The Ilvermorny Experiment: Report

[ooc: I'm going to include the beginning of the meeting here so we can skip the whole everyone showing up and pleasantries and stuff. That always takes a while and is hard for people to write, I'm told. So let's go with they've shown up and the meeting has started by the end of this post, though you're welcome to include how they got there or whatever in your response, obviously. This is a little wordy, but I tried to fit all the housekeeping stuff in, too.]


It was nearly half-past two when the patronus lit up Oliver's apartment. The fox looked like it wanted to climb up onto the bed but it waited in the doorway like it was too polite to wake Alice. Oliver frowned and rubbed his eyes when the change in lighting woke him, and after a moment he rolled over and followed the fox out into the living room, shutting the door behind him. He didn't recognize the patronus, but he hoped it was from who he thought it might be.

Declan's voice filled the room, and Oliver wouldn't have recognized it if he hadn't expected it. But the news was positively astounding. It took him all of five minutes to get dressed. From there, waking Alice was the next step, and then they shot off to Grimmauld Place to call a meeting.

The members of the Order who were still interested would probably find it fascinating when Oliver's alert woke them in the early hours of the morning. Jack and Percy wouldn't, of course, because they knew. But after his leaving caused the Order to fall apart, and Nick left for a job at the Ministry, the Order was still in shambles. Nothing was secretive, nothing was safe. Oliver wasn't having it anymore. The whole building had been put on lockdown of his own doing - impressive, really, for a man who used to believe that he lacked any real magical ability. But for the first time in almost a year, he was back and calling them in for an emergency meeting.

His original plan had been to pretend he wasn't in charge but merely a member. There was no point in that now. Now it was time for them to come together and for him to not only announce the changes but to get the lot of them over to Ilvermorny. Declan's message had cut off, entirely inconveniently, before it got to the part about the students being in immediate danger. But Oliver wasn't about to leave them over there now that the missing students had been found, now was he?

Once everyone seemed to settle in, disgruntled though they must be for being woken at such a dreadful hour, Oliver wasted no time.

"I'm sure most of you are surprised to have received a message from me, but during Nick's time in the Order, he asked me to return. Since then, he's moved on to Ministry work, and I've agreed to stay on. Things are going to change, though, and if you have trouble with any of this, if may be best for you to take your leave before we get started, because the rules won't be changing.

"Anything that's said within these walls - starting now - is absolutely secret. It will sound harsh but I have no problem removing members from the Order if they deliberately spread information that could endanger others. Extreme measures may be taken, so do your best to not make me, if you don't mind. That said, I'm also building what I'm calling a council. Four members who will sit down with me and vote on decisions that will majorly impact the group. One person should not have all the power, if history has taught us anything, so it's time for that change. Two of those spots are currently filled by Percy Weasley and Jack Dyllan. See me if you'd like to be considered as one of the others.

"This council doesn't mean," he clarified, "that the opinions of others won't be considered. But if we come to an impasse and a decision desperately needs to be made, we won't hesitate to meet and make that choice as a council. And our first big decision, despite there only being the three of us for now, may well happen this very night. I've called you all here in part to welcome you back, but also because we received word from someone I sent to Ilvermorny.

"Last year," he went on, his voice rising slightly to portray his urgency and how important it was that they listened, "students were sent there on exchange, and they haven't come back. I asked one of our own, Dom Weasley, and a man that was unlikely to draw suspicion - Declan Arryn - to travel there by the ferry and find out what was happening. I had hoped that, as he is not at all related to the Order, he might keep away the idea that we were looking into the matter. As it turns out, their trip there was the most important thing that I've ever been part of, even with the small role I played. Jack got them onto the ferry, and then they did everything else.

"You see, ... they found the train. The missing students. They're all stuck there inside some shield they can't take down on their own. I've called you here to propose that we go rescue them ourselves. There's no point in waiting and leaving them there, nearly alone and undoubtedly afraid."


[ooc: FOR MORE INFO ON THE ORDER'S NEW RULES: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
Also, I figure the characters will have a chat while the students in the Ilvermorny thread keep running amok and trying not to get killed, and then they can portkey over. Oliver has someone working on a portkey that they're going to bring after folks reply ]

His hands clasped round his mug as Percy tried to warm bones chilled by no temporal source.  His tea remained untouched.

There went all their planning.  He assumed some people still thought him duplicitous and in a way he supposed he was, but it wasn't guile that made him that way.  Some people needed protecting from themselves.  

The idea of keeping the true leader hidden even from the Order members had been a good one, so Percy wondered why Oliver had decided to abandon it.  He couldn't ask in front of everyone, though, and people often had good reasons for things - or at least reasons they thought were good - so he kept his peace.

Besides, Oliver had moved on now.  Was talking about the train and the students and Percy's heart jumped. Lucy had been on his mind ever since the train had vanished.  Molly too, of course, but Lucy was always the one Percy would worry most about.  And then, there was that guilty feeling reminding him he ought to be worried about the other children, as well.

This was eerie. Michael was used to being in charge.  He wasn't often the ultimate authority, but he was usually somewhere close, whether it was by virtue of experience or intelligence or simply other people's bias.  He had a feeling that tonight, he was a lot further down the ladder than usual.

He was aware that he was getting glances, and probably not just because he was "new".  Michael had never decried the Order, but he also didn't hide his opinions.

So, in deference to the person who'd called this meeting, Terry guided him down the table and seated them almost opposite the boy.  Oliver Connolly immediately began talking and although his manner had the sound of a rehearsed speech, Michael couldn't help feeling it was mostly aimed at him.

Then there was some Order business that Michael wished Oliver would just leave till the end.  Clearly, he didn't have kids.  Then, he finally got to the point.

Michael frowned at the news and glanced at his husband.  Stuck inside a shield didn't sound too bad.  Considering the mystery surrounding this whole situation, it sounded not bad enough.

"I know it's probably not my place," he began.  It was definitely not his place, "but did your friend report any injuries?"

Teddy felt anxious in his seat. Perhaps it was just the Ghost of Order Meetings Past, or had more to do with his new current state of feeling, but it probably had more to do with the idea that if something wasn't done now, there was the chance there would never be anything done. He was frightened for the kids he was supposed to be teaching next year, worried sick for his adopted cousins and all of the tiers that branched from being apart of the Weasley-Potter messiness.

He stopped his fingers, which had been drumming on his thighs, and folded them patiently in his lap, before venturing a glance down the table. Jack was across him and a seat over, Percy on the same side... where was Gabby, he wondered. The Short man had always been a strange addition to the group, but now his absence seemed same. Wasn't he always up for some excitement?

Teddy's eyes shot up and Oliver's words and went across the table to meet Jack's, who was staring quietly and firmly at Oliver. A lot had changed for the woman, he knew, and by the looks of her, she hadn't slept in two days. But she looked calm, remarkably calm, and that had never been a common state of being to find the redhead in.

Strange.

All of it was strange.

He blinked as Oliver's speech ended, his eyes glancing down the table, before turning back to the head. Before he could speak, however, Michael Corner jumped in. Teddy nodded his head, and found that his simple plan to agree with the proposal was now being twisted to consider all of the obstacles.

"They're trapped behind a shield at Ilvermorny... Wait, does this mean the Headmistress is somehow involved? Or has she been contacted? I don't understand how these kids could be at Ilvermorny. It's like... hiding them in plain sight."

Which was a pretty genius plan, if that was the case.

Their questions were valid ones to be sure, but not ones that he could actually answer. He ran a hand through his hair as Teddy finished, trying to find the best way to explain.

"Arryn's patronus failed partway through the message. That doesn't bode well, though he was trying to get a lot across to me and I'm not sure he was quite up for it. What I do know is that they landed at the shore of Ilvermorny after taking the ferry. They noticed this barrier of sorts first, and he reached out like an idiot and got himself zapped by whatever the hell it was and was out cold. Nearly forgot to tell us they'd even made it." Oliver shook his head and let out a heavy sigh.

"I don't know what's going on over there, or who's doing it. He said it was just them and the kids. But whatever that shield is - whoever made it - cannot be good. I can't believe otherwise. And even if you all can't agree and the council comes to a vote but turns down the trip there, I'm still going to go over there. Even if it's just me and Hermione, who's working on a portkey right now.

"The information isn't clear, no, but the least we can do is bring those kids home. The lot of us are skilled enough to take down a bloody barrier, aren't we?"

It felt like Oliver was trying to raise a resounding shout of support, or applause, or something like that. All he raised from Terry an eyebrow.

Not that he disagreed. The kids did need some competent help and if Declan couldn't even cast a patronus, he wouldn't be in any shape to help anyone. And Terry wouldn't have trusted someone he didn't know to help them, anyway.

No, what irritated him and made him disinclined to show any appreciation for Oliver's brilliant plan, was the guilt trip they got along with it. Why have a council, why have any of this if it all came down to "if you disagree, I'll do it by myself."

When Hermione's name was mentioned, Terry couldn't help but think that must have been her idea. She'd always been good at manipulation.

Henry understood the concerns, to be fair, but all this talking was dreadfully boring. And a waste of time, really. And, unlike some of the people there - some of whom he wasn't even sure how the hell they'd gotten in - he wasn't afraid to say something.

"So our plan is to bicker until Hermione gets here?" He asked sardonically. "What happens after she does? We argue about the best way to take a bleeding portkey? The point isn't how or why we know this, but now we do. And I certainly won't sit around here, either. You won't be running off without those of us who're up for an adventure, mate."

Oliver lifted an eyebrow but planted his hands on the table and sank down into his chair. His tone was one of disappointment as he looked from Henry to the others. "It's not about an adventure. This group was formed because the founders wanted to help regardless of their own self-interest. If we can't do the same, then yes, we will continue to hold endless and dull meetings rather than actually getting anything done. I never imagined this lot to be so painfully unwilling to do things before joining. Hence the council, I suppose. So, no. We don't know what's waiting for us over there except for the missing kids, and the one thing you've all failed to notice is that we heard from someone who isn't even our own. And his message failed midway. Something could very well have happened to Dom and yet all we care to do is give each other glances and appear disinterested. What we should be doing is coming up with a plan.

"We won't be able to get back without another portkey, potentially, so while Hermione's made one with which to return, it might not last long enough. We need backup plans, not questions we can't answer right now.

Tensions had always run high in the Order, and it seemed like even when everyone had a reason to pull together, some people would take offence at the littlest things.

Percy reached out and touched Oliver's arm.

"Oliver, sit down," he said.

"This isn't an argument. Nobody has objected to anything you've said so far. But you can't blame some of us for being distracted. Three of us have children over there. There is nothing like the agony of knowing your child is in danger."

"Lack of self interest is a very nice idea, but you must know it's impractical. Especially in this case."

Percy cast a glance at Michael, unable to figure out exactly what his opinion of him was. That he was here probably said something; Percy sincerely doubted Terry refrained from ever mentioning Order business.

"Now," he changed the topic, "do you have any ideas for your backup plan at all?"

Henry still looked put-out, but Oliver wasn't sure that seeing that look on the man's face was even remotely uncommon. He was impatient beyond reason, and one thing Oliver knew about him was that he wouldn't wait to ask permission if he felt something needed to be done. Their trip with Jack to find Keiran was enough for Oliver, and while he knew Henry was determined, the younger man gave the elder one a warning glance as Percy began to talk.

Oliver turned his head to look at Percy, pushing his temper down in favor of answering the question and moving on.

"When I asked Dom and Declan to go over there, I'd planned on them seeking out professors. Neither are particularly related to our group, so I'd hoped they wouldn't raise suspicion. They took the ferry from Hogwarts, not half because procuring a portkey for that, even with help from our members at the Ministry, it would've been enough to raise red flags. Probably, anyway."

Oliver shook his head and lifted his shoulder in a half-shrug. "I haven't talked to Theodore, but we can make sure the ferry is there, and potentially take that back. The problem, of course, being that the Hogwarts students who took it originally have not been able to return. If I thought that a message would reach Declan without someone undesired overhearing, we could ask if they can take it back."

Maude Prichard, who had snuck in quietly during Henry's comments and sat down next to him, glanced between everyone with red cheeks, but spoke up  anyway, wanting to help.

"Let's say the ferry has some sort of wards to keep them from taking it. Surely the lot of us, plus the kids, would be enough to break them and let us leave? As I understand it, the students who went over there were mainly from the lower years, so perhaps we can fix it?"

She didn't look very confident, but Oliver tilted his head in thought, looking towards Percy and the others with a questioning expression.

Ryo had never been one to like confrontation, at all. He'd always rather sit back and not get too involved unless he absolutely had to for one reason or another. Just like now. He didn't think he had anything important or helpful to say, so he merely watched and listened to the conversation at hand.

Aside from that, he had joined the Order for his own personal reasons and he almost didn't feel right about even having an opinion in what was going on. Especially not after his conversation with Adrian. But one thing that he was going to admit, and gave him a slight reason to enter the conversation was that he was worried, just like everyone else.

His best friend, though she was much younger, was trapped there and if he had a way to help he sure as hell was going to suggest it. He wasn't going to let Hit be stranded there without at least trying to help her and everyone else that was already there. The only problem was that he didn't really have a way to help at that moment. At the very least though, he was paying attention to what was going on and he was trying to think of things to say.

Having had his head down in thought, Ryo raised it at Prichard's words. That might not be a long shot, once they made it over, the whole lot of adults that would be going would surely be able to undo anything that the students had not been able to with their help. Ryo half nodded, but he still had his doubts about it. Still she was going more than he was.