Chapter 12: The circus called 'Politics'

I don't own 'Harry Potter'

"What am I, a fucking circus act?"

"Your language is atrocious."

"Hello pot, meet kettle."

"Brat."

"Can't you two get along?"

"We are."

The party of three walked along Platform Nine and Three-Quarters trying to ignore the gawking and whispering, as apparently witches and wizards just didn't understand the concept of subtlety. Some were outright craning their necks to catch a glimpse of the well-dressed trio as they looked for a certain family.

Rose resisted the urge to swear knowing she had brought it on herself. A week ago she had very obviously waltzed into Gringotts with her Potter Head ring showing, and the goblins obviously caught on as they began addressing her as Lady Potter in voices that carried across the bank. As per usual with magical idiocy, everyone was a gossip, and the news that she was now a Lady spread like wildfire through social circles within days. Especially because they were trying to figure out what was happening with her Wizengamot vote.

Because it's oh-so-difficult to figure out. Bloody morons. Why am I surrounded by idiots wherever I go? Did I kill puppies in a past life or something?

Anyone with the slightest common sense automatically thought of Lord Black – her dad – using the Potter vote, but the sad reality was that common sense was scare in their society. Rumours now included her attending the Wizengamot herself (despite being at school), having a muggle proxy (despite this being impossible), and even that she was betrothed to a mysterious stranger who would be running her family as Lord or Lady Consort Potter in the future and was starting by voting for her (despite her being twelve).

She bristled quite angrily at that last assumption. More often than not, Potters did allow their spouses to take on equal duties running the family, but it was her family. She had already made arrangements with Gringotts and her family lawyer to ensure that being the spouse of a future Lord or Lady Potter didn't automatically grant them ruling power with their title. Some might call it petty, but she knew herself well enough to know it was just her Black side coming through. By and large, Black spouses did not have family power unless they proved to be extraordinarily cunning. Besides, there was no guarantee that any of her descendants wouldn't marry an idiot and/or arsehole; she wanted to protect her family even if that family was decades in the future.

Her past life was more than enough proof that sometimes people were selfish bastards who just wanted money and power, and she damn well wasn't going to put her family in a position to be robbed blind. She'd had a close friendship fall apart after the jealous git wanted to be Lord Potter and there was no guarantee it wouldn't happen again. Even if she married a decent person she didn't want her assets so vulnerable. People were arseholes and envy was much too common to ignore. The Potter family would stay hers, no matter what anyone else said.

She had informed the new Chief Warlock that Lord Black was now her proxy on the Wizengamot, and she had asked – with her lawyer – that he keep the information to himself until the next session. From what she remembered of Tiberius Ogden, he was a fair man that had actually resigned in disgust after Umbridge had been sent to Hogwarts. She had high hopes for him. Better than Albus-I-can-use-this-family's-vote-without-legal-approval-because-I'm-Chief-Warlock-and-nobody-will-find-out-Dumbledore. Wanker.

Looking around the platform, she could feel her hands twitching for her wand with all the eyes on her. She knew that she looked quite different to last year but this time she was a Lady with expectations on her. Though it was ironic that the most annoying expectations came from her being an Heiress and not a Lady.

The House of Potter was an old one but it was quite relaxed in terms of expectations of its members. The House of Black however had standards, and her position meant that she was expected to act and dress in a certain manner. Or so Aunt Cassi's endless lectures had told her. She was glad that she would be at Hogwarts this year as the woman was clearly insane, and she wasn't sure how much more she could cope with. She wished Uncle Marius luck – he would need it.

It wasn't that she didn't like her – because she did, even if the older woman had a few screws loose – it was that she hated having to be the proper pure-blood princess. She was perfectly polite, thank you, and hated having to put on even more airs for the sake of diplomacy. There was a reason she became a hermit in the future. People suck, plain and simple.

Rose caught a glimpse of their reflection in one of the train windows and took a moment to admire their appearance.

Remus was wearing muggle clothes, but the fitted slate trousers, white shirt and light green cardigan (the same shade as his eyes) were quite striking, and the tall man was drawing no few appreciative glances from woman. With his facial scars faded, a healthier glow to his skin, and an innate happiness to him, the man was turning into quite the catch. (Not that Rose thought his new appearance made him any more attractive; he'd been perfect the way he was before, and if the stupid women thought he was only a catch because of his clothes, she'd hex them.)

Sirius looked the quintessential pure-blood Lord, and she'd spent a good ten minutes this morning taking the piss out of him for dressing like a snob. She'd regretted it when he turned her hair Slytherin green but thankfully he'd reversed the charm. He was wearing black trousers, leather boots that ended an inch below the knees, and a grey tunic underneath open robes of indigo, almost black. His hair was tied back at the base of his neck, and even though he was only 5'9" he was an imposing figure through presence alone.

She of course had become the doll of Cassiopeia, and was wearing a slightly old-fashioned dress that was aesthetically pleasing but also easy to move in if she had to duel; the Blacks were always dangerous no matter what they wore. It was a light blue that matched her usual eye colour, with long sleeves, a collar that rested at the base of her throat, and a skirt that fell to a few inches above her ankles. The fabric was covered with hand-sewn thread in a slightly darker shade of blue, covering the dress in swirling patterns that looked like fire. The waist had sewn-in black ribbons that worked as a corset on the back, hugging the dress to her developing waist. The ensemble was finished with calf-high lace-up boots, and an elaborate hairstyle consisting of plaits and twists across her head that ended in a large high bun, a few curls falling free to frame her face.

(Traditionally long hair was the standard fashion for women of high society, though it was never worn down in public. To do so was utter scandal, and the only reason she'd gotten away with it last year was because she'd been eleven, and only the Potter Heiress – supposedly. The Potters were much laxer on etiquette and she'd been just about toeing the line of propriety. Her intelligence and general behaviour had made up for a lot. Now she was a Lady she had to wear her hair up in public. Wearing your hair up was a signal that you were a woman rather than a girl, and she had no doubt that she would be receiving some unwanted betrothal contracts thanks to that fact. Lucky me.)

If the stares were anything to go by she looked simultaneously attractive and dangerous which was what they'd been going for. She wanted to be taken seriously by the magical world and to do that she had to behave a certain way. It was why she thought that children raised without magic should be instructed earlier in life as they'd be better off if they knew how to act and why. Not that she personally gave a crap about it, but magical culture was different for a reason and she would respect that.

Her musing was cut off by the arrival of Amelia and Susan, and they all greeted each other with the appropriate public (bullshit) formality before Susan left to find Hannah. Sirius and Amelia were making quiet conversation, and the crowd had suddenly become hyper-aware that they were now in the presence of Lord and Lady Black. The two of them were seemingly unaware of the atmosphere they were causing, but Rose could see her dad twitching in irritation.

"Shall we give them some privacy?"

She looked at Remus and nodded, taking his arm as they wandered down the platform. They didn't speak to anyone as nobody approached them, and they didn't spot anyone they knew until they were next to the entrance to King's Cross.

Hermione had just come through with her parents and the moment she spotted Rose her face lit up, though she adopted a calculating expression almost immediately. Her eyes rove over the blonde girl cataloguing her state of dress and demeanour, before settling on her now-visible Head of House ring with widened eyes.

She had always known that her bushy-haired friend was smart, but apparently getting her into a House with other academically-driven children had done wonders for the girl's mind. Hermione had clearly noticed her appearance and understood its significance, and Rose watched as her eyes glanced around and took notice of who could see them. Way to go, Hermione. Could have been a snake with that cunning.

Said girl straightened her spine and walked over to her and Remus with determined steps before stopping a few feet from them. She then dropped into a deep curtsy, just slightly wobbly, but one that still conveyed the appropriate level of respect. Rose felt so proud, even as she inwardly cringed at the pure-blood crap.

"Lady Potter, it's a pleasure to see you once more. I trust that your summer was to your liking?"

"Miss Granger, it's lovely to see you again. And yes, my summer was enjoyable. And how about you, did you find Cannes to be as you expected?"

Please kill me now.

Rose had returned the curtsy, though hers was smaller because of her higher status, and the two girls had amusement in their eyes as they noticed the taken aback expressions on those around them. The magically-raised individuals were now being given definitive proof that a muggle-born child could learn about magical etiquette to an appropriate level; Rose knew this wouldn't automatically change things but it was a step in the right direction. At least that nauseating conversation served a purpose beyond making me want to ram my head against the train.

(The problem with the stifling formality was that it was what society expected of them. Of course, hardly anyone actually spoke or acted like that all the time, but it had to done at least initially to show that you actually knew about it. When you were respected enough you could start to relax a little, but it was all about showing off what you knew to everyone else. Because it would be much too simple to just talk properly. God, I just want to go home.)

After trading a few pleasantries and introducing all parties, Hermione led Rose and Remus to her – quite bewildered – parents who were looking at Rose with narrowed eyes. Ah, they probably think I'm some sort of prissy princess with this dress. Really, what's wrong with jeans and a t-shirt?

"Mum, Dad, may I present to you Lady Rose Potter, and Mr Remus Lupin. Lady Potter, Mr Lupin, may I present my parents, Mr Christopher Granger and Mrs Emily Granger."

"Hermione, why are you talking like that? Hi, my name's –"

"Dad, don't!"

Hermione kept her hissing tone low, and she quickly grabbed Mr Granger's hand from reaching for her friend's. Rose personally didn't give a shit about 'proper' behaviour, but having a man touch a Lady without permission – especially an unmarried Lady – was not done. At all. It would essentially say that she was 'easy' and she had no desire to be called a whore at the age of twelve. (The only reason Cedric and Charlie had gotten away with it was because she'd so obviously been a child in demeanour, and because they'd either been alone or surrounded by people who didn't care. Luckily.)

"Hermione! What are you doing?!"

"Hermione, as long as we're in private or nobody can hear us I don't care if you speak 'properly'. You can talk to me as just Rose, you know? It's beyond stupid, anyway."

Before Mr Granger could start ranting, Remus – bless you Dad, you really are a saviour – jumped in to the conversation with his quiet but calming voice.

"Mr Granger, the reason why your daughter suddenly grabbed you was because you were about to touch a Lady without her permission. In our world it's bad enough to touch any woman randomly, but a Lady has certain expectations of behaviour.

"And yes, by Lady we are referring to Lady with a capital L. In the magical world there are plenty of families who have titles and are essentially members of the landed gentry or aristocracy. They have political voting power, investments, assets and such, and are expected to behave appropriately.

"The reason your daughter was speaking so formally was her attempt to prove to the magically-raised people that muggle-raised individuals also have the capability to learn such etiquette, as there are currently no classes on the topic. She also did so admirably, I must say."

Remus directed the last statement to Hermione, and Rose smiled as her friend beamed with pride. Her dad was right though, as she had behaved just as someone from a magical background would, though she knew to convey her status. She'd also managed to diffuse a potentially disastrous encounter without drawing attention to them.

Mrs Granger looked incredulous. "Landed gentry?"

"Yes, Mrs Granger," Rose took over. "My family can be traced back to the twelfth century and they've had quite a bit of political power for centuries. My great-grandfather actually worked as a member of our governing body during World War I. But I've gotten off track.

"The problem is that magical society has an entirely different culture and has had since the late seventeenth century when they split from the non-magical world, so what you think of as common and appropriate behaviour isn't necessarily the same for magical Britain.

"I'm the Head of my own family because I'm an orphan and there's nobody else alive from my birth family. As the Head of the family, there's a lot of rules and such that I'm supposed to follow, and I'll definitely have to marry and continue the family line when I'm older.

"About touching me, though. For magical people, touching someone without their permission is a big no-no, but especially for females. If you'd grabbed me it would have basically said that I'm 'easy', especially as girls have actually gotten married at my age in the past.

"Our society is kind of comparable to Victorian England, I suppose. I guess the best way to describe it would be you should act the most polite and diplomatic you can possibly be just to be sure, though magic definitely has its own set of rules."

The couple looked completely baffled that such a that such a society even existed. She could admit that she'd found it a bit weird when she first found out about it, but she had been proud to be a witch and didn't want the traditions to die out.

Remus cleared his throat. "If you'd like, when the kids leave I can answer some questions you might have?"

The couple looked visibly relieved at the offer and nodded. Before they could reply they were interrupted once more, this time by Sirius.

"Rose, Remus."

"Sirius."

"Dad."

The Grangers looked at the newcomer with surprise, but Hermione just smiled and curtsied again.

"Lord Black, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance. My name is Hermione Granger, and I am a classmate of your daughter and Heiress."

When she got up she offered her hand to Sirius, who smiled and bowed with a flourish, taking her hand and kissing the air above it.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Granger. It's so nice to meet a classmate and friend of my daughter."

He stood up and winked at her, and Rose had to bite her tongue to stop laughing, taking note of a similar struggle on Remus' face. Dad, you sneaky, conniving, little shit.

Sirius had just said blatantly, and quite loudly, that the muggle-born Hermione Granger was a friend to his daughter, and therefore a friend to the House of Black. It wasn't really an official thing, but being considered a friend to a House of higher status than you meant that you were more-or-less allied to them and under their protection. That Sirius had said so for a muggle-born of no inherent power was bold and was like waving a flashing sign in the air that the newest version of the House of Black was doing things its own way. There are so many Blacks rolling in their graves right now.

Hermione had clearly understood the implications and had paled, shocked into silence. Before she could say anything they heard the clock chime for fifteen minutes to the hour, and the Granger family bid a hasty goodbye and went to put Hermione of the train.

Rose turned to her dad with a brow raised, unimpressed by his unrepentant grin.

"And your reason for that?"

His grin sharpened. "I think you seem to forget that I'm a Black too, brat, and I know damn well you've got all sorts of plans cooked up. I've been speaking to Dorea as well, you know, and Amy is my wife.

"I also know that that girl is a genius and you'll probably recruit her for some of your plans. Being friends with both the Potter and Black families will mean she'll have double the protection and nobody'll be able to do shit at her inclusion with your political take over."

Rose flushed. "Sorry." She did tend to underestimate him. She looked at him with narrowed eyes. "You know, it's probably a good thing you never tried to become Minister. You'd either revolutionise Britain or start a war."

"He'd probably do both," Remus piped up with a grin.

"Hey!"

She held a hand against her mouth to stifle the giggles, though apparently the two men could still hear her and they smiled at her gently. They walked over to her in unison and enveloped her in a hug. It wasn't entirely proper, but she could see quite a few women and a couple of men soften at the familial scene.

Rose pulled back and looked at her parents – one day she would make it so werewolves could adopt children legally – and smiled at them.

"Good luck with the business and the Wizengamot."

Sirius groaned. "Urgh, don't remind me. Politics is such crap."

"Suck to be you, Lord Black. Remember to write every week, Bambi." She bit her lip at Remus' retort and Sirius' wounded expression.

Sirius glared at his friend before he turned to her. "He's right though, make sure you write, and remember, if you want to come home you can. We'll send you some sweets and whatnot, so don't worry about sneaking out for chocolate, Bambi. And if you do sneak out, don't get caught."

With that the whistle blew and she hugged the men once more.

"I love you."

"Love you too, Bambi."

She got on the train and turned to look out the window towards her parents. She felt the train start to move and waved at them, carrying until she lost sight of them. Rose sighed and turned around, walking down the train, wary of the other passengers.

He was right, politics is crap.

A/N: Hey guys!

First things first, I just want to mention that some of the inspiration behind the magical politics and whatnot comes from Ellory and Umei no Mai. Both authors are incredible and you should check out their works if you can :D

Secondly, I can't remember if I mentioned this in previous chapters, but I did a family tree for the Bones family and a quick digital sketch on my deviantart account. My username is anime-otaku20, so check them out if you want. (But please don't hate on the drawing too much, I'm not an artist and it's the first ever piece of art I've willingly shown people, not to mention my first go at digital art.)

Also, in case you hadn't notice there's a double update today! Going by how the chapters have worked out, there'll probably be a double update next week, too. It's just how they wrote themselves. Make sure to read both :D

Happy reading!