Outside the Train
 

The Headmistress, if she knew you were out here, would expressly forbid it, and would send you straight back inside to boot.

But someone DOES need to figure out what's wrong with the train so... this would be the logical place to do so.

After about fiften minutes the cool night air was disturbed by a loud POP!

A man became visible in the tall grass beside the stationary Hogwarts Express and when the moonlight shown on his face it was easy to tell that it was none other than Armen Recard, the Department Head of Magical Transportation. The man stode along the train for a second, looking into the dark windows, wondering who would be looking back at him but stopped in search of that firey red hair.

Annie was shivering, and it wasn't because she was cold. She slid open the door of the compartment when she heard the unmistakable sound of a POP! and popped out onto the ground herself.

Yeah, she was rockin' them heels.

"Mr. Recard, thank you for your prompt response," the Headmistress stated, holding out a hand to him. "I did not know who else to contact.... this is a magical train, after all, and you're the Head of Magical Transportation.... plus, the Engineer said nothing was physically wrong with it...."

So why had it stopped, and how were they to get the kids to school?

"You're rather lucky I hadn't left the office yet." Not that he wouldn't have shown up if he was home...it just would have taken more time to decide if he wanted to. "It does seem like you're in a bit of trouble early in the term, Headmistress." Armen grinned his usual grin/sneer and edged closer to the Bunbury turned Truebridge. He had read all about her and remember her from when she had a post at Hogwarts before she was also rather attractive.

Recard listened and weighed the woman's words about how the train was faring and how she had NEEDED him to save them. Ahh, of course she did. He was Armen Recard after all.

"You were right to contact me, however the Hogwarts Express runs on magic not controlled by the Ministry of Magic." He rubbed his forehead and sighed before continuing. "We will need to organize another form of transport." Yeah, just that.

Well, she certainly didn't appreciate random sayings. Obviously all those aboard the Hogwarts Express weren't very lucky they had broken down but he was here to help them now. Duh.

Armen was looking at the train, wracking his mind for what he could do to help transport the multitude of students and Headmistress to Hogwarts when he looked back to the woman he was talking to, finding her right besde him, eyeing him weirdly.

Oh, he was? Recard's chest puffed out slightly and he turned his look from her back to the train dramatically and then spoke quickly. "Was the Prophet article true, the Board of Governors are stranded with you on there too? You all must be so afraid out here all alone." Yes, so scary for a woman and her students out in the elements but again, he was here.

"I've got a plan, wait here I shall return in a few minutes." He touched her hand reassuringly and Disappaperated.

After Disapperating back to level six of the Ministry, Armen set to work gathering all the THINGS he would need, all the while thinking of what the Headmistress said before he left, 'He was doing it for the children'. Siiigh. He was SO going to be on the front page of the Prophet after this.

Excited once more by that prospect, he disapperated and came back to his location beside the train, a sack of PORTKEYS thrown over his shoulder--a much skinnier form of Father Christmas.

Now where had Truebridge gone?

There was that unmistakable pop again. Merlin, this man was good at apparating... though Anastasia supposed he SHOULD be, since he was in charge of Magical Transportation for all of Wizarding Britain and all.

"What's the plan, Mr. Recard?" she spoke up, popping up out of the darkness with a brilliant lit wand.

The wandlight hit him and once again he was with the very appreciative Headmistress--he already liked her more than that Tate bloke. He was pretty biased though, having never met him in person and with his replacement being rather female.

"The plan is, Portkeys." He shifted the sack over his shoulder as a gesture. "I've cleared out a large bit of our stores but this IS an emergency of sorts. I have plenty enough for groups of students and whatever adults are on board to touch and get them to Hogsmeade Station. A walk from there should be doable, right?" Recard's brain had been churning quickly and he hoped the plan would be alright with the Bunz. If not, well he didn't know what else to do.

She liked it. the plan he had come up with? Brilliant!

"Compartment to compartment it is then, this is the back right?" Armen pointed to the train behind her and without waiting for a response, since there was no locomotive in sight, he ran and jumped on the train. Dun, dun, dun, dunnnnnnn, dun dun duuuh [/IndianaJonesTheme]

He needed to save the CHILDREN!!!

Well, Anastasia wasn't going to argue with that enthusiasm. See, she always knew she was a leader. Leaders were able to get what they wanted, and now she had what she wanted: a solution that didn't mean walking.

To the Prefect's Compartment! The redhead hoisted her wand up again, aiming it at the side of the Hogwarts Express so she could see where she was going.