Disclaimer: Still haven't figured out a way to own either yet. One day maybe...until then I'll remain a poor fan.

A/N: Hey look, we're actually getting into the magical side of this story now.

"Albus, are you insane?"

It was a question that was actually floating around many of the present Hogwarts staff and Order members sitting in a secured and unused classroom one night in the middle of the winter holidays. Though only one man had the ability to voice what they were all thinking and Severus Snape had no qualms in voicing such thoughts. Even as bright blue eyes, weighed down by so many problems still managed to twinkle in amusement at the almost blank face of the potion master; who only gave away his anger and confusion with slight creases in the eyes and a slight waver to the voice. Though to anyone else but the kindly looking old man there was nothing to give such away to them and instead heard the question in the same way one might ask how the weather was outside.

"Now Severus, it's always in good favor to help those that are in need, especially where children are involved."

Half of those present seemed to want to agree with the man on such, but it was hard to be so blindly optimistic of such a thing after everything they've gone through as a society. The other half just stared in various degrees of incredulity at the statement as they mentally cataloged every reason why they should not blindly trust some unknown little school asking for sanctuary. Starting from the disappearance of Harry Potter to the attacks by creatures no one had seen before that decimated entire villages within a night. Many thinking and wondering how a small little magic school for children that couldn't afford or been invited to Hogwarts somehow manage to survive such an attack with most of its small population of students and teachers still intact.

"Albus if this is for your own curiosity about this school and what information they may have about these attacks there is surely another way to gain it without potentially bringing our own students to harm."

The stern looking woman to Dumbledore's left seemed to look even sterner as she mentioned this. Though, Minerva McGonagall would be waiting a long time for it to have an effect on the older man as he finally pleaded for them to see his side of this.

"Now, now Minerva. Hogwarts is considered the safest place in these dark times, and if we do not give our hand out in compassion and charity to these children then their fate and education will be in the hands of the Ministry. A Ministry that is already laboring under enough pressure as it is to properly care and watch over these displaced souls."

Only the most thickheaded of the group didn't get the subtle and not so subtle meaning about that. Most of them knowing that innocent or not, those children would not be settled down in a quiet place to pick up their lives and education; but paraded around by Minister Fudge in his effort to gain the people's trust in his already waning popularity polls. Probably force feed the papers some story that would make it seem like he was the one that found the children and their only guardians and saved them from the ashes of their destroyed town.

It was something you didn't want to think would ever happen, but considering the desperation of an election year approaching and the swift plummet in favor of the public when it became common knowledge that Harry Potter had died of a common muggle disease that could have easily been cured by a mediwitch if anyone had been watching the boy; and you had a recipe for the bumbling politician to do anything to make himself look good. That still didn't mean many of them agreed to the idea of taking these unknown people and placing them in easy reach of the children in Hogwarts, especially if they were not what they seemed to be.

"I also know you are all a bit uncomfortable with this suddenness, that's why myself and few other Professors will meet with them and see how they are faring before making a decision. A decision that hopefully will have them settling into a new place to stay and feel safe in before the start of the new term. I just ask that we give them a chance to show how they are before deciding, so we don't make the same mistakes we've made before in assuming the worse of people."

The benign yet sharp look towards a certain section of the gathered group made more then a few people squirm with slight guilt in their seats. Even as many of the red headed Weasley family members in attendance tried not to recall the events that had lead to the discovery that the supposed pet rat of the family had been a supporter of the Dark Lord and had nearly killed one of their own. While a slightly gaunt but recovering Sirius Black gained a determined gleam to his eyes that spoke of how quickly he was now going to follow and the sickly looking Remus Lupin would follow alongside as well. The only ones who did not seem affected by this little speech or at least were not showing signs of such being the ever brooding potion master and ex-Aurora that would be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts, Mad-eye Moody. Even as the Deputy Headmistress resigned herself to following, at least this much of the scheme being presented to them.

"And when are we going to be 'visiting' these refugees then?"

"If it is of no trouble at all…about two days, and it is purely a volunteer type of setting as I would not wish to take anyone away from any business they may need to attend to."

The tone of dismissal was evident and many of the non staff members began to leave their seats and head either towards the fireplace or out to Hogsmead to apparate. Soon even the various professors began to leave after volunteering or not volunteering to meet the potential new additions to the castle. Leaving only three others in the room as the shoulders of the man considered the most powerful wizard of their time slumped in resigned exhaustion and the merry twinkle left to be replaced with a serious and tired look.

"You're not really one in believing that the Ministry is the biggest obstacle in concern with these…children at all Albus."

"You're right Severus my boy. If they are as they say and do have information of these creatures we would not be the only ones who would want it. Or to figure out how they survived when so many perished."

The silent hope of what that could mean hung heavy in the air as the room finally emptied completely.

It was a very odd and very small group of Professors that had assembled onto the hillside overlooking a tiny little village that seemed to have been ripped from the pages of a muggle fairy tale. The view and quaint atmosphere however was not what the group of four professors had come for as Dumbledore led them into the heart of the village. Stopping in front of a small inn that many of the local villagers seemed to be avoiding with fear and pity mixed in their glances only to suddenly find a reason to be far away quickly when the only figure within twenty feet of the Inn is noticed.

That man stood out in various ways from the locals in appearance and attire as he leaned casually against one of the walls of the inn with a cigarette trailing white smoke into the air. Instead of a robe or even a cloak to ward of the chill of the winter day the man was dressed in a dated looking suit that seemed as if it was tailored from a time of horse drawn carriages, complete with a top hat sitting upon his head and hiding the upper facial features of the man. Severus guessed the man was probably in his early to mid twenties and the tanned complexion and a few facial structure cues making him think of some sort of Hispanic or island heritage and though part of him scoffed at someone that young being considered a Professor his instincts and mind kept him wary of the man. Having not survived this long as a spy by being a fool to ignore such unconscious cues of perceived danger. Especially when dark eyes flashed past the brim of the hat with a look of dark amusement.

"Ah you must be Professor Kamelot, correct?"

The young man silently doffed his hat to them as he performed an archaic bow of greeting.

"And as you have walked right up to me and haven't given me the sign of warding I shall presume you are Headmaster Dumbledore."

The tone was civil but with just a hint of mocking and something else deepening it that had at least Snape on guard even more about these people. Even as introduction were made of Flitwick and McGonagall who both seemed unaware of the inflection of tone that Snape had heard, instead thinking him rude as when introduced he just glared at the man, silently showing he did not trust as easily as the two before him. Only getting the same darkly amused look in return before pleasantries were once more used and Kamelot turned his focus back onto Dumbledore.

"It is a bit uncomfortable to be doing lengthy introductions and interrogations-"

"Nonsense my boy we're just here to see how you all are and make certain if any special accommodations might be needed due to your tragic loss and such. Interrogations is the least from our minds."

"Ah my apologies then, we've just all had a rough time of it all and even simple questions have been a bit much for us when it seemed everyone wanted answers from us. But this is a necessary arrangement. After all we are complete strangers and it would be good for you to know about us before the rush of classes make it harder to settle in around one another."

Severus wasn't aware until now that a smile could seem to sharpen like one would a knife as he noticed the subtle tones of aggravation and something else as the man spoke. Making him refuse to let the man out of sight let alone to ever be behind him as they moved into the dim and quiet inn. The man actually being the one to make and bring a pot of tea instead of any workers in the place, workers that were all absent as well and if there were brats here he didn't believe it. His experience making him strain to hear some form of bickering or other noises of children being annoying, yet no matter how he strained to hear such signs of life only the fire and the sounds they in the common area were making reached him.

"Well it is probably best if I start with myself since I'm here. Tyki Kamelot twenty-three and professor of the care of magical creatures and muggle studies as we were never really a big school to begin with so many of us who taught tended to teach more then one subject to help fill in the gaps. Even sharing some of the duties like theory and practical lessons."

The entire speech seemed rehearsed and given that it was almost word for word the one that a reporter for the Prophet had printed the Hogwarts' staff was not that surprised. Though despite that they all listened keenly to it as if it was new to them, not really there for the words but for the way he acted and how it made them perceive the man and if they could find any ill intent from him this way. The children would be the ones that words would also be listened too as they had been allowed to decline any interviews due to shock and grief. For now they attempted to figure out Kamelot and his intentions, only to see nothing truly off about the man aside from the few things that Snape had noticed when they had first met the man.

Soon the appropriate questions and commentary was over with and Kamelot left his seat and headed towards the stairs. Pausing momentarily and exactly halfway between them and said staircase before turning around again.

"Would you like to talk to the rest of us that are here in any specific order Headmaster Dumbledore?"

The twinkle in blue eyes intensified a bit.

"Oh that wouldn't be fair to them just let them come when they are ready. I wish not to pressure any of them."

Severus would have thrown something at the bearded man if it wouldn't have been something a Slytherin would never do in front of others. Let them have time to hide any flaws in their stories, and be able to keep their faces from hinting at anything was of course what they wanted after as well.

Yes, a brilliant idea Albus. Let them make certain we can't throw them off guard.

The mental remarks of this decision being held by Snape came to a halt when a boy who could be no more then a second year came trotting down the stairs large brown eyes looking at them nervously as bushy brown hair seemed to defy gravity in a few places. Only for the child to suddenly trip on air and land face first onto the floor. The action apparently a common occurrence with this one as Kamelot just hid his face in a hand for a moment, as he leaned on the wall near the foot of the stairs even as the kid jumped up and sheepishly patted any dirt he had acquired during his trip. The boy managing to scramble into the chair Kamelot had vacated and staring nervously at the four of them. Making a slight squeaky sound when he looked over at Snape and shrinking into himself a bit.*

"Hello."

Severus already could see the rest of those that had come falling for the helpless look and scoffed a bit. Even as something kept niggling in his mind about the way the child look.

"Uhm, My name is Cielo. I'm twelve."

He couldn't really see what was off in any big way just little things that didn't seem right. The eyes seemed a bit too wide at times like the skin around them was being pulled taut.

"I like reading fantasy books, but I'm not really all that great with schoolwork."

The little teeth seemed oddly sharp when they flashed as the kid talked and with small areas of visible skin seeming not to really match the rest of the skin. Like a patch on a piece of clothing that was close but not identical to the rest of the garment. Seeming newer then the rest of the skin but showing no signs of magical or muggle transplanting or growth.

"I'm actually afraid to fly. I fell off my broom several times when first learning how."

Though that could just mean it was a new technique, he tended to not pay attention to such discoveries if it wasn't part of potion making. Probably just newly healed skin then, which alone would have just been another way for him to identify the boy; yet, when connected with the other little things it made him think there was more to it.

"They…they're all dead sir. Professor Kamelot has been taking care of us like that. Who didn't have a place to go."

How in Merlin's name was the child remaining so still as well? Where was the usual fidgeting and nervous habits that even most of his own snakes had at that age.*

"Uhm, Allen said he go next should I go get him sir?"

The kid had barely gotten an affirmative of such before he was falling out of his seat and climbing the stairs. Seemingly tripping every other step as he went before the soft footsteps going up were replaced with heavier ones coming down. The new person managing to throw the small unsettling details of Cielo out of Snape's mind as he was one of the few not to show his reaction to the newcomer.

"It's nice to meet all of you. I'm Allen Walker."

The polite smile and cheerfully considerate attitude was either one of the better acts he had witnessed or this was a Gryffindor minded idiot. Even as the lanky young adult sat down and seemed to completely ignore the slight staring they were doing at him. More often then not used to such while growing up.

"Nineteen sir, it is a bit old for being a student I know, but learning never really ends and so I was allowed to help out as an apprentice."

Snape was debating on either a potion accident or sever trauma for the white coloration of the boy's hair whit him more leaning towards the trauma option as he took in the slight puckering of flesh around the red mark he first thought was a permanent or temporary art in act of rebellion, but he now figured was a badly healed wound.

"I haven't picked a specific subject yet, so I've been helping with whoever needed an extra hand with their classes."

The young man also seemed to keep his left arm hidden and the few times he let it sit upon the table it was with careful movements seeming in an unconscious effort to keep the sleeve of the dress shirt and white glove from exposing any flesh. He wasn't as careful with the right arm and its glove and sleeve movements. Disfigurement or gruesome injury was the verdict. Even as he saw the gray eyes seem to sharpen in suspicion at him for a moment before they were pleasant again as he talked with Flitwick. He only absently heard as the young man left and a new person was suddenly in the seat. Dashing the slightly formed idea that this little school was an all boys one.

"Ah good day dear."

The girl remained silent for a while longer as she sat stiff backed in the chair, before seeming to find her manners and answering back in short clipped tones.

'Yu Kanda. Fifteen."

Sharp seemed to be the defining feature of the girl. From mannerism and posture to even her physical look. Angled cheekbones and the slanted feature in the eyes of an orient descent that on another person might have made them look frail, but instead gave off the opposite as she silently showed her own suspicion of them.

"Defense Against the Dark Arts and Potions with Herbology and Charms as my lowest scores."

An odd combination considering even the women who joined the Auroras tended to lean more towards transfiguration and charms as their strong subjects. Of course, most of the females that went through Hogwarts' halls tended to follow somewhat the idea of looks and dating being more important to other things where this one seemed devoid of any makeup that made the darks eyes even more prominent and the hastily tied hair in a high ponytail showed how little regard to pleasing someone with looks this child was about.

"My parents were muggle immigrants."

She also had the same strangeness as the first boy did. The feeling that her eyes were a bit too big for her face and small areas of skin that looked new compared to the rest, while teeth a little too sharp to be wholly that of a human flashed at times as she spoke, and that damnable stillness that almost seemed as if she wasn't even breathing at times.

"I haven't thought about it considering the way things are going."

She started becoming closed lipped after that question about what she wanted to do after her education was complete and as they were not here to 'interrogate' Dumbledore allowed her to go so they could meet the last of the children that were not staying with relatives and going to a new school next term. Something that Snape already could see was making any resolve the rest of his colleagues have crumbled in sympathy and proving to him this was a waste of time as Albus would get what he wanted.

"Hello sirs and ma'am."

He would later be proud of himself for not even twitching when the boy quietly sat down in the chair all the others had sat in before. The shock of seeing eyes that green again had been a painful thing even as he noted how only a few things could be considered features of Potter, making it easier to handle as well.

"My name is Algol, I turned thirteen a few months ago."

The face wasn't right though to be Potter; it was too thin and triangular with a mop of black hair in curls with the skin pale like that of someone who didn't get out much but was still healthy. But the eyes could have easily been the ones that he had seen during his years as a student at Hogwarts.

"I really like Defense Against the Dark Arts and Transfiguration."

And the same unsettling feeling of being off was also with this one as well. Making three of these students with the exact same little symptoms as such that he couldn't take it lightly that there might be more regarding the three. It wasn't as uncommon as most in the London area of the wizarding world thought for there to be mixed blood in the magical lines. And not talking about someone marrying a muggle or squib either.

"People watching if fun because it's really neat to see how people act and such around others."

But the stories didn't add up in anyway considering how one claimed to be halfblood, another muggleborn, and this one not even knowing what he was. At least no way to make it add up currently without any records to follow a paper trail with. Something he would have to do on his own, alongside everything else he was doing to keep them all from being overtaken by an overeager death eater.

Mind already full with measures he'd have to take when he saw how taken the rest were with these orphans' Snape wouldn't realize a certain truth that made him turn around and head back to the Headmaster's office with determination.

"Albus, none of them ever looked any of us straight in the eye."

Wow, this is the longest chapter so far, but getting the Hogwarts' players properly introduced and described was necessary.

*Yeah, Cielo is kinda the needed OC as I'm not comfortable using the canon Third Exorcists yet as they haven't had a lot of screen time and I needed someone to fill that last role. Though I will admit he's not really an OC but more based off of a character from another fandom I like. E-cookies to those that can figure him out; though I probably made it very easy in that regard.

*Those are my ways to mark a Second Exorcist. I didn't want to go overboard with the not fully human aspect, but still give enough that anyone who is observant or looking for it can see that they are a bit off. After all if you had blood of such creatures as Akuma mixed in with human blood something probably would turn out not human, and add to the fact just how Second Exorcists are made in canon and what sort of modifications these new ones got when they were made by means of Second and Third Exorcists they would definitely not be normal.

And to any fans of other Exorcists/Noah that were not part of this group, don't kill me yet they'll get their time to shine. I have plans for all of them in dealing with things not involving Hogwarts. Hoped you liked this chapter as well.