The Heirs Speak Up
Getting Alice and Frank back shook the Wizengamot when Augusta stepped down and Frank took his position again. They were all at the meeting before school started back. It was a learning experience for the three heirs.
They listened as a bill was proposed to put werewolves on a registered. Harri felt sick as the member of the light spoke of how it would protect the good normal people. The other heirs looked just as sick by it. Harri asked Draco in a whisper, "Can heirs comment, or do we have to just sit and listen?"
"No one has ever tried from my knowledge," Draco whispered back. He gave her a look wondering what she was going to do.
Harri stood and lit her wand. She had seen the members of the Wizengamot do it. She didn't have to wait long before Cheif Warlock Greengrass saw her.
"The floor recognizes the Heir Potter-Black," he called out.
"Thank you, Cheif Warlock. My question is simple: Would any of the floor like their personal medical files put on a registry? As that is what you are asking of these people. People who were either born into it or who developed it later in life. Why should they share their medical diagnosis with the government? It is quite frankly none of your business," Harri said with her head held high. She was so tired of these uppity pricks thinking they were entitled to things they weren't.
"Now, my dear girl," Dumbledore said as he stood. He was clearly frustrated that Harri was there, but she didn't care.
"The Lord Dumbledore will refrain from referring to any heir or member of this chamber so causally. If I have to warn you again, you will be removed, Lord Dumbledore," Cheif Warlock Greengrass said sternly.
"Of course, Cheif Warlock, please forgive an old man. Heir Potter-Black it is not just a medical issue. It could be dangerous if others are exposed," he said with his grandfatherly voice, but Harri wasn't buying it.
"So is HIV and it was deemed illegal in the muggle world to have a registry. We can sit here and argue semantics all day, but what is truly needed is more access to jobs and Wolfbane potions. I do not have control of my families companies yet but I have been speaking to our legal teams and the industries that are held by the Potter and Black families will be the first to offer Wolfbane upon hiring. I suggest the rest of you do the same," Harri said, looking at the older faces as if daring them to challenge her.
"Longbottom industries will be doing the same. My goddaughter is right they are people and should be treated as such," Frank said as he stood.
"Abbott Industries will look into implementing it as well," Lady Abbott said with a nod.
This caused a ripple of whispers to go up around the chamber. Harri sat back down, satisfied at the movement that was starting. She looked around, and the other heirs were looking at her in amazement.
"Nothing will get done if we don't do something," she said softly. "They are all so set in their ways that they can't see the world is moving on without them. We have to make it move."
The other heirs started to whisper with each other. Some of the older heirs nodded approvingly. Harri wondered what she had started quietly as she watched the rest of the proceedings. A bill was introduced to increase funding to schools, and Oliver stood and waited to be recognized.
"The floor recognizes the Heir Wood," Cheif Warlock Greengrass said.
"The brooms at the school are in horrible conditions. The board has done a lot to fix the teaching. The equipment around school has not been updated in many years. That's not to mention the throne that the Headmaster sits himself upon seems to get polished regularly. If you were to up the funds, they should be given to the Deputy Headmistress as she actually cares for the well-being of the school," Oliver said. His contempt for Dumbledore is clear. He realized during the audit that this could have been fixed years ago, but the headmaster had blocked it.
"Now Heir Wood, I hardly think that's necessary," Dumbledore said with a disappointed face.
"You also thought it was appropriate to have a ghost teach us history for decades, so forgive me if I don't trust what you find necessary," Oliver said with a raised eyebrow.
"The funds will be given to the Deputy Headmistress to spend exclusively on school needs. Now we have one last bill for the day. This bill was brought forth by Lord Diggery to ban rituals done during the holidays. He sites that they are considered dark magic," Cheif Warlock Greengrass said, rubbing his temples. He was so tired of this bill being brought forward.
The hall was outraged like they were every year. They were shouting over each other. Cheif Warlock Greengrass looked up to the Heirs' Chamber and was surprised to see Heir Diggery standing waiting to be recognized.
"The floor recognizes the Heir Diggery," he said causing the hall to fall silent.
"This bill is foolish and I had told my father as such. The rituals are not 'dark magic' as there is no such thing. Magic is neither light nor dark. Magic is a gift we were given and well yes people have abused it we shouldn't take away people's religious rituals for no reason. It is honestly embarrassing that this bill keeps getting pushed forward," Cedric said looking at his father. They apparently had been fighting about this for a long while. Harri wondered if this would cause a bigger fight when they got home.