Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns all public characters, and the world of Harry Potter. There is no intention to violate copyright.
Political Changes - Loose Ends
Tuesday, February 15, 2000
The Lestrange familial home sold at auction for 13 million Galleons, and it became Potter Manor. He bought it for his future children, but it would stay empty until they needed it. House elves would make sure it stayed in good condition.
We convinced the ministry to award Shacklebolt with an 'Order of Merlin - 1st Class.' The media agreed with their decision, and the youth offered to hold the ceremonies at Potter Manor. The Minister of Magic placed pressure on us to form alliances with light wizarding families, and we used the banquet for our political advantage.
House Potter entered into a formal alliance with Houses Longbottom and Weasley. Light wizards cheered the announcement, and traditional Slytherin families tipped their heads at the youth's cunning. Shacklebolt and Lucius deserved the credit. The youth headed House Potter, and House Prince. He would draw the two groups together without needing to form an official alliance. Why would he vote against himself?
The Wizengamot found all 67 corrupted officials guilty of the charges laid against them. Umbridge, Fudge, and Thicknesse were to receive the kiss, but Potter fought against it. They went to Azkaban without knowing the result. The new Wizengamot would decide their fate.
Shackelbolt disbanded the old Wizengamot amid shouts of rage, until they realised he distributed seats to all official families. Percy Weasley rallied support for these changes, and I suspected he would represent his father's house. The new Wizengamot met to discuss qualifications needed for families to become official houses.
They dithered for days. Families needed to meet specific conditions to register as a new Official House, but the same qualifications didn't apply to those already in existence. The registrant needed a family consisting of no less than five members, and the Head of House needed two magical grandparents. It allowed for half-blood families, but it prevented muggleborns from having too much influence in the wizarding world. They needed a familial home sizeable enough to support all members of their House. A single family dwelling would not work. Members could not break away from older Houses to form new ones.
Rules favoured the wealthy and they would appal muggle society, but they were vast improvements for Wizarding Britain. Unregistered families gained hope of having a say in the ministry, and many welcomed the new changes. Traditional families condemned Shacklebolt for allowing the common wizard into politics. What did they know about government?
Shacklebolt decreased the Minister of Magic's influence by announcing permanency to the seats within the Wizengamot. The Minister no longer had authority to fire, or hire those who voted on his policies. He no longer controlled the court. He increased the seats from 50 to 200, and gave one to each official House. He granted an extra seat for each Order of Merlin - 1st class.
The Minister created panic at Gringotts with his next announcement. "The Heir of Slytherin, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff would receive an added seat. Their house would also gain official status." Who were the heirs? Everybody wanted to know, and they needed the goblins to sort the inheritances. None of the heirs came from House Prince or Potter.
A/N: This was a short chapter to finish off the politics. The next situation, 'Lingering Traces' will introduce Potter to the horrors hidden deep within a Death Eater's closet. Lucius has a plan!
