We All Have Secrets

Whight walked through Diagon Alley with one person in mind. He wore the face he felt many should get to know. A face he hoped would gain him access to many things in due time. Wearing one set of features for an extended period was not something Whight was all too accustom too. No, he typically wore what got the job done and then the face was never to be seen again. But this time was different. His work now involved much time and much dedication.

Whight was unsure how the next series of events would unfold but there was no time to waste. He would think on his feet as usual and such events began as he pushed his way through the door of the Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes shop. He prepared himself as he knew he was about to be bombarded with noise and ruckus of the busy shop. Still, he put on a smiling face and made his way to the clerk.

"I'm here to speak to the one they call Jack," he said. "Can you help me?"

Whight turned his head about to take in his surroundings. Nothing seemed out of place but he knew better than to let his guard down.

Jack was in the back-back room, the room no one was allowed in except for herself and her three most dedicated staff members. It was here Jack worked on the actual inventory, mostly the firework. Pyrotechnics were the redheaded woman's specialty, and, though she had other work to do, it was a vice of hers to spend more time than she had working on her own brand of fireworks.

She was wiping ash from her face when Gary stepped in, saying, "Hey, some uptight looking guy is asking for 'the one they call Jack.' Have you gotten in deep with the mafia?"

Jack looked up. "Not recently. Let me check."

She left the room, locking it after she and Gary exited, striding up to the counter, wiping ash off of her hands. "Hello. I'm Jack." She offered a clean hand. "I don't recognize you."

A fiery redhead made her way to the counter. She looked as if she had been hard at work. Whight was unsure how she could become so filthy in what he considered a toy store, but none of that mattered. In any respect it told Whight a lot about who he was being approached by, in particular that this was who he was looking for.

Whight met her dirty hand with a pleasant smile and suppressed a slight laugh. She didn't recognize him but he recognized her. She was the girl who thought it would be funny to throw snowballs at him last winter. He did not realize this was the person he was seeking mainly because they never gave names to one another.

"The name is Whight. I have come to you with a private matter and possible proposition I would like to discuss with you. I can see you're rather busy," he said as he look about the busy store, "but I'm willing to wait on a more convenient time if you'll have me."

Whight tried to be pleasant and professional all in one. He needed to look as if he were honest and serious about his business, and he was. Gaining Jack's trust would be key, but it could prove to be difficult judging by the number of scares he could see.

Jack gave him one of her signature firm handshakes, a characteristic of herself that she had always taken a lot of pride in. Once released, she wiped her hands clear of ash and dropped them to her hips. Lately, she had begun to look less of a major threat with her hands on her hips, and more like a woman- not that she had noticed it. It had been a subconscious change, possibly inspired by living with Nemo.

He introduced himself and she jerked her head in greeting- some of her gruffer habits never really changed. She shook her head and said, "No, I was just making myself busy. Come on back." She turned and strode towards the back. She reached the back hallway and turned into the break room, passing the room she had currently been working in.

She strode towards one of the tables and sat at one of the chairs, gesturing towards the one opposite. "Feel free to jump right in- I don't do well with small talk."

Whight followed Jack to the back of the store where they had the privacy he felt they needed. It wasn't for his protection, but for hers. The information Whight had on the woman was likely something she did not want everyone to be aware of.

"I like your style," he said. "Right to it then. I have come to you because I seek interest in the Order of the Phoenix. Through the grapevine of your organization your name was given to me. I gained the trust of a fellow member and, to make a long story short as you seem to like, he gave me your name. He said you would be of more help than he due to his unstable schedule. Now here I am before you."

Everything Whight told her had been true. Of course there was a bit more to the story but she insisted on getting right to the point which Whight was happy to do.

Jack listened to the man and recalled meeting Silvyr Svan for the first time- their meeting had been much like this. With Silvyr too sick to really do any Order business, and this meeting so similar, Jack was inclined to believe that perhaps the grapevine was really one man and his dog. However, Jack never liked to turn an assumption or conjecture into fact, so she kept it to herself as just that- conjecture.

She leaned back, surveying the man. With unsteady times, she had to be more careful. The Order had considered a spy, and she would be a fool to think the other side had not. She looked up, thinking, before dropping her head back.

"Alright, Whight," she said. "You have to understand that these are uncertain times, that bad people want to touch the Order. To know my name is out there with the Order stamp is enough to remind me how very mortal myself and the other Order members are. I can give you the name of a man who can initiate you into the Order, but I can't do so without a deposit of security- something that ensures I have not signed anyone's death warrant, or signed a certificate of defeat. Is there any such deposit you can offer me?"

Whight expected the woman, or any member of the Order for that matter, to be hesitant in divulging secrets of a secret society. The thing of it was Whight never had much to offer but his abilities and skills, but he knew it was to soon to reveal such information; he planned to use that information as a bargaining tool for the higher-ups.

"I understand the concern," he said, "and you would be a fool to ask of anything less. Your lack of trust in these times may be the very thing that saves your life so I am not offended. The truth of the matter is I anticipated this very question but was unable to develop an appropriate response. So this is what I propose. I feel that you're not looking for some material object to hold over my head if I were to 'step out of line' so to speak, and since my word is the only other bargaining tool I have, I would like you to tell me what I can do to gain your trust. How is it any new member gains the trust of the Order"

Whight hated having leave his own fate to someone else, but he had to do everything within his power to gain the trust of the Order.

Jack stared at him. The worse that could happen was his turning on them and reporting to the Death Eaters. Jack didn't trust the Order as a whole to protect themselves against intruders and spies. She did trust herself though, and to be responsible for him in the Order gave her a right to say what she said next.

"In case you ever turn on us, I'd like to give us both an out. I ask you one favor- to forget what you know, or leave the Order without a word, whatever it may be. I need a vow from you- if I call upon you in that moment, you must respect my wishes. I am taking a huge risk in allowing myself to be anyone's path into the Order, and this way protects us both, even if it seemingly indebts you to me. Trust me- I'm in a hole right now. Can you swear it?"

Whight thought for a good moment before allowing himself to speak. He knew he could never leave once he became a member, Aaron simply wouldn't have it, but making this vow seemed to be his only option. Perhaps Whight could get himself so involved that it would be near impossible for him to walk away. He knew his next step would be to secure a position amongst the Order and that should be the easy part. Plus, he was the best at what he did. If the Order discovered his true nature he would leave anyway out of shame.

"You have my word," he said. "I understand the precaution and if you ask me to leave I shall abide. I will in fact owe you at least that, I'm sure, for quiet some time."

Whight disliked giving anyone an upper-hand on himself but he hoped in time he could reverse the roles a bit.

Jack nodded. "Thank you for your understanding." She paused. "Here is the information you need to get into the Order." She figured she could have written it down, but how easy it was to lose a piece of paper, even with the best of intentions. Jack would normally have invited him to the next meeting, but she could no longer risk putting her name to each person who came to her.

"Matthew Lestrange, Three Broomsticks." She nodded seriously. "That's all you need to know."

((OOC: Just shoot Matt a PM saying that when you join, you met with him. He's not into sealing these deals IC xD))