Tea on a Whole New Level

Michael wanted a private moment with Wilson before the year began. He didn't like the feel of what was coming. He did not, for one moment, want to see another student suffer at the hands of a dark arts practioner. It wasn't as if Grindlewald's allegiance was in question. Hell, it was in every Magical History book ever written. He was probably the 4th most powerful wizard in their history, and he was almost as evil as they came. Michael had asked Wilson to meet him in the clock tower.

He had come prepared. Excellently prepared Earl Grey in a thermos, good large pottery mugs, containers of cream and sugar, and, if they wanted it, a few homebaked cinnamon cookies. One of his secret passions was gourmet cooking, and he had made a large tin of them before leaving home and had shrunken them. He now tossed all of it in his backpack and made his way up to the clock tower to wait on Wilson. He looked out seeing the stars and feeling the night air. The night light of the clock tower would provide enough of a light for them without them being seen and without the beautiful view of the stars being blocked. Michael wondered if it was the last moment of peace they might hae for awhile. He hoped not. The rest were still lingering at the feast downstairs over all sorts of conjured desserts. Michael loathed conjured foods. He much preferred foods prepared by hand. Magically made food just never measured up to things made fresh and by hand. He wasnt' sure why, but magical food always left him hungry an hour later, like American muggles swore Chinese food did to them. And so, he came with real food and real tea.

And then he waited.

Michael Tremaine was a quirky fellow, but he could be trusted. That was the main reason behind Wilson accepting his invitation for a rather unusual tea. At this time and in the Clock Tower... it was probably one of the strangest tea invitations he had had in his life. From his office, Wilson made his way to the Clock Tower.

The sound of his shoes could be heard echoing around the castle due to students being in their dormitories. Although the temperature was unusually high for this time of year, Wilson did not bother removing the jacket of his black suit because he had gotten used to it, even in extreme conditions. Upon coming to the beginning of the tower, he positioned his glasses, looked around and then made his way to Michael, who was probably waiting for him on the top. Thus, his deduction was correct. James Wilson noticed Michael Tremaine, the old quirk and his colleague, waiting in the Clock Tower. He had some food with him, but the tea was conveniently placed inside a thermos bottle, which he deduced by observing his ''tools''. ''Good evening, Michael. I understand you wanted to see me?'', he asked while approaching the old man.

"Good evening, Wilson," Michael smiled. "Thank you for coming." He poured tea from the thermos for Wilson and for himself and handed one of the mugs to Wilson. "There's cream and sugar if you prefer. Help yourself. I just prefer mine black. I appreciate you coming. It was a lovely feast down there tonight, but we both know it is a lying harbinger of the evil that is about to come this academic year. Let's be honest one moment, shall we? Robert Lupin is alive and well, and he was set up for the ministry to fall out of his hands into Grindlewalds. He is going to be looking for allies to help get the dark arts practitioners out of office and put things back to rights.

"You and I both know it is going to take some time. In the meantime, someone is going to need to look out to protect the students. I know you are a staunch protector of the students who attend here. I'm here, at Robert's request to help you do that, as dark times approach us. But also, he's going to need allies to help him. And he could make use of you and me right here. I'm here on his behalf asking for your help."

''Thank you'', Wilson took his mug and took a sip of his tea. He preferred his tea with no additions, which is why he refused the cream and sugar with a polite wave. He then listened to what his odd colleague had to say. He was, of course, aware of all those facts, except the ones related to the situation within the Ministry, and with that awareness, Wilson would have kept protecting all the students regardless of this meeting with the former burglar. He nodded in the end, taking another sip of his tea before deciding to speak.

''You know that I have done everything in my power and authority for the past three years to protect each and every one of the students within the school. My methods may not have been orthodox or appreciated, but I stand behind them fully and I have enough proof related to their success. In relation to your request, my protection shall not cease this term, you can tell Lupin that, but I cannot be so precise with your other request as I am not fully informed about it, which is why I am going to ask you to clear those things up'', he said, calmly.

"I do know that," Michael said. "That's why I asked to meet you. Your dedication to the protection of the students is unquestionable. And I will help you with that as best I can, if you let me. As a seasoned fighter, you surely are appreciative of how valuable stealth can be at times. And I actually am very good at that. As to the other part of the alliance, I don't think it is any huge secret that Grindlewald has to take a stand in any and every venue he can, whether it is the ministry or here at Hogwarts. I merely ask that you keep your eyes and ears open and that if you find anything that can help us eliminate this dark wizard from power, you pass it on to me so that we can use it to send him back where he came from."

Michael had no desire to see one of the darkest wizards in history back from the dead to make another bid for power, but here it was. And the sooner Grindlewald was dispatched back to the grave he'd risen out of the better. No good could possible come from having a dark, egotistical wizard in charge of almost everything and everyone.