On Saturday, the 22nd of May, the group prepares for their first Consilium meeting, at Cormant House up in Salem. Patrick's hired driver gets them there safely and goes into town to kill a few hours, waiting for Patrick to call him back. Cormant House proves to be an out-of-the-way museum, little visited by Sleepers. Its second story is set aside entirely for meeting rooms. From the base of the stairs, the group sees Khumeia speaking with two older gentlemen; she greets the group and introduces them to Aurem, a man in his sixties, and Potestas, a man in his eighties; both are mages of the Brotherhood of Ineffable Truth. Khumeia moves along to talk to another mage, giving the group a chance to speak with the Councilor and his Provost. They discuss politics and the conduct that is expected of them, until Potestas and Aurem excuse themselves to attend the beginning of the Consilium meeting. During this conversation, the group learns several details about the relations between the cabals.

Arathnos, the Herald of the Consilium, gives them a further briefing on how their portion of the meeting will go. He says that the Consilium will meet for awhile to resolve any opening business. Once that is resolved, Arathnos will invite them into chambers, where they will step forward and introduce themselves by their shadow names; if they are a cabal, they should declare themselves as such at this time. The Councilors will have an opportunity to ask questions of them, until the Hierarch begins asking questions, which cuts off any further questions from the Councilors. The Hierarch signals an end to his questions by welcoming the new mages into Boston. Arathnos excuses himself and attends the meeting.

The group takes this time to debate declaring themselves as a cabal, a decision they have discussed briefly before but never firmly decided. Aside from some discussion of Sequela joining a more popular cabal (presumably composed of cheerleaders), there is little opposition to forming a cabal; choosing a name, on the other hand, proves quite difficult. It is probably for the best that no one else is out on the landing with them listening to their debate, as they hurriedly brainstorm names and consult maps for ideas. Eventually they settle on the name Harbor Lights, in reference to the Sanctum's position overlooking Boston harbor.

Just as they finish this conversation, Arathnos emerges from the meeting and invites them in. The room is arranged with the Councilors and the Hierarch sitting at tables, and the rest of the attending mages sitting in rows of chairs facing them. The five walk up the aisle between the chairs, led by the Herald, who announces them and steps aside. They introduce themselves briefly and declare themselves as a cabal. The Councilors - Potestas, Hydra, Numa, and Chain Parris - take turns asking questions. Chain Parris asks several questions about each individual's religious leanings, to which Volchik and Tommy reply that they are Catholic, Sequela and (ironically) Saint profess no faith, and Surya notes that he is most assuredly religious. Potestas focuses his questions on the cabal's accomplishments in their first week since Awakening, and the entire Consilium is shocked by their answer: they have uncovered an Abyssal cult in the process of solving a murder, defeated two cult members and a horrific beast, and recovered an Abyssal artifact. Further, they have proof of these things, in the form of photographs that stand up to even mystical scrutiny. The mere presence of the Abyssal artifact in the meeting shocks many of the attendees, who had expected detection spells to pick up such a thing; it seems that Surya's gift of occultation extends to things he carries.

The whole tenor of their reception immediately changes. The Hierarch reasserts control by ending the Councilors' questions, and asks a few of his own. He makes it clear that he is dropping the task he had planned to assign them, and discusses with the Council what should be done with the Abyssal artifact; eventually he decides that the Ebon Noose will take custody of it and work on destroying it. The Harbor Lights cabal is formally welcomed into Boston and recognized as mages in good standing with the Consilium. (They gain a free dot of Status: Consilium.) They take their seats among the crowd of mages.

The Consilium meeting continues only a little longer, eventually dispersing so that individuals and groups can meet and bargain. The first group to ask for the cabal's time is the Gravediggers; the aged Hydra and the imposing, heavily tattooed Reinga explain that the other three members of their cabal are Consilium Sentinels and have gone missing. Hydra implores them to keep this absence secret, so that the Gravediggers will not look weak in front of the Consilium. Reinga has a few leads on where Seraphim, Eve, and Hades may have gone, and gets Volchik's phone number to call them with that information later. The Gravediggers promise lavish payment in the form of a tome of magic if their cabal mates are returned safely.

The next to approach the cabal is Ferrum, who hopes to negotiate an exchange of mana from the Harbor Lights' Hallow in exchange for the teaching of rotes. They settle on exchanging twelve Tass each month for three rotes, and either party may dissolve the arrangement at the beginning of any month if their end of the deal is paid up.

They talk to Potestas once again, primarily about the various Orders. He invites them to come to the Academy during its business hours of noon to five p.m. to discuss the possibility of joining the Mysterium or the Adamantine Arrow.

Finally, they talk to Numa of the Sanguine Laurel, who invites them to arrange a time to speak privately at La Maison du Leon.

The mages gradually disperse, and it is late afternoon or early evening by the time Patrick calls his driver to take them back to Boston.