I feel like I'm boring you ._.

tell me if the story if off or something. I'm open for criticism.

Chapter 54

The next day they woke up early, had breakfast and took down the tent to start their walk. They didn't ask Kat where she was going so they just followed and talked the way. They stopped at a small town that seemed clean and nice, but it was quiet.

"We're here."

"Where?", Fred asked as they looked around.

"Austin lives here. I figured we could check on their houses. Austin is one of the founders of S.I. I know he will help us."

"That's good, c'mon."

They entered the town and having that traveler's look made some heads turn. They didn't walk much before they reached a brick house, very nice and clean with a nice garden. Kat smile seeing a familiar setting for once as she opened the little fence and the three of them went inside. Kat knocked on the door with a smile, which faded a bit when an old woman, shorter than her opened the door.

"May I help you?", the nice woman asked in her pajama coat

"Um…I was wondering um…", she took a pause, doubting if this was the house.

"May we come in?", Fred said quickly.

"Oh, sure."

The nice lady opened the door for them and George pushed Kat inside, along with them. The walls were covered with floral patterns and family pictures, none had Austin's face. All the book shelves she remembered were replaced with night tables and a fireplace.

"This isn't the place…", she whispered.

"What?", Fred and George asked her.

"I…I think we got the wrong house."

They gave a few more steps in the living room to see if the room looked any familiar, but nothing. The lady came back after a minute with a platter and four cups of tea.

"I just made tea, would you like some?"

"Oh, thank you."

Kat was the first to take a cup then the guys. The lady put down the platter and grabbed the last cup. The three of them took the first sips as the woman watched.

"What can I help you with?", she asked before taking her first sip.

"Sorry to come in like this, um…?"

"Call me Gladys.", the sweet woman smiled.

"Gladys, um…does a man named Austin live here or do you know him?"

"Oh, yes, very nice man. Sadly you missed him."

"What do you mean?"

"He moved this summer, he sold me this house."

"Oh…wow…I didn't know. He didn't say."

"He said it was out of nowhere, he had to, some personal problems."

"Oh…um…well I'm sorry to bother you. We should be on our way.", she said disappointed.

"Do you know where he is?", Fred asked

"Did he say anything?", George added

"Sadly…no. I could ask my daughter, they were school mates. That's how I found out about the house."

"That would be so helpful, thank you", Kat said with hope.

"No problem, make yourselves at home while I come back."

Slowly the woman walked out as the three of them sat down in the cream colored sofas and placed their bags beside their feet.

"Wonder why he didn't say he was moving.", Kat said

"Well, did you hear what she said? It was out of nowhere, for personal reasons."

"Maybe he knew he was in danger or something."

"I just hope he is still alive."

After a minute of silence Gladys came back with a face of pity.

"I'm sorry, she doesn't know."

Kat let out a sigh as Fred and George petted her back. Gladys sat down across them in the small couch and also sighed.

"The last time she heard of him was when…um…he had an accident a few days ago."

"Accident?", Kat said with a breaking voice, "what kind?"

"I really don't know if I should talk about it."

"Does it have to do with…S.I."

"Shadows Insiders? Yes."

Kat opened her mouth to speak, but shut it again.

"She, Kat, she is one of the members.", George said.

"Yes…I know about the accident of the headquarters, sadly I wasn't there."

"Kat? Katherine Skye? They announced on Potterwatch you were dead."

"You listen to it?"

"Yes. I'm very well informed.", Gladys said with a proud smile, making them chuckle.

"Well, that's why I wasn't there when it happened, was your daughter there? Is she a member?"

"She was…after she got married and had a son she talked to Austin, said she couldn't be risking her life anymore. But they stayed pretty close."

"So, she said that's when she last heard of him? Is he…is he gone?"

"Oh, no, dear, she knows he got out alive. Austin sent her a letter telling her what happened, but he didn't say were he was going. He didn't say much."

Kat let out a sigh of relief. She knew Austin was a great wizard, enough to win, but doubts were getting to her.

"You don't know how much this means to me. Thank you."

"You're welcome-oh, wait…he left something for you."

"F-for me?"

"Yes, is that wooden box over there. Haven't opened though."

Kat got up quickly after spotting the box and sat back down between Fred and George with the box on her lap. She opened it and found a medallion that had S.I. carved in it. Under it there was a letter, which she opened it.

"Dear Kat, by the time you read this I don't know were I might be to be honest.", she read out loud, "I know this will get to your hands one way or another. I never got a chance to give this to you, the official medallion of Shadows Insiders. I hope we cross paths very soon and we'll be able to fight along the others very soon. Also I'm giving you the power to some very important documents that will be useful for you in the future. Hope they are to you, love, Austin. PS: Look closely into the box and you'll find a key."

Kat placed the letter and the medallion on Fred's lap and looked to the box, but it was empty.

"There's nothing. Did he give you anything else?"

"No, sorry, dear.", Gladys shook his head.

Kat closed the box and got up to put it in her bag when she heard something sliding in the box. She opened it, but nothing.

"Can I?", George asked since he heard it too.

Kat nodded as he gave him the box and he turned it around. It had a little hole were he got his finger in and lifted the cover of it. There was a key there, it was only hidden by another floor to the box. Kat smiled and looked at him with thankful eyes.

"Do you know what this might open?"

Kat showed Gladys the old and odd looking key which was also rusty. Gladys took a good look at it and thought.

"I think so…come with me."

She got up and they followed her with their bags as Kat got the box and the letter in hers and the medallion around her neck. They followed Gladys to the basement and she turned the light bump on and they kept walking to the back, were the wall of wood was. There was a big part of the wood that was darker than the rest of the wall and it had form of a door and it was behind the washer.

"I'm just guessing, but I noticed that a week after I moved. Haven't tried to move it tough."

"Fred, George."

Kat said and they went to move the washer to a side and in fact it was a door. But instead of a knob it only had a hole for a key carved in it. Kat got closer and she got the key in it, turned it and took it out when the door started to moved to her as she walked backwards. When the door open completely the room on the other side lighted up and it looked like a regular room with cement walls, painted dark green, book shelves with books, a file cabinet and a desk with a lamp.

"I'll leave you alone now so you can look around. Fell free to be as much as you want."

"Thanks", the three of them said as Gladys walked away.

They slowly went inside and started to look around.

"Guys, just look around and see what can we use. Information on you-know-who, information on S.I. members, on Harry even, anything you think it might be useful."

"Got it.", both said as they started to look.

Kat went to the file cabinet and started to look on a few folders. He even had one of his own which she looked, but it had the old address; she kept it anyways. She saw Kurt's and took it as well, along with Samantha's and Alice's. Fred and George looked around, but they didn't really know what to show her. They wanted to be as useful as possible, but it was hard with everything that surrounded them, everything could be useful. They opened a box that had mostly pictures and the first one was one of a younger Kat, practicing spell with Austin, they were fighting each other. They both smile as they saw her being her strong and feisty self. George walked over to the desk and saw what it looked like a drawn map with notes from him.

"Kat, look."

As she got what she found in her bag, she walked to the desk and looked at the map.

"New Headquarters?", she asked as she read the title of the map.

She placed a hand on it, tracing the lines with her finger.

"This could help us a lot. Looks like he had another place it case he ever needed one."

Kat folded the map and got it in her messenger bag. They looked for other stuff they thought it was use and left the room, closing the door, locking it and placing the washer to block it again. They went up stairs and saw Gladys in the kitchen.

"Thank you so much, Gladys. We'll be on our way now.", Kat said as the three of them looked at her with a grateful smile.

"No, problem dear.", she answered with a smile.

She walked to the counter and handed Kat a plastic bag with three containers inside.

"I had just made some dinner and I have some left from last night. I packed it for you. It seems like you could use some good home cook meal."

"Oh, wow, thank you. Again, so much."

Kat couldn't help it not wrapping her arms around the short and warm lady who hugged her back with sweetness. Fred and George also went for a hug.

"Such strong men", she said as she grabbed George's arms, "you're lucky to have them around."

They just chuckled and looked at Kat while she just smiled. They said goodbye to Gladys as they walked out and when they left they made sure the house was very well locked.

"Where to now?", Fred asked as Kat got the plastic bag in her messenger bag.

"Samantha lives very close to here.", she said pulling out Sam's file, "I need to see her. Make sure she's alright."

Both nodded as they entered a short alley between two houses and they apparated from there in front of Sam's house. A few cars were passing by, but they were too busy on the road they didn't notice the three kids that just appeared on the side walk.

"This is it.", Kat said looking at a picture of Sam's house and the real thing in front of her.

They walked to the door and Kat knocked. In seconds a woman with short brown hair opened the door and her eyes opened wide.

"Mrs. Rose? Is me. Katherine-"

The woman pulled her into a hug before she could even finish the sentence.

"Kat! We thought you were dead!", the woman let go and grabbed her shoulders, taking a good look at her, "but here you are! In one piece!", the woman let out a chuckled, but it was hallowed.

"Yeah, it was this…miss understanding. I'm fine…um…is Sam home?"

The woman's eyes opened wide again, no surprise this time, only sorrow. Her grip slowly let go of Kat's shoulder as she turned to go inside the house. Kat looked at Fred and George who shrugged. The three of them followed Mrs. Rose inside to the dinning table were she gave Kat a flier. Kat's eyes opened in shock when she saw a picture of Sam and it said "MISSING".

"Missing? Since when?"

"Since the attack on the headquarters.", Mrs. Rose's eyes started to fill with tears, "I was going to ask you if you knew anything, but…", she had to grabbed a used tissue that was at the table to clean her tears.

"N-no…I lost contact with S.I. when I was…during the attack…I don't know what happened to anyone…I'm looking for them…do you know anything from anyone?"

"No…", the woman sniffed, "Only Austin. He sent me a letter giving me the news…", she looked back down to see the picture of Sam, smiling so innocent.

"I'm gonna look for her, Mrs. Rose. I will find her and I will bring her back in one piece."

Mrs. Rose looked at her and saw she could trust on Kat. She placed a hand on her shoulder and rubbed it, finding comfort and trust. As night fell on them Mrs. Rose insisted on letting them pass the night there and cooked them some dinner. They ate and thanked her for it before they went to bed. Kat entered Sam's room and started to look around. It had drawings, books and pictures. One was of her and Kat at S.I. headquarters, just standing, no magic.

"Are you alright?", she turned to see Fred, already in his pajamas at the door.

"Yeah…", she didn't sound convincing, "…I will be…I guess."

"You don't have to act so strong all the time, Katy.", he said walking inside the room

"Yes, I do.", she turned her head to the moon shining outside the window, "now a days we have to."

"Funny…", he slowly grabbed her hand, but let it there, besides her waist, "no matter how I wanna act…", his other hand went to her cheek, making her head turned to him and their foreheads touched, "I'm always the same weak, stupid git around you.", he put on a half smile as he closed his eyes and their noses rubbed.

Kat stayed paralyzed as a reaction to his act. Her body started to sent shivers down her body, starting from her lips when his rubbed hers. A soft whisper came out of his mouth and what she got was an 'I love you', and she was right. Their lips finally touched slowly and tenderly. They stopped, but before she said anything, or got apart, his lips pulled hers for one more. After a few seconds they stopped and their heads were very close. Both opened their eyes and Kat was mesmerized as he smiled and caressed her cheek.

"I…Fred, I also L-"

"Freddie, the bed is…"

But George slowly stopped at the door as Fred turned to him, hoping he didn't catch them, but his face told them he did.

"Um…I put up the other mattress. You want the one on the floor or the bed?", George asked, trying to shake the image.

"Um…you take the bed. It's ok with me."

"We all should head to bed, now. Goodnight.", Kat said quick as she pushed Fred out, lightly.

"Night", both said and she closed the door.

They went to the guest room the Roses had and George lay in the bed while Fred lay in a mattress that George had placed beside the bed on the floor.

"You can't just get enough, can't you?", George said looking at the ceiling.

"You know I can't…you can't either. You're just holding back, Georgie."

"I'm giving her time and space.", George said turning to Fred in an elbow, "I think she deserves it after what we made her go trough. If I kissed her when we found her was because…I couldn't hold it."

"And now you can? See her every day and night for 24 hours straight? Having her sleep in your arms like last night? Eating in front of you, even changing in the room next to us? You can hold it now?"

"…No…but I just think it's best if I give her the space…she will come to me…maybe."

"You know she won't give in to us that easy. Make your move."

"I think you've given it for both of us.", George lay back down and Fred sighed.