198Chapter Two
Harry was aware of the eyes on him as he stepped out of the private apparition rooms that were set up in the Halls of the Wizengamot that kept them anonymous, the low murmuring that went through the Halls as those present obviously discussed the fact that The-Boy-Who-Lived-Twice had joined them, the implications that he had chosen to claim them instead of leaving them to Dumbledore, and no doubt how it would affect them.
He ignored them and straightened his back, walking quickly over to where Draco and Daphne were standing close by the apparition rooms, waiting for him so that he did not have to look around for them. They both smiled slightly and inclined their heads to him when he reached them, they knew how nervous he was, and how much he was dreading today, but both of them had encouraged him over the last week.
Out of the hell that the last few months had been, trying to cram as much information, facts, knowledge and etiquette that would be expected of him, one of the good things that had happened was the friendship that had been cemented with Draco and they had found their feet with each other finally, not only with himself but with the other the Malfoy heir had finally found his place with them. He had developed a good friendship with Daphne as well, though not as close as Draco, he felt that they would remain good friends.
When he reached them Draco smiled a little more honestly at him.
"Ok?" Draco asked softly so that those around them could not hear them.
"Yes, nervous," Harry sighed.
"You're not showing it don't worry," Daphne inclined her head approvingly.
"I just want to get today over and done with, at least then it is started," Harry admitted.
"Not long and the session will start, you remember where your seat is?" Draco asked concerned.
"Yes," Harry nodded, he had gone over this part about a hundred times the night before. Though there were protections over the hall and the vows that had to be taken before entering the Wizengamot Halls ensured that memories could not be shared to protect the proceedings, Draco had magicked up a replica of the hall and the seating of the hall to prepare Harry for this, and to show him where his seat was.
Each of the Old Houses had an assigned seat in the hall, as did all of those who were granted seats because of their contributions to Wizarding Britain, this was to try and ensure that political groups did not form too deep within the Wizengamot, a good attempt to try and keep the group politics out of the countries politics.
He had gone over it a good amount of times as one of the few aspects of this that he could control before getting here. Draco and Daphne nodded comfortingly to him. As he listened to the rumble of voices around them, and the not so subtle glances from the others around them he remembered Daphne and Draco's warning about this. "They're all going to be excited about why you are there, why you aren't trusting Dumbledore to carry on with your seats, they're going to want to wonder about how it is going to affect the Wizengamot and it's politics - because they still exist no matter how many attempts are made to keep it out of the Wizengamot. The presumption was that you would join Dumbledore's faction whenever you claimed your seats, the fact that there is clearly a schism between you is going to have them working out what it means for them, their politics, groups and the things to come,"
That was more than clear as everyone eyed him and clearly gossiped about the fact that he was here.
"It is time," Draco said.
"Do you have to be so dramatic?" Harry sighed deeply. Daphne snickered while Draco narrowed his eyes at him, too dignified to stick his tongue out at him the way that he clearly wanted to do.
"Come on," Daphne took his arm and they headed towards the doors to the Halls with the rest of the crowd. Harry tilted his chin back to try and ignore them as they made their way into the Halls and up the steps to where the large round table of the Wizengamot sat.
He gave the two of them one last longing look, wishing that he was able to sit next to them for support, but then he stepped away and moved around the table to where his seat was waiting for him. Though he was claiming the Potter and Black seats, as a blood Potter he was taking that seat, and another person would be nominated to take the free Black space from within the Wizarding community.
Thankfully one of the pressures taken off of him was his age, unfortunately, there were a lot of young faces around the table, during and after the war the lives that had been lost had meant that a lot of the younger family members had had to take their seat earlier than expected, and as in the case of Draco and Daphne the fact that their fathers were in prison and were likely going to have their ability to sit on the Wizengamot revoked at the very least meant that they had had to take over their seats.
Sitting down in his seat he took in a deep breath and tried not to allow his anxiety to get the better of him, while not looking in the direction of Dumbledore who was trying to catch his eye from where he was sitting to Harry's right. He had tried to contact him numerous times during the last few months, he had fire called, owled, he had tried showing up at the House a good few times, and he had clearly been shocked when he had realised that Harry had managed to completely change the wards on the property, removing all the access that Sirius had given the Headmaster when he had handed over some of the control of it for the Order Headquarters. He had clearly been stunned that Harry had been able to remove the fidelius charm from the building.
"Lord Parkinson," Harry nodded respectively when one of those that would sit around him took his seat beside Harry.
"Please call me Marcus considering we are going to be neighbours once a month at least," The older man smiled and Harry felt a little more comfortable right away as his handsome face relaxed from the professional mask to something more honest.
"Thank you, please call me Harry,"
"Welcome to the Wizengamot Lord Potter, it is a surprise to see you claiming your seats so soon after everything that you have been through, we were not expecting you to claim them until at least next year," The Lady from next to Marcus said leaning forward slightly.
"That is an incredibly polite way of asking why I haven't left my seats with Dumbledore Madame Bones," Harry said lightly. There was a pause and then Marcus, the two people sitting beside Madame Bones and the two sitting to Harry's other side started laughing, Madame Bones flushed a little, but thankfully joined in the laughter a second later.
"Unfortunately there is no real subtle way to ask what you no doubt know most of the Wizengamot is thinking," the man next to Harry said. "Mikhail Zabini," he added, holding his hand out to Harry who quickly took it.
"That is very true," Harry laughed, "a pleasure to meet you Lord Zabini,"
"Mikhail please, as Marcus said we're neighbours now," The tall man was as good looking as his son was, and he had the same charm that Harry had noted in the times that they had met while he was out with Draco.
"Harry then please," Harry nodded.
"I am Nessa Goldstein," The lovely curvy redheaded lady next to Mikhail waved.
"Gregory Boot," The man next to Amelia Bones waved extra cheerfully, his older wrinkled face looking immediately kind and welcoming, making Harry smile warmly back.
"I'm Nathaniel Finch-Fletchley," the clearly pregnant man leant forward a little to smile at Harry, the man looking so much like his son Justin that Harry couldn't help responding, his husband looked stern and far too serious, and they did not look as though they should go together, but the fact that they were holding hands on top of the table showed definitely.
"Samuel Finch-Fletchley," He nodded.
"A pleasure to meet you all," Harry had been nervous about this meeting, concerned that he would not get on with the people that he was going to have to spend a fair amount of time around from now on, he knew that Draco did not get on with Hestia Jones who was seated next to him and was out and out a Dumbledore fan and saw him as nothing more than Death Eater spawn. But, it seemed to be going rather well so far with his neighbours.
"I hope you are not offended by my question," Amelia Bones said and Harry smiled honestly at her.
"No I am not, I understand that it is something that has changed the delicate politics of the Wizengamot in the sense of voting, never mind the curiosity of the relationship between myself and Dumbledore, I know that the papers are still printing about how close we are and painting a picture of a rosy future with the two of us," Harry shrugged.
"Your phrasing would indicate that that is not the truth between you," Mikhail hummed.
"That would be correct. He decided to completely keep from me that I had seats here and that he was running my seats for me until a few weeks after the Final Battle. I have spent the last few months learning what I need to learn to be able to responsibly take my seat and having to learn things that I could have spent years learning," Harry sighed.
"Wow, that is…" Gregory blinked at Harry.
"Incredibly wrong, you were entitled to know about your inheritance, especially as he was running them for you! Everyone thought that you were fully aware of it!" Nessa shook her head.
"Nope, can't even argue that he did not want me distracted from learning what I needed to know to survive Voldemort considering he didn't really teach me anything different that could help me in defeating him, and the Defence Teachers that he hired with the exception of Remus were ridiculously useless," Harry rolled his eyes.
"I think you are going to make Dante's year," Mikhail snorted.
"Dante? Lord Flint?" Harry asked digging the name from one of those Daphne and Draco had drilled into him. Dante Flint was the second of the Wizengamot, sitting beside Dumbledore, they had told him that the two did not really get on and often butted heads.
"He has to sit next to Dumbledore and put up with his holier than thou attitude, the fact that he did something so appalling, has lost your additional seats, and Dumbledore has lost the control that he no doubt hoped to have on you, is going to make his year," Marcus nodded.
"To be honest, after the last few months of trying to shove information into my head any amount of discomfort that I can bring to him is going to make me very happy," Harry snorted.
"Oh, I think we're going to get on very well Harry," Marcus chuckled, his blue eyes shining as they took in his expression.
"I concur," Nessa laughed.
"Dante is already looking far happier," Mikhail gently nudged Harry's shoulder and nodded to where Dumbledore was sitting. The tall, dark-haired man next to him was indeed looking smugly content, smirking as Dumbledore tried to catch Harry's eye as he was looking over, and slumped his shoulders when Harry pointedly did not allow him to make that eye contact.
"Having to sit next to Dumbledore for this long, I am not surprised, aside from everything else, he must have sun shading over his eyes for the robes alone," Harry said dryly, the group around him paused and then started laughing as they glanced over at the neon orange robes the Headmaster was wearing.
"He has far too much power for someone who claims to not want it. I am glad that you have claimed your seats, Harry, it balances things out a lot more, and I am even more relieved to know that you are not one of those who are in his pocket and follow him blindly," Marcus rested his hand on Harry's back gently.
"The time where I did that stopped a long time ago when I realised that he sees people as pawns only, and expects them to do exactly as he commands. I stopped trusting him around the same time," Harry hummed.
"You are…" Marcus started to say, but a loud tap went through the room and Dumbledore, looking both put out and downtrodden started speaking right away.
"Meeting called to order, we have a new member that has taken his seats. Lord Potter is claiming his Potter seat and the Black seat that Sirius Black has left him," Dumbledore tried to beam proudly at Harry as though this was their plan, Harry looked right back at him blankly and unimpressed, crossing his arms pointedly, causing a small amount of whispering to go around the room. Beside the headmaster Dante Flint shifted, the corner of his mouth turning up into a smirk as he sat up straighter.
"I think we are definitely going to get on Harry," Marcus chuckled lowly next to him as Dumbledore hurried to carry on with the general notices, though the whispers of the others of the Wizengamot did not quiet as they clearly gossiped more, looking between Harry and Dumbledore.
As the meeting carried on those beside Daphne were whispering to her, and going by her annoyed look and the glances that they kept shooting Harry, they were trying to get information out of her about Harry, their relationship and anything else they could glean from her, but the strawberry blonde sat straight-backed, lips pursed and seemed to be answering in short, sharp responses.
Hestia Jones was glaring at poor Draco furiously who was looking more and more annoyed as the hours passed, his lips pursing at her glares and the whispering from Lady Ogden next to him who seemed to be trying to get the same information that Daphne's neighbours wished to get, their glances aimed at Harry as well where he was sitting.
"Does it bother you?" Mikhail asked softly.
"Hmm?" Harry looked away from the discussion that was currently happening between the Wizengamot to the other man.
"The stares," Mikhail nodded to a few people who were looking over, all of them quickly looking away embarrassed at having been caught.
"And the glares," Marcus added. "Though I am surprised that it seems to be more Dumbledore's faction glaring at you than the 'suspected' Voldemort supporters,"
"Honestly, I am used to them both, it does bother me a little bit, not as much as it probably should. As for Dumbledore's bunch, they think I am betraying Dumbledore by going against him and refusing to talk to him, take interviews with him, and generally allowing him to carry on controlling my life," Harry rolled his eyes.
"You're an adult though, you can make choices for yourself," Amelia frowned.
"I think I could be forty and they would still think that I should be allowing Dumbledore to make choices for me. All hell broke loose when I said that I would not be becoming an auror, a lot of those that had been on the edge were pushed over with that one. They seem to think that I should still take certain actions to be a representative figure for the rest of my life,"
"You have done more than enough to be allowed to live your life as you want! Even if you hadn't, no one has the right to tell someone how to live their life!" Nathaniel hissed angrily.
"Unfortunately when you are a known face that is something that most people do not see," Samuel said gently, taking his husband's hand.
"Well, that is just…" Nathaniel puffed his cheeks out annoyed.
"Indeed," Marcus nodded.
Their attention was drawn back to the argument as it heated up between the members of the Wizengamot, but Harry felt a little warmer and happier at their seemingly honest disbelief and unhappiness at his treatment.
He listened with interest and watched the workings of the Wizengamot as the meeting carried on, watching as Dante Flint seemed to become more frustrated with Dumbledore as the older man charmed and twinkled at talked over people to try and get his own way, his people within the Wizengamot talking over others to try and push their points forward. The Lord tried to control it and control Dumbledore, but it was obviously a constant battle.
He found himself listening closely to the points that those around him raised, understanding their politics and views, listening closely as they talked between themselves about the issues being discussed to understand them better. He was happy to note that while there were varying levels of belief in the different ideas that they held, they seemed fairly close to the opinions that he held on the points raised.
And then it happened.
Draco and Daphne both turned to look at him, narrowing their eyes and clearly willing him not to speak. They had both told him that the best course of action for his first few meetings was to not raise any points during the meetings, not join in the discussions with the whole group, mainly to get used to the lay out of the meetings and to make sure that he had a good grip on how things were discussed and to give them another couple of months to teach him the best ways to speak and make points to the Wizengamot. They had warned him that a lot of people would be judging him, and he would be judged on the first few points that he argued if he made a fool of himself in the first few points he tried to argue then he would find it very difficult to find ground again and actually get people to listen to him.
But then he had never really followed all the rules, and they knew that.
"Why wouldn't we supply money for them?" He asked, and it was as though he had let off some of Fred and George's fireworks as everyone stopped and turned to look at him. Draco closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose with an annoyed sigh.
"Because they come from rich families that have money of their own," Dumbledore answered with a warm smile.
"Families whose money has been frozen and is inaccessible to them right now," Harry responded.
"Because their families are Death Eaters!" One of Dumbledore's followers snapped.
"Exactly," Harry nodded.
"I think perhaps you have taken your seats too young Mr Potter if you think that you have just made an argument!" Hestia sneered.
"It is Lord Potter-Black, actually, and I do not see what when I claimed my seats have anything to do with you, or this discussion. As to my argument, the answer to the issue was right there in that answer. Their parents and families are potential Death Eaters under investigation awaiting trial, trials that have unfortunately been delayed, something that is understandable considering everything that our community has been through, and how many there are to investigate. However that is no fault of the children's and they are not under trial, they are children, they are guilty of nothing but the circumstance of birth," Harry said sharply.
"Their families have money!" Someone else scowled.
"Money that is frozen, are they meant to eat, keep warm, survive on the promise of money that may never be released to them, what are they meant to do in the meantime? What are they meant to do if their families are found guilty?" Harry frowned.
"They will need to find a way!"
"How? They are children that have been taken under the influence of the Ministry, but you are suggesting that they are not supplied with money for their keep!" Marcus spoke up, and Harry felt something relax in him.
"That is the fault of their families!"
"But it is our responsibility, and barely any of their families have gone to trial yet, they have not been found guilty, and until such a time as they have been they are presumed innocent pending trial," Amelia nodded.
"How many were found to be under the imperio last time? Not only have they had their minds and actions invaded and controlled, their lives ripped apart, and forced to take actions they did not want to, but their children are going to suffer as well!" Another Lord called.
"Hang on. It doesn't matter if their families are guilty or not!" Harry held his hand up, and against the eyes of the Hall turned to him.
"Pardon?" "What!" "What do you mean?" "That is ridiculous!" Voices called out.
Harry stood up and the hall seemed to hold their breaths, this was something that Daphne and Draco had mentioned to him, clearly not expecting him to actually use it - probably not within the next year - but it was something that was used when a member wanted to be heard, the rest of the Hall could not talk over them, interrupt them or argue back until they had spoken their peace.
Draco and Daphne looked like they were going to string him up by his toes at the end of this going by the looks that they were giving him, Daphne even snapped something to her neighbour when they went to say something to her before Harry started talking and they would not be able to talk.
"I am sorry, but it does not matter if their family are guilty or not, you are all talking as though the guilt of the family reflects onto the children and should dictate how we treat them. They are children, this war, the choices that have been made by their family, have nothing to do with them, and talking about refusing to ensure that they have food, shelter, safety, and ensuring that they are cared for is frankly disgusting! This community has been split and divided since before I was born, in the years that Voldemort was hidden away the divide continued, this mistrust and the pointing of fingers, the discrimination and the hatred. People's worlds over the last year have been ripped apart, we have lost a lot of people - where their places were in the war does not take away the grief that those they left behind are feeling. This is a chance that we have to start healing those wounds, start healing the hurt and the pain that has divided us. By discriminating against children for any reason, innocent children who have done nothing wrong themselves is only going to carry this on, they are going to grow up to be angry and hurt, to hate the world that has turned their backs on them and mistreated them, and all we are going to do is push them towards the thoughts and ideals of those that have been defeated!"
"That was a very passionate speech my boy but I believe…"
"I believe that Lord Potter-Black is still on his feet, Lord Dumbledore!" Dante Flint interrupted, his black eyes flashing as he looked at the Headmaster with fury on his face though his voice was controlled.
"Thank you, Lord Flint," Harry inclined his head at the man before meeting Dumbledore's blue eyes. He felt a hint of satisfaction as the Headmaster looked at him hopefully. "Voldemort himself was dumped in an orphanage and forgotten about, he was left to go back to a muggle catholic high school in the forties where he had already performed accidental magic and he was looked at with disgust and hatred. He knew no love, or care, he was not protected and he was not looked after by our world. And that contributed to his hatred and his desire to control this country, to destroy people and things, and it fed into the man that he became, and we are still feeling the consequences of the choices to leave him there,"
Harry looked around the Hall taking a deep breath as he gathered his thoughts, completely unsure if he was making a complete fool of himself, but he would not stop now.
"We have a chance here, we are where things begin, we decide the way that our country is going to go now. We can treat these children with mistrust and hatred, we can blame them for the actions of their parents that have nothing to do with them. Or we can treat them with kindness, we can treat them as children and look after them, we can be better than Voldemort was and chose not to discriminate against people who have had no choice about the families that they were born into and the blood that flows through their veins, and by doing so we can start the process of trying to be better than we have for a long time, to stop looking at each other with suspicion and worry, we can lead the way to show that this is a fresh start, a new time for us all, and that the hatred and division that we have had to live through will not be carried through to our children and their grandchildren. We have the chance by being decent human beings to nip in the bud a chance of another Voldemort being created, or the carrying on of his ideals by doing this,"
Harry sat down, letting out a small breath as he tried to ignore the way his legs and hands were shaking, the way his heart was thundering in his chest, and he was fairly sure that his cheeks were red at having the attention of all these people on him, not helped by the silence that carried on for a good few moments after he sat down. And then the Hall erupted into chatter and everyone tried to talk over each other.
He answered some questions about Voldemort and his knowledge of his childhood, not bothering to bring Dumbledore into it, but making it clear that it was information that he had learned about him in order to understand him to defeat him, the fact that he was able to provide such details as his parents, grandfather and uncle made it clear that he honestly knew this information.
He ended up reiterating or rephrasing a lot of what he had said, and he could feel a headache forming as the argument went on and on for nearly an hour, until finally, the conversation seemed to roll to a natural conclusion. And then Dante Flint spoke up, his voice booming through the Hall.
"Those in favour?"
"Well," Daphne crossed her arms, her foot tapping as she looked at Harry where he was sprawled on his front on the sofa. He let out a wounded noise, flapping his hand at her, and Draco who he had no doubt was with her.
"Honestly Harry, you can't follow even simple instructions," Hermione tutted, sounding a little amused.
"Tattletales!" Harry grumbled throwing a rude gesture at the multiple footsteps that he could hear coming into the room.
"Well," Daphne repeated, and Harry grunted as she sat on his legs. "It is a good job that you were quite impressive and made a quite imposing argument that I think is going to go down as one of the most impressive first arguments made at a Wizengamot meeting, especially your first meeting,"
"Really?" Harry turned so he could see her, Draco, Hermione, Ron and Neville.
"You won the argument by a huge margin Harry," Draco chuckled, rolling his eyes even as he patted Harry's arm.
"You also mixed facts with emotion in a very balanced way that can not be taught, even with years of training. You presented very good facts, and very good points, mixing with honest emotion. It was very impressive Harry," Daphne patted his back.
"Impressive enough that you have an invitation," Ginny said walking in holding a letter, floating a load of plates behind her with their lunch on it.
"An invitation?" Harry asked, sitting up when Daphne allowed him to retrieve his legs, realising how hungry he was considering he had not been able to eat breakfast this morning.
"Yup, here you go, delivered by owl, a fancy invitation as well, expensive parchment and fancy gilding, and a secrecy spell to make sure that no one but you can read it," Ginny passed the letter over to him.
"You're going to make a brilliant auror," Harry smiled at her before looking to the invitation, which was indeed as fancy as she said. "Oh!"
"Who is it from?" Daphne asked curiously.
"Marcus Parkinson, inviting me to a meal that he, Mikhail Zabini, Amelia Bones, Dante Flint, Gregory Boot, Nessa Goldstein, Nathaniel and Samuel Finch-Fletchley, apparently they meet for a meal on the weekend after every meeting, they have invited me to it as well," Harry looked up.
"You should go," Daphne nodded.
"What?!" Harry squeaked.
"This is good, they were obviously impressed by you, and you are going to be spending a lot of time with them, it is a good chance to get to know them, especially outside of the meetings. They're also quite known for being a tight group so this is a chance that you don't really want to miss," Draco nodded.
"Ugh, you're going to choose my robes!" Harry whined.
"Yay dress up!" Ginny cheered before shoving a sandwich into his mouth as he opened it to take his words back.
"Youb allb suck!" Harry grumbled through munching his sandwich.