The young teacher was impressed. He hadn't expected teaching to be quite as dramatic as it had been fro the past two years and, as one could imagine, was excited for another year. Professor Wright had sent him several letters over the summer suggesting how to better his teaching, all of which he'd taken into account. This year he had almost a months worth of lesson plans. To be fair, the amount of work put into even a day plan was entirely to much and the likelihood he'd use all he'd written wasn't helping. worst case scenario there would be a repeat of last year, a year that had plenty of hands-on activities.

Were it not for the disturbance of the cloaks the train ride would've gone as planned and he would've had the entire ride there to converse with Professor Wright in person. Instead, after the train was re-secured he had to re-illuminate lights. Sure it might've been "his fault" as Wright put it and "his responsibility" but she wouldn't even help. He was starting to wish he'd paid more attention when learning counter-spells. Starting at the back he fixed the lighting one by one.

@TheHangedMan
In the hallway halfway down the train he ran into his favorite student from the year before, Cameron, or something like that. Do to circumstance he couldn't stop and chat, though it would seem that she'd cast several lumos maxime charms."Thanks kiddo. I can take care of it from here." he said, not seeming particularly in the mood to talk. Flicking his wand silently at each light he passed he moved on, leaving the bulb pushing away the darkness and once again functioning.

@josephb@Draconequis@Always
Sliding the door open he peered inside the compartment at the three students. He only vaguely recalled the boy, Edward. Not wasting any time he flicked his wand at the light, accomplishing almost nothing as the three students had already managed to create enough light for themselves. In a moment he had shut the door and was gone, back to fixing lights.

---

---

@The Elvenqueen@RumikoOhara@Ceta de Cloyes
Sliding the note into his pocket Oliver sat back down. "I guess we'll just have to wait and see what these guys have in store." he said, agreeing with the Mike and Melanie. From what he'd read in the papers the Cloaks had seemed pretty tame, but a stunt like this was a little bit conspicuous.

Soon after Mike left a teacher peeked in. It was Professor Bellfree who, in his usual manner, said nothing to the students only taking a brief moment to look for injuries before flicking his wan at the ceiling light, turning it back on. Then he ducked back out.

Oliver glanced around the compartment after the teacher left, gauging how awkward everyone else thought that was. He'd always found Bellfree to be strange.

After a few silent moments he stood again, backpack in hand. "Well, I guess we're going to be there soon, you two should probably get changed to." he said as he left.

Elliot had started to enjoy the conversation about quidditch, but before Elliot could respond to Emira and Karen, all the lights on the train had gone off and the whole place had gone dark. Elliot didn’t really know how to take it, he started to slightly giggle at first thinking it was just a prank from one of the other students until the train was forced to a stop and running footsteps down the corridor could be heard. Elliot pulled out his wand as Emira and Karen stood to their feet read the message and rushed out the room. Elliot was a bit slower, he wanted to make sure of the situation before running in. “Lumos.” He said in a calm voice and soon after a ball of light lit up the carriage. He picked up the note and read it and re-read it. If you endeavour to join our cause come to the shrieking shack on the first visit to Hogshead. All will be explained there… What a strange way to try and recruit people. Elliot thought to himself.

As he was staring at the note somebody came into the room only for a moment, it was Professor Bellfree, the Defence Against the Darks Arts teacher. Elliot wasn’t really the biggest fan of him thinking he wasn’t suited for a teaching position. A few seconds after the professor had left the room, Elliot left as well looking for Karen. It didn’t take him long and shouted out to her, “Karen is everything okay?"

@The Elvenqueen@Classpet




Megan briefly basked in the gaze of Melanie with a bright smile enjoying the sensation of power that surged through her petite frame. And when the tall blonde said
" I think it's worth checking out, for sure. I don't see what Mike's so worried about..." Meg smiled and offered an explanation

"The Cloaks are a frowned upon organization set to challenge the separation laws which means the Ministry of Magic might look poorly on anyone who has any association with them or didn't snitch out the meeting.
I'm sure or at least relatively sure this isn't a Ministry trap because it could be viewed as blatant entrapment; after we aren't adults and youthful curiosity.....

Megan didn't get a chance to finish her thought as Oliver interjected
"I guess we'll just have to wait and see what these guys have in store." just before Professor Bellfree peeked.

Oliver stood grabbing his backpack an said "Well, I guess we're going to be there soon, you two should probably get changed to." then headed off.

"Noddles" she said with a pout
"Just when things were getting interesting.
Well I suppose I should head back to my compartment an change, later Melanie" then she blows the Slytherin girl a kiss before leaving

*Always leave them off balance* she thinks to herself as she goes back to change.

The remainder of the train ride passed with more chatter and seat switching than the year before. The general conses was that the cloaks seem fishy but everyone still wants to go at least check it out. Past that the ride seemed to go faster. In the general way younger students gathered in a neat line to be rowed across the lake, while everyone else took the carriages then into the great hall for the feast.

The sorting seemed to take ages, as one by one each of the twenty or so first years were sorted. The last first year was sorted and Headmistress Mckelly took a stand, her warm gaze seeming to be aimed at every student. "Good evening everyone, and welcome to another great year. I'll only keep you waiting a little while longer but there is some important business. During the Hogwarts express trip each compartment received an invitation from a certain political group. I'd like to remind students that this may not be in their best interest." She paused to give the students a stern but motherly look. It was in her opinion that a school was no place for a political rally. "At any rate, you all must be starving, dig in.".

In a moment the tables filled with heaps of food and chatter began.

---

---

@Ceta de Cloyes

As all the non-first years entered the great hall Oliver veered off to the left, sitting with his fellow Hufflepuffs. One of the seventh years was showing off pictures of her new baby frogs. Just before summer break the old frog had laid a bunch of eggs so this sort of thing was inevitable. In a way that sort of weird thing was nice, just the sort of thing he liked about Hogwarts.

After all the first years had been sorted and old Mckelly had said her bit he picked at the food, finding the best dishes. Finding stuffed goose was easy enough but raspberry povlova and other sweet dishes were a little more rare.

Plate full he turned to Mike for conversation."So I guess Mckelly doesn't really want kids going to the cloaks thing," He began, pausing to search for the right words, "are you thinking of going?"

@RumikoOhara



After her outburst.. and the Professor came back and illuminated the train car. Emira sat the rest of the way in silence. She brought out a dungbomb and set it in her lap, wrapping it in white cloth. She practiced for the rest of the train ride, casting spells across the top until the thing sprouted a tiny set of white feathered wings. Of course, it wouldn't quite fly by its self yet. She needed more time to perfect the dungbomb. She had at least a few more hours to finish. She just needed a few more charms, and a temporary sentience spell. Charms of course were one of her best subjects, so she shouldn't have much trouble with that. She'd stuck the winged dungbomb in a small baggie and jammed it into her backpack before wandering off the train and into the Great Hall. As always.. the great hall was.. great. Huge and impressive with candles hanging from the ceiling which was currently displaying a vivid picture of the night sky, a couple of dark rain clouds dancing over the waxing moon.

She settled down at the Hogwarts table, wiggling across the way from a few of the people from the Ravenclaw Quidditch team and leaving a seat open to her left for whoever decided to sit there. And then.. thankfully Megan Sprite sat there. As Ravenclaws go.. she was far more interesting than some of the buzzkills. Emira had often wondered if she'd been sorted into the wrong house, but the way Megan acted she felt slightly more at home. She balanced her wand over hear ear as she watched the newcomers to the Ravenclaw table. A scrawny bunch. None of them were fit to take her place in the Quidditch team next year.. and one of them was wearing bottle glasses so thick Emira was certain he was legally blind. Well, Ravenclaw was in for a few more generations of bad luck then. Though.. the first years wouldn't be the ones playing Quidditch with her this year. That would be up to the second years. She flashed a nervous and regretful look to Sarah, the Keeper of their team who was a few years younger than herself. She looked worried as well, heaving a heavy sigh as she shook her head.

Emira was about to say something when the headmistress stood up, tapping her wand to grab everyone's attention. Emira couldn't help the smirk from stretching across her mouth as the matronly lady told them about not going to the meeting. Technically Emira wasn't going to the meeting for the Politcal agenda. She was going to dick with them by sending a winged dungbomb into their midst and ending the rally early. All so she could get her stuff out of the Shrieking shack. Mainly.. what she wanted was the shrine she'd made to her brother, complete with his snapped wand set in front of a picture of him before he died. The wand had been broken by the ministry years ago.. after her brother had died, Emira had flew into a rage, tossing fire at everyone who came close. She had somehow got a hold of her brother and her own wand.. and for the first time in wizard history.. had started duel wielding wands. The destruction and chaos she'd made in her rage-filled state had been what caused the ministry to create a new law.. forbidding the dual wielding of wands. She'd been on probation for a long time after this... and she was pretty sure that even without the trace on her, the ministry was watching her closely to make sure she didn't do something crazy like that again. The whole event had been kept pretty quiet... only a select few heads of the ministry, herself, and her uncle even knew it had happened. The ministry had decided she may keep her brother's wand.. but they had snapped it in two to prevent another occurrence.

Emira realized she'd been zoning out as she stared at the table before her, which was now heavy with food. She shook her head and started shoveling food into her plate and then into her mouth. The house elves at Hogwarts were decent cooks, but she preferred food which was not made with magic. Magic gave food a funny aftertaste sometimes. Still, food was food, and she wasn't really picky.

Emira turned to look at Megan, shoveling a bite of meat into her mouth with her left hand. She blinked slowly. "Ghost girl. Nice to see you hanging around again. Didn't think you'd come sit way over here by me." She stated, chewing slowly and then swallowing. "What about you.. going to that political rally or whatever??"

@Draconequis




Megan made it back to her compartment and as she changed her Aunt Liv appeared with a smug smile.

"Either swallow or spit because I haven't patients nor time for games, we'll be arriving soon." she said exhaustively

"That must be the rudest thing anyone has said to me in 900 years." answered the ghost

"I was going to say that it looks as if this year will be much more entertaining than the last. Also how interesting these Cloaks seem to be. Their train caper lacked style but as far as I can tell it was at least done properly as there are no rumors of any of them being seen or captured."

Megan finished pulling on her tights and adjusted her skirt as she chuckled
"Sounds as if you admire them, are you going to urge me to join their ranks?

Aunt Livonia laughed in her soft an creepy way revealing her ties to Salazar's brood.
"By my wand never would I even suggest you directly involve yourself with their plans. No I don't think you're yet seasoned enough to challenge those stodgy old grays at the Ministry but these Cloaks might prove a useful distraction"

"Is this about the Triumph of Transfiguration?" she asked her mentor and haunt



Meg was so happy when she saw her aunt be welcomed by the Hogwarts ghosts knowing they'd serve as a way to rid herself at least for a short bit of her beloved and annoying teacher.

Meg found her seat near the Ravenclaw's chief trouble maker and good friend Emira an sat silently as the sort was done. Then the Headmistress stood to give her yearly opening speech causing more than a few guilty glances from pretty much every table. It wasn't all that surprising that Ms. McKelly knew about the Cloaks an the notes because after all something secret at Hogwarts usually meant that everyone who wanted to know knew about it.

Shortly after the meal began Emira an said to her " "Ghost girl. Nice to see you hanging around again. Didn't think you'd come sit way over here by me." Then after a brief pause asked "What about you.. going to that political rally or whatever?"

"Well I have to don't I or I'll go crazy trying to figure out the Cloak's agenda second hand and my reputation as a budding journalist will take a serious credibility loss" says Megan to Emira with a little giggle

@RumikoOhara



"True that." Emira stated as she shoveled another bite of food into her mouth, chewing thoughtfully. "You might not want to stay for long though. I'm going to evacuate the meeting." She stated, reaching into her backpack and digging around before pulling out the bag with the winged dungbomb inside. "You know.. the shrieking shack has been my hideout since second year. Its usually where i go and think about things.. and its where i've come up with all of my good prank ideas." she sighed, shaking her head. "it just.. sucks that they are going to ruin my hideout with political jargon." she made a disgusted face. "You know of any places where i could make a new thinking home?" She glanced to her friend with one eyebrow raised.

The speech was not a particularly grand one, and the Headmistress could have been a bit more forceful, but Mike wasn't concerned. The Cloaks weren't hiding their actions here, and he wondered why. Recruiting from a school was sure to make them many enemies, but there wasn't any fancy spell work to hide the message, or to bind the students to silence, or to only appear in front of older students... The way they'd gone about this setup was nearly muggle in its simplicity and disregard.

He glanced around as he sat at the Hufflepuff table, and grinned slightly when Oliver sat next to him. Of coarse, as with everyone else, Oliver wanted to talk about the Cloaks.

"Maybe," Mike answered, head cocked slightly to the side as he ignored his food. "I've got a spy going in." He elaborated, but didn't explain anything more. It was best he kept his ways to himself, less chance of others using it against him. Hogwarts pranks could be horrific, and he definitely didn't want to arm his enemies. A harsh "HUP!" in his ear, heard only by him, made him wince. Not for the first time that night he wondered at one kind of bird he'd summoned that made such an obnoxious noise.

He grimaced, glancing again at Oliver. "I'll let you know what I find out." He promised.

On the train ride over, once they'd received the invitations, Mike had had concerns about whether or not the inviatation was real, or what was on the other side. Thus he came up with a plan to find out. When the train stopped he lost himself in the crowd, and hid out of sight to do his work; summoning a bird, disillusioning it, and then sending it cheerfully to the shrieking shack. Perhaps he should have cast a silencing charm on the bird as well...

@Always



Melanie had remained largely quiet for the rest of the train journey, and hadn't even said much at the feast. She had been thinking too much about the invitation that had been slid under the train cart door. And whether or not it could lead to something else, whether these Cloaks actually had a point...

She paused and looked up as she entered the Slytherin common room, spotting a familiar face, another sixth year girl, Alyssa. They shared a lot of their classes, and Melanie was sure she remembered Alyssa being just as terrified of spiders as she was.
"Hey Alyssa!" she greeted her as she headed over. "I missed you on the train; how was your summer?"

@Draconequis




Meg was listening to Emira speak about her plans to ruin the Cloak's meeting when something dawned on her and she was about to interrupt and discuss it with the merry prankster till she asked about transferring locations.

"Well I suppose the best low cost, in other words free places to gain a modicum of privacy is in the Hogwarts Catacombs.
You could work free of intrusion in the hall of whispers or the unfinished tomb. Miss Night wouldn't disturb you unless you either drew her attention or you stirred up the dead; of course you'd run the risk of bumping into Slytherin in the Serpentine Hall but once inside the Catacombs you'd be alone.
I keep my magazine printing operation in the crypt of Alzar the Forgotten, he's a good spirit once you get to know him." says Megan to her friend Emira just before nibbling on a chicken leg.

*How do I vet the up coming meeting with the Cloaks?* thought the Royal blue haired witch as she chewed on her chicken.

Meg was fairly certain that the meeting was legit but it wasn't as well researched as she'd like as she recalled that the devil was always in the details. It was unforeseen details that toppled empires and destiny hinged on and as a Ravenclaw she would be a poor claimant of alumni to her house if she did anything without at least attempting to gather every scrap of data she could.

@RumikoOhara



"Catacombs are too dull.. too dark for me. I need a little natural lighting. The best part about the shack was it had a view. Sometimes I would just sit in the window.. and look out. Kinda like how I do in our tower in those big arch rooms. You know me.. I like to be high up." she scowled, shaking her head. "Maybe i will ask a couple of other people.. or take another look around Hogwarts. It is a magical school.. maybe it will provide a place."

She sighed, shaking her head. "Did you feel like.. the way they dropped the notes and announced themselves was a little suspicious? I mean.. i get that they want us to expose ourselves to muggles and whatever, but the way they publicly let themselves be known... I mean.. they were almost bragging.. saying that they can do what they like.. and recruiting straight from Hogwarts. I kind of wonder why they would do it.. don't you?" She furrowed her brow. "Trying to recruit at a school where Wizards and Witches are still trying to learn?? To incite the loyalty of a new generation of wizards would be likely.. but wouldn't it be far better to move their political agenda to those who are of age and no longer have the trace? I am one of the few students who is eighteen. I doubt their intention was to waste their time here with us." showing her true Ravenclaw colors, she tapped the table rhythmically as she spoke. "What we don't know is if they just targeted Hogwarts. Did they contact any of the other schools as well? And why schools? Why show themselves to students who do not yet know what magic can do? Perhaps because they are easily influenced. But do they realize they will have to wait several years for students to be ready to graduate? Their numbers will not increase for years." She puzzled.

Emira paused for a moment, digging into her pudding. "I know i'm not the best History buff in the world.. but even I know about the Salem Witch Trials. Didn't that have something to do with a group of people who tried to expose themselves as witches?" she asked, shoveling another scoop of pudding into her mouth. "So.. perhaps they are not who they say they are and are planning something entirely different?"

She glanced to Megan, biting her lip as she her mind spun with the possibilities. There were so many factors left unknown.. things left unsaid. The best way to learn about them would be to join them. Put on a false face and pretend to support them.. all in the name of sussing out what they were really about. And then rising in their ranks, proving herself to them with magic, before blasting a hole in their entire operation and ending it where it was. It might work... though she would be hated by everyone around her.. maybe she should save the Dungbomb for another prank. But then Emira thought about her brother's shrine.. his snapped wand and the picture of the two of them grinning mischievously at the camera. The shrieking shack's integrity was more important to her right now than learning about the Cloaks.

@Ceta de Cloyes

At Mikes mention of a spy Oliver perked up. "What really?a spy," he questioned. A spy sounded super cool and edgy, something he wish he'd thought of doing now that someone else had already done it. "That's really neat. If you need any help i'd be happy to lend a hand. Or I mean if it's to late then some other time." grinning at his friend he continued "Any way, we have DADA tomorrow, do you think Professor Bellfree's got anything even planned?"

He doubted the professor had anything planned, and had in fact planned on using that time to finish his potions summer work. Bellfree probably wouldn't even notice if he died right in the middle of class, let alone did a little bit of work from a different class.

"Not too bad, I guess." Melanie nodded slowly. She shuddered uncomfortably at the mention of spiders. She hadn't seen any in her room when she'd been at home, but that didn't mean they weren't there. They could have been hiding somewhere, and plotting an ambush for later. "I didn't see any." she reported back to Alyssa. [colour=MediumSlateBlue]"Although, that doesn't mean they aren't plotting their revenge, I bet this is just a temporary retreat!"[/color]

She settled down on one of the black leather couches, and pulled out the schedule she had received on leaving the Great Hall. "Looks like we're in with the Ravenclaws for Potions this year, did you get on okay with the summer work?" Melanie braced herself to hear the worst. Alyssa wasn't the best at potions, after all. The only student she was sure was worse at it was maybe Mike from Hufflepuff, at least Alyssa could add ingredients to a cauldron and not make it hiss and sputter like it was about to explode.

@Draconequis




Megan listened to Emira noting that like many the idea of a subterranean lair or perhaps it was the proximity of the dead was something they found displeasing.
Then her mention of the school providing her one caused Meg to recall the legendary Room of Requirement

"Well there is always the Room of Requirement, the House Elves call it the Come an Go Room. It's located on the seventh floor, opposite a tapestry showing Barnabas the Barmy trying to teach trolls to dance the ballet.

To make the Room appear you have to walk past the section of blank wall three times concentrating hard on what it is you need. Then if your need is heard, sensed or however it decided a room fitting your need~ will appear; but it's not guaranteed an it may or may not have a view.

Other than that I would say the Catacombs but you already said no to that." offered Meg still wanting to help her friend an Housemate.

Then she listened as Emira spoke of the Cloaks an their potential plans.

"I completely understand your trepidation and your questions but at this point in time we can only speculate and while that is a marvelous exercise it has only a minor foundation in facts and before I go any farther I need Facts. That is why I plan to attend.

Who knows how the meeting will go? It could be an elaborate trap or even a joke gone bad but that is still only speculation. I could write to my pen pal Claire at Beauxbatons Academy of Magic and ask if she's received any contact from the Cloaks." offers Megan curious if her friend she met in Niece may have any gossip or information about The Cloaks beyond whether or not they've contacted the girls attending the Academy in the Pyrenees.

Thinking of her friend makes Megan think also of her extended Family the Sprites and her Aunts and Uncles she might trust with questions about the mysterious Cloaks.

"I may need a squadron of Owls, a gallon of ink, a case of parchment and a tonne of sweet talk to get what I want an need she adds with a bright smile

Mike shrugged, "Who knows?" He was only half paying attention, absorbed in the conversations whispered into his ear by his listening charm. "The Professors are probably all going to be a bit distracted." He paused, rethinking that statement, "Then again, the Headmistress wasn't that concerned was she?"

The things they said about the Cloaks, sometimes it sounded like they were on the verge of war. The papers were probably not the most believable sources though.Maybe it wasn't as bad as stressed in the papers- or maybe... Could the Headmistress be a sympathizer? Unlikely.

@Classpet

@RumikoOhara



Emira tilted her head, staring at Megan. "You really think a place like that exists?" she asked. "If it does, i wonder which founder created it with their magic.. and if it can make things appear like that.. is it in a way sentient?" she puzzled for a moment, thinking. "Well.. if it really can be everything I want. I think.. I will give it a shot. What is the worst that could happen.. right?" she shrugged. "You know.. a room which can grant the needs of the user.. seems like it would be interesting to test just how well it can grant things." Her eyes sparked with life. "If i can't find it though.. i suppose the Catacombs will have to do." she shrugged.

Listening to Megan talk, Emira scratched her head. "Ah. Well.. I'll let you borrow Ludo as soon as he gets here. Should be here tonight. And I can talk to a few other people and get you a couple more owls." she nodded. "But i'm not really going to budge on my stance here. They invaded my privacy.. so they get a small taste of revenge." she brushed her hand aimlessly against the table. "I just.." she shook. "I put Marcus' stuff there."

She could almost hear his laughter now, or see the way he used to scrunch up his face when he was thinking. She shook away her thoughts before they could grow dark.

@Ceta de Cloyes

Mike seemed like he wasn't interested in Oliver at the moment. "Well uhm, nah she seemed pretty chill about it I guess. To be honest I thinks she just doesn't wanna be to pushy and have kids go for a dare or something." Oliver said answering Mike's question. "Anyway, the cloaks thing isn't that big of a deal. I mean the first Hogsmead trip isn't for a month."

With a yawn he looked at his watch. The hand pointed between sunset and midnight, he guessed it was around 9 or 10. sighing he stood up. looking back at Mike he excused himself. "Well anyway, I'm ganna get out before all the first years get to the dorm."

As he left he hoped someone would at least already be at the common room or lost in the hallways or something. As much as he didn't want to be in the great hall he didn't want to be alone in an empty common room even more.

@Always



"Oh don't look so worried about it, Ravenclaw ain't all that bad!" Melanie smirked, nudging Alyssa's shoulder playfully as she reached down into her bag to pull out her own potions work that she'd completed over the summer and a quill and ink pot. Laying it out on an open spot on the table, she took Alyssa's homework sheet from her and set it next to it, scanning through the answers and every now and then mumbling a correction or two and scribbling a few notes in the corner for Alyssa to change it later. "As for the other classes, I can't remember off the top of my head but I'm sure there'll be at least one class if not more with Hufflepuff and Gryffindor."