The vampires were not the only society planning on 'coming out' to the mundane world. Deep in the bowels of the Ministry of Magic, (London, UK) a top secret meeting is taking place...
"I'm just saying that we need a sanctuary; a place we can all retreat to if it all goes tits up!" a man in a deep blue cowled robe spoke with both urgency and exasperation. His arms swung up in a gesture of deep agitation.
"Will you stop banging on about a sanctuary Brian!?" A skinny hunched figure in a dark brown cowled robe, that was slightly too short for the owner, and flashed a hairy pair of pale ankles, snarked in response. "We don't need one; there's a little something called secrecy wards, which every decent wizard and their toad knows how to put up. If you're a pathetic wizard that can't, well...let the Muggles have you, I say."
The dry, blasé voice of a woman interceded, "Yes, fuck everyone that doesn't know how to throw up a ward. A fantasticly wise plan" she let the pause stretch on, and in the silence the impied 'Not.' hung. The deep ruby red of her cowled robe shimmered as she crossed her arms and wrapped the cloak around her as she stared challengingly at the hunched figure with a cocked head.
A broad shouldered man in a black cowled robe straightened to draw the attention of the others and as he spoke his deep, soft voice echoed around the dimly-lit cavernous room, "Brian, Boris, Beryl, please... Let us return to the topic at hand. We have been tasked to review who we should nominate as the Representative. Now I think we all know, we're not going to assess every witch and wizard in the country." He paused as they all shared a chuckle over this amusing suggestion from the ICW.
"And Brian, I understand why you would be concerned-" the black cowled man continued after the tension eased from the little joke.
"Yeah, 'cause he's an incompetent numpty" mutteres Boris into his chest. As it was such a quiet room everyone heard his poorly concealed words. The black cowled man's head swung rapidly towards him and he twitched in response and hunched his head further toward his chest in an effort to avoid the forbidding stare.
"As I was saying." With heavy emphasis on the first word, the black cowled man began again as the other two smirked in appreciation of his quelling the abrasive presence of Boris. "I understand your concern Brian, as I had the same worries. We have hidden from the Muggles for a long time and we have no way of knowing how they will react to our presence. But the reason we're doing it now, of all times, is that we will, comparatively appear less dangerous. So they should have their hands full with the vampires and shouldn't focus too much on attacking our people."
"I thought it was because we thought with the Vamps coming out of the coffin that it wouldn't be long until we were discovered as a consequence" Beryl spoke up in an arch tone.
"Yes, there are many reasons for doing so." A sharp hand wave indicated that he wanted the discussion over. "Let's get back on topic. A representative. Let's draw up a list of criteria and then find the best man to fit".
"Or woman." Beryl spoke with great emphasis, the inflection of a woman aware and aggrieved by the blatant and continuous gender discrimination in the workplace.
"Yes..Yes of course; man or woman." The black cowled man nodded obligingly.
Beryl sighed inaudibly.