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Chapter 94: Burdens & Duties
🕑 Added 2020-12-17 04:58:51 +0000 UTCComing down for breakfast in the Great Hall, Harry made sure to be quick about his meal as today he had a busy schedule. Even though it was the weekend, and classes were out of session, he still had plenty to do.
Just as he was about to leave however, Fawkes appeared in all his fiery glory, and came down to land before him.
Spotting the letter tied to his feet, Harry withdrew it curious to know but already fearing what it contained.
Reading it to himself, Harry saw what he expected, Dumbledore wanted to have a chat with him before today's Wizengamot session.
Crumbling the parchment up in his hand, Harry smiled at the phoenix, "tell Professor Dumbledore that I am quite busy today, so let's reschedule."
With that, Harry was out, he did not want to deal with that old man right now, so with all haste he made his way off the school grounds and once he was out of the wards, he disappeared in a fiery congruent of bright orange and red flames.
Once he was safely back at his family home, he saw that his twin maids already had his robes ready for him.
Freshening himself up, Harry was about to head back out, but then his mirror phone rang.
Looking down at the Caller Id in a bit of confusion, he saw that it wasn't anyone he had down.
He thought about just ignoring it, but curiosity got him in the end and answered it.
"Hello, Harry Potter speaking!"
"Hello my dear boy," a very familiar voice answered back.
"Headmaster is that you?" Harry asked in total surprise. He never thought or even imagined him calling his mirror phone, not ever.
"Yes, your friends were polite enough to give your phone after you left so soon."
"What do you want?" Harry asked with a sight. The first thing he was going to do after he hang up was block this number. He thought about canceling the old man's line, but that would be pushing it.
"My dear boy, I want to talk about today's trials!"
"Oh that, what would you like to know?" Harry asked, playing it cool.
"You know what I want to know. You just can't do this. If you go down this path then you may never come back. Killing helpless people won't do you any good."
"Helpless, Professor?" Harry inquired with a chuckle, "do you not know these people Headmaster? These are the worst criminals of Voldermort's army! We both know what would happen if they got loose."
"I know, I kno-..."
"No," Harry cut him off in the middle of his speech, "I do not think you realize the gravity of the situation, Professor. We have one chance to act, before it is all too late. And I am willing to do what is necessary to keep the people of Magical Britain safe, unlike you."
"Wha-..."
"You know what I mean," Harry once again prevented him from speaking. "we have a duty to uphold, the safety of this country. That means doing whatever is necessary to see to it.
Now," Harry said, getting tired of this old man and his endless lies, "I will do my duty, will you Professor?"
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It wasn't too long since he was here, Harry remembered well his debut into the political field. Today was his second session at the Wizengamot, and his plan only seem to get bigger!
Now he was looking to cut off the hand of his other dreadful enemy, he was gunning for Voldermort's followers and looking to strangle them in the crib before they could rise up again.
If his plans succeeded today, then he would be striking a massive blow to Voldermort and getting rid of his most vile and fanatical followers.
Plus he would also be completing his main goal something he has been hoping to do all summer long, clearing Sirius name.
Ever since he found out that his godfather now adoptive father was an innocent man who has his name dragged in the dirt for stuff he didn't do. Harry wanted to just return the favor of him being there for him this year, looking out for him as best he could, and being his mentor into the magical world.
It would have been icing on the cake if he could get the real perpetrator in his grasp, and do so many unspeakable things to him for betraying his parents and leading to their death. But you could always hope!
Looking around the great chamber room of the Wizengamot, Harry knew he had to do some lobbying to get the votes he needed to see his plans accomplished.
The first person he went to meet, was the person who wanted Sirius free as much as he did, Amelia Bones.
"My lady," Harry announced himself, he came upon the older woman chatting with her allies, family vassals, and constituents.
"Harry," she acknowledged him, then dismissing her people with a nod only the two of them were left.
"So where is he?" she asked once they had some privacy.
"He will be making his surprised arrival just as planned," he chuckled.
Shaking her head, the mature witch muttered, "him and his theatrics!"
"I can't wait to see a lot of them shitting their pants," Harry mused as he stared about at the gathered people. They were all most noble and esteemed pure bloods of Magical Britain society. A bunch of stuck ups really that can't see beyond their own nose.
"Well I have made some interesting finds," Amelia voiced. "I still can't belive it, but it looks like Sirius didn't even get a trial in the first place."
"Really?" Harry asked as a look of surprised fluttered across his face, a son of House Black, the most noble and ancient of Houses didn't get his due process, now that would be all the rage.
Most pure-bloods, especially those of noble birth are uppity of their special rights and favorable treatments, forget about the basic ones that even muggle-borns are due.
"Yep," Amelia nodded her head as she seem to read his expression and understand what he was thinking. "It looks Bartemius Crouch Sr. didn't even think he needed a trial since Sirius seem all but guilty so he just threw him in Azkaban!"
"There must have been a deeper plot in that," Harry mused as he rubbed his chin. "There was no way that power hungry ass would throw his career for some vindictive rule breaking. Someone who didn't want Sirius to get a trial must have set him to it."
Just as Harry uttered that thought, they both knew who it was, Dumbledore. That ass hat, must have not wanted Sirius to get the trial he deserved to clear his name. And Sirius couldn't really argue since he was in the throes of mania and self-inflicted guilt.
"That bastard," Harry uttered with a shake of his head. He was just as bad as Voldermort, even worse in some cases since that mad man didn't try to hide his intentions behind a veil of grandfatherly care.
"And we can't provide it can we?" Harry asked. he had to give it to the old goat, he was a slippery bastard, he did well to hide his tracks and rarely slipped up in keeping with his image he cultivated for decades and decades on end.
"No, but it will paint everyone involved at the time in a very bad light!" Amelia answered.
"Well that's better than nothing, and I will have the Daily Prophet run this after the Wizengamot session is concluded."
Nodding her head, they both separated to do some more lobbying before court was in session.
After meeting with Amelia, Harry meet with his vassals to procure their votes on today's maters. It was his right as their liege lord to get their votes, but words needed to be said to get the rebellious bunch in line and make my intentions clear.
With that he had his 140 votes plus 11 more now making a grand total of 151, basically over 5% of all the votes in the Wizengamot.
He made a few promises of gifts being sent their way to show his appreciation to them, even though it was his right to have their votes, it didn't mean he couldn't give out bribes to ease any hurt feelings or angry thoughts.
He always found that a few Galleons here or there would go a long way in making everyone happy. And he had a butt load of gold flowing through his accounts, so he didn't mind the expense.
After that he had to meet the new Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot Madam Longbottom. When he came up to her he saw that she was surrounded by a bunch of bootlickers trying to wiggle something out of her in one form or the other. Since she now had a whole lot of clout, everyone wanted something from her.
He couldn't blame them, the old woman just became one of the most powerful people in the land that could make decisions on a number of matters.
From the look on her face when he came up to her it was like a Magic send as she shooed them away.
"Back to shake things up, I see," the old woman smiled once they were walking along together.
"You think too much of me, Madam," Harry chuckled as he played modest.
Then getting to what he really wanted, he said, "but..."
"There always is a but in there," the old head of house Longbottom cackled.
"Yes, all I can say for now is allow him to speak and get his trial."
Looking up at him in confusion, Neville's grandmother asked, "By Merlin's beard, what are you going on about boy?"
"Everything will become clear later, but please don't jump to conclusion. That is all I ask!" Harry pleaded. He didn't want to be overheard by some other listeners who might get a whiff of his plan, he wanted everything to be kept under wraps and couldn't risk things becoming derailed.
"I will trust you," the elderly with voice, "you are after all the one who had gotten me my Chief Warlock seat!"
"Think nothing of it, you are a better leader than what I can say about some," he smiled. Then as an after thought, he asked, "Oh, and can I count on your votes and voice to get this scum the proper punishment they deserve."
Eyes narrowing, she asked in a low growl, "Do you think I would have it any other way! Dumbledore might have once taken my revenge from me, but today I will see to it that I am satisfied."
Looking at the bloodthirsty old woman, it was like years were shaved off her back as her spine straightened and her head was held high. It's no wonder his family held the Golden Bears in such high regard and considered them blood brother!
"Well that is good enough for me," Harry said with a deep chuckle. It was clear you never wanted to mess with this old woman. She may look weak and getting on into her years, but she was a force to mess with.
No wonder she was able to contend with Dumbledore inside the Light Side for years on end even through the height of power!
Harry was about to meet the last person he need the support of or more like fracture the Dark Side. However stepped up before him, emerald colored eyes met emerald colored eyes.
"Lord Greengrass," Harry include his head to the older man who was dressed in ceremonial grey robes.
"Call me Cyrus," the head of house Greengrass said, "it would seem you would be visiting in just 2 weeks time at my home."
"Yes, your daughter invited me to discuss something of great importance," Harry answered, he wondered why Daphne hadn't told them about the betrothal she wanted to form with him. "Did she not tell you what the discussion would be about?" he asked exactly what he was thinking.
"No, that is my little girl for you, always plotting something," the wizard chuckled.
Harry was just about to spill it for him, even with how awkward it would have been, but the man seem to see it coming and held his hand out.
"No, don't tell me. I want this to be a surprise," he smiled, "that's my little girl for you, coming up with endless surprises. I am sure whatever it is, her mother would have a fit," he then laughed at loud, already imagining the scene.
"If that is what you wish, my lord," Harry said with a nod of his head. There was no reason to argue with the man if he wanted things a certain way.
Getting control of his amusement, the man faced him, his eyes very serious now. "That is not exactly what I approached you for."
"I am all ears, my lord," Harry said as he was curious to know to hear what the man had to say.
"I want to know is this a good idea?" he asked blatantly.
"What do you mean my lord?" Harry inquired, playing dumb to hide his shock and surprise. He knew exactly what the man was talking about, it just he was surprised to hear any resistance from the Grey Side.
Voldermort's dark reign affected everyone, it didn't matter if you were the despised muggles, the mud blood muggle-borns, a lowly half-blood, a pure-blood, or of the peerage. You were either with Voldermort and supported him, or you were against him; there was no middle ground at all.
So just as thousands upon thousands of muggles were killed in massive scale destruction spells, and muggle-borns were hunted down, half-blood were persecuted, and pure-bloods not with the program were labeled blood traitors.
So was the Grey Side who just wanted to stay out of all the madness. They too took a massive hit in numbers in the ensuing war as plenty of Death Eaters performed hits on their members.
Harry thought considering that Cyrus was the head of the Grey Side he would as much if not some more be out for blood since his faction members were murdered for just standing on the sideline and not lifting a wand against the Death Eaters.
"I know you understand what I am talking about Lord Potter. I just want to know if this is a good idea?" the older wizard asked as he stared right at him as if peering into his soul.
"Why isn't it?" Harry asked as he meet gaze for gaze. "Our society would be better off without these criminals that have done so many untold things to this great country and its people! Why wouldn't I want to see them gone from the face of the earth."
"That is not the point I am trying to make," the older man shook his head as his shaggy hair shook to either side.
"Then what is the point you are trying to make?" Harry posed forth there was no anger or venom in his tone, he wanted to truly hear what the man had to say. Best he wouldn't deny he wanted to create a good image for his future father-in-law.
Sighing, "Don't you see boy, if you go ahead with this you would be cutting down numerous great bloodline and ending them right then and there! With how low our numbers our, I do not think we can even risk that! Plus beyond that you are not thinking about the personal cost. At this point, everyone knows this is your idea and it won't take even a fool to realize that you are the mastermind behind all this.
Did you think about the repercussions, what do you think the family members and even children of those you send to the afterlife think? Do you think they would give you a pat on the back and praise you all the way to the sky?!
Finally what about the Death Eaters that escaped justice and are still hiding among us?" he asked delivering the final nail on the coffin. "Do you think they would like seeing their comrades in arms get put down? I am already positively sure that some are already making moves against you," he exclaimed waving in the direction of Dark Side members.
"You think I do not know that," Harry chuckled, but it wasn't a cheerful one but one empty. "Do you think I do not realize the fallout of all this?"
"If you do then why?" Cyrus asked, he appreciated the man, he seem to genuinely care about the risk he might be in.
Sighing a long tired breath, there wasn't any time like today that he felt all the burdens on his shoulders. It was like the whole world rested on his back, which he guessed it maybe did with two gargantuan forces pressed against him.
He thought about all the havoc that the Death Eaters locked up right now would reek if they got out. What sort of boost they would be if... no WHEN Voldermort returned, there was no question about it.
Inside Azkaban were the worst of the worst, pure fanatical worshipers of Voldermort that took to everything he said with wild, mad glee.
There was no way he could let them get back outside into the world, he needed to do what was necessary. If it required antagonizing the whole world, then so be it! He would be willing to do anything to keep his family, friends, and beloved safe.
"You wouldn't understand, my lord," Harry shook his head. There was no way the man would believe him that Voldermort was coming back. To most people even the most hardy and strong of the lot, did not... no could not imagine it.
"If I can get your vote that would be wonderful, but if you do not want to or can't risk your neck that is alright. When old wounds are uncovered, I am sure I would get all the votes I need to see my plans accomplished."
With a nod of his head, Harry walked away from the man leaving him staring at his back as he disappeared among the crowd.
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Knights have 1 vote, Barons have 3 votes, Viscounts have 5 votes, Counts have 10 votes, Earls have15 votes, Marquis have 20 votes, Dukes have 30 votes, Arch-Duke have 40 votes, Royals have 50 votes.
[author]
(Sneak Peek) Golden Bear:
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/759771399617525477/
[/author]
Comments
Thanks for the chapter on a good story
