Time to Meet

[Ioan Finch]

Securing a meeting spot hadn't been as difficult as Ioan Finch had anticipated when he'd volunteered to find a spot for the group. It had been years since the man had even thought about the tiny apartment that he'd owned when he had been a bachelor. He had gifted the apartment to a dear friend some years ago, and for a number of reasons, he had, unfortunately, lost touch with her. It had been to his great surprise, and pleasure, when he'd run into her on Bleak Street. Serendipity, at its finest. And, as usual, the woman had been eager to help Ioan. That was why he now sat in his old living room, a tumbler full of whiskey loosely held in his ringed hand as he stared, lost in thought, into a small fireplace. The man had just finished securing the apartment, placing a number of enchantments on all of the windows and the door. He hoped that his 'friends' understood that there would be no apparating or flooing into or near the apartment building. They'd have to forego magic for a few brief moments to get inside.

Taking one final lap around the apartment to be sure that he hadn't missed anything, Ioan slowly sipped the firewhiskey in his glass. It had been far too long since the New Zealand leaders of the Scitorari had met up without others present. Sure, they saw each other here and there, but they were hardly going to carry out any important conversations while they shopped for new robes. Hearing a knock on the door, Ioan headed to back to the front of the apartment to let his first guest in. The space that they would be meeting in was devoid of any belongings that would inform the others who the space actually belonged to. Her bedroom was locked, both with a regular lock and magical enchantments. As usual, his friend had followed his instructions to the T. He would have to be sure to pay her back for her loyalty one of these days. Now that he had become a leader, Ioan had come to learn the value of true loyalty. Opening the door, Ioan gestured for the person to come inside. "Hello, come in. You can put your things down anywhere" he stated easily before taking another sip of firewhiskey.

 

[Jacqueline Styx]

Jacqueline Black had been sent the location of the meeting earlier that day. This was a meeting that was long overdue. The leaders needed to meet to discuss some private matters at hand. She had made sure she had the day off and made arrangements to head home to change her robes before apparating near the address, knowing that Ioan would never allow them to apparate directly into the apartment due to security reasons. Jacqueline pulled her cloak to her as the wind blew. She walked confidently up to the building, knocking on the door to the apartment.

The brunette woman didn't have to wait long before the door opened, and she heard the familiar voice of one of her fellow leaders speaking. She smiled at him as she walked into the room. "Hello, Ioan." she said in greeting to him. She placed her cloak on the coat rack by the door. Jacqueline's blue eyes scanned the room, quickly noting that it was devoid of any personal items. "How are you?" she asked, sitting down on the armchair.

 

[Plato Aether]

It began as a whispering in the air. Then a tinkling sound reverberated as the first pearls of rain dropped onto the dry concrete of the street. In a matter of seconds the rain hammered down, battering the houses' roofs like a hail of bullets. Pedestrians dashed for cover inside buildings and umbrellas dotted the sidewalk as some of them had foreseen this change of the weather. Soon the streets turned into shallow rivers, gleaming under the dim lights of the city. From a lone puddle in a dark alleyway, a pillar of water raised and took human shape. Water into flesh and cloth and a man with obsidian eyes materialized, dressed in black robes. The raw, beating rain swept into his face as he appeared around the corner and strode down the street. Their meeting place was not far but this was the closest he could apparate. Plato could sense the powerful enchantments, protective spells placed at the surrounding area to obtain top security. It wasn't long until he found the place, an ordinary building blending well with the rest of the area.

Plato climbed the stairs, his clothes still soaked, leaving a trail of water drops. He stood in front of the door and took a deep breath. His pores absorbed the moisture against his skin, his light brown hair dried out along with his drenched clothes. He knocked the door and when his obsidian eyes opened, the door opened to reveal a man around his mid thirties. "Evening Ioan." Plato greeted the leader of the potion masters. He stepped inside and was taken to the living room where another person was waiting. "Jacqueline." he bowed slightly and sat down on an armchair opposite to the leader of the mind manipulators. Plato studied the room from his seat, wondering if the other two were going to join them. It was a long time since all five of them were at the same room. They were all commited to their own business but they had to be united if they wanted to move forwards. Plato might wasn't so eager to share details about what the Elementalists were up to but he was definately going to bring a few suggestions to the table that would benefit all of them, regardless of their objectives. They needed new blood and younger generations were malleable and easier influenced. The eyes of the Elementalists were definately fixed on Hogwarts.

 

[Collineus Cardosi]

Collineus Cardosi just left his office, running slightly late for the meeting with the leaders. The only ones that he could name were Ioan Finch and Jacqueline Black. He had met with them a few times in the past, and so far, the only one that Collineus appreciated was Ioan, even if he was not pure-blood, his family appeared to have held it once before. That was good enough for him. Jacqueline - that was another story. Collineus distrusted women and for a good reason. Now that he was a father that was marrying off his pure-blood daughter, he could relax around the gender more so than before. Knowing that precautions would be set during the meeting, Collineus simply apparated to the general area. Where he was from Italy and his company resided there, his reach appeared to be international, from his company selling anything magical, to stocks, even to the black market which could not be traced unless someone within the company managed to sneak away. Collineus made it to the apartment complex before he dusted off his robes and managed to keep them from getting a speck of dirt on them. His serpent green eyes displayed that he was not in the best of moods, and one could only guess why, if they knew the man that is.

Opening the front door, Collineus stepped inside and he closed it behind him. He looked to the side to see Jacqueline sitting, looking elegant as always. His serpent green eyes found Ioan before he nodded as a greeting before he caught sight of another. Since Collineus never bothered with the other subgroups except Potions and Minds, he forgot that there were others. Collineus made himself known as if the entrance was not enough, "Apologies for the slight tardiness." The business man did not go into why he was late. Instead, the former Death Eater walked over and conjured himself an armchair made of black leather to sit down in. Collineus meant no disrespect when he did not choose one of the seats already in the room, however, he was extraordinarily picky. Collineus did not say anything more as nothing else needed to be said. Now, they all had to wait for some reason. He had miles of paperwork to deal with, a daughter and secretary to tame, and his Scitorari members under control, which was never too hard for him to do.​

 

[Ioan Finch]

Looking around at the three before them, Ioan wondered if the last leader would be joining them. Somehow he didn't think she would be, and he couldn't say that he was sorry to hear that. As powerful of an ally as she was, Ioan couldn't help but be a little skeeved out by the woman's views. There was something unnatural about meddling with those who had moved beyond the veil, something that felt more than wrong to the man. Putting his cup down on the table, Ioan leaned forward in his seat, his elbows coming to rest on his knees. Collineus was right. It was later than they had meant to begin. "So I know it has been a while since we have all gathered to sit and discuss how things are going." Ioan glanced around the room, his gaze landing on the newest of the leaders. The two others had been beside him since the beginning and he did speak with them via owl more so than he did the other man whose name it took him a moment to recall. Ioan had been a member of another country's group of the Scitorari, one that had nearly been destroyed because of turncoats. He'd managed to get out before that had happened, but he still had a healthy dose of suspicion because of it.

"I think it is long past time that we gather to discuss what we have been working on and what work needs to be done. I can't speak for any of you, but I don't think we have made as much progress as I would like." The man reached for his drink and settled himself in the position he'd been in. "I'm hearing good things out of the Russian Scitorari and bad news from the French" he mentioned, a grimace crossing his face at the raid that had occurred at that group's last meeting. Thankfully, not many people had been taken but it was still not good to hear. "And not much from us. If remaining low key is our goal, then I think we are doing a great job." The man's tone let it be known what he thought of that. Sitting back, the man finished off the firewhiskey in his glass, giving the floor to the others.

 

[Eustacia Lancaster]

Eustacia popped into existence a small distance from the Scitorari meeting place, immediately cursing as her boots splashed into a small puddle, the hem of her robes soaking up the spraying water and darkening the charcoal coloured fabric even further. She grimaced and side-stepped under the shelter of a nearby building, gently tapping her cane-staff into a much drier patch of concrete and conjuring up an adequate umbrella into her free hand, before striding out into the street. The sky thundered above while droplets of rain bounced harmlessly across the nylon canopy overhead, while the elderly witch snaked her way through soaking pedestrians and toward the apartment, where she'd meet with the other leaders. It had been too long since all of them had gathered. Eustacia herself had made little effort to see any of them separately, she had a habit of keeping to herself and a tendency to come across as rather intimidating in general.

A quick glance at her wristwatch told her she was already late.

Eustacia arrived at the apartment building and lowered the umbrella, shaking off the last beads of water and discarding the item outside the lobby. Cane tapping with each step, the Necromancer ascended the stairs until she reached Ioan's address. She knocked briefly on the door's wooden surface before letting herself in, Finch's voice drifting to her ears as she caught the end portion of his conversation. So, she thought, as the door clicked shut behind her. They've already started.
Eustacia brushed away a few stray strands of white hair from her face as she joined the other four leaders, coming to a stop near the fireplace, both hands resting on the head of her cane. Her grey eyes flickered briefly across the other Scitorari. "My apologies." she said, her gaze coming to a stop at Ioan. "Had a small inconvenience as I was leaving. I hope I haven't missed too much."

 

[Plato Aether]

Plato wasn't really intimate with the others but this didn't make him feel uncomfortable while he was alone with them in that living room. He knew that the other leader were together before the birth of the Scitorari but his exclusion from the communication the three of them might were having all this time, have been of a little matter to him. Initially, the Elementalist was not considering to join this little gathering. He could guess they were going to talk about their plans and Plato didn't desire to open his cards just yet. It wasn't that he wasn't trusting them. He has just a man of actions, not words. He glanced back at the Potion Master with his flinty, obsidian eyes. Plato couldn't remember if they had talked about their plans last time they had all met. He wasn't really interested in their business as he was devoted to his own. However, he knew a few things about them and their past. Plato always wanted to know about others he was working with whether they were allies or foes. Their reputation was preceding them. The Potion Master was quite the dark magic practitioner, the only woman in the room and Head of the Mind Manipulators was a professor at Hogwarts New Zealand which Plato was finding really interesting and last but not least, the Italian blood supremacist who Plato was respecting the least. Nothing personal with the man but Plato considered a fool anyone who still believed that non pure-bloods were better witches and wizards than the rest. He had many resounding example in his team of young Elementalists.

The weather outside the apartment was still raging. The sky flashed and thundered before a knock was heard at the door. The fifth Scitorari leader arrived, the Necromancer. Plato knew a little about the commanding lady but he always admired the work of necromancers. He was willing to experiment with the art of the dead and the magic of the elements some time in the near future. Now that all of them were there the discussion was on with the Potion Master making an introduction. Plato had interrelationships with other Elementalist, mainly in Europe and specifically at the Mediterranean Basin and all of them had chosen to remain low for some time but not inactive. They were acting under secrecy, the opportunists hiding in the shadows, ready to snatch a bargain. Plato was listening carefully with clenched hands in raised position. He was the first to talk after the Potion Master finished talking.
"It depends on what our goal is." he emphasized the word 'our' while a content smirk curved his lips. Plato thought they were all too comfortable with the title of the leader, benefiting their corporations or their jobs perhaps and making them lose their focus on the real deal. That was Power.
"Staying low is a good strategy when you're waiting for the perfect timing." he hinted that this was the case for his own plans.
"May not always work to your advantage when you don't have a clear target or you haven't decided what you're striving for. Have you really decided what you want to achieve and with what means?" he said with voice like the winter snow. Plato wanted to see if they were all scheming and planning all this time and weren't resting on their laurels. If that was the case, he had no business being there.

 

[Ioan Finch]

Ioan noticed that Eustacia had entered while he was talking, and he gave her a brief nod as she quietly settled in. She was always seemed prepared for business, something he appreciated even if her particular field creeped him out a bit. Ioan preferred his dead things in pieces that he could use for potions, not whole and possibly coming back to life. Still, he appreciated her presence. It wouldn't do for the New Zealand branch to not be aware of what each of the leaders were doing. They would seem weak, especially if something went wrong right under their noses.


When Plato spoke, Ioan found himself clenching his jaw, the bone visibly, for anyone who was looking, pulsing. He shot a quick glance at Collineus to see what he thought of Plato's words. Ioan was the youngest of the Scitorari leaders, and he held a great amount of respect for the man who was his elder. As he quickly turned his attention back to Plato, Ioan's blue green eyes iced over at the last words, which he presumed was a challenge to all of those gathered. Ioan should have known better than to be goaded by the man's words. He had expected their differences to become a big factor later on in the meeting though and hearing that so soon irked him. "Plato, Plato, Plato. You say 'our' as if you have a different goal from the rest of us" Ioan pointed out in a mocking tone, looking in turn at each of the other members. " Our means may be different, but I thought that we were at least united by our goals to get others to see what the Ministry is trying to keep hidden. Would you care to enlighten us on your goals since you seem to not be part of the 'our' I was speaking of?" Ioan sat back, resting his arms on the armrests as he looked directly at Plato.
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[Plato Aether]

Plato allowed an offensively self-satisfied smile to form on his sharp face. He reveled in causing those glances be exchanged in the room amongst his fellow leaders. The Elementalist didn't balk a moment when his younger partner set the spotlights on him, daring him to speak about the Elementalists' plans. Plato liked the potion master, he looked like the kind of man who knew how to get what he wanted. He reflected a lot of the things that Plato was striving for when he was at his age but Ioan had chosen to waste his time on phials and potion kits instead of taming nature's wrath. It was a shame, especially when Plato could discern a skillful Elementalists in him. "Throwing back to me the question I made to you first, shows only that you don't really have a plan." he shook slightly his head with a smirk prominent on his features.
"Allow me then to give you one." he said with a small dose of sarcasm and thought for a moment carefully of what he was going to reveal.
"I like my actions to precedent my words so I'll talk about things we are currently working on." he cleared out with his dark eyes shooting glances like killing curses.

"We are interested on the numbers. We are constantly recruiting and evaluating the new blood's potential. You can't deny it, we need numbers if we want to see the Ministry falling and it is currently our primary concern."he admitted, this time without his distinctive smug. He was talking about business now and his face had turned emotionless and hard to read. His obsidian irises however, dilated like the ever-hungry abyss ready to consume everything. "We search all around the world for gifted people. Doesn't matter race, gender or blood status. We only care about their ability of controlling the elements. Although we can locate these gifted people, we usually have problem to come in touch with them or even persuade them" he stated, planning to ask the help of the other leaders on this, in exchange of the Elementalists' method of finding easily people of specific talents. "So far, we have managed to recruit over eighty people who are being trained hard in our premises. They are simply not enough when we are looking for an army. This is where I'll need your help Jacqueline." he addressed the mind manipulator with his obsidian eyes fixed on her.

"While it is more difficult to persuade a mind of critical thinking, young people are more easily manipulated and brainwashed. They are like water. You can design canals in order to channel them where you want them to go, right into a huge pond of power we can harness." he used a symbolism to explain why he believed young wizards and witches could become a more integral part of their organization.
"You work on a nursery of potentially future Scitorari." he said to Black, meaning her post at Hogwarts School of New Zealand and the students she was teaching.
"So far, I had a little spy at the school but he can no longer stay at Hogwarts." Plato had no problem to reveal either about the spy he had seeded at the school. "I need you as conduit, to have access to the younger generations. You are their professor, you communicate with them and you can make them trust you." his smirk now was playful with a hint of menace. "You could have an eye on whether a student is good at brewing potions or at Dark Arts and get them infected with our views." he glanced respectively at Ioan and Eustacia as he referred to potions and Dark Arts. "In addition, in case you need help with this, I can always get one of my most trusted Elementalists to get a post at Hogwarts. Two can do a better job than one." he offered her assistance, having already someone in mind who could fit perfectly in the magic school. If the Trojan horse was set within the walls of Hogwarts, their influence was going to be much greater.

Having asked about what he needed from the other leaders, he was ready to make his offer as well.
"In return, I can help you find skillful individuals of you own arts. I've been keeping captive a gifted person who can locate talented people. He does this for me, I'm sure he can do this for you as well. You might know that wizard. He is member of an old family of magizoologists called Stratis. His kids are currently studying at Hogwarts and if I'm not wrong, you Jacqueline, have been training his older son to become an animagi." he let a rain of information drench his partners. Yes, the Elementalists were behind that abduction a few years ago and he had no problem to disclose this now. It was horrifying however, how much information he could gather if he wanted to. His little spy had done a remarkable work.

"If our goal is to take over the Ministry, then you should know I'm building up a dedicated and disciplined army of witches and wizards ready to serve the Scitorari. This will be an army who can stir tsunamis, trigger volcano eruptions, shake the ground with disastrous earthquakes and wipe out every those who oppose us with raging hurricanes. That's what the Elementalists bring to the table ladies and gentleman." he concluded, pleased that he had now shut a few accusing mouths, questioning his solidity and dedication to the team. Plato was meaning serious business and he was up to collaborate with the others as soon as they were meaning serious business too. He had showed them what he was bringing to the Scitorari. Now it was their turn to prove they hadn't slack off in the fancy costume of the leader.

 

[Collineus Cardosi]

Serpent green eyes loomed over what the Elementalist and the Potions Master was saying. Although, he had to wonder something. Plato was aiming for such a small island. And kids no less. Collineus himself had a plan, but it was not related to the Scitorari as of yet. It may assist with their cause, but first, he had to reach it. Tapping the arm of his chair with the arm that wore the scar of the Dark Mark, Collineus mused, "So, long story short, you are focusing on a school and want to recruit kids that don't know much about magic to the cause? Your focus seems limited on such a small country. While children are indeed easy to be manipulated, we want strong, influential people to recruit those that will actually mean something. A bunch of kids won't do the Scitorari any good until they can do magic outside of the school, and know the difference between a wand and their ass." Collineus looked to the elder woman, knowing that someone with that much experience would know what he was talking about. Collineus himself was pushing in age, but that was what good surgeons and money would do. He knew history and relived it. He often thought that Voldemort was a fool at times, and figured that the man was not pure-blood at all. However, Collineus still believed that non pure-bloods were a waste of time, mostly those with muggle ancestry. They'd know nothing about the true potential of magic, so he did not bother with them, and would not allow them to join his group.

"Might I suggest expanding your focus on a continent with more people and other families that have a great influence on the country, and perhaps an area where Dark Arts is actually taught which is Durmstrang, not Hogwarts New Zealand. You will have more luck with Durmstrang than that second-hand school, no offense Jacqueline. Other than that, it is an excellent plan by using Mother Nature to make people bend to your will." Collineus nodded his head toward the other leader. From what he knew, Jacqueline could not place any sort of person inside a school. That was all the Headmistress, and from what his sources say, she was engaged to the Head Auror. That meant that it would be near impossible to take over a school. Besides, why take over a school full of little morons when there was a Ministry waiting for the picking? Collineus looked over at Ioan and he inquired, "Should we perhaps do something about the French section? I have many people over in that area that were not dumb enough to get caught. Hiding low isn't the ideal method, however, I happen to know that the Aurors are on the constant watch, which means that they are indeed worried."

Collineus' lips curled slightly at the thought of that. Aurors, a bunch of little heroes they were. He recalled dueling with them extensively, and he also knew how they worked. His reach was great across Europe, and he was working into Asia and soon, the Americas before he would step into New Zealand. That place should not be a problem since it was tiny. A little ant to his boot. "My own plan is rather long. I intend to get involved into some political affairs. This will take some time, but my plan will come to life soon enough. After all, we want to know what the Ministry is hiding, so why not just go in there and see for ourselves?" Collineus did not go into full details, but it was good enough. His eyes went to the other three leaders before he inquired, "What about you all?"​

 

[Plato Aether]

Plato raised an eyebrow when the blood supremacist was the first to talk. It would be interesting to hear what his subgroup could offer to the Scitorari. The Elementalist was negative about the existence of a prejudice subgroup within the organization. Not only he considered it useless with no specialization to offer but it could also bring discord among the members of the different subgroups. His own subgroup included a few talented muggle-borns, some of them he was actually considering them as aces up his sleeve. As far as Plato was concerned, the subgroup of Collineus Cardosi wouldn't be eager to cooperate with muggle-borns and at the same time, Plato's muggle-borns wouldn't tolerate others to call them 'mudbloods'.

He listened the Prejudice Leader with the smirk on his face getting wider and wider each time he attempted to prove Plato's plan less significant. "Pardon me. I should have explained earlier that bending the power of Mother Nature under your will, it's not so easy like sorting people according to their blood status." he began saying before actually defending the reasons of his interest about the school. "Elemental magic it's a mysterious branch of witchcraft dating back to prehistoric era when the control of fire had a dramatic change in the habits of early humans. While it might sound fascinating to be able to control the elements, it's not a simple art. It requires self-discipline and emotional stability. Someone can't just start practicing the magic of the elements out of the blue. It needs years of dedication and people who are initiated before the age of twenty are usually much more powerful from someone in their mid adulthood." he explained to his fellow leaders, expecting them now to understand why he needed access to younger blood. A seed might be looking insignificant or just not enough but soon the seed could grow into a towering tree and then the tree seed more trees to create a forest.

"We have been already collecting candidates from other magical schools around the world. Mainly in the region of Mediterranean, Anatolia and Middle East where the first practitioners were recorded to appear. Recently, we have been establishing people in schools in Latin America as well. It seems that the local tribes had developed skills in Elemental Magic independently from the magical communities in Europe. North America and especially the indigenous population is our next mark, as well as the Maori people of Oceania." he further revealed. It wasn't only youth that determined a skillful Elementalist but also their cultural background. There were magical communities out there, practicing the art of elements for centuries and people from such communities were quick learners if not natural. "I guess Eustacia could focus on Durmstrang if she's looking for individuals excelling in Dark Arts. I prefer not to be so picky and expand my scope of choice." he replied to Collineus suggestion on focusing on specific institutions like Durmstrang.

He listened expressionless the Prejudice Leader talking about his plan having to do with political affairs. While Plato was not sure if the man had really a plan in his mind about the common good of the Scitorari or just wanted to fulfill a vain dream of becoming Minister of Magic. Regardless, Plato was in favor of secretly gathering information by placing a few individuals within the Ministry and that was what he was planning for. It seemed that Collineus had nothing to offer for now except for future promises. "Right." Plato said after Collineus stopped talking. He didn't look convinced nor enthusiastic by what the Prejudice Leader had to offer. "Does anyone really have a plan going on or we just dismiss this meeting for when we actually have something in mind to implement?" he asked, pinning his last hopes on the Mind Manipulator and the Necromancer, whose skills were actually admirable.

 

[Ioan Finch]

"Who says I don't have a plan? I'm only giving you the opportunity to share first since you seem to like talking so very much" Ioan retorted before sitting back and allowing the man to speak, waving his hand to indicate that the man should carry on. Ioan had known from the beginning that allowing other members to take leadership roles was as risky as it was beneficial. The man's words only proved that. As Ioan listened, he bit back a laugh as Plato mentioned that he had trouble persuading people to join. For Ioan, that wasn't an issue. So far, every Potions master he had spoken to had seen the light in the end. The few that hadn't no longer had memory of the conversation. A not-so-simple potion had taken care of that. As Plato continued, Ioan's eyes narrowed. Hogwarts for recruits? the man thought to himself. Ioan had never considered having students join the Scitorari and with good reason. That he assumed that Jacqueline would do his dirty work was nearly as crazy as his whole idea. As he finished, Ioan opened his mouth to speak, but Collineus beat him to it. Ioan had much respect for the man, a pureblood whose family knew the Finch family. He had heard the name Cardosi thrown around his home growing up and had remembered it when he met the man. He shut his mouth and sat back to listen to the older man's words.

Nodding swiftly, Ioan spoke. "Yes, we should. We can speak about that after this." Ioan allowed the man to continue. His eyebrows rose at Collineus' bold plan. If it would get the group in there and Collineus thought he could get in without being exposed, Ioan was all for it. It seemed like more of a long term plan though. When Plato spoke again without allowing anyone else the opportunity to speak, Ioan grew even more annoyed at him. He rapped his knuckles against his seat. "Let's get one thing straight, Plato. I organized this meeting so I will be the one to dismiss it" he spoke curtly. "If you have somewhere else you'd rather be, by all means..." he gestured towards the door. If the man left, Ioan would take that as a sign of the man's dedication to the group as a whole. He seemed very into his Elementalist thing, but wasn't focused on the group as a whole in Ioan's opinion. It was a matter that Ioan would be considering for the next couple of days. "I am also spending some time on recruitment, but my focus is different. In my opinion, what children lack that adults do not is dedication, responsibility, and discretion. Yeah, your group might seem great to them now but will it still be interesting when they have the world open to them after graduation? It's risky. You have to be concerned that they'll tell their best friends, a trusted professor, or their parents." Ioan hoped that the man at least considered what he was saying.

"The same risks hold true for anyone that we recruit, which is why I am more the quality of recruits rather than the quantity. I'm focusing on a smaller, more focused group of individuals. The members that I've been recruiting are already highly skilled since they are Potions masters, so no need to worry that they can't use magic during breaks though that doesn't matter as much to me." Ioan took a breath and continued on. "Some of them worked for the Ministry at one point or another while others are entrepreneurs. In fact, we recently recruited a man from a prominent Pureblood family that has connections both in and out of the Ministry. I am confident that all of these people, with their different specializations in Potions making, will be able to help each of you in a different capacity." Ioan swirled the ice that was still in his cup, looking at the water that had mixed with the remains of his alcohol. "As for what Potions we are working on, I welcome any of you to come check out the Potions I have in my inventory. Just give me a heads up so I can let my wife know you're coming over. She so hates unexpected guests."

Turning a charming smile to the women of the group, Ioan spoke in a much less serious tone. "Jacqueline? Eustacia? Any news to report?" Ioan knew that both women likely had a lot to report. They were both very good at what they did, which was why they'd been brought on board. Ioan had a lot of respect for both women, though some of his respect for Eustacia included a healthy dose of fear.

 

[Collineus Cardosi]

It felt as though there was a lot of testosterone in the room right now, with the women remaining silent for the time being. Now, he could just hear Leia telling the three of the leaders to put their rulers away. Collineus had considered the Elementalists to be worth something, but the more the leader spoke, the more it sounded like a religion, claiming to be dated back to ancient times. Yet, from his studies, there was only quarrels and prejudice. Nothing ever related to the elements except Charms and Transfiguration. Where he was getting his crackpot theories was beyond him and fairly laughable. Even potions dated back in the ancient times, but Collineus' group wasn't just about narrowing out the mudbloods, but more or less, why hide from the muggles which were inferior in every aspect? Collineus looked to Ioan to see if he had any idea what the man was saying since all he heard was nothing useful. Teaching students their way could be interesting, if only the Aurors weren't hot on the case of the Scitorari. The more the man went on, the more likely he would get caught with his tiny faction. Establishing schools? Yes, that is a red light, and he had to fight to roll his eyes. The older man did not say a word, for he had to act like he was going to get along with the rest of them. He could only see that Plato's plans were a little too large. The Aurors would be a huge problem, and if they took out the people that liked to play with fire or splash water, that was all them.

Collineus had bigger things to think of, such as influencing the world with his plan, once it came into action. He also did not have any issue with recruiting either. He had others do the wording for him since he was informed of how intimidating he could be. He nodded at Ioan as he said that they could speak about it after the meeting. Collineus already had a few members of his group into the New Zealand Ministr. Kamaria Zhefarovich was a very loyal member to his group. The nerve of one leader trying to dismiss a meeting that another one took time of his life to make, it made Collineus wonder if he was even trying to commit to the cause at all, or just to himself and his own beliefs. "As far as recruiting goes, I too have not had any trouble. While those risks apply with people telling their family and such, sometimes, if the family believes the same thing, then we go from one new member to four just like that. Several of my recruits have connections within the Ministry all over the world. If I'm not mistaken, that prominent pure-blood family you mention, Ioan, I have a few members in there as well. I am sure that the cause will be voiced." If it was the Zhefarovich family, he had close connections on a personal and a business level. His own eyes turned to the Mind Manipulators and the Necromancer. That branch made him wonder what sort of skills the woman had, and her family. Jacqueline's family was the Burke's, a well respected one in his eyes. Shame he did not hear enough of them.​

 

[Plato Aether]

Plato limited himself this time and replied to his interlocutors with just a sinister smile. He had told them what they should know. He was building an army and he had no problem lending some of his capable Elementalists to strengthen the Scitorari cause. Whether they were going to help him with having access to Hogwarts' students it didn't matter in the end. He had learnt how to do things on his own. He was the one who had pulled the Elementalists' rotting carcass from the ashes and brought it under the protection of the order of the Scitorari. Getting students from the school it should be easy with the right movements. Now it was time for his eyes and ears to evaluate what the other two men were saying. He retained a poker face throughout the time Collineus and Ioan were speaking. Dealing with potions seemed to him so small when they could wreak havoc with nature's elements or rise an army of undead. Even if he had such powerful concoctions in his laboratory, was he expecting other people to just sip them and toast to their supremacy? Plato didn't want to entangle his order into politics. The Elementalists preferred the role of the invisible puppet-masters and corporate manipulators. They craved power and wealth by any means necessary. Very ambitious, cut-throat and furtive, cold opportunists. Only the strongest survived and earned a place amongst them. But there was one principle that had never changed. Acting silently, unless the occasion calls for a short and stealthy intervention. His co-leaders could do whatever they wanted with politics and the Ministry but they couldn't expect him and his order to step out in the light when there was still potential in the shadows. The only reason why Plato remained seated on that armchair and didn't leave them play with cauldrons or plan for an electoral campaign, was because he was expecting something good from the Necromancer and the Mind Manipulator.

 

[Jacqueline Styx]

Jacqueline had chosen to remain quiet while the men went back and forth with each other. The Elementist leader, Plato, actually had the nerve to ask her to recruit for him. That was something she would not consider even for a moment. As the other men pointed out, children were unreliable. She would never allow students to enter into her group. Jacqueline had to protect her cover. She would not go looking for recruits for Plato, and risk giving her carefully concealed identity away. "Plato, I am afraid I can't help you recruit members at Hogwarts New Zealand. Discretion is key for me. It would be unwise to reveal my connection to the Scitorari. Besides, I agree with Ioan and Collineus. Recruiting students is not in our best interest. They are too unpredictable." she said with a wave of her hand. "I also believe that we need to focus more on the ministry. We all agree that they are keeping things from us. I want to know what." she said, her icy blue eyes scanning the room. Jacqueline had contacts within the ministry, but she wasn't ready to reveal them to the other leaders. She was still trying to come up with a way to persuade her son to give her information about his work. Unfortunately for her, he was quite good at keeping his mouth shut. "I am interested in hearing more of your plan, Collineus." Jacqueline said, nodding at the man.

"We have not had any trouble finding recruits who believe that the mind holds the keys to unlocking knowledge and power." Jacqueline said, confirming that her group was indeed thriving even though they were quite discreet. She didn't think they needed to flaunt their powers about in order to get respect. "Recently, we have been focusing on recovering information that our brain has seemingly lost. Small things that you might not notice, your brain does. It stores that information. There are many things hidden in the depths of the mind. I believe some of this information could help us if we find the right person." she said, pursing her lips. She thought they would understand what she meant by the right person.

 

[Eustacia Lancaster]

Eustacia sat back into a chair, shawl draped over the arm as the male members of the group bickered amongst themselves, mainly spurred by Plato's jibes and air of superiority. Elementalists this, Elementalists that. Elementalists can make hurricanes and tsunamis, cause earthquakes and eruptions. Apparently. She was yet to see any evidence of the fact. Eustacia bit back a laugh. Even if she hadn't of been considerably older than most of the other members, the situation still would've reminded her of school children in the playground.

Every time the Necromancer was given a chance to speak, she was cut off as soon as she moved to open her mouth. Her eyebrow twitched disapprovingly, though she conceded to letting the boys just run out of air. She wouldn't be surprised if Plato went blue in the face and dropped dead on the floor. At least the body would be of use. The woman had been collecting corpses over the years, frozen and preserved deep underground to be the most effective if she ever had to call upon using a large group of Inferius to do her dirty work. After all, killing something that's already dead isn't the easiest of tasks.

Finally, with Aether quiet and Jacqueline finishing with her input, Eustacia took the window of opportunity to clear her throat and direct the group's attention to herself. "Before I go into Necromancy, I'd just like to point out, Plato," she narrowed her eyes on the younger wizard. "None of our arts are "simple". It takes years of dedication to excel in any of our branches. No one can up and start meddling with peoples minds, craft powerful potions or raise the dead. Concerning blood types, no, it's not hard to sort people out by that factor. That doesn't make it any less important than your magic. Weeding out the Muggle taint is beneficial to all of us in the long run." she gave a small nod to Collineus, whilst thoughts of a world where wizards had free reign and no longer needed to hide danced across her mind. Her own bloodline had been spoiled further down, with her daughter marrying off to a muggle-born wizard and filling the tree with filth. It hurt her pride more than anything. Her attention snapped back to Aether. "We're all equals here, Captain Planet. You and your little planeteers need to be aware of that. Do not act like your powers require so much more than ours do."

She paused briefly. "Regarding your idea of recruiting children, I have to agree with the others. Though I don't entirely think it's a horrible idea. After all, some of us know just how capable children can be." she said, gaze shifting for a moment to Collineus. That had been proven back in the days of Voldemort and his Death Eaters. "But it's far too risky, as the others have pointed out. But, if, or should I say when we take hold of the Ministry, focusing on children is a possible option."

As the Necromancer had been speaking, she'd filled an empty tumbler full of firewhiskey, taking a sip when she'd finished. "Now. Necromancers." she muttered, lounging back once more into the chair. "Unfortunately, recruiting has been a little difficult. Not everyone seems to have an interest in the dead. Surprising, I know." she sighed, the last sentence dripping with sarcasm. "However, that's steadily changing as I've spread my search further across the globe. The numbers are steadily rising as I find more practitioners of the subject, some even a part of foreign Ministries. Of course, the numbers of the living aren't too much of a problem. We have plenty of the dead, both corpses and ghosts, to our disposal. The latter even hold information that can be extracted." She waved her hand, holding back on mentioning the secondary reason for her global travels. Finding, or recreating the fabled Deathly Hallows. Everyone had their selfish desires.

 

[Plato Aether]

The women of the company finally joined the conversation, but even then Plato didn't find a supporter. It quite felt like four against one but the Elementalist wasn't going to lose that smug off his face. He definitely could understand though why Jacqueline couldn't help him with his plan of recruiting students from Hogwarts. He was going to find again a solution on his own. "Understood. I wouldn't like your connections with the Scitorari to be revealed either. If it is of a much trouble for you, then I'll find another way around." he nodded with a smirk.
The sinister smile returned throughout Eustacia's outburst. He loved stirring the pot and causing such reactions to others.
"Dear Eustacia, I never claimed that your arts are less significant. I talked about my own art's complexity and why I would be interested to bring younger blood in my order. I find Necromancy and Mind Manipulation as really fascinating arts. It's just the gentlemen who have yet to persuade me." he turned his obsidian gaze on the wizards. "I'm sorry but it is still unclear to me how potions and a political affair could help us bring down the Ministry. I'm open to understand you though, if you are eager to share more information of course." he leaned back to the armchair comfortably, ready to hear them analyzing their plans.

But Eustacia mentioned something that really caught his attention. Something about equality.
"Funny to hear something about equality from you. You know my trainees are practicing on Inferi. The most simple fire or light spell can destroy easily an Inferius." he disclosed with the most horrifying smile on his sharp features, as if those reanimated corpses were burned to ashes before his very eyes, right now."No one is equal. We display different traits. If we were equal there will be no advances. Its the differences in people that made this world...or even better...that can change this world." he looked at all his co-leaders as he was referring to all of them now. "For example, in my eyes, Jacqueline and everyone else who has exceeded in Legilimency and Occlumency, are far more powerful and advanced than anyone else. As far as I know, she could be messing with our brains right now without even realizing it." he mentioned an example to support his opinion. "Think of this Eustacia and find a way to advance your art as I'm doing to advance mine against mind manipulation. There will be out there Mind Manipulators who won't join the Scitorari and who will be able to destroy our brains or practitioners of Elemental Magic who can easily vanquish your undead with simple light and fire charms. Take it as a friendly advice and use it to your advantage." he concluded and stopped addressing the Necromancer for now.

"I'm afraid I have some important business to attend soon. The drawbacks of homeschooling your own children." he chuckled and his obsidian eyes checked the watch on his wrist. "I shared what the Elementalists are preparing and I have offered my order's assistance whenever the Scitorari need it. I've been informed about your ideas and plans so I think everything is said for now." he thought of standing up and leaving the apartment. There was nothing else to his interest to talk about as soon as they didn't look eager to help him.

"Except if we're going to discuss further, Collineus' political plans..." he wondered with raised eyebrows.

 

[Collineus Cardosi]

Collineus just could not believe what was coming out of the man's mouth. It was as if the Scitorari were indeed, different and separated. While they were, they were not at the same time. His group were not the Death Eaters and Eustacia's group were not called the Necromancers. They were all called the Scitorari, which meant that they needed to be united and try to put forth some effort of trust within each other. The sure arrogance of this man, but the more the older woman spoke, the more he wanted to laugh. She definitely earned his respect from there. Jacqueline was an honorable woman, so, he did not have much to think about when it came down to the two. Looking to Ioan over what he would think over what was said, he simply remained silent. Then the nerve of the man spoke as if the subgroups would ultimately turn on each other. No, that would defeat the sole purpose of the Scitorari, which was to find the true source of magic and to no longer decide on good and evil. It was all about power and it was time to stop hiding away like a couple of scared puppies. That was his thought on it, anyway.

'I would need to convince him? Surely, he was joking,' thought Collineus with sure disbelief. He had a subgroup of people willing to do as he said and to get things done, why convince him of anything? Then there was the thought over how potions could help with the cause or how politics could bring down the Ministry. Surely, Plato was educated enough to know that the Ministry is a government, and with government comes politics. The connection was there, but apparently Plato didn't have enough brains to figure it out. Collineus sighed and he finally uttered to Ioan when the conversation turned to him when finally, the others except the planeteer turned to him with interest, "I don't think we need to go into details on how lethal your potions can be, am I right, Ioan? And my dear Eustacia, that is an excellent plan. Your resources will be forever plenty. Perhaps, I can try to help you with your numbers one day."

"I can and will share my plans with my desires of politics and how it will help the Scitorari cause, but..." he paused before he leaned back in his armchair, "I doubt not all of us will be interested with the plans. So, as much as I would love to 'convince' this man of my intentions, that is not on my high list of priorities that I need to sort out now. However, I do invite you to stick around after the meeting or come by my office during business hours. I would be happy to share, and see if there is anything I can do to help your group. After all, we are apart of the same group, ultimately, despite our skills and beliefs." It was pretty obvious that he was leaving Plato out of his invitation as his serpent green eyes went from the other leaders.​

 

[Ioan Finch]

Ioan was glad when the women began to pipe in. He knew that Plato would at least allow them to speak of their plans before beginning to speak about his precious Elementalists once more. Jacqueline's work was interesting enough, and Ioan wondered whether she might be interested in using one of his potions to help further her goals. Ioan figured he could speak with her more about that in private. Even if she decided to not take him up on his offer, he wanted her to at least know that he supported her ideas. She, at least, was looking to further the group's ambitions and not just her own. As Eustacia began to speak, Ioan shifted in his seat, his right foot coming to rest on his left knee. He listened to Eustacia as she brought Plato down a notch. His mouth twitched, a smile threatening to come across his face as he continued to listen. Eustacia's work seemed to be coming along too, though Ioan was unsure of how he could assist her at the moment. It didn't really seem like she needed any assistance, though.

Ioan sighed heavily when Plato spoke again. The man really didn't know when to quit, did he? As he continued, Ioan shook his head slightly, as he realized that all of their words against recruiting children went over his head. That he planned on continuing with that foolish idea made Ioan's distrust of the man grow. If the leader was willing to go against the group, what could they expect from his followers? He could only hope that some of them would show more sense, though he wouldn't hold his breath on that. As Plato spoke of his need to be persuaded by both Ioan and Collineus of their usefulness, Ioan shared an incredulous look with Collineus. "Is he serious?" Ioan mumbled more to himself than to anyone else. He shifted his gaze until they were square with Plato's face as the man offered advice to the women. That he thought that he had offered assistance to the Scitorari was a laughable idea to Ioan. The man had spent nearly the entire time speaking of the Elementalists with little thought to the group as a whole. His entire speech seemed to Ioan to be an attempt on his part to prove that it was the Elementalists who were helping the Scitorari and not the other way around. When Plato finished and indicated that he was going to be on his way, Ioan re-focused his attention to the group and shifted his leg so that both feet were firmly on the carpeted floor. He shook his head at Collineus’ question, the smile that had been threatening to emerge since Eustacia spoke crossing his face as he did. He leaned forward, his arms coming to rest on his knees, waiting until his partner finished speaking before beginning to do so himself. " Just as Collineus stated, I have already shared my part and have offered an invitation to meet personally to share more information. I see no reason to persuade you since I have nothing to prove to you so by all means go, Plato. We wouldn't want to hold you back on imparting your knowledge on your lieutenants or privates or whatever it is you call your children."Ioan waved his hand dismissively towards Plato before turning to the women.

"I hope you ladies were taking notes. That there was some prime Elementalist knowledge. I'm surprised you've managed this long without it." Ioan wasn't even glancing at the man anymore, already having dismissed him in his head. If he did share any more information, which he would easily do, it would not be until the man departed. That the man had lost sight of the true goals of the group was troublesome to Ioan. If other leaders in other countries found out that the New Zealand branch had a crack in its foundation, it could easily lead to trouble.

 

[Plato Aether]

Plato wasn't expecting the other two men in the room to say anything more than what it had already been discussed it. He remained comfortable at his seat, hearing their last sarcastic comments, entertaining Plato at the process. When everyone was done talking, a short pause remained and Plato drummed rhythmically his fingers against the armchair's arms before standing up.
"Good. Everything is said I presume so I don't think my presence is any longer needed here." he said and buttoned his black robes. It was a waste of his time since none of them had to present a solid plan and thus, he did right that he didn't reveal more of his ideas. If they were going to trust him more, he was going to do the same. As soon as they thought that no more details could be spared tonight, Plato was going to follow their lead. "If you need me anything, I'll be glad to assist you. You know how to contact me." he said, his voice like falling snow. The master Elementalist went for the exit and opened the door. "Have a nice rest of the evening." he wished them and left the apartment to go down the staircase. Plato hated wasting his time and it had felt like that. He was glad he had left their little council of aerology. Maybe now that he had left they would start seriously talking about a plan and not about what the other Scitorari around the world were doing. Plato couldn't care less if they were going to say something behind his back. For now, he wanted to see his youngest son and prepare for the next day's initiation as new members were going to join his subgroup. The rain was still falling and the man well-welcomed its revitalizing touch against his face. When he was far enough from the location of the apartment, he disappeared into thin air,

 

[Eustacia Lancaster]

Eustacia almost choked on her drink at Plato's response. She placed her tumbler down and brought up a hand to cover her smile. It wasn't often that she'd let herself show much of her emotion, but the man's ignorance was amusing, and his expression just made it all the more laughable. You know my trainees are practicing on Inferi. He seemed so sure that he was above her, and most of the other subgroups and their expertise, and ignorant to the fact that her own wasn't all about raising dead corpses. That was one aspect in the whole. The poor man had no idea. It was apparent that he also had no idea how dangerous inferius were in large groups, rather than his obvious controlled environment where, naturally, they'd have the upper hand. The woman doubted that even Aether was stupid enough to put his precious students in real danger. Then again, she wasn't sure that he'd made an honest statement about using the dark creatures in the first place. His entire input gave a sense that he just wanted to get a reaction out of everyone present. That kind of antagonistic behaviour wasn't suited for someone who was meant to lead. Eustacia could only wonder how he achieved his position.

The Necromancer sat back in her chair and crossed her legs, not bothering to give Aether the satisfaction of a reply, or her further attention. It seemed that neither did the other men. Eustacia took a sip from her glass and turned her attention to Ioan, smirking at his comment. "Indeed, I feel like my eyes have been opened." she replied, shaking her head. It wasn't long after before Plato stood up and made his exit, no doubt to everyone's relief. Eustacia watched him silently as he left, grey eyes following him to the door until it was closed. She let out a breath. "Something might need to be done about him." she murmured, in case he was still at the door. In her opinion, the wizard wasn't healthy for the group as a whole.

 

[Ioan Finch]

As the door closed behind Plato, the man’s blue-green eyes remained on the door. He was deep in thought, wondering what they could do about the man because he surely needed to be taken care before he became a bigger problem. Ioan hadn’t anticipated that one of the leaders might prove to be problematic. It was something he had expected from a younger member, one who maybe had some mixed feelings about some of the things that they might be asked to do. That was understandable and Ioan had planned contingencies for such events. This was a different matter though. Plato was privy to a great deal of information, information that would be dangerous in the wrong hands.

As if she was in his brain, Eustacia uttered the words that Ioan had just been thinking. His eyes drifted from the closed door to the group and he nodded his head solemnly. “I completely agree. And, I think it might have to be sooner than later” Ioan replied in a low voice. If the man wasn’t willing to work with them, Ioan didn’t see the sense in allowing him to remain part of the Scitorari. Allowing the man to venture off on his own could prove even more dangerous, especially if he decided to seek revenge on them.

 

[Collineus Cardosi]

Collineus could hear the door shut behind him, and he was positive that what remained on his mind rested on others. It seemed as though his conscience had a woman's voice, but he realized who voiced his thoughts was none other than the Necromancer. Collineus grew to like this woman more and more, only in a respectable way of course. It was as if the man, Plato, wanted to get the leaders into a very dishonorable spot by making them act like little kids, thinking that they were beneath him. How he could be a fit leader was beyond the former Death Eater. Collineus looked to the group leaders before he wondered what could be done about him. He talked about controlling oceans and mother nature. It would take a massive amount of people to do that, and Collineus was positive that the Elementalists did not have that kind of power. "You, my friends, have spoke my mind. Unfortunately, I fear that his cause is for his own gain, not for the Scitorari. Perhaps, there could be a few tips that could alert the Aurors to his so-called schools. For an ego that large, he is bound to be showing off somewhere obvious."

He placed his arms on the armrests of the chair before he pulled one of his hands to rest on the side of his face. He let out a sigh and he uttered, "I doubt that we should include him anymore. He might throw a temper tantrum, but a child is a child. He needs to have the bottle ripped from his mouth, one way or another. Either that or let him run wild. Dealer's choice." Collineus just knew that if an Elementalist came his way, begging for financial support and shelter, he would turn them into the Aurors as quick as day. If the leader was like this, the rest of the group must be as well.​