Fortunately, at that moment, Cassandra stepped forward to defuse the situation for Draco. Her voice carried a trace of displeasure as she said:
"Spade King, that's enough! It's forbidden to probe into the identities of our members. That rule was set by Joker himself. Or are you planning to defy Joker's orders?"
Hearing Cassandra's words, Kirk immediately realized his behavior had been inappropriate. He nodded in cooperation and replied:
"My apologies, Heart King. The fault is mine."
He then turned his gaze toward the head of the table, where a lone Joker card lay in solemn stillness. Bowing his head respectfully, Kirk spoke again:
"I'm truly sorry, Joker. I accept whatever punishment is deemed fit."
Finally, he turned to Draco and said earnestly:
"Club Jack, I ask your forgiveness for my earlier rudeness."
Draco quickly waved his hand, indicating it was nothing.
But Cassandra wasn't done. She continued:
"Since you've admitted your mistake, then naturally, you'll have to accept the consequences. Regardless, Club Jack has just contributed an important piece of intelligence. According to our rules, each of us must now offer up one piece of information in return. You, however, will be excused from hearing the rest."
"There will be a new recruit arriving tonight. Spade King, you'll greet them at the entrance. In that corner of the Room of Requirement, there's a wardrobe with a cloak that will conceal your identity."
She gestured toward one side of the Room of Requirement.
Kirk obediently stood up and departed without protest.
Once he had gone, Cassandra turned to Cedric and said:
"Your turn, Club King."
Cedric was silent for a moment before speaking:
"The British Ministry of Magic is preparing for another wave of surprise inspections, this time focused on locating and confiscating Dark artifacts hidden in wizarding homes."
This information had come from Cedric's father. The operation was being led by Arthur Weasley, and given that Arthur had spoken on Cedric's behalf during the Battle of the Ministry, Cedric's father felt a deep gratitude and offered his assistance. That's how Cedric came to know.
Upon hearing this, Draco's heart skipped a beat. The Malfoy family, after all, had collected a fair number of Dark objects over the years. Though he had helped his father dispose of some, Draco wasn't entirely sure their home was free of such items. He made up his mind to send an owl to warn his father the very next day.
With Cedric's piece delivered, only Cassandra remained.
She paused briefly, then declared:
"According to the information I've received, the new Director of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement—Thomas Vole—has ties to the Alliance."
Cassandra had made a calculated decision to reveal her own father.
She knew that once this message reached the Malfoy family, Lucius would not report her father. On the contrary, it would likely convince him to throw his full support behind the Alliance.
As for Draco—he didn't know whether his parents were aware of this or not. What was certain was that he hadn't known. The idea that the Alliance had already gained influence over such a crucial part of the Ministry sent shockwaves through his mind.
Meanwhile, Kirk had followed Cassandra's directions and found the wardrobe in the corner of the Room of Requirement. Opening it, he selected a pitch-black robe and donned it. As he studied his reflection, he chuckled quietly to himself:
"Looking like a proper villain now. If Filch sees me wandering around the corridors like this… heh heh…"
Clad in the dark cloak, Kirk stepped out of the Room of Requirement and immediately spotted Hermione Granger pacing in the nearby corridor.
The sight made everything click into place—Cassandra truly intended to recruit her into the Secret Order.
Hermione had been tossing and turning in bed, unable to sleep. In the end, she'd made up her mind to come investigate. But as she approached the Room of Requirement, hesitation took hold. After all, in the wizarding world, mystery often came hand in hand with danger.
Just as she stood uncertain, the door to the Room opened, and a cloaked figure stepped out, cloaked entirely in black.
At the sight of him, Hermione instinctively turned to flee. Whoever this was, he did not look like someone with good intentions.
Thankfully, reason reminded her that this was Hogwarts—Dumbledore's Hogwarts. There wouldn't be any truly dangerous Dark wizards roaming about… right?
Just then, the figure began walking steadily toward her and spoke:
"Welcome, new member of the Secret Order."
Hermione blinked, puzzled. "Secret Order? What is that? Who are you people? Why have you brought me here?"
Her rapid questioning made Kirk wince internally. He gestured toward the still-open door behind him and said:
"All your answers lie inside. Don't worry, we mean you no harm."
He turned around and walked back into the Room of Requirement.
Hermione stood still for a moment, then gritted her teeth and followed him in.
As the door shut behind her, she looked around at the now fog-filled room and began to regret her decision—but she had little choice now.
Kirk led her to the stone table, pointed casually, and said:
"Pick a seat—whichever you like. Welcome to the Order, our newest member."
Though their faces were obscured by mist, the other members were already studying her.
Hermione, in turn, was examining them. Instead of sitting, she asked directly:
"Was it you who left the card in my pocket today? What do you want from me?"
As she spoke, she pulled the card from her pocket.
Cassandra stepped forward and said:
"First, allow me to welcome you to the Secret Order."
Hermione looked at her, then asked again:
"What is the Secret Order?"
Unfazed by the question, Cassandra explained:
"The Secret Order was founded by Joker. It's a clandestine group dedicated to helping the most exceptional witches and wizards at Hogwarts push beyond their limits."
"You may ask questions, trade intelligence, buy and sell magical items—or even magical creatures. In short, the Secret Order is a society built on mutual aid. But we only accept the very best that Hogwarts has to offer."
"The fact that you're here means that Joker has chosen you. You have what it takes to become one of us."
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