Storms spell doom approaching...

[Chloe Hargreaves]

In the dead of night, the quiet before the inevitable storm; Miss Greenwich was coming. Gliding along upon her Firebolt Chloe stayed high in the sky, running her hand through the cold clouds she drifted lazily through. Staying in the cloud cover wouldn't work for much longer though, as they gradually blackend to an even darker pitch than the ethereal night light itself; shimmering in the cool moonlight which played upon her hair, emphasising her natural white and increasing the depth of her black streaks. In the moonlight she was a curious, nigh on terrifying person to behold, her beauty enhanced to an ethereal quality her jet black eyes shone wildly.

As rain began to steadily fall as a light drizzle, that further dampened Chloe's already sodden cloak, she tugged it around closer for added warmth and protection, trying to ignore the chill wind's ferocious howling. Judging that her destination was nigh she dipped through the clouds to gaze upon the awesome spectacle of Hogwarts at night. The moonlight still pierced the thickening clouds illuminating the many stout towers and walkways. Eyes drawn to the Astronomy tower which was partly shrouded in the lowering rain clouds she glimpsed a flash of lightening strike down; nearly upon it. The storm had begun.

Resisting the urge to cackle like a witch of old, from the despicable muggle fairytales, Chloe began to rapidly descend as the rain fell harder upon her genteel shoulders, as lightening flashed mercilessly towards her she gave in to the urge and her best cackle joined in with the resounding crashes of the thunder overhead. Swooping down enjoying herself immensely Chloe felt invigorated and more alive; she adored being out in a storm, at no other time did she feel so alive; ironically when death was all so very close.

Swooping down the rain continued to beat heavily, turning the muddy pathways, leading travellers from hogsmeade onwards to the castle itself, to quagmires. Landing lightly upon the roof of a tiled house in the all wizarding village of Hogsmeade Chloe's mouth upturned in a rare and lovely smile. Sat hunched upon the rooftop very much like a gargoyle her sharp eyes pierced the gloom as she looked down into the main street below her...

[Quinn Locksley]

A storm was approaching while Quinn was patrolling the streets of Hogsmeade. In actual fact, she was returning from her patrol but that was a mere formality. The storm broke and while others would have ran for shelter from the torrential down pore, Quinn stood in the middle of the street and held up her arms, palms turned skywards, and she lifted her face letting herself get soaked. The cooling rain was precisely what her hot-headed temper needed.

She stood like that for a few minutes, enjoying soaking up the rain, but when she happened to hear a cackle accompanying the thunder that rolled over the village, Quinn's eyes snapped open and her arms dropped to her sides. She looked around the dark empty street suspiciously. There was nothing and no one there. How odd ... she thought. She then looked up as best as she could through the rain and saw a gargoyle like figure perched on the roof of a nearby building.

Quinn immediately recognised the white hair, black streak, and show off tactics. She walked to were she could easily see who was on the roof and were she could easily see Quinn and she crossed her arms. "An odd place to take a shower ... Greenwich," she called above the storm, saying the woman's name slowly, "and a little odd to do such a thing in your cloths." She smirked up at the witch and raised an eyebrow questioningly.

[Chloe Hargreaves]

She had chosen her rooftop well, it was a good vantage point from where she could see anything approaching her; especially the tell tale stalk of the Ministry Official striding down the mainstreet. Eyes flickering about Chloe saw no other signs of human life thereabouts, she guessed most people were tucked up within their beds quavering with fear from the terribly frightening lightening. She looked down disgustedly as a fully grown man jumped back from a window as a flash of lightening shot down from the black sky, she couldn't believe he was scared of a little shock, unless he was cowering from her? The tatty curtains hanging were roughly drawn as the man backed away, she could still see his shadow fleeing the room; perhaps she had better investigate.

But her concentration was stolen as a instantly recognisble voice boomed out over the freak show of the terrible storm. The tone wasn't quite so cold and heartless, as Chloe had expected from her colleague. The sweet smile that had graced her lips slowly receeded as she gazed down at Locksley.

"At least neither of us are showered in tears," she remarked happily, "but neither in gold...as of yet." Ambition blazed within her eyes, but it had dimmed significantly since some strange events she had endured.

Her attention snapping back to the suspicious man she called down to Locksley in a commanding but still reasonable tone. "My instinct tells me a man within that house is acting suspicious; unless he flinches at thunder. Care to investigate?" She challenged pointing out the ramshackle building the man was within. Knowing Quinn would act immediately, presumably sticking to Ministirial guidelines by going for the front door whilst she took the back, Chloe slipped onto her broom signalling with hand gestures that she would guard the backway whilst Locksley tried the front door. Swooping onto the opposite roof she jumped lightly onto it regardless of the perilessly slippy tiles due to the torrential rainfall gushing down the pipes. Pressing her ear to the hard tiles, and hearing raised voices within she kept low and ran over towards the back door...

[Quinn Locksley]

Quinn laughed mercilessly and cruelly as Chloe mentioned gold. "Getting paranoid about finance in your old age, are you, Greenwich?" Quinn spat, the laugh gone from her voice. But when Chloe said about the man, Quinn turned her head, rolled her shoulders and headed for the front door, no questions asked.

Quinn always enjoyed knocking, she could do it numerous times and loudly and not be questioned about it. She hammered her knuckles on the wood of the door several times. When there was no reply she wrapped again on the door. Inside, Quinn could hear something smash, it sounded like crockery but she could have been mistaken, and a table fall over. When no one came to the door, Quinn knocked again and said, "in the name of the Ministry, open this door."

Still no reply. Quinn took a few steps back and looked to the roof where she had last seen Chloe. "No answer at the door, Greenwich," she called, "will meet you inside." She pulled out her wand and went back to the door. "Alohamora," she said and the key turned. Click! went the mechanism of the door and she was about to open the door when it was opened for her.

[Chloe Hargreaves]

The aged roof splintered, tiles coming away loose, one sliding downwards and shattering onto the cobbled street below. "Sorry," Chloe called with an evil smirk, half-hoping it had split upon the thick skull of her cold colleague, who had of course not failed to have a dig at her. Rolling her eyes at the attempt Chloe stepped lightly upon the roof, now more careful not to set loose the ancient, chipped tiles. Broom in both hands to keep her balance she moved siwflty across steadying herself with a cold hand upon the dank chimney. She didn't have long to wait, Locksley was as efficient as ever, banging down the door with her bare fists. Acknowledging the order Chloe responded happily, enjoying the circumstances she found herself in, "got you Locks."

Gliding down upon her broom she reached the broken back door, dismayed that she had no need to blast it down, she giggled placing her broom back onto the roof, in easy reach for those knwoing it was there. Squeezing through the jagged remains of the ramshackle door, she stepped inside, finding herself in a dank, smelly kitchen. The place was old and decrepit and presumably hadn't been used for months, unless they cooked grizzly oil fat or the growing lichen upon the surfaces. She was frankly amazed that it had been left to degrade to such a disgraceful condition. Making her way through the shattered oddments splayed across the floor she held her wand in a steady hand as she cautiously approached the sole door leading further into the house. Hearing a commotion within she kicked open the door, which amazingly flew off its rusty hinges, and sprang into action, firing off a number of stunning spells to the rooms occupants, who where ducked behind a moth eaten sofa, creating a flimsy shield to protect themselves, as one raised his wand to fight back.

"Expelliarmus," she stated cooly weaving her wand in an offensive action as her now disarmed opponent glared at her. Dodging back into the kitchen as spells flew her way, she assessed the situation calmly. It appeared these desperate men were incredibly hostile, from the shouts at the front of the hosue she guessed a further two were outside duelling Locksley, who would clearly make short work of them unless they had the advantage of surprise or overwhelming numbers. At least three hostiles were defending the living room, it was imperative she keep them pinned down, if they charged they could easily overwhelm her defences in such a consticted space with no room to maneveour or dodge at all. Firing a quick spell into the main room she lept back as a cupboard opposite her shattered from the combined force of numerous stunning spells. Rushing to the back door she hurriedly fired warning sparks high up into the air, signalling other Ministry officials to rush to their aid. Whispering "protego," to conjure a relatively strong shield Chloe was immensely glad she had when a further two disarming spells harmlessly hit her defences, having rebounded from off the peeling walls. As more spells furhter decimated the kitchen she stood strong within the doorway, the odd spell disappatating as it was soaked up by her shielding spell; but she couldn't hold for long. It was inevitable that the men within would work out only two Witches were attempting their arrest thus far, Chloe knew she would shortly be overwhelmed when they figured out she was the only one defending the back way, she only prayed Locksley was havign better luck.

[Quinn Locksley]

Quinn stood back from the door as it opened, inconspicuously taking her wand out and holding her hands behind her backs. "Evening," she said politely as the door began to creek open. But before she knew it a spell was flying out of the open door. Quinn ducked and said, "now that's not very courteous."

"Reducto," she said, standing up and pointing her wand at the door. It flew off it's hinges and hit one of the men behind the door on the head, landing on top of him. Another man was standing inside, a scrawny, nervous man who seemed uncertain as to whether or not he should attack. Quinn cocked her head and raised her wand, "and I don't like rudeness. "Petrificus Totalus," she said and smirked as the man froze, his face contorted in horror.

Quinn walked in, over the door and glared at the man, "that's better." She heard much commotion coming through the wall to her left. Quinn walked along a dank narrow corridor and nearly jumped out of her skin in shock when a big, muscular man came crashing through the thin wall. He hit the opposite wall of the corridor and sank to the ground. She pointed her wand at the man and as he looked at her she grimaced. "Stupefy," she said and turned to the large gapping hole in the wall.

There were people in the next room and Quinn quickly stood with her back against the wall. She snuck a quick glance through the hole and saw two men hiding behind furniture and shooting at a door. Quinn noticed that the men hadn't noticed her. She stuck her wand arm through the hole and said, "Expelliarmus." The wand of her target flew close to the door at which he and his comrade were firing.

The other man spun around and shot a spell at her. Quinn quickly ducked back behind the wall. "Odd sense of hospitality, eh Greenwich?" Quinn called. It was to confuse the last man and it seemed to work. He stood up and walked towards the hole in the wall. He had clearly not seen it before. He stuck his large head through the hole and saw the other man on the floor. "Any time now, Wichy," Quinn called. When the man looked at her Quinn pulled back a fist and hit the man in the face.