A/N: This chapter is up sooner than I anticipated. The next update might take a bit longer.

I added a German name for Joly: Heilmar. Thanks to Deep Forest Green for name idea!

Grantaire and Marius appear in this chapter for the first time, along with Feuilly.

I promise the action will start soon.


Engelbert and Conrad and spent the next couple of hours before curfew figuring out details. It was agreed that they would be the two leaders of the group since it would be easier to split it up, rather than having eight students meet together.

The number eight came from their group of collective friends or people they felt they could trust. It included, Engelbert, Conrad, Curt, Frederik, Baldwin, Bernard, Heilmar, and Johan. Engelbert would invite a few friends over to his house the following night, and Conrad would do the same at his own house.

A couple years ago, the two had come up with a code so they could speak their mind to each other. It was a code that looked like a normal conversation, so it wouldn't draw suspicion. That is how the two halves of their group would communicate.

As Engelbert was walking the halls in school, someone grabbed his arm. He turned to see Curt grinning at him with a young man standing beside him.

"Sorry if I startled you! I just wanted to introduce you to someone. This is Marius, my new friend." Curt explained cheerily as ever and gestured at the other youth. Engelbert studied Marius for a moment and offered a hand.

"This is Engelbert." Curt added to Marius. Marius frowned slightly confused as he shook Engelbert's hand.

"I'm sorry, but why do you call yourself Curt, me Marius, and then your friend Engelbert? That is your last name, is it not?" The confused Marius inquired.

Curt laughed and patted Marius on the back. "His last name suits him much better than his first, wouldn't you save? 'Bright angel', isn't he?"

Engelbert stiffened slightly while Marius studied him for a few minutes to consider Curt's statement.

"I suppose."

"Well, that's all I needed. Where were you headed, Engelbert?" Curt said, turning to him.

"I was going to study in the library before my next class." Engelbert replied. "I'll see you later." He walked to the library and found an empty corner. He sat down with his papers and started to work. As he wrote, he felt someone's eyes on him and looked up through his eyelashes. There was a curly dark haired fellow sitting in the corner opposite him, watching him intently.

He was not particularly attractive, but not unbearable to look at either. Still, Engelbert didn't really enjoy being watched by someone he didn't know while he was trying to study.

"Can I help you?" He asked after straightening in his seat. The man looked startled, but seemed to brush it off as he smirked.

"I doubt it."

Engelbert stiffened a bit. He didn't like the mocking tone in this man's voice.

"Then why are you watching me?"

"You're the only thing that's even mildly interesting in this room." The man replied still with that irritating smirk.

"I don't think that's true. There are some good books here." Engelbert argued and gestured to a few on the shelf nearest him.

The man snorted and shook his head, but paused and regarded Engelbert with an unreadable expression. Engelbert felt the sun shine through the window and bother his eyes slightly. He cursed lightly and turned away from the annoying light. He thought he heard a sigh, but he could have been mistaken. Either way, he returned to his studying and ignored the other body in the dusty room.


"Curt, Frederik, I was wondering if you would like to come over tonight? There's an assignment i could use some help on, and in return, I could help you with your own" Engelbert offered once he had stopped his two friends on their way out of the university.

"of course, ja, I would be happy to come!" Curt agreed with his famous smile.

"My assignment is going alright, but if you really want my help, I could come." Frederik replied and raised an eyebrow quizzically. Engelbert was excellent in most of his subjects, and the ones he struggled with, Frederik wasn't great at himself.

"Danke sehr, I will see you both tonight at 7:00 then, ja?" Engelbert looked at his two friends. they nodded and the three parted ways.