Having a talk and Butterbeer (Limited Staff)

[Professor George Weasley]

George was glad he wasn't the only one completely lost. Evidently, Madame Trickora - Katana, Katana, he had to remember that - and her subject-changing was proof that she really didn't understand what bearing she had on the proceedings. But she was a Healer. Katana probably had more of an impact on what happened in this forthcoming Third War, or whatever it was, than he did. He was just... George Weasley. Still torn apart by his brother's death, still blaming the very organization that every person at the table was a member of... minus Lucius, who was part of the OTHER organization. The one that tried to kill the rest of his family.

George took another swig of firewhisky, wondering when on earth he'd get a chance to figure out what was going on. Probably not soon.

[Headmaster Brendan Daylor]

Brendan smiled at Katana. Then looked back at Jerran. "We're not just talking of Dementors, Minister. We are talking of many other dangers of Hogwarts, and Thestrals would be able to help. Thus you remember, only people can see them of those who've seen death. Therefor those who can't see them will simply be attacked without knowing and/or carried off."

He sipped more fire whiskey. He turned to Netta. Without anyone seeing he wrote something on a piece of parchment which read 'To know about the Jewel, please find me where you would expect me to never be. and passed it to Netta as it was folded and mouthed "Open Later" and turned back to the crowded table.

[Professor Zoe Black]

"May I remind you Headmaster, that if we are attacked by humans, most of them are murderers, which will make the Thestrals useless at a surprise attack," she was surprised a man of that much experience hasn't already figured that out.

She wanted to add something, but couldn't think of any suggestions, so, instead, she just sat there in silence, waiting for her comment to be acknowledged.

[Professor George Weasley]

"Yeah, not to mention that many people on your - our - um... the good side don't know what they are and would be more apt to wet themselves at the sight of a Thestral," George finished. He'd done the same upon walking onto the Hogwarts grounds to bring in his application to teach. "I think scaring our own people wouldn't be a wise decision..."

George watched as Headmaster Daylor also drank some of the firewhisky. Suddenly he didn't feel so alone anymore. Secretly, George wished that the conversation could've stayed with mundane subjects, like his wife and bubotuber pus and misbehaving children. He felt like an intruder in the conversation - neither good nor bad, neither light nor dark. As his mum had once said, there is no stark good and stark bad (besides Voldemort). Everyone is shades of gray. George was a particularly dark shade of gray, one put off by both the good and the bad. He'd renounced the Order, vowed to find that Death Eater who killed Fred, and almost lost the love of his life to brooding and angst.

George almost wished that Lucius would insult someone, just to give him a reason to speak.

[Professor Netta Barton]

Netta nodded almost imperceptibly to Brendan after concealing his note within her cloak. She was thoroughly confused. Where she would never expect to see him? Where was that? She would deal with that problem later though. There were more pressing matters at hand, such as the present conversation.

"I agree with Zoe, most Death Eaters will have seen death already," she stated coolly. She also agreed silently with George, she just felt that the way he expressed it was less than tactful. "Although, I admit any help we get would be useful. I'm not sure how well we would stand up against an attack as we are." These were some doubts she had had for a while. She knew they would stand up reasonably well but she was not certain. Netta did not want to put the students lives in danger because they weren't certain of their defences.

[Professor Zoe Black]

The conversation carried on, with Zoe watching it.
"Although, the longer we spend sat in a pub in Hogsmeade, thinking out possible ideas, just for them to be ruled out by someone else, isn't going to protect the school any better," she said, not angrily or impatient, but she really didn't see the point in talking about it when it could actually be happening.

[Professor George Weasley]

George breathed a small, quiet sigh of relief. The longer they stayed on the topic of impending doom, the more George wanted to drain his entire glass of firewhisky and call it a day. He hoped that Zoe's comment egged the Headmaster into another, friendlier direction.

But a tiny voice in George's head began to speak.

You're just afraid of lashing out. Of being seen as the enemy. Aren't you?

George wouldn't have said so in mixed company, but it was definitely true. He was deathly afraid that anyone would discover the real reasons behind his not taking sides. He'd already attacked one Order member. He wasn't about to do it again.

[Jerran Maladene]

Jerran was listening to what they all said as he looked to them. "We should try the Trapdoors that only can been seen when you saw the word."Jerran said. "They found that thing but then again we only need the people that we trust to use that password because if we have a spy everything won't work."Jerran said looking to Brendan.

"Death Eaters and Death why would they name themself Death if they haven't seen Death?"Jerran asked. "Look at Lucius he was a Death Eater and didn't he saw Death maby his wife that almost got killed but that is all."Jerran said looking to Lucius. He then turned back again. "Many that fought in the war have seen Death I myself lost my parents and Grandma so I am not happy of the War but we need to protect I know that the Ministry is nothing more then protected only for the Inside and that is the problem now."Jerran said.

[Professor Zoe Black]

Zoe let out a quick smirk as Lucius's name was mentioned among the Death Eaters, but she quickly hid it and continued with the conversation.
"Trap doors would be useful," she said, encouraging the conversation as it seemed to have slowed.
"I think the main priority is getting the students out of the school quickly and efficiently if there is an attack," she said. She had been thinking about that for a while and wondered why it hadn't been brought up like that before.

[Professor Lyn Collins]

"Underground passages."

Lyn said after she had heard Rose and looked around.

"I don't know the underground structure of Hogwarts, but I'd be I'd be glad to take a look at it and open secret passage ways if necessary."

[Professor Netta Barton]

"As I'm sure George will tell you," began Netta, "there are many secret passage ways out of Hogwarts. However, I'm not sure how stable any of them are or how secret they are." It was true, so many students had discovered the passageways over the years that the Death Eaters were bound to know about a few of them. Netta sipped her butterbeer thoughtfully. "Even if we did get the students out, there's no where which is any safer where we can take them."

[Professor Zoe Black]

"We'll have to send them to Hogsmeade. I know it's not the safest place in the world if Hogwarts is under attack, but it'll be better to get them away from the school, from there, they could be taken to a safer place. I know of a tunnel leading to Honeydukes, but I doubt that will fit an entire school inside, but of course, some will decide to stay."
Zoe stopped and took a sip of Butterbeer, waiting for opinions on her speech.

[Professor George Weasley]

George shook his head. "Most of the secret passageways out of Hogwarts are either caved in or too small to fit two people, much less an entire school. The only passage big enough to hold all the students was one that... that was burned down. Thank Vincent Crabbe for that. It was from the Room of Requirement to the Hog's Head... but it's gone."

George took a last sip of firewhisky, thinking he'd had enough to keep him going for the rest of the meeting. The world around him was narrowing in scope. He'd help, by God, but he wasn't joining their organization. Hopefully the message would come across.

"Like Zoe said, the Honeydukes passage barely holds three students," George admitted. "My fifth year, we tried to fit me, Fred, Lee Jordan and Erica Sumendi in that passageway. Lee got stuck, and we nearly got caught by Filch. Unless we figure out a very efficient way to get one student at a time in that passageway, it wouldn't work."

[Professor Zoe Black]

Zoe pondered over an idea for a moment, wondering whether it would work, finally, she suggested it.
"Perhaps we could ask the Centaurs for help, I know they don't like to associate with wizards, but they know the Forest better than anyone, and, if they agree to it, they could guide the students through the Forest safely, and out into Hogsmeade, there must be a passage way in the Forest, but no-one has been brave enough to venture so far into the Forest to discover it."
She looked around to see if her idea would be accepted.