Chapter 55
Chapter 54
“I’m getting rather nervous again,” Harry muttered as he straightened his black silk tie for the umpteenth time in front of the closed Wizengamot doors.
“You were already a Lord of two Noble and Ancient houses in your reality. It is I who has to be nervous right now,” Severus hissed low. “I’m no Pureblood, I’ve never had a need to learn this etiquette, and Lucius’s crash course was not reassuring.”
“You will do fine,” Harry assured. “If nothing else, you will definitely glare them into submission.”
“Brat,” Severus muttered. He looked to his left and to his right. On both sides, Wizengamot members were clustering together, all talking in hushed tones. The Wizengamot was supposed to start an hour ago, yet the doors to the meeting room had remained firmly shut. Lucius had even been called away not even half an hour ago by an Auror, so Severus suspected that something big had happened.
Harry too looked around and spotted Deadric, who had been leaning against a wall nearby trying to stay unnoticed, being approached by Lady Longbottom. He looked somewhat uncomfortable, so Harry motioned with his head to get Severus’s attention.
“She doesn’t bite… much,” Severus stated as he turned to walk towards the pair. “Though she can be as nosy as Minerva at times.”
“Good morning, Lady Longbottom. I see you’ve met my cousin,” Severus stated as he smoothly interjected himself into the conversation. Deidric shot him what appeared to be a look of gratitude, and Harry idly wondered just what the woman had said to him in that short amount of time.
“Good morning, Professor Snape. Ah, so this strapping young lad is your cousin. Now that I look closely, I can see the resemblance.” Lady Longbottom uttered with a smile. “I was merely making my acquaintance and was wondering if this dashing fellow here already had a partner for the Equinox gala. My Neville is still looking for a partner as well.”
And now Harry understood why Deidric shot Snape that grateful look. He had honestly never pegged the no-nonsense Lady Longbottom as a matchmaker.
Harry’s expression must have drawn Lady Longbottom’s attention as she then turned to him and asked, “And who is this strapping young fellow?” Harry actually took a step back. He had faced Dark Lords and other evil wizards over the decades, but he was certainly not ready for this.
“This is my partner, Hadrian Evans,” Severus stated while putting a possessive arm around Harry’s waist and drawing him closer. “We are here to claim our seats today.”
“Handsome and a young Lord, be still my beating heart,” Lady Longbottom joked dramatically.
“Grandmother!” A voice frantically uttered while approaching. Harry’s brow lifted upon seeing 15-year-old Neville rushing towards their direction.
“Ah Neville, there you are,” Augusta said cheerfully. Neville stopped next to Lady Longbottom and finally got a good look at who she had been conversing with.
“Pr-... Prof… Professor Snape! Sir! Uhm… Hi!” Neville stuttered.
“Neville, dear, I was just conversing with your Professor, Mr. Evans, and Mr. Prince here about the upcoming gala. You still haven’t found anyone you’d like to bring, have you?”
“Grandmother!” Neville hissed. “Please don’t proposition my professor for me! Especially not during the time I had to run to the loo,”
“Your professor? Oh, no dearie. It’s actually Mr. Prince here that caught my eye.” Augusta smirked. “You inherited your grandmother’s taste in men, right?”
“Oh Merlin,” Neville uttered as his cheeks tinged pink from embarrassment.
“I deeply apologize!” Neville uttered. “Grandmother must have gotten into the sherry brandy at home before flooing here.”
“I most certainly did not!” Augusta uttered. “I finished that last week.”
“I apologize, especially to you, Mr. Pri-” Neville stopped mid-sentence as he finally got a good look at Deidric. “Uhm… Uhmm,”
“Eloquent as always, Mr. Longbottom,” Severus stated while crossing his arms, though there was no annoyance in his eyes. Harry did detect a hint of amusement.
“I think a formal introduction is needed here,” Severus then stated as he looked between Longbottom and Deidric all the while, Harry was wondering what the hell was going on as Augusta actually clapped Snape on the back, looking quite happy.
“Neville Longbottom, Heir to the Noble House of Longbottom,” Neville formally introduced himself while holding out his hand.
Deidric grasped the offered hand and shook it while formally introducing himself. “Deidric Prince, Lord of the Noble and Ancient House of Black.”
“L- Lord Black?” Neville sputtered, surprised, while Harry saw Augusta nearly swoon. In terms of a political match, this would be considered marrying up for the Longbottoms.
Harry was always fascinated when ancient politics came into play, though he did shoot his partner a look when Snape went along with Augusta’s matchmaking scheme. A Noble house was a house belonging to a magical family that originated during the time of the Ministry of Magic’s creation and the Statue of Secrecy and had been a Vassal clan of another House before gaining independence through meritorious deeds. A Noble and Ancient House was a house belonging to a magical family that reigned before the Ministry of Magic’s creation, having been formed before or during the Norman Conquest. While both houses held seats within the Wizengamot, the political voting power of Noble and Ancient houses was greater than that of Noble houses.
The creak of heavy doors opening caught everyone’s attention, and Harry and the others turned to see the Wizengamot doors finally open and an attendant stepping out. “Good morning. Apologies for the delay, my Lords and Ladies. The issue that has come up will be addressed shortly. Please enter and find your seats.”
While Severus, Harry, and Deidric entered, they did not immediately sit in their House seats as they needed to be claimed first, much like the Lordships had to be. The last person who tried that, a rather obstinate Lord in the 19th century, ended up angering Lady Magic and got cursed with a balding jinx that no Finite Incantanem could dispel. Severus noted that Lucius was already in the room when everybody else was entering, though not at his House seat. In fact, Lucius looked like the cat that just caught the canary as he stood next to Madam Bones.
Madam Bones called the meeting to order with two bangs of her gavel. “Good morning. Apologies again for the delay; a situation had occurred that required immediate attention. But before we address that, I see that there are new Lords waiting to claim their seats. Please state your name and the family you are Lord of. Lady Magic shall judge if you are worthy of the seat.”
“I will go first,” Severus stated as he stepped forward. “Severus Snape, Lord of the Noble and Ancient House of Prince,” As he said that a seat in the Noble and Ancient section glowed with the family coat of arms. Murmurs could be heard through the room.
“Deidric Prince, Lord of the Noble an Ancient House of Black,” Deidric announced as the Black seat recognized the Lordship he held and glowed with the coat of arms. Now the room erupted into even more murmures as several families, related to the Blacks through marriage, had never known of Deidric’s existence.
Harry signed. Lucius had insisted Harry go last, just for dramatic effect. The man just loved to see some Wizengamot members squirm. Harry couldn’t even fault the blonde for that. He, too, had thought the whole thing an amusing stunt.
“Hadrian Evans, Lord of the Noble and Ancient House of Peverel,” he announced, and just like Lucius had guessed, all hell broke loose as the Peverel seat recognized his claim.
Harry winced as the chaos in the room was amplified by the high-vaulted ceilings. He hadn’t had this reaction when he became Lord Potter-Black in his reality, though those lordships were nothing compared to the myths surrounding the Peverel family and their gifts from Death.
“Your fame precedes you,” Severus joked as he leaned down slightly towards Harry’s ear to whisper. Madam Bones had to bang her gavel several times just to get order back into the room while the trio made their way to their seats.
“Just imagine the chaos if this lot found out who the original heir really was,” Harry said under his breath, though Snape still heard it.
As Madam Bones got some semblance of control again over the room, she uttered, “While the main topic on the docket all of you might want to discuss right now is the deminse of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, there is one other change that needs to be announced. Effective this morning, Albus Dumbledore has been officially removed by Lady Magic from his post as Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot and has been detained on charges of embezzlement, fraud, false imprisonment, banned Dark magic usage, attempted line theft, child abuse, attempted murder, 46 counts of illegal potion dossage, and conspiracy to commit treason.”
“As such, Lucius Malfoy will now take on the role of Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot as the next qualified individual for the position.” Madam Bones declared as everyone still sat in stunned silence. “As Albus Dumbledore has waived his rights to counsel and has requested ‘iudicium celer’. His trial will commence right now.”
The room once again descended into chaos at this decree and the sight of Albus Dumbledore being escorted into the room in chains by two Aurors.
“What the ever-loving bloody hell just happened?!” Harry uttered as he too was shocked by this turn of events. He had planned to take the man down much later, though, and had no clue about all the additional charges.