MINISTRY PRESS CONFERENCE

Khaat knew the sounds of her parents dressing for "business." They'd taken up residence at her and Brian's estate when her father had been cursed. Their room was just across the hall. Khaat knew the sounds of them getting ready for some sort of a mission, and if her mother was coming along, it was because this mission was not without danger.

She had seen, in one of her trips down the hallway, a glimpse of her father's tailored black business suits hanging on the valet stand, sharply pressed and ready. She'd seen her mother already dressed in black dress slacks and a black sweater.

The other fighters in the house, including her own husband, had observed the cue and were dressing to go out, to fight if they had to. Business wear, but ready to fight. That seemed to be the dress code.

She couldn't take a cue from Marcus. Marcus always dressed that way. He was, at the moment, in her closet.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"I know you're going," he said. "Trying to talk you out if it is a waste of time and energy. If you're going to go, though, I'd prefer you wore something that made my job a bit easier."

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"God, you've got ridiculous dress boots. Nothing practical at all." He brought out a pair of her dress boots, snapping off the stiletto heels. She groaned at seeing him dismantle them.

"I can run in heels," she said.

"Yes. But we're not doing those." He transfigured what was left into a slanted riding heel instead. "Now they're practical. And, please. Do me a favor, do slacks. You do realize my job is to keep you alive, not worry about your skirt being in place."

She ended up with boot cut black slacks and a dark turtleneck, topped with a long black military cut leather coat and a black scarf.

"Which way are we going in?" Marcus was asking Brian as Khaat fiddled with her scarf.

"Through the back, like everyone else," Brian said, tucking an extra wand in his jacket. "We've been told to blend."

"Well, since 99% of the wizarding world wears black, it shouldn't be hard," Marcus said.

She and Marcus arrived after her mother and Brian and Angus . When they entered, she scanned the crowd and saw Lee casually leaning against the back wall. She noticed Jack and Steven in the crowd. Steven's Stetson wasn't exactly blending. She figured he hadn't gotten the "blend in" memo. Who she didn't see here yet was her father.

"He won't be seen until he chooses to be," Marcus said softly in her ear. "Stay close."

Chocola Meilleure wrote:Chocola heard suddenly one familiar voice and looked towards the voice. She smiled there now. "Hello," she said with smile there now and blushed when he did kiss her hand again. She really isn't used with such treatment. Probably soon she will if they keep meeting.

"So what exactly is going on?" She asked. "I know it has something to do with werewolves. I haven't really read the news," she added then there now. She should have had read the news there now actually at first coming here but she stays home so less as possible. She doesn't really have time for it and also she doesn't like to read it.

She smiled now there. She also looked around a little bit. She saw few familiar faces but she wasn't sure who they were exactly. She have probably seen most of them just around the building.

Brant moved to stand next to her and sighed as she asked what was going on . " I'm guessing its to do with the new proclamations about half bloods being re-categorized and wanted alive or dead." He said softly " I personally think its stupid, were all men and women, I have two friends who all this affects." he said and looked at Jack and Steven who walked over to them. " Chocola this is Jack Blackheart and Steven Walker there ...work associates and good friends, guys this is Chocola" He said his lips turned up when he said her name in a smile, but he rolled his eyes at the pair of them as they grinned at him " Steven the Stetson is a give away, might want to not wear it." Steven took it off and shrunk it so it fit in his pocket.

"Please to meet you Chocola" Jack said Steven just nodded his head his eyes scanning the room. " Hes from Texas" they both saw Khaat at the same time and looked to Brant who nodded for them to go. "You'll have to excuse us" He said and with Jack they moved closer to Khaat and marcus

Khaat and Marcus were sharply aware that there were some eyes on her. This was, after all, the first time in a year she'd been seen inside the Ministry again.

They were both aware that it was going to gain attention. The tension in the atrium was already high, and there was a sense that there were some people that were desperate. They heard people muttering her name, noticing her, nudging each other and pointing.

Eyes began to scan the faces around her. It wasn't her they wanted. Not really. She heard people around her asking questions, gravitating towards her, demanding to know what she was going to do. Where was her father? What was he going to do?

She felt her own anxieties start to rise, hoping things wouldn't get out of control. She noticed Steven and Jack starting to come closer to them, and felt a little less anxious. Marcus swept his arm around her waist and drew her closer to him. She glanced around, looking for Brian. She caught a glimpse of Brian walking beside someone in a long black cloak, someone that didn't appear to have a face. She immediately knew it was her father. Marcus leaned in against the side of her face.

"Shh," Marcus whispered sharply, barely audibly, barely moving his lips, in her ear. "Here." He was purposely trying to get her attention, drawing it away from what was happening on the other side of the room. She could be a handy distraction if she allowed herself to merely answer questions.

Miseria saw more and more people enter, but she did not recognize anyone until she saw Jack and Brian who spoke with someone. That was when she knew that Khaat would be coming as well. Nipping on her lower lip, Mis decided to wait and see as she locked her eyes on the door.

It was amusing to watch how people were so desperate to know something, some secrets, but it was painfully obvious that Gideon would not reveal anything to them. Only by the look of his face she could tell that the man loved to toy with his subjects.

She rose only when she heard whispers calling out her mother's name. That was when her eyes turned bright and she stood up from her spot and quietly moved there. Once Miseria was next to Khaat did she open her mouth, but she said nothing, only took her mother's hand and held it gently. She could sense the anxiety reflecting from her.

Khaat was pleased and relieved to see a friendly face on the other side of her. She squeezed her hand, glad to have her there.

"I'm glad you're here," she said quietly to Mis. She was about to speak when she saw two things happen. First, Gideon moved to the platform. The crowd's attention began to turn there. Khaat felt the tension and the hatred escalate in the room.

Second, a hooded figure slid next to Mis and slid a roll of parchment into her pocket. Khaat saw a glimpse of a hand--and a ring. The Minister's signet ring. Her father.

"Mis," Marcus said, to distract attention away from the figure, hoping Mis wouldn't immediately reach to touch her pocket, "I hear you're an auror now. Congratulations. Now all you have to do is meet Brian's standards for training." He laughed, but he knew that whatever Robert had slid into her pocket, he had done so for a very good reason. He was hiding it there, or he'd have otherwise merely handed it to her. He was hiding it with her for safekeeping.

Gideon had noticed the clamor around the Lupin woman. Pfft, he thought, Stupid sods will always hover around a socialite. He had never taken Khaat Lupin seriously. He had yet to actually see her work. He knew she had two posts--the Director of the hospital, and the Chief Warlock, but in his tenure, he had yet to see her do either one. At this point, she commanded attention, he thought, because she was the old man's daughter.

It was time they all got what they deserved. He stepped up to the podium, and used a sonorous spell to get everyone's attention.

"Good afternoon," he spoke loudly. "My name is Gideon Pierce. Thank you all for coming. There are several pieces of business I have today. So, let's get to it, shall we?

"First, we are concerned about the new virus that does appear to be inflicting some of our citizens. Fortunately, unlike the ill-handled Green Itch affair, we do have a vaccine for this, and it has proven to be effective in warding off the virus. So, in order to keep any more of our citizens getting infected, we're going to have all of our citizens vaccinated. You will be able to get those vaccines free of charge starting tomorrow at St. Mungos. Please get yourselves there immediately for your own protection. This will become mandatory November 1st because, as you all know, keeping us all healthy is vital to all of us.

"Secondly, we are getting closer to the apprehension of mass murderer James Blood. We have more and more of his pack in custody. I hope to soon be able to announce to you that the cooperation of his pack members have led us to his arrest. Thank you all so much in your assistance in the apprehension of the dangerous werewolves that are in our midst."

He scanned the crowd. So far, so good. He wasn't getting much static, and he saw some nodding heads. Anything that seemed to promise a reduction in fear seemed to appease a great many.

He silently mused on the truth he wasn't telling any of them. He hadn't told them that the vaccine was, in fact, the contagion itself. The vaccine was flawed. He had to deliver something, though, so he was continuing with his plan to deliver up the vaccine as scheduled. And if he lost a few wizards, oh well. Such was the cost of power.

And so far as the werewolves went, they would talk. He had a small handful of the Blood pack sequestered at Azkaban. Mostly underaged 'cubs', though, disappointingly. However, given enough time with the dementors, the young animals would give up their leader he was certain.

She could only smile when Khaat told her that she was glad to see her there. It was impossible to sit at home and wait anxiously for the news. She had to see the whole thing for herself, no matter the cost.
Also, now that she had returned to her original roots, which was her natural red hair, nobody besides her relatives recognized her. And if something like that would happen, she knew how to disappear from sight.

Miseria was about to say something when she felt a gentle touch on her side and before she could even grasp who it was or what was slipped into her pocket, Marcus required her attention. She turned her head towards him, offering a gentle smile to the man before nodding. "Yes," she understood the hint: look later. When he mentioned Brian's standards, Mis groaned quietly. The last thing she wanted was to go through some trials!

Her relaxed posture disappeared when she saw Gideon stepping on the podium. Pursing her lips, she looked at him like a small child who had just been blamed for something she did not do.

As he started with the virus and the vaccines, Miseria began wondering how many would be affected by it. She knew that those who were handed the cure felt even more sick, though this might only be the immunity system problem. Maybe it was only a part of it, but then again, the way Gideon reasoned with the non-human beings, she called it a bull. But what was the point in poisoning the whole country?

Brant Ezekiel Crawford wrote:
Brant moved to stand next to her and sighed as she asked what was going on . " I'm guessing its to do with the new proclamations about half bloods being re-categorized and wanted alive or dead." He said softly " I personally think its stupid, were all men and women, I have two friends who all this affects." he said and looked at Jack and Steven who walked over to them. " Chocola this is Jack Blackheart and Steven Walker there ...work associates and good friends, guys this is Chocola" He said his lips turned up when he said her name in a smile, but he rolled his eyes at the pair of them as they grinned at him " Steven the Stetson is a give away, might want to not wear it." Steven took it off and shrunk it so it fit in his pocket.

"Please to meet you Chocola" Jack said Steven just nodded his head his eyes scanning the room. " Hes from Texas" they both saw Khaat at the same time and looked to Brant who nodded for them to go.   "You'll have to excuse us" He said and with Jack they moved closer to Khaat and marcus

Chcocola did listen what Brant said and nodded her head now. "Oh I see. I don't really know anyone really who it would effect," she said there and nodded eer again. "I think it's very stupid too actually," she agreed with it.

She looked at the two men who came here. Soonish Brant introduced them there. "It's nice to meet you both too," she said there a with a smile. She always liked to meet new people lately. She didn't mind new friends and so on. She totally understood when they had to go and talk with someone else now and she didn't mind it.

Cho just nodded her head and looked around still a little bit. She saw few familar faces but they were talking already with people sho she didn't really need to go and bother them. She just could listen what that Gideon is saying and also same time talk with Brant, what sounded like good idea.

Jack followed Michael quietly, her eyelids resting halfway over her eyes to keep suspicious gazes from her. They made their way into a secluded hallway, Michael turned to her and, like he had done so many times before, asked her to help him take down the bad guy. Jack wouldn't have it any other way.

Of course Gideon was planning on making a ploy for Minister tonight. He was weasley enough to almost pull it off too - but if he thought it would happen quietly, he was as wrong as he could get. Not with her friends. No way in hell.

Jack did not have much to say to Michael. She knew he knew she would be with him. She had never abandoned him when he needed her because Michael knew Jack's terrible secret - he knew she did not live for her own whims and happiness. It was a truth she needed to break one day, especially with these churning feelings boiling in the pit of her stomach. And while Michael was going to demand she start living for herself one day, before then, he knew he could count on her to help him protect his family.

She tilted her head. "I can get him to show his true colors, or at least to get the crowd to distrust him. Make him make the first move." She grinned a little bit - annoy someone into showing their true nature? She could do that.

"What's the plan?" Kip Parsons was at her shoulder. He must have sensed a planning session and followed her down. Before Michael could get nervous that they had been found out, she explained, "Michael Tremaine, my half-brother and partner in crime, Kip Parsons. Kip, Mi-"

"I know of Michael," Kip said, thrusting a hand out for Michael to shake, smiling widely. His blue eyes flicked back to Jack. "What are we doing?"

"Round up your gang. Phase Heckle."

He squeezed his hand into a fist, eyes fluttering closed. "My third favorite phase. Will do." And he was gone. Jack turned back to Michael, gesturing towards the main room. "I'm with you."


Kip had called in Yuri, the McBains, and Remy and they had scattered throughout the crowd. As Gideon's speech came to an end, the calls began.

"What's in this vaccine?"

"Why such sudden strict restrictions on half breeds?"

"What do you plan to do with Blood?"

"I've heard nothing of a disease."

"When are we ending this marriage law nonsense?!"

"Where is Robert Lupin?"

Kip had held out until the Lupin line, knowing that if anything was going to boil Pierce's blood would be the reminder that someone else had the job he wanted. Kip knew this was going to be the worst of them all and he would take responsibility for it.