Disclaimer: my thanks to Conan Doyle, Hiromu Arakawa, LogicalRaven and of course J.K for the central ideas and influences in this story.

Notes: the delays were unfortunate but had to come, lucky that's all done now and my first joint exbo. In a week. In other news my hard-drive crashed again just when id got the latest macross OVA. Bummer. Still life goes swiftly on.

Notes +1: well back to square one I suppose, I've re-worked and touched up the last 8 chapters, even cutting one down the middle, the changes aren't so much that you'll need to read the story again, but should you feel so inclined at least it will be spelt better. Now the plot of this has reached a stale mate in my mind, and other ideas crop up all the time, I want to explore I guess but what to finish this too, I have a end, and most of a middle, its just the next chapter I need some downtime on. So ill hopefully update on the Fri, and if not that then trying my hand at a one shot is v. tempting.

They headed out of the hospital onto the crowded Muggle street it was a mid day rush-hour and in the bustle none of the Muggle parsers by sparred any attention to the four of them as they walked down, entering a side road where Ron had parked his Mustang.

As they walked Tonks asked Ron of what he and Shaklebolt had found, digging in the labyrinth that was ministry archives Ron drew a small locket from his jacket which he through to Tonks.

"That was Mr John Rance's, he handed it in to the ministry for safe keeping, did you know? He wanted to be an Auror, this is way back bout a decade ago, before the second war."

"And?" Tonks pressed

"Moody, who was in charge of recruitment at the time turned him down, on the grounds that he was emotionally unsuitable. He moved him to the ministry Hit wizard squad instead."

"Sounds odd, and viable if it was Moody's judgement." Amy said, she had only met the old slightly psychotic Auror once and this hadn't been under the best conditions, she after all became his replacement.

However the was a lasting impression, she had never questioned his judgement and had never gone against a rule that moody had in forced. The other three who had grater experience with 'mad-eyes' eccentricity gave exasperated expressions.

"As I was saying the locket was handed in, and it contains a picture, of himself and his wife."

"He's married? We didn't see any visitors." Amy said giving Ron a questioning glance. Ron shook his head, and it suddenly dawned on Amy "she's dead."

"Yep"

"Seems to be in fashion at the moment" Harry said his face a little downcast, seeing Tonks concerned he tried a weary smile "sorry bad joke, and that's the reason for the emotional rejection?"

"Bingo, seems she was killed in the first war with Riddle, official records clam she was caught in the crossfire with some children. John never got over her loss, and when the Regular office was created, asked for a transferee there, it was granted."

"What was the reason for the transfer?" Tonks said examine the locket.

"He said he could bring experience, to the new office, and the was a request for wizards that had been in the field, to join. He has served as a Reg. For the last five years."

"And others opinions?" asked Amy.

"Reliable and calm. I hope you got your chance to dive into the wittiness," Ron suddenly said looking at Harry they were at Ron's car now and Ron took out his keys to open the locks

"One of them, but if Rance's a x-hit wizard he probably has some training in Ox, to guard and cover his mind form detection, it would be hard to find what we needed."

"So you dived into Chang?"

"Yep, it was a little difficult she was quite perceptive and nearly realised I was there."

Tonks looked at Harry, as the doors clicked and they clambered in "so you saw what happened?"

"Yep, happened just as we thought, and I haven't found much new."

"So a waste of time?" Asked a smug Ron; at this Amy laughed her never fading excitement, evident. As she and Harry settled in the back Tonks next to Ron in the front seats.

"No we got to argue with the ambassador of China. And deliver Cho safely from shock before we got arrested."

"Which as I have clearly pointed out makes us hungry, so where to?" Tonks said still looking and investigating the locket.

"Well the ministry has food right?" the were snots at this as many remembered the canteen at the ministry, the noise and bad taste.

"Yea what about we go for a picnic?" Ron sarcastically added

"I herd your dear moms having a little gather, and that her foods still out of this world" Tonks replied to Ron, her eyebrows raised and with a distinct look of triumph. Harry couldn't see his friends face but he knew that it would be a distinctly as red as his hair, the was a deflated look about his hung shoulders and then the excuses pored out.

"But, but shell be very crowded and we weren't even sure if we could make it, Harry and I,"

"Hay don't pin this on me, you're the one that's forgotten,"

"Am not, but look at the weather, it's a miserable day"

"Easily solved with the right charms."

"Ron we were told about this a month ago."

"Its just…just…to drop in on mom, and the guests"

"By guests you mean Granger?"

"…"

"…"

"She's going? What a surprise!" Ron expounded with a voice that was still far to high pitched to be natural.

"Merlin Ron haven't you asked yet?" Tonks said, her hair turning a bushy brown, her voice went into a sterner more bossy famine approach. "What's the hold up, hell have you even kissed me?"

Harry was about to burst, and decided to give his friend a bit more space by looking out the window and staring at the falling rain, Amy in contrast seemed on the edge of her seat and was looking intently at the two, head in hands, starry eyed. Tonks moved closer as if accusing Ron, who was nothing short of scandalised with wide-eyed terror.

"Tonks lay off, the driver I'm hungry" Harry whined trying to give Ron time to re-group and regain some semblance of pride. Tonks rounded on him and in close proximity Harry had to admit the resemblance to there old friend was uncanny, she gave him one of those pitting glances "Harry stop being such a kill joy, were trying to see why Ron doesn't love me anymore?"

"But I do love you!" Ron yelled in panic forgetting him-self.

That was it, Harry snorted and laughed loudly till his ribs hurt Amy sighed with a far away look in her eyes, she was a devout follower of romance novels and Muggle films and this had left her in a odd way, waiting passionately for Mr Right what she wanted from the perfect partner she never had stated but the fact was, that over than going dreamy eyed, she never seemed interested.

As for Tonks, she fell back in her seat, and closed her eyes, the hair turning to a more 'normal' short pink, and said casually "So the Burrow if you would."

"Yes Mam" said a dejected Ron turning the key and starting the ignition.

To say that the two of Harry's best friends were madly in love, yet terrified of one another was an acute description. And apart from the slightly drunken events from a night 18 months ago when Harry and Ron had made it into the ministry Ron and Hermione's relation ship was close to what it had been during the final years of Hogwart's.

Harry brushed these thoughts aside as he leaned back, he should of remembered that it was the picnic today, by all accounts Miss Wesaley had been owling him every other day for a fortnight but again his memory was not what it was, things seemed so jumbled out of place and colliding with one another for good measure. With a start he remembered that the guest Molly truly wanted to meet was her granddaughter Mary. Thus Harry sharply raised his head with a sudden bout of panic, he looked at Ron driving and then spurted out

"Im going home, I need to collect Mary ill meet you guys at the borough, ok." Ron looked back at his friend in the rear view mirror and frowning said exactly what Harry was expecting, "wha, oh no you cant dessert at a time like this if Hem's there I'll freeze up and Im not having you apparate in the dam car."

"Sorry Ron"

"Hay hold on!"

Harry had lifted his wand, made a turning motion in the back of the car and with a loud pop was gone, replaced suddenly with a lot of smoke.

"Dam it" yelled Ron coughing, sweeping at the smoke in this confined space trying to see where he was driving "some one open the window, the ruddy fool should know better."