a foot away from me.

The words "Avada Kedavra" were shouted and I hurled myself at Jen, whose back was turned. We went toppling to the floor as the Killing Curse missed my head by an inch. I rolled off of Jen and shot a spell at Crabbe, who was too slow this time and fell over, into another Death Eater who fell down with him. Mike seized this as an opportunity and dove on top of the Death Eater. There was an "oof!" and a yelp as spells and hexes went flying everywhere.

"Mike, move!" I shouted. Mike rolled off of the Death Eater and I shot a hex at him.

Someone shouted "Crucio!" again and a loud, piercing scream cut through the air as Ken Young crumpled to the floor.

I pointed my wand at Karkaroff and shot the Impediment Curse at him, followed up by a Stunning Spell and he crumpled to the floor. A heavy silence fell over the room and I looked around. Jen and Mike were putting binding spells on Malfoy and Crabbe. Ralph Simpson was unconscious, hit with a Stunning Spell. Jerry Sampsel was tending to his leg which was bleeding freely. I made my way to Ken Young, who was still lying on the floor. "Is he all right?" Jen asked. I studied Ken and nodded.

"He'll be all right," I replied. "Hit with the Cruciatus. Everybody else all right?"

The room filled with replies as Jerry Sampsel levitated Ken onto a magical stretcher. "I'll check upstairs," Jen said. "Make sure there's nothing else."

I nodded. "Jerry, you take Ken and Ralph back to the portkey and get them taken care of. The rest of us will take care of Malfoy, Crabbe, and Karkaroff." Everyone went back into action as I levitated Malfoy.

"Nothing upstairs," Jen informed. "You guys ready?" The rest of us nodded and we made our way back towards the portkey.

When we reached Headquarters, I checked my watch and cursed. It was nearly 10 o' clock. "Mike, I've got to run," I said. "Katie-"

"Say no more, Wood. I'll take care of everything." I nodded in gratitude and apparated back home.

"Katie?" I called out as I slammed the front door shut. I found her asleep in bed. "Kate?" I whispered, poking her gently. She stirred and rolled over, opening her eyes. Realizing it was me, she made a sound of disgust and rolled back over, turning her back to me and pulling the covers over her head. "Katie, I'm so sorry," I said. "I know I said I'd be back, but I got caught up."

She sat up and turned to look at me. "Caught up doing what, Oliver?" she demanded. "Who has quidditch practice until-" she checked the clock, "10 at night!"

"I know, I know!" I said. "But we were working on a new play and-"

"At 10 PM?" Katie inquired. She threw the covers off of herself and got up to turn on the light. "Oliver, I'm sick of putting up with all your lies! Where were you really?"

"I was at work!" I insisted.

"Oh yeah? At work doing what?"

"What are you implying?" I demanded.

The room fell silent and she sighed. "Oliver, I just want to know…… Are you cheating on me?"

My heart fell into my stomach. "What? Katie! No! No, I'm not cheating on you!" I took her hand and looked at her desperately. "How can you even think that?"

"How can I not think that?" Katie asked. "Oliver, you're never here, you always have places to go. You're always leaving suddenly, without an explanation! Oliver, this was our anniversary and you missed it! If you're not cheating on me, then what is going on?"

"Nothing is going on!" I insisted.

"Bullshit!" Another silence fell over the room and Katie began stripping off her clothes. I watched as she pulled on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt.

"What are you doing?" I demanded.

"Why do you care?" Katie snapped.

"You know what, I'm sick of you acting like this!" I exclaimed. "I'm sick of you making these ridiculous accusations!"

Katie looked up at me, her eyes cold. "And I'm sick of being in this relationship."

(There you have it. Did I bore you? Review!)