30AN: I'm sorry that it took so long to get another chapter published for this story! I had writers block for the longest time tbh, but I'm happy that I finally got this chapter done and that my muse somewhat returned for this story. I did enjoy writing this, even if it's not my favorite HP story I've written for so far. (Hidden in plain sight shall always be my baby)
Harry hadn't wasted time informing the Twins and Bill about Dumbledore's apparent proposal when he saw them next. The three gingers grimaced, with Bill folding his arms and shaking his head in displeasure. The twins mirrored their older brother, crossing their arms with a sigh of contempt.
"I can promise you that you won't be the only one who makes a motion to dismiss him," Bill promised, looking increasingly furious the longer they talked about it. "Of all his ludicrous ideas, this one certainly takes it! I mean, removing a sabbat? One that is meant to honor the dead and the upcoming year?" Fred wrapped an arm around Bill's left shoulder, while George went for the right.
"Our brother is partial to this holiday," George began, earning an earnest nod from his twin. Harry couldn't stop a small grin from spreading across his face as Bill playfully rolled his eyes, some of the anger diminishing into something less volatile.
"Our entire family will be this year," Fred added, and Harry had to ignore the painful twitch in his chest, forcing down the anguish that wanted to rise. "In fact, most pureblood and half-blood families will this year," Fred stated simply, and Harry was quick to agree.
"Exactly," He emphasized. "Of all the times to try and enforce this law, this has to be the worst time to try and do it," Harry said with a small, mischievous smirk. "We can use this to our advantage when we move to dismiss it. Lucius said this is likely the start of Dumbledore trying to create propaganda against the dark side, and potentially the more neural side as well. He wants to use the war and the past formation of the death eaters as a way to further his own agenda," Bill exhaled, nodding.
"It's almost frightening to imagine what could have been if we weren't doing this," The older wizard began, a serious gleam behind his eyes. "Dumbledore still has an alarming amount of support. There are many who never think to question him or his orders," Harry didn't bother hiding his grimace as he nodded, having thought the same thing countless times.
"How much of that support is because of Harrykins, though?" Harry blinked at the question as he turned to look at George, watching as scheming looks blossomed on their faces. "For those who don't know what went on, which is mostly everyone, they all thought you supported him," He slowly nodded, recalling that Lucius had believed that as well until he proved him wrong.
At the time, it had been him against Voldemort and Dumbledore. His back was in a corner, and it took everything for him to defeat Voldemort in the end. Dumbledore was a battle for another time.
"You were the one who defeated Voldemort, Harrykins," Fred mumbled. "And because the majority believe you supported Dumbledore, they likely support him now," Fred smirked a bit. "And when you show that you don't support him, just how many of his supporters will abandon him?" Truthfully, Harry had never thought of that before. Of course, he was well aware of his own fame; it was something that he could never escape from.
But it had never occurred to him that it was his own fame that could have boosted Dumbledore's own support as well. He closed his eyes with a sigh, starting to understand more why the headmaster was even more adamant about getting to him.
It wasn't only about making sure he didn't spill the truth about what happened when he and his friends were on the run. It was so much more than that. Dumbledore knew he needed him on his side to retain all of his support. Harry smirked a bit, already planning away.
Dumbledore would be utterly screwed.
"Not to mention," Bill began, looking thoughtful. "If the public knew he and the order were also hunting you down while you were on the run from the death eaters, he would be condemned on the spot." Harry nodded but still hesitated.
"That's why I want to chip away at his power and support piece by piece," Harry mumbled. "Even if I could easily get the public to turn on him immediately, I don't trust it to work well enough, or last." He confessed, a frown replacing the smirk he once wore. "Like Voldemort, Dumbledore has extremely loyal followers. One word from him, and they could twist the narrative, or try to do something internally at the ministry,"
And truthfully, he wanted to humiliate Dumbledore as often as he could in Wizengamot.
"If we want to take Dumbledore down for good, we'll need to do this slowly. We'll have to show everyone that he isn't helping this world, only himself. With all the reforms and improvements this world needs, he hasn't done a damn thing to fix it. We'll show them his lack of resolve to improve this world, and that his plans will only make matters worse for the future of this society." Bill gave an appreciative whistle once Harry was done, making the younger snort softly.
"That's a brilliant plan," Bill praised, quietly drumming his fingers on the armrest as another thought hit him. "If we make the members in Wizengamot doubt his intentions, that will slowly trickle out to everywhere else."
"Lucius also said that many of these upcoming meetings would be reform-based, with the intention of getting laws passed, or at least having them be considered for future meetings. We'll make them realize Dumbledore hasn't been doing anything the moment we immediately start suggesting our ideas." The twins shot each other a smirk, something flashing between their eyes that only Bill noticed, curious about what they were planning.
"And how did dear Lucius respond to the fact-" George started, smirking more.
"-that all of us will be aligning as neutral?" Fred finished, matching his brothers' smirk. Harry snorted, running a hand through his hair as he figured out how to best phrase his words. He hadn't yet told them that Lucius was partially aware of certain events. They also weren't aware that he considered the older wizard to be a friend, one that he was growing to admire more each day.
"I think he would have been more surprised if he weren't aware of certain parts of the situation, specifically regarding my hatred of the Order." Bill froze at that, turning to look at Harry in surprise. Rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly, the younger wizard took a steadying breath, forcing himself to continue.
"Lucius doesn't know much, but he is aware that Tonks killed Hermione," Harry confessed softly, watching as the twins parted their lips in shock.
"He knows about that?" Bill's head was tilted, clearly deep in thought as Harry nodded, a harsh sigh leaving his lips. He looked exhausted as he began to explain what happened.
"I meant to tell you this sooner, but Tonks was at the gala Lucius and I went to the other night. I ignored her until she cornered me and began to disregard my Lordships. She finally referred to me correctly after Kingsley called her out and humiliated her in front of everyone." There was a satisfied gleam in the twin's eyes, their vicious smirks making Harry relax, ready to continue.
"What upset me the most was when she insulted Lucius," Harry confessed with a scowl. "She called him death eater scum." He hissed, green eyes flashing. "It astounds me that people can turn a blind eye to all he did for us." He took a breath, forcing himself to calm down. "I snapped. I chewed her out and threatened her, and when I did, I let it slip to him that she killed Hermione," The atmosphere in the room crackled, a tension spreading as Bill shifted closer, laying a hand on Harry's shoulder gently.
"I'm sorry you had to deal with her," Bill mumbled sincerely, a somber frown on his face. The twins had their own frowns in place, their jovial nature long gone. "Everything considered, I think you handled the situation well. Had it been Hestia Jones or Mad-Eye there, I don't know how I would have handled myself," A dark look crossed the twin's faces at the names, a grimace appearing on Harry's face, his eyes bright with hatred.
"That's the one thing I have to be prepared for," A sad smile formed on Harry's face as he leaned back, letting himself accept Bill's consoling touch. "If I want to truly make a difference, I have to do more than merely appear at Wizengamot. I have to venture to different galas and make more connections, and since some of these will be Ministry galas," Harry shakily exhaled. "It means I have to be prepared to see them, whether I want to or not,"
Fred and George were at his side, their warms hands grasping him, an intense look in their eyes.
"And you won't be alone," George promised. "Whenever you think you'll need someone to accompany you, we've got your back," Fred nodded, eyes bright with conviction.
"That goes for me too," Bill added once the twins were done. "Even if those parties aren't my thing, I'd be there the moment you'd ask," Gratitude started to swell in Harry's chest, his eyes stinging with unshed tears as he looked down, fighting to keep them at bay.
"Thank you. That means a lot to me," Harry took a calming breath, forcing the tears away. "You three have always been my favorites," He tried to joke, wanting to lighten the mood. It worked when the twins grinned at him, wrapping their arms around his shoulders playfully.
"It proves you have the best taste!" The duo chimed, making the younger wizard laugh. Bill fondly rolled his eyes, but relief lingered on his expression, glad to see the mirth slowly returning to his friend's face.
"Before I forget, there is something I wanted to say," Harry confessed after a moment, a small flush on his face. "I have a lot of trust in Lucius. I haven't known his genuine self for very long, but I do consider him to be a friend. He's very easy to talk to," The younger wizard shrugged, having not told anyone else about his friendship with the respectable Lord.
"I had a feeling," Bill admitted with a small grin of his own. "You've been talking about him for a while now, and with all the guidance he's offering you, I'm not surprised a friendship has developed."
"Our brother understates it," A faux innocent voice slowly rings out. "What he means to say is that you have talked about him almost every night," Harry stuttered, face flushing darkly as George snickered. "For good reason too!"
"Quite true! You see, anyone who openly opposes Dumbledore deserves to be honored and recognized!" Bill laughed, along with Harry, whose flush was dying down. "And we couldn't be happier that he's helping you."
After a while, their chatter died down, with the twins eventually leaving to return to their shop. As Harry was getting ready to leave himself, he handed Bill a few papers.
"I wanted to let you know that we already have the buildings ready for whenever we're ready to open up the shops." With eyes wide, the ginger eagerly took the parchment, flipping through it in anticipation.
"Merlin, Harry!" An excited laugh bubbled from the eldest Weasley, who chewed on his bottom lip. "How were you able to secure two buildings so fast?" The raven-haired wizard chuckled, rocking on the balls of his feet.
"Two reasons. For one, the Potter family already owned one of the buildings. It was being rented out, but the last person recently moved locations, so it became available again. The building beside it though," Harry flushed in embarrassment. "The lady who owned it was all too happy to give the property to me. She said it was the least she could do for the savior of the wizarding world,"
As much as Harry hated his fame, he wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth.
"And since we technically own the buildings, we can renovate it the way we want." The excited gleam in Bill's eyes only seemed to brighten. "Which means we can have the two shops connected. I was thinking of removing the walls connecting the shops so that walking through would be smoother.
"I think it's a great idea." Bill grinned widely. "There could be a client who needs items from both shops, or they might need specialized services from both as well." Harry nodded at that, thinking about what it could mean for their business and the people they staffed.
"That's why I think we'll need to have at least one or two experienced employees ready for whenever something like that comes up," Harry admitted, starting to brainstorm with the older wizard. "Besides us, I mean. I think it would help us if we had a few staff members be proficient in both areas of the shop. And maybe some who focus more on wards, like a specialist." Bill's eyes were wide, nodding along.
"That does give me an idea," He began. "I have some former colleagues who specialized in specific areas. Dion Aritious specializes in ward construction and deconstruction," Harry's eyes widened, anticipation buzzing in his chest. "And Rana Fadel specializes in removing curses."
Bill paused, smirking a bit.
"And I know for a fact that both of them are tired of working at Gringotts full time. They want something else to do on the side." Harry laughed, his magic buzzing happily.
"Looks like we found our two specialists. Do you think they would be happy to travel here though?" Bill snorted, nodding immediately as he collected the papers Harry gave him.
"I know for a fact that Rana wants to travel here. She loves Egypt, but she longs to travel somewhere else and try other things. Even though the Gringotts in Egypt have a lot more excitement than the one here, she's grown restless and tired of it after so long." Harry listened, nodding along at certain times.
"And what about Dion? Does he feel the same way?"
"Oh, you have no idea." Bill outright laughed, shaking his head. "Dion's always wanted to travel to different places. He attended Cetenyo in Greece and eventually traveled to Egypt as well. He's always wanted to travel to the UK too," Bill sighed wistfully, unaware of the recognition that was dawning on his friend's face.
Harry tilted his head, looking at the Weasley with a new perspective as he smiled sadly.
"They were like your Ron and Hermione, weren't they?" Bill tensed up for a moment, but he turned to Harry regardless and nodded, a bittersweet smile on his face.
"They are. They wanted to come with me when I told them I was returning home. I think they would have fought in this war beside me if they could, but I couldn't put that pressure on them. Not with Dion dealing with his problems in Greece," At Harry's confused look, Bill shrugged. "From my understanding, the muggle populus was having a hard time with their economy. It was slowly bleeding into the wizarding community as well."
"That's horrible," Harry breathed out, causing Bill to nod.
"It's improving now thankfully, but it reached its peak about a year ago. I didn't want him here while that was going on," Harry nodded in understanding, knowing the feeling all too well. "But I wrote to them about this idea we had. They're already wanting to come here and help out," Chuckling, Harry couldn't stop his small grin.
"Well, in that case, I'm looking forward to meeting them whenever we're ready to carry on to the next phase,"
"Thank you for your assistance," Harry smiled at Lucius, who was going over the younger's attire. "I had been under the impression that all the robes were meant to be the same." The older wizard hummed, understanding where the confusion came from.
"Only for trials," Lucius informed. "Once you claim your seats today, they will issue you a set." Harry sighed in relief at that, self-consciously touching his hair, which had been tied up by Bill earlier that morning. "Not a fan of having your hair tied back?" Harry flushed at being caught, slowly bringing his hand back down.
"I used to tie it back often when I was on the run," Lucius went quiet as the younger wizard spoke, listening to the soft voice. "Hermione was usually the one who tied it back for me. She liked to play with it after I grew it out since Ron usually kept his shorter than I did." Surprisingly, there wasn't anguish in his tone. It was sentimental instead, a bittersweet smile on his face. "It feels a little weird having it up and knowing it wasn't her who did it."
Lucius felt a pang in his chest at the words, knowing the unspoken I haven't tied it back since she died was hanging in the air.
"But I know this is how she would want me to look for Wizengamot," Harry chuckled softly to himself, his smile becoming more genuine and less somber. "She always thought I looked better with my hair up, more defined." He snorted. "It's one of the only ways to make my hair look presentable," Lucius felt his lips twitch at that, humming softly.
"I imagine your grandfather's hair product doesn't work either?" Again, Harry chuckled and shook his head.
"I blame my grandmother's side of the family for it. The Black family and their untamable curls," Even Sirius' hair was the same; black curls in constant disarray, yet somehow he made it work for him. Harry was trying to do the same, quickly learning that keeping it longer helped.
"Narcissa was the only Black who never inherited the curls," Lucius said, feeling himself smirk as he remembered a conversation he once had with her. "She always considered it a blessing,"
"I think she was right," Harry couldn't help but say, shaking his head fondly. "How is she, by the way? I know you two weren't romantically together, but I imagine that you do miss her presence," Harry nearly flinched, realizing he had insinuated the man was lonely. However, Lucius didn't seem to take any offense to his words.
"She misses Draco, but much like him, she is struggling," Lucius admitted, looking regretful. "While she was not fond of Bellatrix, she was still one of her only living relatives," He said with a soft sigh. "From what she last wrote to me, she was attempting to rebuild her relationship with Andromeda," Harry grimaced, already imagining the hard time Narcissa was having.
"She should have reached out to Sirius first," Harry admitted, thinking about all the issues with Andromeda's side of the family. "I'll talk to him about reaching out to her later. I know he misses her deeply," Lucius looked grateful for his words and Harry found himself offering a small smile. "He's actually in a similar situation to Narcissa, to be honest. He's always been closer to Andromeda, but after everything that happened with her daughter, reaching out to her is nearly impossible right now."
The younger wizard seemed to hesitate as he absentmindedly grasped the end of Lucius' sleeve, holding it as he debated on sharing something.
"We're trying to keep Andromeda out of everything that's going on," Harry admitted. "She lost her husband only a few months ago and the last thing we want to do is drag her into the current mess with the order and her daughter." As Harry held onto the end of Lucius' sleeve, he was unaware of the warm hand that landed on top of his, the thumb brushing over his knuckles.
"You're worried about how Andromeda will react to losing another family member," Harry sighed at that, giving a single nod.
"Not only that, but we dread telling her that her daughter killed Hermione. Andromeda loved all of Hermione's ideas and how determined she was to prove herself. She treated Hermione like she was her own daughter whenever we were all together." As Harry uttered those words, his chest constricted at the memory of Andromeda's wails when they informed her of Hermione's death after the final battle.
He grasped the sleeve tighter, the urge to tell Lucius more growing tenfold.
"While we were on the run from the Order and the Death Eaters, we camped out all over the country. The only people who knew our location were my godfathers…" Harry had to close his eyes. "And Tonks knew how close we all were to Sirius, so she used that to her advantage while they were tracking us down. Alastor Moody and Emmaline Vance helped her track us down and apprehend us," Taking a breath, Harry withheld from trembling as the violent memories replayed in his mind. "She was disguised as Sirius and since he was aware of our location, we didn't think anything of it."
During his retelling, Harry had unintentionally moved closer to Lucius, pressing closer as the man wrapped an arm around his waist.
"Tonks used a severing charm at close range once Hermione had moved to embrace who we assumed was Sirius." The older wizard's eyes widened at that, his lips parting in surprise at the violent attack. "Ron tried to get to her, but Vance and Moody struck him with a confringo and reducto from behind," Lucius felt himself turn ashen at the words, tightening his hold around the younger. "The last thing he ever saw was Hermione getting struck by another severing charm, which Tonks had aimed at her neck and face," Harry whispered, his eyes almost widening in surprise when two arms wrapped around him.
"I'm so sorry," Lucius whispered into his ear, feeling the pain that was dripping off of Harry's very being, seeping into the air around them. "I knew the Order was corrupt, but I never imagined they would go that far or be that violent." Harry let himself press into the hold, allowing himself the moment of comfort he rarely indulged in.
"They got me with a firewhip curse on my shoulder and my back. I guess they expected that to be enough to stop me, but when I saw Hermione covered in blood and not moving, I fought harder than I ever had. I fought back and killed Alastor Moody," Harry admitted, feeling safe in disclosing the information, unsure why he felt so secure in telling the man. "I used fiendfyre on them, but Tonks and Vance managed to escape from it, even though it did scar the side of Vance's face."
"I take it that's part of the reason you refuse to tell the public about what Tonks did," Lucius realized, seeing the predicament Harry found himself in. The younger chuckled mirthlessly, giving another nod.
"Partially," He admitted, not ready to disclose the other reason just yet. "By outing Tonks and Vance, I would also have to confess to killing Alastor Moody, who has now been deemed a war hero too," Harry made a pained face at that, and it stabbed at Lucius' chest, the urge to protect the younger festering more than before. He felt anger swarm in him for the younger wizard, already internally planning ways to help him change that.
"This might come as a surprise, but he was never liked among most people in Wizengamot, even those who were aligned on the light side." Harry's eyebrows raised in surprise at that, and Lucius continued. "Most people believed him to be too extreme in his views and the way he took people down. Had it not been for the war, there were talks about reviewing his actions while he was in office,"
"I almost regret killing him now," Harry mumbled under his breath, soon flushing at his own words and glancing at the man still touching his waist. There was a gleam of amusement in the silver gaze as the older wizard chuckled.
"Don't be. Multiple people would be more than willing to provide their experiences with Alastor," Lucius responded innocently, but the vindictive gleam in the silver eyes gave him away. Harry's breath hitched as a small grin blossomed over his face, a feeling of gratitude swarming through him. "I promise you that we'll get his status as a war hero revoked."
Lucius wasn't one to make promises lightly, but with the genuine grin on Harry's face and his green eyes shining brightly, Lucius found that he would promise him the entire world if he could.
It wasn't until they were inside Wizengamot that Lucius realized his previous thought, his heart thudding wildly in his chest as a pale flush rose on his cheeks. When he turned to glance at the younger wizard, he was met with a look of trust, a soft smile awaiting him. The blonde responded with his own, his chest flaring with an unfamiliar, but delightful warmth. Lucius let his hand land on the small of Harry's back, guiding him to his new seat. His thumb stroked soothing circles along the slightly tense back, internally preening when the man immediately relaxed into his touch, even leaning into it.
Lucius knew he was absolutely doomed when that warm feeling spread through his chest again, but he merely smiled to himself for a split second, already accepting his fate.
He didn't need to dwell on his thoughts for long because three sets of ginger hair joined them, a devilish gleam in their eyes that made Lucius smirk to himself, aware that they were already gaining multiple looks.
"Lord Malfoy," The twins spoke in unison quietly, nodding respectfully as they moved to sit on the other side of Harry. Bill joined them next, doing the same thing his brothers did as he claimed the other seat beside Lucius.
"Lords Prewett, Lord Weasley," He responded, nodding in return.
"I forgot to ask earlier, but were you able to submit your proposal?" Harry asked when they were all sat down, remembering that Lucius planned to submit a proposal once the Board of Governors was re-established.
"I was," Lucius gave him a small smirk. "If it gets approved today, I will submit the curriculum idea you and Lord Weasley had," Beside Lucius, Bill's eyes gleamed brightly, a grin blossoming forth.
"Call me Bill," He said, grinning even wider as they discussed the new curriculum plans that would potentially be created for Hogwarts.
Across the room, none were privy to the way Albus Dumbledore's face went white, nor were they aware of the wide, horrified eyes.
"Don't they know that's the neutral side?" Podmore whispered into Dumbledore's ears, his words falling on deaf ears, as the man was too shocked to hear them.
"What I don't get is why they would sit beside Lucius Malfoy of all people, or have a conversation with him," Lord Macmillan scoffed, voice quiet and only heard by Lord Podmore and Lady Fawley. Fawley looked ready to say something, but Shacklebolt soon walked in, the entire room going silent in respect.
"Before we begin the proposal process, we have four new members to add to Wizengamot," Shacklebolt began once he was in the center of the room, Amelia Bones standing to his side as she read off an enhanced paper.
"Lords Fred Prewett and George Prewett, how do you align your seat?" Amelia Bones asked, turning to the seats that were now glowing beside Harry.
"Neutral," The twins said in perfect unison, grinning when the glow intensified before fizzling out, leaving the pair with two robes in their arms. "Wicked," They whispered to themselves, inaudible to everyone except Harry, who was watching with glee as those seated around Dumbledore seemed to become flustered.
"Lord Harry Potter-Black, how do you align your seats?" If it was possible, the room became even more silent than before, everything becoming stilted as Harry felt multiple eyes burning into him. Usually, that kind of attention made him want to duck his head and avoid the gazes all around him, but now, it emboldened him.
"Neutral," He said firmly, his eyes trained on Dumbledore the entire time, enjoying the ashen look spreading across the man's face. Similar to the twins, his seat was glowing brightly, only dimming when his robes appeared in his lap.
"And lastly, how do you align your seat, Lord William Weasley?" Ignoring the urge to smirk, Bill responded without an ounce of hesitation.
"Neutral," He said, unable to stop his grin when the robes appeared in his lap too, a feeling of elation coursing through him at the gob-smacked looks all around Dumbledore.
"We welcome all of you to Wizengamot," Shacklebolt said loudly, clapping his hands once as the room shook with powerful magic, sealing their seats and their choices. The enchanted paper in Amelia's hands fizzled out, vanishing as another replaced it.
"We have three proposals today," Amelia Bones said, her gentle voice flowing through the room as she handed the paper to Shacklebolt, who waved his wand after reading the paper.
"Lord Fenneck, you have the floor first," Harry sat straighter, his eyes gleaming with pleasure as his friend stood from his seat addressing those around him with a nod.
"Thank you. I will keep this matter simple and to the point, because there is no other way to go about this," His tone held no room for arguments, and Harry appreciated that. "We must do something to improve the livelihood of werewolves in our world. Our previous laws and practices have shunned them, treating them as second-class citizens instead of equals. Our outdated laws are what led them, and other magical creatures into joining forces with the Death Eaters,"
"Fenrir Greyback killed countless people during the last battle. A werewolf can't be bargained with or trained. During the full moon, they are dangerous monsters." Harry nearly growled at the words, tensing until a hand touched the small of his back, taking away his burning anger almost immediately. Instead, he took a breath and calmly spoke up, letting go of his anger.
"I'm sorry but Fenrir Greyback was the monster, not the werewolf," Harry said, nodding to Lord Fenneck, who sent him a relieved smile, the gratitude and respect obvious. He then turned to Jasmine Hawthorn, his gaze firm. "I fought against him in that battle, Lady Hawthorn. Greyback was not a werewolf when he attacked all of us. He used his wand just like any other Death Eater." Lady Hawthorn went wide-eyed at his words, soon bowing her head. Harry nearly raised an eyebrow at how quick she was to listen to him, but he carried on. "We need to stop letting the actions of one man dictate how we treat everyone else. Yes, werewolves can be dangerous, but this is why we have wolfsbane,"
"Lord Potter-Black is correct," Fenneck said, standing straighter as Harry's words gave him more vigor than before. "In the final battle. Fenrir managed to turn over six Hogwarts students into werewolves. They, just like Lord Potter-Black, were fighting for their lives and their families. And what will they receive for their brave actions?" He asked, looking around the room with hard eyes. "I can tell you what they will receive unless we do something; laws that would be prejudiced against them. They don't need that after everything they fought for."
"What do you propose. Lord Fenneck?" Amelia had a light in her eyes that made Harry smile to himself, knowing she agreed with everything.
"For one, adjusting employment laws against werewolves. There are laws that prohibit werewolves from working most jobs. They are immediately disqualified from a job because of their condition, and to be frank, the only jobs that don't disqualify them pay next to nothing. How can we allow members of our society to be subjugated to low income when they are dealing with a condition that was forced on them?" Here he turned to the other members of Wizengmont, specifically the ones to the light side. "How would you feel, knowing that your children, or your grandchildren, would be shunned and unable to make a livable wage because they fought in a war that they should have been safe from?"
Harry took pleasure in how many cowered at his dark look, uncertainty coloring their features.
"The other thing I propose is that the ministry gives out wolfsbane potion, especially to those who were turned in the last battle. They're going through enough as it is, and asking for these children to pay for Wolfsbane is ridiculous. The potion is expensive, and not everyone can afford it monthly."
"That's not the ministry's fault!" A lord said, crossing his arms. "It's unfair to make the ministry pay for these potions-"
"And it's fair to make children and their grieving families pay for them?" Shacklebolt asked, his eyebrow raised as he shot the man an unimpressed look. "The ministry has a duty to the citizens in this country, Lord Nebes. If that means creating a program and helping pay for a vital potion for children, then we do so," The minister said evenly, earning mumbles of agreement.
"My granddaughter was one of the six that were turned," Lady Greengrass said, her eyes gleaming with determination. "A close friend of hers was turned as well, but her friend is muggleborn. This program would benefit those who don't have families in this world. And to be frank, this program would also help low-income families in this society as well. It would be impractical and unfair of us to assume every family has the means to pay for the potion or all the ingredients."
Harry swallowed at the words, thinking about the Weasleys. While most of them were adults now and had their own jobs, he couldn't imagine Arthur and Molly having to buy wolfsbane ingredients when they had already struggled to buy school supplies. Staring at Lady Greengrass fondly, Harry felt his respect for the woman grow even more.
"All in favor of updating the outdated laws against werewolves and for the ministry to create a program to help werewolves, such as providing free wolfsbane potions, please raise your wands." Harry could barely contain his delight as many rose their wands high, even some light side members. He caught Dumbledore's gaze and sent him a saccharine smile, enjoying the unease in the man's expression.
It didn't escape his notice that the Headmaster was one of the few who didn't have their wands raised.
"With that proposal being approved," Shacklebolt said, waving his wand. "Lord Dumbledore, you have the floor next," Harry frowned to himself, remembering what Lucius had warned him about.
"Thank you," There was a twinkle in Dumbledore's eyes and Harry twitched, itching to grab his wand and hex it off of him. Instead, he leaned into the hand that was still resting on his lower back, letting the warmth of it ground him. "After the dark times we have faced, we need to take more precautions to ensure they never happen again," Dumbledore said, stroking the end of his beard. "I propose we prohibit the practice of Samhain in this country. That day is filled with nothing but dark rituals that serve no purpose anymore. The dark needs to be left in the past as we move forward from the war," There were a few nods around the man, but Harry's eyes were drawn to a man who stood up as soon as Dumbledore was done talking, his expression stormy.
"And removing Samhain is the way to go about this?" The man spoke darkly, somehow remaining poised as he crossed his arms. "Samhain is rooted in this society, Lord Dumbledore. Proposing its removal is not only insulting, but it is demeaning as well. The dark times you are referring to have nothing to do with the practice of Samhain."
"I disagree, Lord Parkison. The practice of Samhain often involves blood rituals and dark spells. These practices should be prohibited in an effort to ensure the security of our society and future." Here, Harry stood up with determination, his eyes flashing.
"I agree with Lord Parkison," Harry said, earning wide eyes from not only the light faction but the dark faction as well. "Samhain is an important practice in this culture, Lord Dumbledore. To propose a ban on an important sabbat because of the last war is harmful and intolerant. The rituals used in Samhain are for honoring the dead and honoring the new year ahead. I fail to see why that would pose an issue. In fact, the sabbat is a way for everyone to come together and unify, which is what we need now more than ever. Further discrimination and censorship like this proposal is what will lead to another war,"
There wasn't a sound in the room, everyone holding their breath as he spoke, their eyes wide.
"I personally celebrate Samhain as a way to honor my parents and the sacrifice they made for me," Harry said, watching as many of the light side members glanced away, some looking down at the ground in shame. "And this next Samhain I will be honoring them again, along with all the friends I lost this year," He said, his words like magic as everyone swallowed hard at the powerful words. "With the amount of people who perished in the previous war, it would be an injustice to be banned from honoring their passing. To call Samhain dark is a misdeed," Harry added at the end, soon sitting down and leaving Dumbledore completely frazzled.
Harry was unaware of Lucius' gray eyes on him, missing the way they glimmered with admiration and pride.
"Thank you, Lord Potter-Black," Shacklebolt sent Harry a kind smile, which dimmed when he turned back to Dumbledore. "All in favor of banning the practice of Samhain, please raise your wands,"
To Harry's surprise, it was mostly the people around Dumbledore who raised their wands. Most of the other light faction members kept their wands down, frowns on their faces as they all glanced between him and Dumbledore.
And to no one's surprise, none of the dark factions or neutral factions had their wands raised.
"I'm sorry, Lord Dumbledore, but that proposal has been denied," The minister declared, waving his wand. Giving a single bow, Dumbledore merely sat back down, a noticeable frown on his face. "Lastly, Lord Malfoy has the floor," Harry sent the man a smile, flushing when the man stood, removing his hand from his lower back.
He immediately missed the warmth.
"Thank you," Lucius bowed. "Earlier this week the Board of Governors was reestablished," The relief was palpable, shimmering in the room like magic. "And we believe it's time to redistribute the hiring power, as well as the curriculum power, from the Headmaster to the Board," Harry bit the inside of his cheek to stop from laughing at the indignant look on Dumbledore's face. "Hogwarts is behind in comparison to other magical institutions, such as Beauxbatons and Durmstrang. Unlike Hogwarts, they have a separate governing body and selects the curriculum and professors."
"The curriculum and staff have been selected by the Headmaster for generations! Why should this stop now?" Harry didn't know who it was that spoke, but to his surprise and delight, Bill stood up to answer them.
"Because there needs to be a change," Bill answered, his eyes narrowed. "For a school that is supposed to be renowned, why are most of the upper years still unsure what they want to do after they graduate?" Bill received looks of surprise, even from some neutral members. "The other institutions have a wider variety of subjects to select from, and this has allowed them to flourish in comparison to our current Hogwarts graduates," There was a huff from a displeased-looking Lord, who was sitting a few rows back from Dumbledore.
"It hardly seems fair to compare students who just fought in a war to students who had stability," Bill hummed, giving a single nod to the words.
"While it is true the war didn't touch either of those schools, the fact they have more diverse courses still stands. Their staff is also selected through extensive applications and interviews, rather than the opinion of one person," Harry hid his smirk as Dumbledore's followers simmered with barely controlled rage, their expressions becoming more thunderous by the minute. "For these reasons alone, the students there have better career guides and plans after graduation." As soon as Bill was done, Harry was quick to jump in.
"Lord Weasley has a point," Harry commented. "As one of Hogwarts recent graduates myself, I can attest to his words. Until recently, I had no idea what I wanted in a career after Hogwarts, and that was largely due to a lack of diverse courses and proper lectures on careers in this world," Harry looked around, his eyes hardening. "Having the Board create a curriculum that matches other educational institutions would do nothing but improve our own, so that Hogwarts can become a renowned school again,"
Harry looked at Lucius, who had a proud smirk on his face. The younger wizard found himself flushing at the gaze, smiling when Lucius turned his gaze back on Wizengamot with a flourish only a Malfoy could possess when Lord Pucey spoke up.
"If we are to use the Board of Governors for the hiring process, it would also limit potential bias," Harry smiled at Antonious' words, watching as the man stood tall and poised. "It is impractical to have a sole person be in charge of hiring for an entire school, especially one as large and distinguished as Hogwarts."
At the end of Antonious' words, Harry could see a visible shift in some of the uncertain members who were on the neutral faction. There was a renewed light in their eyes, a new look of understanding as Amelia Bones moved forward, speaking up in a strong voice.
"All in favor of the Board of Governors to set forth a curriculum to mirror other educational institutions, to select the courses, and to take part in the hiring process of Hogwarts, hereby removing the power from previous and new Headmasters, please raise your wands."
Every dark side member raised their wand at record speed, with the members in the neutral factions following after. Fewer light faction members raised their wands than before, but a large portion still followed.
"Now that Lord Malfoy's proposal has been approved, that ends our proposal process until next month," The Minister said, giving a single clap which reverberated through the entire room. "We shall reconvene next week and plan the trials of Rabastian and Rodolphus Lestrange. Until then this session is over," Harry twitched in discomfort, already dreading the upcoming trials.
It felt like he had no reprieve from them.
A hand on his lower back brought him from his thoughts and he turned to Lucius, flushing to himself when he met the piercing silver eyes. There was a kind look on the man's face that made Harry swallow, the hand burning his back despite the many layers he wore,
"You did an excellent job today," Lucius praised, unaware of the small smirk that was on Bill's face, as well as Fred and George's. "And you certainly made an impression on them," Harry swallowed again, daring to look away from Lucius' eyes and onto the other members of Wizengamot.
Countless people were throwing him glances, and some were outright staring at him. Others were beginning to stand and make their way towards them, a determined look on their face.
"Merlin," Harry groaned under his breath, unintentionally stepping closer to Lucius, who pressed closer subtly. "Looks like I need to face the masses," He sighed, knowing he had to talk to these people, even if he wanted to turn around and vanish.
"Would you like assistance?" Lucius asked him and Harry felt his chest warm up as his heart fluttered. "I can steer you away from the silent Dumbledore followers," The man whispered, and Harry's poor heart fluttered again, a genuine chuckle leaving him.
"I would hate to inconvenience you," Lucius allowed a small smile, humming softly.
"I have no prior engagements until the Board meeting tomorrow," The man admitted. "Helping you would hardly be an inconvenience to me," Smiling more, Harry felt himself start to relax despite the people who were making their way towards them.
"In that case, ready to help me plan the downfall of the secret dark lord?" Harry whispered, smirking when Lucius actually chuckled. The older wizard led Harry away after the younger had bid the twins and Bill goodbye, oblivious to the gingers grinning amongst themselves.
"Harry is helplessly-"
"-in love with Lucius," Fred and George said, bringing out a startled laugh from Bill, who was thankful they had placed a silencing charm around them.
"I think it goes both ways," Bill said, unable to stop himself from grinning even more. "Lucius didn't take his eyes off Harry for a moment."
"With chemistry like that-" Fred swooned.
"-they'll be shagging within the month," George said, pretending to fan himself.
Bill just groaned into his hands, trying to stop the laugh that wanted to bubble out of him.
"For once, I think you're spot on," He admitted, taking one last glance at Harry, who was leaning into the hand on his back.
The three gingers would have to be blind to miss the pleased look in the silver eyes, or the absolute devotion the man was starting to carry for the younger.
Not sure if this is going to be slow burn anymore or not. Lucius and Harry are already falling for each other faster than I originally was going to write, but oh well!
I'm hoping to work on Taking His Life Back more. I'm so sorry for everyone who is waiting on another chapter for that fic. Have writers block for that one too atm, but I want to write for it as soon as I can.