Lily POV

"Gear up everyone. Full kit with a B-4 load out for team Alpha and C-1 load out for team Beta." Raven commanded as the assembled order members all dawned their specially made ministry armor. Already fitted with the sleek black and dark jade equipment we'd be using for tonight's mission, I took the opportunity to peer about the dusty room of Al's Rhoynar castle. I wanted more than anything to take stock of my brother's army, feeling for the first time like we were a serious endeavor.

With the exception of Vivienne Le Fey, my best friend Markus and my cousins Rose and Victoire Weasley, every member of the order was outfitting themselves for tonight's operation. It was lost on nobody that for the first time since the orders formation, the adult warlocks Mizuki, Sorrenson, Gideon, uncle Charlie and Vexler Avery would be on an active field assignment with their junior members. Even the members who were to stay behind, would monitor the teams progress from the makeshift command center set up in the armory of the Austrian estate.

"We're performing tonights mission as a military op. No mistakes." Raven continued, looking over everyone's equipment and tightening a strap or two that seemed off. "You know the team configuration is altered for this outing so stick to your squad function and do not deviate from the chain of command."

The Lysanders nodded to Alex as he passed, each wearing a mirrored Peryton mask.

Rose and Vivienne argued in front of the monitors, checking camera positions and the scans of the shrine that the Muramasas had provided the team in advance.

"There will be four guards present at the site. Your rules of engagement are as follows. Non lethal measures and stealth ONLY against human custodians. Erase any trace of our operations by capture and obliviate protocol. Lethal magic may be used if animal guardians or elementals are housed deeper in the underground vault as security." Rose added, blowing up the blueprints of the surface level compound on the monitor.

"We've reviewed this all week. We're ready. Even if some of the scarier baddies show up" Aurora reassured, slipping several potion vials into a satchel at her waist. The vials were all color coded so nobody would accidentally drink the shadow-cloud, mistaking it for healing draft.

"Vivienne has used her security clearance as deputy speaker to alter the parameters of the trace for two hours. The BAT and CIB contingent of the department of mysteries will receive no triggers from any of our wands during that time period. Our government will have no idea we've even left for Austria let alone Japan."

"Flaethiri no nada!" Al and Syl yelled in faeric, a cheer of thanks to Vivienne for her work. The enchanting dark elf Unspeakable nodded, a smile ghosting across her face for the recognition of her contribution. She was without a doubt one of the order's most powerful and most useful members. As Hermione's deputy she was one of the highest ranking government plants under our banner. She would train Rose as support oversight in ops command, teaching the young girl how to provide us with important real time information.

Victoire had a medical bay set up in another wing of the castle with several of the Rhoynar's house elves who had since come into my brothers service, on standby. Markus had progressed by leaps and bounds, judging against the standards of a squib born… but was nowhere near ready to accompany the others on this outing. He had griped to me in private over having to stay behind. I'd kissed him, reassuring him that I thought no less of him for it. I was proud somehow that not even my brother or Scor had guessed that my relationship with the older Italian prince had deepened over the course of the last few months.

"Team Beta will maintain support distance from the air, keeping the mounts ready for a medical evac or as emergency backup. Remember to maintain situational awareness at all times. The Muramasa's are our ticket out of this if it all goes tits up… but do lets try and avoid needing Agi and Ami to explain this to their mother or grandfather if we're caught."

"Why couldn't the twins just steal this themselves again?" Aurora asked lazily, annoyed at the need for a heist when she felt the rightful owners of the tome of Fate could have simply taken it from its resting place.

"Because we're merely the emperors grandchildren. This tome is a treasure of the throne, the nation. We have no more right to take it than the order does. It's only because Scorpius shares our Muramasa blood and that the order requires the tome that we agreed to this much. We really must stress how much neither of us can afford to be caught tonight." Agi explained.

I watched the Heirling's one eyed guard, Kenzo Moruichi, pretend to doze in the corner of the room, his long nosed demon mask painted emerald from whatever its original color had been. As heir to the chrysanthemum throne, Izanagi had a guard accompany him throughout his time at Hogwarts. It had only been at the close of last week that the Japanese royal had bit the bullet and officially inducted his shadow into the Jade Rabbits.

Kenzo Moruichi was known already to Gideon and Sorrenson as one of the most powerful warlocks in the world. The retired ninjaga, or elite mage, had offered only an exaggerated 'tsk' when told his master had pledged himself to another royal's cause and that now it would be for servant to likewise have to pledge himself to that cause. The man's green necklace was locked in a tight grip, his chest barely rising alongside his shallow breaths.

I walked up to the 'sleeping' warrior and knocked the wand staff in his arms attempting to startle or annoy him.

"Dare ni mo damasenai nda yo, wakatteru desho?" ([you're] Not fooling anyone, [you] know that right?)

"Worry about yourself little shadow. I'm only here to guard my charge."

"Speaking of charges… who is in charge of maintaining the port gate to Kyoto? This jump is immensely far and there are a huge number of us to transport. Not to mention our mounts" Max asked, looking around the room from his seat.

"Syl and Ariana Dumbledore are responsible for the gate structure. Our Jade founders wall will supply the juice" Raven explained, reviewing some calculations that had been drawn on a whiteboard beside one of the larger screens.

"From which end?" Max asked, very nervous over the complexity of the apparition gate. From what I knew of the science, Ariana's would be the most difficult of tonight's jobs. She had to maintain complete focus during the warp or risk catastrophic damage to our bodies. Flu travel, port key, apparition and physical flight were all out of the question because of the distance.

The other reason Vivienne had opted to remain behind for this mission was specifically to salvage the spellwork for our escape should Ariana's magic falter. Even Mizuki and Sorrenson were impressed that the seventh year Dumbledore could manage the spell with only one dark elf wizard as backup. The two warlocks admitted they themselves could not do likewise if called upon to replicate the act.

I watched the pretty auburn haired witch in her tight fitting gear, admiring her beauty and concentration as she rewrote mathematical equations over and over in the air with her wand. The young dark elf Syl merely nodded to himself at the sight of each new line of numbers, if a little startled at the speed of his partners penmanship. He puzzled a few times as if Ariana might have made a mistake… before eventually realizing he had just been too slow to keep up with her maths.

Of those absent from the pre briefing were the orders titular leaders.

Al and Scor were in the master bedroom of the sprawling castle, making out, making love or making whatever freaky preparations they made on their own time. The order had taken to managing almost without its two Princes, even thought they both provided enormous input on a near daily basis.

It had been understood that we were ultimately to be autonomous, mostly reporting to Raven, Vivienne and Rose. My brother and his twit made the decisions and offered advice to the various department heads but aside from training or rehearsing, they often could disappear for hours or days on end.

It made them even more mysterious in the eyes of the order, who held them in a kind of divine awe. Aside from Raven, Lorcan and Lysander were the only rabbits who knew Al's whereabouts at all times. They were his guards as much as Charlie and Gideon and had taken over the job of his protection. Only to maintain the cover of their roles as red guards did the adult members stalk Al around school. Most other times Aurora's brother and my uncle were on missions with the other adult warlocks, performing duties in spain where the civil war was still raging.

Lorcan and Lysander were so fiercely loyal to my brother that on one occasion they had barred even I from entering the Hero's beacon. They refused me entrance while Al supposedly performed some strange piece of font magic that only Ashera might understand.

"You going to be alright tonight?" Markus whispered, coming up to me to examine the curvature of my stealth suit. I was as tall as Melody Abbott and already my breasts and ass had filled in the way an older girls might. I could tell my boyfriend was conflicted with the two year age gap between us. The knowledge that I was Al's younger sister only made his apprehensions graver.

"You do realize you're talking to me here?" I asked skeptically.

"I know you're strong Lils… but you forget how new I am to all this wizarding stuff. Forgive me for not understanding just how skilled you are for your age. How would I know if you're ready for tonight?"

"No, it's ok. You're cute when you worry about me" I teased, flicking my pretty green eyes up at him. I could tell how he wanted to lean into me… could tell how easily he'd pull us together if the others weren't around.

"Wotcher rabbits" My brother called, descending a circular staircase at the far end of the armory. Scorpius trailed behind him, a haunting picture of perfection. My brother and his shadow were growing into the specters of their adult selves, nearing the rakish beauty we'd seen their bodies shape into the few times they'd taken aging potions. Scorpius noticed Markus step away from me, smirking quietly to himself as the Japanese twins greeted him.

"My little bunnies ready for tonight, Viceroy?" Al joked placing a hand on Raven's shoulder. Louis and his Greengrass boyfriend smiled, approaching their leader warmly.

"Well everyone? Our Prince would like to know if we're ready?" The black haired beauty called into the room.

"Gloria victoria rex!" We shouted, pumping ourselves up. (Glorious Victory to the King)

"Rex am I now?" Al asked laughing. He looked so beautiful when he laughed, like he was on a photoshoot for some fashion ad.

"King twit maybe." Scor corrected, standing just an inch or so taller than my brother. I tried using the hypersensitive vision I'd gotten used to alongside my slytherin powers… but remembered too late that Al had since taken them from me. I accomplished no more than a slight strain on my eye muscles.

"Ok well, not that my announcement has anything to do with the success of tonight's mission, however, Scor and I have reviewed the profit from all of the order's operations and feel that we can release the first round of dividends to the order's members."

"Wait what?"

"Seriously?"

"We're actually going to get paid for this?"

"Al and I are forgoing our distribution, and Markus and the Japanese twins have also agreed to set aside their disbursement as well. This means for the rest of you, you will each receive around fifty thousand galleons each at the end of next week." Scorpius explained.

Louis, Rose, Melody, Maddy, Aurora, the Lysanders and several others were noticeably shocked.

"That's a colossal sum" Victoire urged, adding her surprise to that of the others.

"Well the Princes did promise you all income for life. This is part of that. We'll be making large distributions on a yearly basis and have set aside money for an order over twice the size of what it is today." Raven explained, further shocking the assemblage.

"Before we depart for Kyoto, we do have a few minor house keeping items that required everyone present, so eyes front please" The tactician continued.

Rose and Vivienne handed out a sheet of paper with a list of names upon it.

"Here you'll find a list of prospective recruits that have been vetted and are on the roster for future induction. Please vote yea or nay as I call the names. Only a two thirds majority will carry any prospectives and of course Al and Scor have veto power as per usual."

"Dominique Weasley" The red headed witch called when she felt she had everyone's attention.

"Yay" everyone returned, a unanimous vote.

"Carried. An invitation will be extended to Dominique in the coming days" Syl exclaimed. He'd become a pseudo assistant to rose, the two often doing paperwork together late into the night.

"Felix Dupont?" Rose read skeptically. "Charlie's boyfriend I guess…"

"Fiancée" My uncle corrected, causing the heads of many of the younger Weasleys to swivel towards him.

"Yay" Most members agreed. Those who had not assented had merely remained quiet.

"Carried" Syl repeated, jotting down the tally.

"Giovanni Maxus."

"Yay" Most assented again. He was after all Dominique's boyfriend, as well as both Markus's and Lucia-Mizuki Maxus's cousin.

"Amelia Vance. Oh and her two brothers, Damien and Oliver." Rose exclaimed. They were cousins of the Prewett's and Amelia was Albus's martial arts instructor. Amelia was already well known to all present and the brothers were attending Hogwarts alongside Ariana as seventh years. Damien had developed a close friendship with the Dumbledore heir and Oliver was now dating Aurora.

"Yay, Yay and Yay" all voiced.

"That is all the current proposals for now. Next round we will be addressing Daisy Lupin, Alexa Fawley, Morgan Wright among others."

"Now that that's settled, everyone get in position and await instructions for the warp jump."

Raven ordered.