Onto the Wizengamot - Part 1
Dragging Amelia along, the quartet headed into the library to prepare for the next task. No, not the second task of the Tournament, the Wizengamot session at the Ministry in a few hours. They could go celebrate later, but not now. Sirius' freedom was on the line.
Irma Pince stopped them for a moment to express her joy at the brilliant performance and congratulated Harry. This confused Amelia, because the Hogwarts librarian was famously grumpy and silent, such a vocal support and the happiness were a strange sight. But hey, she had already learned that young Harry Potter made the strangest and most unusual allies. Notable staff members were close to him, Flitwick even on a first name basis, and they all acted against the Headmaster together. They managed to get Binns to hold a proper class, and whether they knew it or not, they held a noticeable amount of the Wizengamot’s power in their hands. Longbottom, Bones, Potter, Black… many would follow their vote. The progressive voices fed up with Dumbledore’s empty promises, the traditionalists who weren’t on Voldemort’s side and many of the so-called neutrals or grey families. Those grey families were traditionally not involved in any conflicts. Some might call them cowards, some might appreciate them protecting their family through inaction. Dumbledore didn’t like them, criticising them for not fighting in the last war. Honestly, it wasn’t like everyone fought last time, the Aurors did that - and various vigilante groups like the Order of the Phoenix. Over seventy five percent of the population hadn’t been involved in fighting. Calling someone like Theodore Greengrass with his import business or Florian Fortescue with his ice cream parlour cowards because they kept on going like nothing changed (maybe add a few wards and be more careful, though that’s about it) because they weren’t really affected by everything was just wrong. The majority of targeted families back then were muggleborn families and very vocal purebloods speaking out against Voldemort.
This didn’t mean that things weren’t bad, Amelia lost her entire family back then, she knew exactly how it was, but condemning everyone for inaction was just wrong.
Anyway, Harry didn’t want to fight either, he just did it out of necessity - Voldemort just didn’t leave him alone. He wanted to live a peaceful life and the majority of his policies were acceptable to the neutrals. There was a good chance he could sway many of them… his Black family gift would help too. He just needed to make a good performance in the Wizengamot today.
“You all are in a great mood. I take it Harry performed well?”
Before Amelia could introduce herself to Henry Potter, the kids already told him all about the task and all the contestant’s performances. Oh, it was a lovely sight and filled her with joy. Susan was happy and had great friends. Harry, about whom she worried all the time nowadays, was doing great, had a support system and was on a good path to reach his goals.
“So, maybe go change into your robes, Harry, we should leave soon. My portkey is programmed to turn active in twenty minutes but we need to be outside the wards for that. We have a ten minute window to use it once it’s active so we need to avoid the Headmaster. And you kids better stay in here or somewhere else safe so neither Dumbledore nor his followers can attempt to find out anything. I got him to back off from Harry for now but he is clearly unhappy.”
Hermione, Susan and Neville nodded in understanding, they would stay in here and study for the remainder of the day or at least until Harry returned. If it got late, Madam Pince would certainly escort them back to their Common Rooms. Amelia would make sure that Irma would do so, and that she wouldn’t let anyone come back here. Not until she had secured Sirius Black’s freedom and tarnished Dumbledore’s reputation so far that he would at least not be seen as infallible. Harry’s life should be safe from meddling and be filled with caring and responsible adults.
Lucius Malfoy had been pacing up and down his office the majority of the day. Well, honestly, he’d been doing that for the past few days nonstop. He still had no idea which mysterious French nobleman wrote to him, but the whole thing got him thinking. Things were changing in Britain and he was not sure where his allegiance would - or should be. Once he swore his life and honour to the Dark Lord, but the world was a different place. And if the Marquis de Fleamont would stand true to his word, then Lucius could improve his family’s standing. The Dark Lord brought death even to the oldest pure blood lines and did never have a plan for overtaking the government. Destruction and violence. Once, this was appeasing, but not anymore. But Dumbledore was a radical in his own ways and a bloody manipulator. Lucius had contemplated turning neutral years ago, but the grey faction didn’t have a charismatic leader, and he didn’t have any allies on the light side. Without a figurehead, a leader, no one could oppose the dark and the light side. But if this third party was powerful and had tolerable positions, he could see himself allying with them.
He had been researching for days and days, trying to make an educated guess about the Wizengamot session, but there were so many cases in the late years of the war and until the mid 1980s, simply due to the many arrested Death Eaters. But then, early this morning, he made a breakthrough. He had long excluded any new trials - there had been no arrests of interest recently. Not even any the DMLE had kept under wraps. He would know. And if it was about setting a dangerous precedent then it was likely that all this was about an old case. Some judicial error or a manipulation of the verdict.
There weren’t many cases where he didn’t know about the veracity of the charges so he excluded many like Bellatrix, Rookwood and other Death Eaters… until he stumbled about the newspaper article of Sirius Black’s capture. And that was it. No news about the trial. He wouldn’t go and check in the archives - way too obvious right now, no need to draw attention to his research, but he went through all the newspapers and his own diaries and ledgers of these days. Nothing. And he knew for a fact that he never saw Black at a meeting - Severus would have been furious. But the article in the Daily Prophet reminded him of something else - he recognised Pettigrew. Not from school, but now that he looked at the picture he was almost certain that he saw him at a meeting once or twice. Little guy, shy and standing in the corner.
Was Black innocent? Maybe Potter wanted to get his godfather free. Ignoring the questions how Potter knew about all this when he was famously oblivious to his heritage, this was a real possibility. And if Albus Dumbledore left one of his guys, a member of his little hero’s family, in prison without trial, then Black and Potter would be furious with the old man. And there you had the new neutral figureheads. A dark and a light family, noble and most ancient, the one being a literal hero, the other a victim of the flawed justice system. Oh, they could do a lot. And if Bones was helping them with the case, then they had even more support.
It wasn’t long after that conclusion that he headed to Hogwarts for the first task. And honestly, that just made him more certain that he was right. Dumbledore was clueless, Amelia Bones was supporting Potter (just like the Longbottom Heir) and Potter had secretly claimed his heritage. And Merlin be damned, he made a show. Powerful, skilled and clearly stepping in his ancestors’ steps. He recognised enough of the small trinkets and utensils or the armour to know what message Potter was trying to broadcast.
Damn. He’d better make sure that Draco wouldn’t act like an idiot. Especially because there was a very high chance that his son would never be Lord Black. Even if the dementors rendered Black infertile, then there was always Potter. He had Black blood and damn he had the blood gift, even more than Regulus, Narcissa or Bellatrix ever had. That much was obvious.
This was not good. But on the other hand, if his assumptions were correct, then he had a lot to gain. And maybe he would find out who his secret benefactor, the Marquis de Fleamont, was.
Sirius Black and Remus Lupin were anxious for this day. Harry was competing in the Tournament - Remus had decided against watching it, he would have to get ready for the trial - and then they would have to go to the Ministry. Rufus Scrimgeour came by and told them about how nicely Harry performed before using a portkey into Amelia Bones’ office. Remus would enter the Wizengamot chambers as official representative of House Black and Sirius was under a DMLE-issued invisibility cloak.
“So Harry performed best? That boy.”
“Oh yes, Sirius, I can show you a memory when we have the time. You wouldn’t believe me otherwise.”
“I’ll hold you to that.”
The three men had grown closer over the past days, with Rufus no longer being scared of Sirius or Remus’ condition. They had even begun training together and Rufus was very insistent on re-recruiting Sirius for the Auror Corps once he was acquitted.
After using their portkey the trio went over the plan once again before Amelia came and picked up Remus. The DMLE head had left Hogwarts with Harry via her portkey after talking to Irma Pince and then had the boy wait under his cloak close to the Wizengamot chambers. Lady Bones, Remus as Steward of House Black and Harry as Heir Black and Lord Potter entering the chamber together would raise some attention.
Harry was impatiently waiting for Lady Bones to come back with Remus so they could finally go inside and get the whole thing done. About half of the members had already entered, many looking annoyed by the summons, others talking about his performance and what political implications his appearance entailed.
And then, finally, Amelia came back, next to her Remus in for once decent looking robes. Even as a teacher his robes had been old and shabby, but now he looked proper and the Black Coat of Arms was signifying his position as steward.
Disregarding all the need for secrecy (yes, he knew he was stupid) Harry removed the invisibility cloak and ran towards the smiling werewolf. Over the last weeks Harry realised that he was not fearing physical contact that much anymore and initiated hugs with a few of his friends once or twice. One day he would manage to get through the entire Dursley nonsense, but he made enough progress to hug Remus Lupin.
“Moony! Good to finally see you again. I missed you.”
And that was true. Remus had been a fabulous teacher, but on top of that he had been a nice and kind person. Once he started telling Harry a bit about his parents towards the end of the year he became one of those few adults he actually trusted. And with all those letters they exchanged since the summer, but especially since Halloween, he was basically family. Just as if his parents had lived. Then Remus and Sirius would have been Uncle Moony and Uncle Padfoot (or Uncle Siri, because baby Harry actually managed to say Siri).
Remus was a little surprised but definitely happy. Even if the next few hours in the bloody Wizengamot would be a disaster, he got to meet Harry again.
“Hey little one, good to see you.”
“Little one? Just because I’m not so bleeding tall like you and your furry buddy it doesn’t mean I’m small. And if I am, let’s blame the Dursley diet.”
Remus didn’t know what to answer to that so he just hugged Harry a little tighter before hearing Amelia cough.
“I don’t want to interrupt but I think we should head in there slowly. Most members are there already but Dumbledore hasn’t arrived. Maybe we will get to our seats before he enters, saving us from an annoying chat with him.”
The two nodded in agreement and made their way towards the chamber. The door was massive and heavy, two guards standing on either side of it for safety reasons. Inside Harry immediately started looking around the big, half-circular room. On the opposite wall you had three seats, for the Chief Warlock, for the Minister and for whichever department head was presenting or lecturing at the moment. During a trial and because she called the session, Amelia would sit there. In front of those three seats you had the Court Scribe, the Undersecretary of the Minister and a few other assistants. Opposite of them the members were seated in various levels. The lowest level besides the one for press and visitors was for the department heads and Holders of an Order of Merlin first and second class. Above them the Noble Houses, followed by the Noble and Ancient Houses. In the upper rank the thirty or so Heads of the Noble and Most Ancient Houses were seated, each of them on a personalised seat with their Coat of Arms on it. Yes, they still held the most power in the Ministry. Traditionalists… What do you expect?
The trio made their way to the upper rank and the whispers began to increase. Few actually knew Lupin, but all members wore a (very ugly) plum-coloured cape over their robes. They still wanted to wear fashionable robes but signify their status in this chamber to differentiate between Head, Proxy and Steward. The latter usually wore a black cape - just like Remus did now. The difference between proxy and steward was notable, the former had to be officially named in front of the Wizengamot and carried full rights, the latter was more like a secretary whom you sent when you were ill or busy. His rights were limited, but votes could still be cast.
Lucius Malfoy, Head of the Noble and Ancient House of Malfoy, was watching them with curiosity and interest. It seemed like he was right. Remus Lupin as Black Steward… this screamed like a prank by Sirius Black. A bloody werewolf. But now he should better go chat with his allies and warn them about setting dangerous precedents.
Harry spotted Lucius Malfoy’s calculating look - he did not seem surprised. Maybe the man was actually smart. And judging by his behaviour now he was going to inform his allies about his plans for the session. Harry was cautiously optimistic to be honest.
Amelia’s and Harry’s seats were relatively close to each other, only Augusta Longbottom sat between them. The Black seat was further away though, closer to the other dark families.
“Lady Longbottom.”
“Lord Potter. Drop the courtesy, you’re my grandson’s close friend and ally. It is Augusta to you, Potters and Longbottoms have always been brothers in all but blood. Frank and James were just the same. If your parents would have lived you would have been at our Manor at least twice a month to play with Neville I reckon. Lily and Alice couldn’t stop talking about how great it was to give birth around the same time. Now, my boy has told me all about this thing today, don’t worry. By the end of the day he will be free. Amelia can be quite convincing when delivering a speech, but I have told my allies to vote with me if they value their alliances.”
“Oh? Thank you so much. And I believe Lucius Malfoy is helping us too at the moment.”
“How did you do that?”
“I heard he got an anonymous hint from a fellow French nobleman who outranks him, the Marquis de Fleamont, that he shouldn’t help the Ministry set a dangerous precedent regarding imprisonment of titled members of our society. And that this might lead to the rise of a third party in this conflict, not Dumbledore and not Voldemort.”
The elderly woman couldn’t hold back her roaring laughter at that point.
“You… Don’t believe I am unfamiliar with your ancestry. I knew Fleamont and Euphemia. Oh you are going to be fun, aren’t you?”
“I’ll try my best. Oh, Dumbledore is coming.”
And indeed, the Headmaster was strolling into the chamber with ease, whistling some strange tune and sporting a dark yellow robe with golden elements that totally clashed with his plum-coloured cape. He didn’t bother looking around in the room and just took his place, slightly unmotivated. Just moments later, Fudge joined him.
“Guards, seal the doors. We, the Wizengamot, meet here on the 24th of November for an emergency session. Presiding are Minister of Magic Cornelius Oswald Fudge and myself, Chief Warlock Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. Scribe, please document the attendance.”
The scribe, Francis Doge, quickly began scribbling down all the members. For this he had a piece of parchment that updated automatically. There were a few strange and unexpected names on it, but he had long learned to ignore that, he was merely writing a protocol and making sure that procedure was being followed. The others could worry about a documented werewolf being the named Steward for House Black.
Fudge got up, looked around, saw Harry Potter and Remus Lupin grin at him, made eye contact with Amelia Bones and continued to carry on without hesitating more than a fraction of a second. The implications of that… Please don’t let that be about Sirius Black. But if Potter was right a few months back, claiming that Pettigrew was alive - he’d better help them if he wanted to stay Minister.
“I too welcome all of you on such short notice, but this is a very pressing matter. Before I hand over to Lady Bones, for formality’s sake: does someone contest the form in which we have been called or the members present?”
He specifically looked at Lucius Malfoy, because he damn well knew that the man wanted the Black Lordship for his son. But Lucius just shook his head.
“No disputes shall be noted. Lady Bones, please.”
Amelia rose and walked down towards the Minister, nodding at him before taking her new seat next to the Chief Warlock.
“Honourable members, I thank you for coming on such notice. This was the first available date for this session due to the bylaws of the Triwizard Tournament and it is a truly pressing matter. Years ago a grave travesty occurred in this chamber - or rather, it didn’t. A member of a high-ranking family, an heir even, was arrested and simply tossed into Azkaban without trial or investigation. Everyone, even Bellatrix Lestrange received a trial. For the record, and so the press doesn’t do harm to this administration, the Bagnold administration is to blame for this. I personally cleared Lord Crouch from all guilt, he was not the one scheduling trials and overseeing arrests because we were formally still at war and he was busy with other duties. Later on he reduced his duties after his son’s arrest. My full report will be handed out later. But back to the topic. Please direct your attention to the DMLE’s full file on Sirius Black.”
The chamber already got louder and louder, but once everyone opened his or her copy of the file, it almost escalated.
Albus Dumbledore knew he had lost. Amelia Bones was working with Harry and Sirius Black. Oh. Harry was here.
“Point of Order, Amelia. I want to point out that Harry Potter is sitting in the Potter seat… and Merlin’s beard, what is Remus Lupin doing in the Black seat?”
A thundering voice sounded through the chamber.
“Albus Dumbledore and your bloody lack of formality and protocol. If you already instigate a tournament only for students of age at your school and force an underage student to participate against his will you should at least understand the consequences. And if Lord Sirius Black, never convicted I might add, names one of his best friends as his Steward, then you better accept it if the scroll of attendance does. Hah. A light-sided Gryffindor werewolf sitting in the Black seat. Oh I am so going to hug that rascal Sirius Black for messing up all your days.”
With that Augusta Longbottom sat back down, still chuckling. Oh yes, she was having fun.
“And if you are still doubting everything, Chief Warlock, then I, Lord Harry James Potter, Heir of the House of Black, formally reaffirm my Lord Black’s choice in Steward and confirm that he was indeed sent to this session by Lord Black. You should really not interfere in House business again , Chief Warlock. You have already seen me step into my great-grandfather Henry’s footsteps in battle, you really don’t want me to do the same in the Chamber. A man of your seniority should remember his speeches very well, and he is a very talkative painting, now that I finally know about it.”
Harry spewed the last sentence with enough poison in his voice to make everyone understand that Dumbledore was a meddler keeping him away from his heritage. And yes, he was deadly serious when it came to channelling Henry. Maybe it was the Power of Pendragon, the Black family gift, but standing up, speaking out for himself and convincing everyone of your position while eradicating your opponent was something that came easy to him since he was training with Henry.
Dumbledore slumped back into his chair. He had lost control even worse than anticipated. At that point all he could do was help free Sirius and try to score some positive points with the boy.
“I take back my Point of Order and ask Amelia to continue.”
“Thank you, Chief Warlock. I would move to the trial of Lord Sirius Orion Black, followed by a trial in absentia for Mr Peter Matthew Pettigrew including a revocation of his posthumous Order of Merlin… simply because he is not dead and a Death Eater.”
“Point of Order.”
Everyone turned around and stared at old Barty Crouch, who hadn’t raised his voice in this chamber in many years.
“Lady Bones, please put the trial for Bartemius Crouch Junior on your agenda too. Many of you might see the change in me, and that is because for many years I have been under the influence of mind magic, mostly potions and the Imperius. My late wife did that to me so I would free our son from Azkaban. It was a Polyjuice switch, because she was terminally ill. I held Junior under the Imperius for years. Not sure whether the elves were continuing to dose me, the compulsions were that strong or because it was a slow acting potion. At some point Junior broke free and the captor turned prisoner. Only a formal meeting called by Lord Potter caused my ring to react - I haven’t really been doing my House duties since the war. Amelia arrested Junior, who was impersonating Alastor Moody at Hogwarts.”
With that he sat down, and the whole chamber escalated once again.
“Order! Merlin, you people can’t be silent every now and then. Barty’s story is accurate, I have the documentation proving the mind magic. But I am going to refuse that Point of Order, Bartemius Crouch Junior’s sentence is already life in Azkaban, no need to cause a security risk and drag him in here for an Unforgivables charge unless you insist.”
“Then I wont, just toss him back in there and make sure he never sees the light of day again.”
“Unless there are further interruptions, I will continue. This matter should have been cleared up in 1981, it is about time to tell the world that Sirius Black was framed.”
The implications of Amelia’s statement regarding Pettigrew only set in now, Barty’s interruption had distracted them from that realisation.
“Rufus! Bring forward the accused!”