DISCLAIMER: The story you are about to read is based on the characters and terms created by J.K. Rowling in her Harry Potter books. She can claim everything except my plot. The story also discusses information about the US based company Monsanto. You can look up the points (minus the Imperius Curse) in the story and read articles about each example. I wrote this today to bring attention to the March Against Monsanto World Wide Event, so this is a total Soapbox piece. Don't read if you don't care about GMOs. If you do care, and you missed the march, don't forget to spread the news with #1MilNonGMO. Thanks for reading. Enjoy!
Hermione loosened her tie and opened her blazer before she flopped on the couch in The Burrow's family room. She still lived there, even though Ginny and Harry were at Grimmauld Place, and Ron had moved in with Fred after George got married. Nevertheless, her three friends were also on the couch as they waited for the weekly Weasley dinner to begin.
"Working on a Sunday again, Hermione?" teased Ron good-naturedly, hinting at one of the many reason why he and she were great friends and a horribly lousy couple.
"Yes, Ronald, I did" Hermione intoned in a great imitation of their former professor, Severus Snape, before she added, grinning "But I took Friday off!"
"So is that why Fre-" George's wife, Alicia, elbowed her husband in the ribs and said
"Why yes, George, since we just got here I would love a drink. I think your mum mentioned something about having some Beryl's Berrymelon Barrel Brew." Alicia finished with a pointed look at the kitchen. Hermione managed to recover from the blush that had spread over her cheek from George's interruption, and her eyes gave Alicia a quick 'Thank you!'
"As I was saying, I wanted to work a little extra, because I think I have unearthed another dark wizard." Silence fell on the room, as all the war veterans tensed. Voldemort had fallen nearly five years ago, but the pain of lost love ones and the ache of old wounds still hurt each of them as if the war ended last week. Harry was the first to speak.
"Who. Where. What do we need to do." His words weren't even questions. He just wanted bullet points.
"I think, but am not sure, that his name is Monsanto. The wizard has a massive company with that name, based in the US. He actually seems to be buried deep in the Muggle culture. It came across my desk as a minor issue concerning a few Muggles in a city called St. Louis who were under the Imperius curse. I checked with the office of the Chancellor of the CMI (Commonwealth of Magical Interests) and apparently they've been dealing with this for almost two decades. The Monsanto Company changes the seeds that farmers use to grow food, and the changes in the seeds make them resistant to the pesticides that Monsanto sells! Also, the seeds that this company sells generate plants that do not have seeds for the farmer to harvest, locking the farmer in a yearly contract with this company to buy seeds. The worst part is, most of the employees of this company are under the Imperius curse to not question this way of producing food, and there is a special team inside the upper management whose job is to go from town to town and Imperius as many people as possible to be okay with eating fake food!
"So this isn't an A.K. kind of guy like You-Know-Who, he's more of a kill them slowly and roll in Muggle money kind of guy?" Ron asked.
"Yes, exactly. There are even people in the Muggle government who have been under the Imperius curse for years, to pass laws strengthening this company's rights to do these things. Farmers who want to grow crops in a "traditional" way without using these Genetically Modified seeds, as they are referred to, can be sued by Monsanto if an adjoining farmer's crops are GM and both farms are fertilized by the same insects, causing the patented genes from Monsanto to get in the natural and oraganic crops of the first farmer."
"So what can we do, Hermione?" Ginny asked, looking concerned.
"Is this something that is happening in England?" George asked, continuing "Because I don't want any mad wizards putting potions in the food Mum cooks!"
"Well, it's not as bad here, and the Muggle government is working to put laws in place to keep these kinds of seeds out." Hermione answered. "As to Ginny's question, I am going to present this to Minister Shacklebolt tomorrow, and suggest that pairs of British Aurors team with American C.W.O.G.s (Covert Witch/Wizard Operation Guard) to go from town to town and remove the Imperius Curse from the United States Muggle citizens, including those within the Muggle government. It is suspected that quite a few other companies have managed to have a witch or wizard Imperius other Muggle law makers. After that is done there will be a pause in operations to see if the Muggles make changes on their own. If not, we'll have to make plans after that.
"How long do you think this will take?" Ron queried.
"Roughly four to six months. The US CWOGS will be able to side apparate the British Aurors from town to town, so it may go faster." Hermione answered.
"What do you say, Ginny? Should we both go? We can throw in an anniversary trip on the side?" Harry asked his wife.
"Absolutely. Defeating evil and seeing new places. It sounds great!" Ginny replied, snuggling into her husband.
"Sounds like a baby-making trip!" Fred interrupted, as he walked into the room. "What have you all been talking about?"
"This evil wizard named Monsanto." Alicia filled in.
"Oh, right, the one Her-" Alicia stepped on his foot, as Hermione blushed.
"Want another drink, Alicia? I think I'm going to step in the kitchen." Hermione got up and grabbed her friend's arm, subtly winking at Fred, while Mrs. Weasley called out
"Dinner! Come sit!"
fin
A/N Hi lovely readers, if you found this interesting, or well written, or not interesting and not well written, I would love to hear from you. I recently found out that my profile did not allow anonymous reviewers, which I have changed today, because I want to hear from all of you, even if you do not have or do not feel like logging into a account. Review away, and don't forget to leave your comments on "Family Pets" as well. Gratefully yours, BBBB.