Michael had been making preparations for his boat trip, one of his uncles that lived in Bulgaria promised to lend him one of his boats for the weekend. The house elves had sailed it over to the lake. It was a big boat, having a mast and four other sails. The ship had a sort of fifteen century look to it with cannons on board that were only for show now, even though the ship carried bullets and gunpowder.

The ship had a charm on it so it could take off from the water and sail the sky but had powerful magic to keep muggles from ever seeing it. It was really lucky of Michael that his uncle had lent him this magnificent ship when he had only asked him for a small one.

One of the elves approached him and gave him a letter from his unlce which read:

Dear Nephew:
I wanted you to sail this ship because it has a great many memories of your father in it. We sailed together once and now it's your turn to take it for a spin. I'm sure that your friends would also love this beauty as it has many cabins for all of you to rest and the kitchen and mess hall inside has great cooks. Keep it shipsy though! And don't sink it!

Your uncle,
Travian Haliwell

Michael grinned to himself as he took the Captain hat from the elf's hands.

"Well, you know what to do. Be ready to set sail, after I plan the course", Michael said and the elf saluted and said.

"Aye captain!".

Scarlett picked her way down to the lake a line of 3 medium-large bags behind her. She was so excited to go on a boat ride with Michael that she hadn’t really been able to concentrate on packing. She’d settled for quantity over quality and just started throwing things in by the end.

As Scarlett drew closer to the lake and in sight of the magnificent ship her mouth gaped open. She had never even imagined something so grand. She spotted Michael in his splendid had and waved up to him. “How’s a poor land lubber supposed to get up on this thing?” she called laughingly.

Michael smiled as he heard Scarlett's voice.

"Oh well how unthoughtful of me, let me fix that my love", Michael then turned to the elves. "The magic pier lads!".

The elves did some magic and suddenly a pier leading up to the ship appeared. The loading ramp was down and the staircase too so that Scarlett could get on. Michael then walked over to her.

"Allow us with your bags darlin", Michael said picking up a bag and the other elves took the other two and ran fast to the deck.

"I'm glad you came, I just hope some of the others are interested because it's a fairly large ship as you can see, and we could use some more hands on board for the fun", Michael said grinning at her.

Scarlett smiled as Michael came over to her and relieved her of her bags. “Oh I am sure they’ll turn up,” she told him. She herself had hurried, in her excitement to see Michael, in a way that most of her friends probably would not. “Where are we bound Captain?” she asked as they walked up the gang plank. She supposed she would have to wait for the others to get a tour of the boat, but her eyes were everywhere trying to take in as much as she could.

"Well I haven't really charted the course, I want to greet everyone first and then I'll get onto setting it, but don't worry I'll be sure to add some island where we can go on to the beach and stuff", Michael said smiling to her. "Oh and I got the finest cabin for you, it's got great space, and it's got a big closet for you to put all your clothes in".

After dashing around her room for what seemed like hours, she finally finished her check list of things to get, do, or grab to be ready. Her whole wardrobe, which was magically enhanced to be a walk in closet with several different rooms, had been shrunk and folded neatly into one suitcase. The other suitcase that was trailing beside her on her way down to the lake was filled with books and other simple things that would keep her occupied if need be.

"Hey guys!" she waved to Scarlett and Micheal as she looked up at them from on the ground. She was startled at first when 4 elves surrounded her, and took her 2 suitcases, 2 elves per luggage piece. "Oh..thankyou." she said, as she folloed them up to the ship.

Scarlett smiled her thanks at Michael for his thoughtfulness. "You are a man after my very own heart sir. And if you are not careful tempting me with fancy rooms and abundant closet space, you are going to get it." She winked at him and turned to wave at Emma as she came aboard.

"Welcome Emma, to the..." Scarlett stopped at a loss. She hadn't seen what the ship was called when she came aboard. Scarlett turned back to Michael, "What is the name of your ship, Captain?"

"Fortune Star", Michael said finishing up Scarlett's phrase. "Nice of you to join us Emma, you'll find your quarters to be really suitable for you".

The Elves carried Emma's and Scarlett's bags over to the cabin deck, Crew quarters were below it. Along with the magical engine room which only powered the ship's voyage into the clouds, otherwise the ship sailed naturally. The ship's cabins seemed really big for the exterior of the ship, but the space inside was magically enhanced.

She glanced around the ship, taking every detail from they way it was carved, to the color of the wood flooring. "It's a very nice ship, Micheal." she said after finishing looking it over. "And thanks again for inviting me, it'll be nice to get away for a little bit." she added, before hearing him talk about her room. She began to wonder how many people were coming, and how much the ship could hold and if it was magically enhanced.

"Who else are we expecting?" she finally asked.

“What a beautiful name,” Scarlett said. All around the ship she could see carvings of sea life at play under starry skies. But there was one carving around the door that led into the hold that caught her eye. She went over to it and examined it more closely. Two dolphins carried a chest filled with gold and jewels between them. The constellation of Virgo was picked out above the dolphins. “Whoever did the carvin’ on your ship knew certainly knew their stars.”

Melie was rushing around her room packing, cursing herself for running late, again. She had received Michaels owl and was excited to go sailing, she had never been before and Melie was always up for trying something new. Finally, after what seemed like forever, she was packed and heading down to the lake. She could see people moving around on the deck and she walked along the pier and an elf appeared out of nowheres and took her suitcase, another appeared a moment later to help.
"Thank you," Melie said as she stepped on board the ship. She didn't see her friends so she called out to them
"hello? Michael? Anyone?"

Cassie walked through the gates of Hogwarts, dragging her suitcase behind her, still in her Australian Team Jacket It was mandatory wear for competitions. Her hair hung in wet waves framing her face from her surfhair. While in the midst she had recieved a letter from Micheal inviting her on a ship trip. Never being one to miss an oppurtunity to be on the ocean she sent a quick yes reply. She saw the ship and joged foward waving to Emma, Scarlett and Micheal on the boat. She saw Melie ahead and waved to her too. "G;day all...Ready to go?" she said.

Leo received an owl from Micheal inviting her on some sort of sailing trip, Leo couldn't comprehend it much seeing as her lions got a hold of it first. If Leo wasn't an intimidating animagus, she wouldn't have gotten the letter back at all. Long story short, she packed her bags and met up with everyone, following closely behind Cassie. She waved at her and gave her best smile.

Michael nodded at Scarlett and smiled.

"They definately knew what they were doing. To be honest I didn't expect my uncle to lend me this ship as it is his pride and joy. But I'm glad he did so we can all have fun", Michael said and then turned his attention to the pier where he saw Melie coming over as well as Cassie and Leo.

"Oy down there! Come aboard, nice to see you could join us Melie, Cassie and Leo. Welcome to the Fortune Star, pride of the Bulgarian Wizarding Navy", Michael said. "Oh let the elves carry your bags over to your respective cabins".

Scarlett turned reluctantly from the carvings at the sound of voices. Then waved enthusiastically when she saw her friends. "Hey girls come on up!" Scarlett quarked one eye brow questioningly at Michael. It was plain to see that he had gathered quite a bevvy of beauty on board his ship. For a moment Scarlett could see Michael as a pirate who was planning to make off with the cream of the Hogwarts crop. She smiled at him a little loopy and asked "What does your family do with this boat?"

Turning around, she smiled at her friends and leaned over the railing, waving to them. "Hey girls!" she said giving them all a one arm kind of hug at the same moment. Leaning back against the railing, she watched as the elves scurried around. "Micheal, how did you get them all to come with you." she said, slightly pointing at one of the passing elves.

Michael turned to Scarlett and smiled.

"Hey I only sent out invites, I did invite their significant others", Michael said and then turned his attention to Emma who commented on the elves that were aboard. It was a common thing that elves only responded to their master only.

"Well Em, my uncle has them all in his service but they're all under contract. He put them at my disposal, and also I've known them all since I was a little kid and we've gotten along really well", Michael said and the elves saluted with smiles.

Scarlett wasn’t sure if Michael was avoiding her question or if he was just caught up in the hubbub of everyone showing up, but she decided she’d play along and ask him again later. Her imagination had set sail for the high seas already and she was picturing anything to blockade running to privateers. One thing she did know was that Michael had a lot of mysterious business that often called him away from Hogwarts. Scarlett now began to wonder how much of it was legal.

“I think there is a big enough group of girls to warrant a look at our cabins. C’mon ladies lets see where, we’re sleepin’.” And Scarlett headed below decks to find this wondrous cabin with the huge closet that Michael spoke of.

Emma happily followed after Scarlett, peering around as they moved throughout the boat. She was excited to find her cabin, and very quickly found the one that was probably hers. Each cabin on the outside of the door had their names on it. Leaving the group she walked into her cabin, falling in love with it immediately. It was perfectly her, everything was neat and organized and the closet was huge.

Grinning, she walked back out of the room and joined back up with Scarlett.

Chase found a slightly insane owl buzzing around with a letter for him. It took him a while to get the thing, but once he did the bird calmed himself down; which was a good thing. Reading the letter and checking his watch, he bolted. It had been a while since he had seen some of the people that he thought would be showing, so he made a point of not being to late. Though, he already was. Chase found himself by a boat and noted some of the people. "Hey guys!"

Leo was about to get on the boat when she saw her Padawan show up. "McFly!" She shouted rushing over to him giving him a great big hug. "Seems like forever, where you been!" Leo said very loudly, happy to see he hadn't been eaten by anything in the forest. "did you get stuck in your animagus form again?"

Chase almost jumped back at the shout but kept his feet planted on the ground all the same as he got a hug. He heard her ask about getting stuck in his animagus form and laughed awkwardly; he had gotten stuck a few times, it was a good guess. "No. My father decided to take me on a trip with him to show me how a Summerview is supposed to act." He said with a slightly annoyed tone, but he got rid of it quick. "I didn't actually know about going until I was gone... Sorry 'bout that Princess."

"It's no problem," Leo said with a smile and joined the others on the ship. She was excited to go sailing on a wizarding ship, and to be in the company of friends was a nice perk as well. She wondered what all there was to do on the ship and looked around a bit waiting for Chase to join her.

Scarlett glanced inside Emma’s room and nodded with approval. Hers was down the hall and the door had been carved with her name as well. Scarlett traced the letters with wonder before going in. Surely this must be some form of enchantment as Scarlettt was not a common name as Emma was. After all Michael could have a cousin named Emma, but she very much doubted he his family harbored a Scarlett. She wondered if the house elves had done it as each person had shown up. Also she had once heard of a complicated spell that transformed a room when a personal possession of someone was brought inside. By this enchantment the room absorbed some of the persons “self” and transfigured itself to be appealing. That enchantment was close kin to the one that made the ROR so special.

When Scarlett saw her room she was sure that this enchantment must be in effect. She had never been in a place that so lured her to stay forever. There was huge for poster bed hung with thick sound muffling, heat-keeping crimson velvet curtains. Its coverlet was made of the same colored satin edged in white lace. White lace curtains tossed themselves about open portholes. On the floor next to the bed was plush cushion that looked the perfect size for Bella to curl up on. And there was indeed a huge closet and curiously enough it was full stocked with every kind of frock and garment Scarlett could think of, which was astounding really. “This is the most magical place I have ever been,” Scarlett said half to herself.

Emma followed Scarlett into her own room, standing at the doorway and peering in, not knowing if Scarlett wanted her to come in. When Scarlett opened her wardrobe, it made Emma wonder about her own room which she hadnt taken in detail.

Running back to her cabin, she quickly opened the door and this time actually walked in and looked around. The room was done in a French style. There was a light pink/light black theme of the room, with black and white photos of surprisingly, Emma's home and areas she knew back in Paris. There was a picture of the old bakery hanging above her desk, and a picture of her french appartment building on the street hanging above her bed. It made her homesick, but at the time extremely happy.

After going into the bathroom, and running her hands along the granite, she hurried over to her walk-in closet, smiling at all of the different outfits from small couture stores in Paris. Basically, to sum it all up she was in love, and immediately rushed back up to the deck, waving to Chase and Leo as she rushed over to Micheal with a grin on her face.

"I'm in love." she announced to him, "Forget Mark. You made me a whole Emma room, with pictures and...clothes from my home city!" she said, extremely excited. She was obvisouly joking about the love part, but she wasnt when it came to being extremely excited about her room. "Thankyou! And now I need to ask how did you do it from the names, to getting a picture of my appartment!" she said with a curious smile.

Chase got himself onto the boat after Leona did the same. It wasn't a bad boat. Actually, he quite liked it. He stood there behind Leo for a second. "What's a kitty gonna do with all the water?" Smirking slightly he gave a shrug. "I heard they don't like water."

Chase saw Emma wave and he nodded and smiled back at her, noting how excited she looked. He turned his gaze back to the pink hair in front of him. "Labs are water animals."

"Yeah if you can ever figure out how to grow up into the lab you should be and not the puppy," Leo said sticking her tongue out. she heard a bunch of commotion going on about rooms, and how they were awesome. Leo rushed off after her own room checked the name plate. the door itself was pretty spiffy and when she walked in she saw a simple cabin, that looked more like it belonged on an 18th century pirate ship than anything else. She walked over to the foot locker and flipped it open discovering not only her clothes but some extras. Some were skirts and blouses to fit the period of the room, but others were more lavish and sparkly.

Scarlett may her dazed way out the closet in her room. She wandered the room at large for a moment longer and found another door that led to a wash closet with a huge claw foot tub lined with all sorts of scented salts and creams. She sighed thinking that this must be heaven.

A sound from down the hall drew Scarlett from daydreaming about a bath. She really should be social. Leaving her own room she saw that the door with Leo’s name on it was open. She poked her head inside and saw her roommate. “This sure beats the dorm room huh? Yours is almost as lovely as mine.”

Cassie had zoned out looking at the ship. It reminded her of something, but she couldn't quite place her finger on it. She boarded the ship and followed the others to the rooms. Climbing down another set of stairs she saw a door with her name on it. Walking foward she opened it up. She let out a low gasp. It was amazing. It was done un all shades of ocean blues and greens and looked like an under the sea cove paradise. There was even a waterfall. She let out a little squeak and jumped on the bed which as she discovered was a water bed. "awesome." she said again laying back.

Michael noticed as everyone rushed around to their respective cabins, he could hear squeals of joy and excitement. He was pleased that his guests found their accomodations to be so pleasant. Michael looked over at Chase who had just arrived.

"Heya Chase! Be sure to check out your cabin and welcome on board!", Michael said and then turned to Emma who had returned with a very big smile on her face. "I'm glad you like your cabin. As I said this boat has some magical enhancements. I set on every single one of the cabins a spell kinda like the one the room of requirements has, obviously I didn't do it alone, the elves helped a lot. It takes a your personal taste and decorates it based on your posessions, the bags that the elves took from you were taken inside the cabin, by doing this it instantly transfigured itself into an extension of your persona in the shape of a room. Kinda sounds creepy now that I say it but don't worry, it's perfectly safe and I only aim to make you guys have the best sea experience ever".

Chase nodded at Michael. "Nice boat you got here..." He said with a smile, though he was quite sure the one his father had was bigger; he wasn't planning on mentioning that. He saw Leona run off in search of her room and heard Michael say that he should check out his own. "Will do." He said with a second nod. He heard what the rooms did and laughed slightly. "That's what the rooms up at the Manor do as well."

"Stop being a stuck up pratt!" Leo shouted to Chase as she came running up to him, dressed in a lovely rococco dress that was butter yellow. "What? I found it in the foot locker," Leo said in preempted defense of Chase's or any one else's question. Leo had a habit of putting on clothes she just found lying about because she loved to play dress up. Drove the heck out of her friends though when she'd steal their clothes.

Melie had wandered away from the rest of the group and down the hall towards the cabins when she found a door with her name intricately carved into it.
"Let's see what behind door number one," Melie muttered to herself as she opened the room and stopped short. It was her room from back home. There was a large dark mahogany bed with crisp white linens up against one wall, which were a dark turquoise, a white gauzy canopy over the bed and lush green plants all over the place.
"Oh wow," Melie breathed as she looked around, and quickly made her way over to a door on the other side of the room and swung it open revealing the most clothes she had ever seen in her wardrobe before, and that was saying alot, her wardrobe in the dorm (the bigger one) was stuffed to the brim and she wasnt even able to close the door anymore. Melie let her breath out slowly as she fingered a short back silk cocktail dress with hot pink tulle peaking out at the hem. There was also a long silk halter dress, one she had seen in a shop not long ago, but her father would have Avada Kedvaed her if she had put the pricey dress on her credit card.
Melie walked slowly around the room and picked up the little knick knacks, some that she had collected over the years, seashells from the beach and the like, and framed photos which contained pictures of her brother and sister, her and Scarlett from the trip to South Carolina and one, next to the bed, of her and Liam, Melie smiling at the camera and Liam looking at her from a short distance away, it was her favorite picture.
Quickly Melie left the room and searched until she found her friends and wrapped her arms around Michael in a hug.
"Thank you thank you thank you! This is all so fantastic!" Melie said with a grin. "Oh, are we having some kind of party or something? I found this amazingly gorgeous cocktail dress in my wardrobe."

Emma listened as Micheal gave a lengthy explanation of how it all happened. The house elves had done it, which made her wonder if she gave a peanut butter cup to one of the house elves, Would Peanut Butter and other treats show up in my room..? . It was definitely worth trying but later, she wanted to hear Micheal's answer to the party.

When Melie mentioned a cocktail dress, Emma literally began girl talk. "What color was it? Have you ever seen it before?" she asked, having a million questions/comments in her mind about jewelery and accessories.

When it appeared that Leo was going to change Scarlett withdrew. She went to her room again. It was too perfect to be chance. Every flounce of lace, every line carved in the furniture seemed to have come from somewhere inside Scarlett. Following a logical procession there was another room on this boat that she longed to see. She wondered if she dared.

Scarlett saw Melie go back up on deck. Currently the hall was clear as Cassie was still in her room. If she dared now was the time. Scarlett strolled into the hallway looking for Michael’s name.

OoC: Chase I generally leave my ideas up for grabs to the general public, but I hate your dad and his creepy old manor so you can’t have that place running on my idea. Please edit your post.

Michael smiled at Melie and Emma.

"Well I'm sure we can do something so you girls enjoy your dresses, surely we can't leave such wonderful things in the closet just hanging there can we?", Michael said and called one of the elves over. "Assemble the band and make sure we have a feast on this boat tonight on the deck".

The elf smiled and nodded, he then saluted and ran over to the kitchen.

"The elves love parties, they join in on the fun with us so they love it", Michael said to them.

Scarlett almost missed Michael's room because it was the one right next to hers. The door was small and Michael’s name was not as grandly carved as hers. It was almost as if the carving was trying to make the least injury to the wood as possible. Did she dare enter? She was so curious and the right questions always seemed to fail her when the moment was right. With a slightly trembling hand she pushed the door open and entered closing the door quietly behind her. Michael’s room was a good deal smaller than any other rooms Scarlett had seen. The furniture was plain, almost Spartan, and serviceable. Also it didn’t have the air of newness that the other rooms did. Scarlett thought that the room had taken this shape before, after all this wasn’t Michael’s first sea voyage. A simple writing desk stood in a place of prominence in the room. The chair before it did not match the desk, but Scarlett found it was very comfortable as she sat down in it. Upon the desk lay a handsome leather bound journal. She looked at the cover closely thinking that someday he might need a new one, but was never tempted to open it. Though Scarlett was insatiably curious about her mysterious boyfriend she would not dare to pry that closely. She stood up from the chair and wondered to sword cabinet that stood in a shadowy corner. Even so the light that penetrated the gloom gleamed off well oiled and polished swords, though they just looked shiny to Scarlett. A picture of herself and Michael on his night table caught her eye and she smiled. This, she thought had not been placed there by magic, but by his own hand in a place where her face would be the first thing he saw when he awoke and the last thing he saw when he went to sleep. Scarlett smiled at the utterly heart warming thought as she picked up the picture and really looked at it. The couple that smiled back at her just looked “right” together. She replaced it carelessly for she no longer feared being caught trespassing, nor did she really feel as if she were. She hummed softly to herself as she to rejoin the rest of the group.

What Scarlett failed to recognize as she left was that the room screamed that its master was thoroughly self reliant. No mother washed and ironed the few clothes in a small tidy closet. No father corrected the strangely formed “G” that had a funny crook in it that she found so endearing. Though she was an orphan herself she had not always been, and therefore could not recognize the trait in another.

Michael noticed Scarlett had been gone for a moment but he only figured she had went back to her cabin. He then looked at all of them, some of his guests were not on yet.

"So, I invited Mark and Liam as well but they have not joined us yet. We could go and leave one of the elves with a portkey so they can get to us or we wait for them. I just want us to leave before we loose the wind", Michael said.

Emma smiled when Micheal mentioned a party, and already began planning in her head about what she would wear, how she would do her hair etc. He then mentioned something about Mark and Liam which she almost missed until he mentioned Liam. "I dont know, what do you think Melie. I dont want Liam to miss it, but we cant wait forever." she said, totally dismissing Mark in her head. Not her problem.

Scarlett came up on deck in time to hear Michael ask Melie and Emma about their men folk. “Hoist anchor!” Scarlett said. “Leave those land lovers a portkey key if they care to catch up.” Scarlett figured that Liam and Mark knew all there was to know catching up. She was excited to get the voyage underway.

Scarlett moved to take Michael’s hand. “The rooms really are wonderful Darlin’,” Scarlett said to him her eyes glittering green with delight.