au_hogwarts | The Three Broomsticks: Order of the Joberknoll

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The Three Broomsticks: Order of the Joberknoll

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The Three Broomsticks has closed every Thursday night since before the end of the last war. Each of the new owners has followed suit when they picked up the place. The second one said it had to do with luck and honors. And Jo Harvelle, who snuck into the place more times than any could count a decade ago, seems to be following in all their stead with an easy, unruffable grace.

The Closed sign hangs carelessly askew, like normal, and the windows are dark.

(And it will remain that way unless you have an invitation of some kind.)

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The first order of business tonight happens before the Meeting itself. While everyone was still settling in, Jo stood up. She reminded them that coming to this meeting cemented their choice to be in The Order of the Jobberknoll.

And clarified that before any more Order business would be discussed again in anyone's presence they would preform the fidelius charm. That the Secret Keeper in question was going to be Professor Sokka Aquam, because he'd been at the school almost since graduating. Always here, always for the school, while everyone else drifted away and back.

Then followed that up with the requirement that each person staying would make their own personal vow about keeping secret all other members of the Order, the head quarters location, and all information that was shared therein.

And that if they didn't want to make a vow, they knew where the door was.

[ This is less of a thread and more a place to put your characters' vow to The Order in. Anytime that goods for you, feel free to add it below. ]

Edited 2011-10-21 23:41 (UTC)

Jo looked around the table, taking a moment to see every face, for the better and worse of this promise. The potential of what might and acknowledgement of what she would do the second any one of them reneged in speaking now or in the inevitably of betrayal later.

"All of my faith and trust that can, and is, stands with Sokka Aquam," and it always has. Under the fingers of her hands, hooked at her pockets, is a iron pocketwatch his symbol has never once come off of since its charming in fourth year.

She straightened her shoulders. Professional, but casual.
Her life has been made of oaths and charms and secrets.
The links that forge between something of an old hat.

"I swear my loyalty to the Order of the Jobberknoll."

"To the secrecy of each of its members."

"To its headquarters, and mission."

Edited 2011-10-22 02:38 (UTC)

Stephanie is quiet tonight.

She's quiet every night. Every meeting. She says little but watches everything, and everyone, with sharp eyes that record the smallest detail.

Still. If they're going to swear ...

She holds Professor Aquam's gaze steadily and lets the words of the Charm sink into her skin, tightening briefly before melting into her being. A secret. Well, it's not as if she hasn't got practice with those.

"I swear my loyalty to the Order of the Jobberknoll.

"To the secrecy of each of its members.

"To its headquarters.

"To its mission.

"For as long as it fights for what is good and true and right in this world, and no longer."

They'll have to be satisfied with that.

That's the one Jo thinks will stick with her most.
Silently listening to each word. Especially her addendum.

For better or worse, she's in bed with Spoiler.
Who still might be a, of even the, traitor.

And she's put everyone at this table in the same position.

Stephanie looks away from the Secret Keeper the instant the oath is sworn, and it might be simply coincidence that her gaze falls immediately on Jo.

She doesn't look away. There's no open challenge in her face, no defiance - merely the same quiet, calm reserve.

They all know that even Fidelius Charms aren't foolproof. And that even the inside of your own head is never a perfectly safe place to be.

Dean isn't looking at the Secret Keeper while he repeats the Oath, the same words as Jo, as casually as if they mean nothing to him. He's looking at Jo.

He's in this. Whether or not either of them like it, now.

He doesn't look at Sokka.

He doesn't look at anyone else.

She tells herself he's making it to her as the head of this Order.
Because he knows her and has worked her and has some idea of why.

That she's not young enough to believe her first thought.
That he was pledging his loyalty entirely to her.

But she never once looks away from his gaze.

Dinah glances at Professor Aquam, a faint smile playing at the corner of her mouth. Of everyone here, with the exception of Steph and Will, he's the person she knows best.

"I swear my loyalty to the Order of the Jobberknoll. To the secrecy of each of its members. To it's headquarters, and it's mission, as it has been and remains."

It takes no effort at all to make the vow. It's been in her since she was born.

This one is a comfort. Dinah's daughter. Where she belongs.
As a girl forever bearing her father's name, Jo knew that feeling.
The one that ripples, saying she was born to be in this place at this time.

There's a quiet, small smile, with a very professional nod for Dinah.

Leah doesn't move from where she's sitting.

"I swear my loyalty."

It'll do.

Jo isn't surprised this one takes some time.
Or that Lee doesn't stand up to say it.
Or that she says no more, no less.

Mostly she feels the explosion of relief.

Because she'd have respected Lee's choice to say no.
But she can forget the whole concept of walking her out.
Of those long minutes trying to picture doing it without her.

For Lee, there's something of a grim smile. Her lips pressed together.
A tip of her head that is equal parts of respect and relief; less worried.

Leah's eyes don't focus on Jo, because that would be a little too obvious for her tastes. She does, however, return that head tip with the tiniest, faintest one of her own.

For Jo. And for Sokka. And for no one else, would she bind herself in that way.

She was expecting this, and watches several of the attendees take their own versions of the vows required for the Fidelius charm before it falls on Inara to do the same.

Standing, Inara intones, "I hereby swear my loyalty to the members of this order, to protect their secrets as well as the secrecy of their collective goal. I recognize Sokka Aquam as Secret-Keeper and his power herein."

The most faint of acknowledging smiles at anyone who met her gaze, and Inara sits again.

This one has some special import for noticing.
House Medrassa's speaker, or Ravenclaw's girl.

Like Sokka, Inara will have her hands on several secrets now.
In a very direct way, that makes Jo pay attention to each word.

The last oath Will took was to Robin kneeling before him in Sherwood. He took his time looking at every face there and something old and green moved in his eyes as he said,

"I place all of my faith and trust in Sokka Aquam. I swear my loyalty to the Order of the Jobberknoll, to the secrecy of its members, meeting place, mission and I will stand fast as Sherwood against its enemies."

She can't help seeing him.
So young, and with that bruise.

But he looks everyone in the face. So true.

And it's the man in the boy she could respect.
Given enough time and exposure. If he's not killed.

Jo nodded, serious except for the up turn of her lips.

Iroh watches the others make their vow without really seeing them, his thoughts rooted in the past.

We can not stand aside, we must get involved! This effects our family as well as the world.

Finally he stands to make his vow but finds his throat closing. Fighting your upbringing is more difficult then you even think.

All that matters is the family. Nothing is more important than the family.

"I swear my loyalty to the Order of the Jabberknoll and its mission. I swear to maintain its secrecy, the secrecy of its members and its the location of its meetings.

He's been distracted.

As much as Jo owes her focus to each person speaking.
Because any chink in the chain will point back to her.

She's been noticing this as well. When she could at least.

Watching him sit a few seconds longer at his turn.
Watching the effort of him standing. She has to wonder.

About the rumors. About loyalty. About what is going on in him.

The struggle that still produces a vow, and deserves the nod she gives.

Aloysius doesn't bother standing but he does met the eyes of every member present.

"So long as Profession Sokka Aquam proves trustworthy and so long as the goals of the Order of the Jobberknoll are as we have stated, I swear to keep secret its mission, its members and its meeting place. Further I swear my loyalty to the Order of the Jobberknoll and its mission."

He realizes his "loophole" is more for show than anything else and that it likely won't make him popular but there is no way he is signing away his life without some assurances.

It's an interesting enough note.

He's not the first person to twist the words.
Equivocation has happened right and left already.

But the insinuation to Sokka, more than The Order, gets to her.
It's a direct statement about a Professor he's had for six years.

But people are allowed to dislike her choices and her means.
And equivocate, so long as they are still swearing.

Jo doesn't look away from him either.
Nor does her face shift at all.
The whole of his words.

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The Three Broomsticks: Order of the Joberknoll

Fidelius Charm: Membership Vows

Jo's Vows

Re: Fidelius Charm: Membership Vows

Re: Fidelius Charm: Membership Vows

Re: Fidelius Charm: Membership Vows

Re: Fidelius Charm: Membership Vows

Dean's Vows

Dinah's Vows

Re: Dinah's Vows

Leah's vows.

Re: Leah's vows.

no subject

Inara's vows.

Re: Inara's vows.

Will's Vows

Re: Will's Vows

Iroh's Vows

Re: Iroh's Vows

Aloysius' Vows

Re: Aloysius' Vows