Chapter 51: Wherein the world reacts to HRM Hermione
Summary: A selection of cuttings from various wizarding news outlets over the course of perhaps ten days. Alas, the people residing in The Curtain during The Festival sometimes read their newspapers late, living in a happy little bubble as they were. Except Luna, of course. And Draco, often to be seen these days chortling into his wine at dinner.
QEII BESTOWS DUCHIES ON POTTERS, MALFOY
Received by Luna Lovegood
[posed picture with QEII dressed for coronation, and Potters & Malfoy in formal dress]
On the morning of their sister's coronation, Harry James Black Pendragon Peveril Potter and his wife, Ginerva Adora Black Pendragon Peveril Potter were given the titles, 'the Duke and Duchess Black Pendragon' by Her Royal Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, to be used for the duration of their lifetimes. Likewise, Draconis Adonis Malfoy was given the title, 'the Duke Black Malfoy' for the duration of his lifetime. Their children will be styled as Princes and Princesses Royal, and their grandchildren as 'the Honorable'.
HRM HERMIONE MARRIES KRUM
Received by Luna Lovegood
[wedding photo of couple with hands tied fast]
On December 31st at 3 PM in Cair Paravel, Stronghold of the Northwestern Crossing, Her Royal Majesty Hermione took the hand of Mr. Viktor Cyril Krum, of Bulgaria, in marriage until their souls be rent asunder. The wedding was presided over by Mistress Minerva McGonagall, Headmistress of Hogwarts, OM1, and was blessed by the Rev. Michael Fielding of St. Swithins-in-the-City, London, and witnessed by family and friends. Thus are the houses of Krum, Granger, Black, Pendragon, Peveril, and Potter joined forever.
QEII BESTOWS PRINCEDOM ON VIKTOR PENDRAGON
Received by Luna Lovegood
[posed picture with QEII dressed for coronation, and HRM Hermione & HRH Viktor wearing torcs]
On the afternoon of the coronation of his new wife, Viktor Cyril Granger Krum Peveril Potter Black Pendragon was made Prince Consort by Her Royal Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. All children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren of Her Royal Majesty Hermione and His Royal Highness Viktor will be Princes and Princesses Royal. Succession will be determined by HRM Hermione and confirmed by the Monarch of the Isle.
QUEEN HERMIONE'S NEW FASHION
Witch Weekly Style Reporter
[pictures of a Gryffindor scarf and a Vratsa jersey on a white background, clearly staged, and a close up of a red pair of boots on a distorted background of many different colors and textures, clearly candid]
The day after her coronation, Her Royal Majesty Hermione was spotted around the grounds attending a play and a quidditch game, and later popping in on a circus in the company of Her Royal Majesty Elizabeth II, and two magical tiger kittens on a lead. While the Queen of England was wearing a serviceable tweed suit under a light jacket, the Queen of Avalon was sporting tight jeans, an old VRATSA-KRUM jersey (signed, of course, see front cover picture for a close up of his inscription, 'All my love, forever'), a Gryffindor scarf, and get this, knee-high red dragonhide boots. Those boots look like Chinese Fireball to us! The very dragon her husband vanquished at seventeen, when they were first dating! SWOON! Her hair was pulled back in a single braid and she was wearing ReyBends, the popular muggle sunglasses. The bright diamond studs and matching bracelet set that go so very well with her engagement ring were reportedly a combined birthday/courting gift from her husband, according to sources close to the Queen.
Will the Queen start a new trend of tight-fitting jeans and layering close-but-not-exact colors, as she did with Vratsa's burnished red, Gryffindor's scarlet, and the Fireball's flame red? Previously accepted fashion wisdom says it was a major faux-pas, a fashion train-wreck waiting to happen, but the Queen rocked it!
And did everyone catch His Royal Highness Viktor's smile as he stood with his wife after the hidden portion of the coronation? Perhaps he'll be in the running for Witch Weekly's Most Winning Smile Award. Previously known for his scowls, Pendragon, nee Krum, might be a contender this year.
HARRY & GINNY POTTER ELEVATED BY QEII
Daily Prophet Staff Reporter
[two seperate archived pictures of the Potters taken candidly from the Final Battle with grimaces on their faces, casting hexes]
On the morning of the Coronation of HRM Hermione, the Pendragon Regent, her blood brother Harry Potter, OM, and his wife Ginny Potter, nee Weasley, OM, both had non-hereditary titles conferred upon them by Her Royal Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Their Graces, the Potters received the duchy of Black Pendragon. While only lifetime titles, any children of their Graces will be styled Princes or Princesses Royal, while grandchildren will be styled 'the Honorable.'
HRM Hermione and the Duke Black Pendragon underwent the blood magic ritual of binding siblings in a quiet ceremony at Her Majesty's seat in Wales on the 12th of October of this past year. This is not the Duke's first connection with the House of Black, as his godfather was Sirius Black, wrongly imprisoned in Azkaban for twelve years, and his paternal grandmother was likewise a member of a cadet branch of the House of Black.
The House of Black has grown apace with the reinstatement of Andromeda Tonks, nee Black, sister of Head of House, Lady Narcissa Malfoy, the Countess of Black, and the acknowledgment of Edward Lupin, grandson of Madam Tonks and son of fallen heroes Remus and Nymphadora Lupin.
Former Death Eater Draco Malfoy was also elevated, due to extenuating circumstances.
HRM HERMIONE ATTENDS ELY V. DUNBLANE EXHIBITION MATCH
Daily Prophet Quidditch Staff Reporter
[picture of HRH Viktor coaxing HRM Hermione on his broom, and flying away]
Played in her own backyard on her personal quidditch pitch, our brand new Queen of Avalon came out with friends, family, and the Queen of England to watch her husband sport his brand new jersey, and watch Ely utterly devastate the Dementors on the pitch some might argue is now their home away from home.
If anyone was doubting whether or not the International Quidditch Phenomenon, World's Best Seeker, and now His Royal Highness the Prince Consort would change his name, Ely ended the questions an hour before the match when they unfurled seven giant banners proclaiming their starting line-up, and the thirty-foot high picture of HRH Viktor pictured him not only under the literally larger-than-life name PENDRAGON, rather than KRUM, but also instead of a scowl on his face and a broom across his shoulders in his standard pose, he had sported an intense stare and had the Pendragon Sword of Legend, Excalibur, across his shoulders. Ely's shameless promotion got a laugh and a swoon, depending on the fan. Hope Ely got all the promo pictures they wanted, because that sword is in a stone now, and only Queen Hermione can take it out again.
The final score was 470 to 30, and while Pendragon could have ended the misery of the Dementors earlier, as he caught sight of the snitch at time marks 2:34, 24:59, and 38:44, he drew the game out, distracting the Dunblane seeker with feints, dives, and the masterful psychological tomfoolery we all know and love from him. Finally Pendragon caught the snitch at 54:23, making for an excellent length for an exhibition game: not too short to feel as if you haven't gotten your effort's worth in climbing all the stairs, and not too long so that you feel like you're missing out on the rest of the festival. To top that off, Ely's entire side was shining in top form, working like a charm from a master, a seamless essay in effortless beauty that comes from great talent, excellent coaching, and a unified vision.
After the game, with Pendragon picking up his royal wife from the top box and flying off into his castle with her, Inferi Head Coach Xena MacAster commented, "Yes, it was a decent showing. We were all on point, the Beaters no less than our Keeper Kaminski, who I think is the man of the hour, really. The Chasers proved their worth today, and yes, our Seeker did a fine job of drawing it out so we could have a decent length game. Yes, Pendragon is officially on vacation today, from the moment he caught the snitch and he comes back in two Tuesdays. No, I cannot comment about his handfasting leave as he hasn't submitted the request yet. Why aren't you asking me about Chani Kaminski? The woman shut out 43 tries on goal in 54 minutes and nearly fainted of exhaustion. Are you reporting for Style or Quidditch? Focus on the real star of the game!"
GOLDEN EMPIRE WIZARDS TO ADOPT HRM HERMIONE
Luna Lovegood
[picture of Chinese delegation in full prostration before Queen Hermione]
In a fascinating move of international and cross-cultural goodwill, the Chinese Wizarding community known as the Golden Empire has recognized that HRM Hermione, Queen Regent of Avalon and Viscountess Black, has the Mandate of Heaven and is thus properly the Empress of the Golden Empire and the true monarch of all China, wizarding and muggle alike.
HRM Hermione was presented with a proclamation declaring the Mandate in Mandarin, and the three thousand year old Phoenix Crown after her coronation. The fabled Phoenix Crown has not been worn by a monarch since before the Pendragon line went extinct, and legend tells that the bearer has the capacity to call Phoenixes into service when truly blessed by Heaven's Mandate.
The Golden Empire has approximately four million witches and wizards residing within the boundaries of China, and more abroad who still maintain their nationality.
Historically, the Golden Empire has sometimes but not always recognized that the non-magical head of state of China has the Mandate of Heaven, and most importantly, the Advisors to the Empire, the parliament of magical folk who administrate in lieu of an Emperor, have never recognized the Communist Party.
"Augurs were seen and this time of peace and prosperity was foretold in the stars, in the birds, in the rice, and in the tea," said Tang Li at the coronation festival, Ambassador of the Advisors to the Empire. "We of the most beautiful Golden Empire understand that when it is said Empress Hermione, serene and kind, is the Queen of Avalon, that is to mean that she is the benevolent ruler given to us by the Supreme Buddha in the Highest Heaven in order to guide and enlighten us all."
When asked about HRM Hermione continuing to reside primarily in Wales, Tang Li responded, "Yes, this is true and good. Her seat is the focal point of heaven and earth energies, and all of the chi meridians are strengthened and cleared because of her goodness and clarity. Empress Hermione, constant and true, has promised to come to us at the beginning of each new year - our year, you understand - and she will ring the bells and spill the blood and teach us of peace and wisdom."
When asked about the historical animosity between the British and the Chinese, Tang Li replied, "Yes, many terrible things have passed between us, a quiet war of addiction and greed, and a lack of cultural awareness, a lack of respect of our sovereignty. This has been our past. And should we dwell in our past, it could become our future."
When asked how the Advisors to the Empire will balance the need for sovereignty with a British Empress, Tang Li laughed and said, "The thrice-blessed Empress Hermione will do no harm to those she loves, and the Golden Empire is certain of the love between Heaven and its Empress, and its Empress and itself. This is what the Mandate of Heaven means.
"The Great Buddha was born an Indian, but India is in the World, and when asked, returned to the World its own. The Great Jesus was born a Jew, but Judah is in the World, and when asked, returned to the World its own. The Great Mohammed was born an Arab, but Arabia is in the World, and when asked, returned to the World its own. The Golden Phoenix of the World was indeed born British. But is not Britain in the World? And will not Britain give back to the World its own, when such luminaries are called forth as others have?
"The Advisors will humbly send our Empress three of our very finest teachers of chi, neigung, and culture, and the Empress has expressly requested one of our number to serve at her court in order to join her personal advisors. The Golden Empire rejoices to find such wisdom and humility in her chosen Empress."
When asked if the Advisors could imagine a time when HRM Hermione's duty to British Wizards would conflict with her duty to Chinese Wizards, Tang Li replied, "How could that be, if the Empress, wise and foresighted, has nothing but love in her heart for us all? As the Golden Empire recognizes the Mandate of Heaven, so does the British Wizarding community, for did not their high queen crown the Empress in the name of God Almighty? Long ago China recognized the way of Jesus the Christ as a good and holy path of enlightenment with no major impediment. As we speak different languages, do we not use different words for similar concepts? As the Golden Empire has so long gone without recognizing any leader as having the Mandate of Heaven, have not the British wizarding people gone without a Regent of Avalon? No. We are entering into a time of unparalleled peace between our communities. The mistakes of non-magical people can hardly be a thing of importance to us if we focus on the ways in which we may enrich each other's lives, surely?"
More information shall be reported when it exists.
CORONATION FEVER: A NEW MUGGLE MASS DRUGGING?
Letter to the editor, Daily Prophet, January 3, 200_
I and my family had the dubious pleasure to attend the coronation festival which, as festivals go, was small and uninspiring. Only one stage, only one exhibition match per day, entirely too much security, and filled to the brim with gaping, gormless muggles whose only attachment to the wizarding world is tenuous at best. For what it was, however, it was, perhaps, sufficient.
I had the most profound objection to the inclusion of centaurs and merfolk in what was clearly meant to be a ritual involving only the highest sort, and to include a set of house elves was just beyond the pale. It was obvious at the time that the merfolk were subduing us with siren-song, luring us into a state of mind that would be accepting of such an atrocious insult to good sense and common decency. Regardless of any magic that may or may not have occurred concerning the ley lines, which all know have very little effect on daily life, and an even smaller effect on the larger life of the nation, I suspect foul play. While the festival organizers are beyond reproach, naturally, it seems clear that the champagne toast after the coronation was spiked with some sort of muggle mind-altering drug, of which the muggles have so many varieties for every occasion, being lesser beings who cannot depend upon rhetoric and reason to sway an argument. There is no other possible explanation for the base euphoria that occurred that evening and into the following days.
I do not appreciate being meddled with. I do not appreciate having my family meddled with. For all the so-called security that the Ministry provided, and I do hope they were paid in full and that won't be yet another thing the tax-paying public will need to support in the coming years of now having a monarch regent once more, it was all the most useless theatre. We were all affected then, and Merlin only knows the risks and side-effects to which this poisoning has opened us all.
I demand an official inquiry into this matter, and I believe Queen Hermione should recuse herself from any part of it. Several ministry officials would be more than competent to oversee the matter done properly, and Undersecretary Umbridge comes to mind as one particularly competent individual with plenty of experience in ferreting out the truth of a matter.
I will not rest until I know my family is safe from the insidious threat from without, and from within.
Portentous P. P. Parkinson, IV
ENGAGEMENT ANNOUNCEMENT
It is with great joy that Countess Black announces His Grace Draconis Adonis Lord Malfoy, Duke Black Malfoy of Sussex, has accepted the proposal of marriage made by Miss Luna Lenora Linden Laughingly Lovegood, of Wales. Wedding details will be shared with guests only; an announcement of the marriage will be made once it has occurred.
BRITAIN EMPTY-HANDED: A SHAMEFUL OVERSIGHT
Letter to the Editor, Daily Prophet, January 4, 200_
After perusing with interest the full listing of official coronation gifts offered from all 123 recognized countries in the International Confederacy, I noted with dismay that there was, indeed, only 122 listed. Great Britain neglected to bring a gift to the party.
That might not have been disastrous, as I have it on good authority that most if not all of the Great Houses and a fair number of the Lesser Houses have all given personal gifts of some heft and usefulness (for instance, the House of Longbottom has given an orchard, the House of Malfoy, a fully-stocked wine cellar, and the House of Shafiq has given a coffee plantation) and admittedly the international gift list included all from the useful and helpful side of the spectrum and past to the frivolous, ridiculous, and dangerous end of the same, demonstrated most clearly by the fact that our Queen now has a nearly-complete set of dragon eggs, lacking only our own native Hebridean, which let me be clear, I am by no means suggesting we give Her Majesty.
And indeed, while it would be best, in the long run, if the House of Pendragon were just as self-sustaining as most of the other Great Houses, and certainly the gifts from the Great Houses and the more useful ones from the 122 other countries of the International Confederacy will help to build such sustainability, in the short term Pendragon and any efforts Her Majesty might make to help our society become a better and kinder one will be born on the backs of Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Malaysia, Venezuela, and Chile, all who gave trunks of gold, and very likely China, who is likely to be far more generous with their Empress than we seem to want to be with our Queen.
But Britain? We came empty handed to our own party.
And Britain? We charged Her Majesty for the security we provided, for the organization we helped to create, and who bore the cost of that? The House of Windsor, offset by souvenir sales. Not the muggle government, you understand; the personal wealth of the muggle House of Windsor, who, if rumors are true, also came bearing several very generous, costly, and useful gifts for Her Majesty.
Wizarding Britain's greatest party and best international showing in more than three hundred years was funded by muggles.
But Britain would not stop there. No gift, only bills. No responsibility, only rights.
I speak, of course, of the calls made to the Wizengamot to legislate against ever supporting any Monarch of Avalon in any financial way, in perpetuity. Because of course, we will offer a stipend to Order of Merlin recipients, up to and including our newly re-formed Knights of Merlin, but not a Queen who will work seven times as hard for the good of our nation as any Knight? And if Monarchs of Avalon were barred any form of financial payment, that would take away HRM Hermione's entirely justified stipend as an Order of Merlin 1st Class, and now as a Knight of Merlin. Far before we knew Her Majesty to be the Scion of Pendragon, far before she was named the Heir of Black, she was Miss Hermione Granger, war heroine and one of the quartet of children who were instrumental in bringing down Tom Riddle and his insanity. Without her courage and intelligence and action we would not have aurors, we would have Death Eaters, we would not have the Wizengamot, we would have Riddle's Kangaroo Court.
Those who wish to censor and hamstring our muggle-born Queen by passing overarching legislation and instigating meaningless snipe-hunt investigations on the basis that happiness is unnatural are not quite so crafty as they suppose. Their baseless prejudice is unveiled for what it is: resentment growing from the support of a failed dark lord uprising which HRM Hermione helped to vanquish.
These retaliatory efforts are beneath us.
Seraphina Shafiq
COMMONWEALTH COUNTRIES RECOGNIZE HRM HERMIONE
Luna Lovegood
[picture of HRM Hermione and HRH Viktor cuddling juvenile koalas]
The 58 Magical Commonwealth Countries have recognized HRM Hermione as the Queen Regent of Avalon, Avalon in this case being the wizarding world and culture not only in Britain, but all member countries as well.
The Prime Minister of Magical Canada, currently Lord of the House of the Magical Commonwealth had the following to say, "We're totally chuffed. Hermione Pendragon is the woman we would want our daughters to be, and we're honored to have her leading the way with her inspiring vision and landmark desire for a compassionate and sustainable future. We hope that in the next many years she and her family will come and join us all, one by one, so that we can express our deep appreciation of her leadership. And yes, we decided this before China, thank you very much."
MACUSA, former colony and explicitly not a member of the Commonwealth, had the following to say when reached for comment. "Mrs. Krum is certainly a very nice witch, even if she has not yet graduated secondary school, and we are relieved that she has somehow managed to rebalance the ley lines. That is much appreciated. She hosts a great party, and if China and a third of the rest of the world wishes to adopt her as the gifted niece they never had, we wish them well. We look forward to seeing how well she lives the diplomatic and political life when she grows up and her husband stops chasing shiny things," says Alice Stiltwell, MACUSA President.
HRM HERMIONE: FIRST AMONG EQUALS, SAYS EU & OTHERS
Luna Lovegood
[picture of HRM Hermione & HRH Viktor sitting, smiling. A cerberus puppy is asleep in HRH Viktor's lap.]
In a move of perhaps unsurprising solidarity spurned by MACUSA President Stiltwell's scathing remarks reported in this news outlet and beyond, EU member nations are joined by the wizarding communities of Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Russia, Bulgaria, and Iceland in declaring the Queen Regent of Avalon as the 'First Among Equals'.
"We have no Mandate of Heaven, as the Chinese do," says Irina Romanova, Russian Ambassador and spokeswitch of the loose federation of wizarding communities who have come together to issue this statement. "But we recognize power in the service of wisdom when we see it, and we have seen it but rarely. Historically, almost never. Most of us have gotten rid of our royal houses and do not wish for more, but that does not mean we cannot promise on our magic and on our very honor to listen when she speaks and stop when she says stop, and consider well her words to go when she urges us to do so, for in doing so many pupils have been held up on the shoulders of their teachers and together reached ever greater heights. We lose no sovereignty in recognizing the council of the wise. We only grow wiser ourselves."
When asked if they had any comment about the polarizing statement made on behalf of MACUSA, Madam Romanova said, "We could not possibly make a moral judgment on the wisdom of the words of MACUSA's honored President Stiltwell. We leave that to the people of the Phoenix Nation herself, and we shall certainly watch with interest."
With the addition of these thirty-three sovereign nations to the fifty-eight Commonwealth nations, and counting China and Britain, HRM Hermione now has the ear and confidence of ninety-three nations world-wide which represents nearly four-fifths of the 123 nations recognized by the International Confederacy of Wizards, and nine-tenths of the wizarding world population.
MAGICAL CONGRESS OF USA PASSES BILL: HRM HERMIONE IS WONDERFUL
Luna Lovegood
[picture of HRM Hermione smiling and holding a golden six-legged kitten of prodigious size]
Yesterday in special session, and only twelve days after HRM Hermione's coronation, the Congress of Magical America passed the M.I.O.N.E. Bill (MC231.213) with more than two-thirds consenting which will allow for an automatic overturn should President Stiltwell choose to exercise her veto. The bill, entitled Magical Idiots Ought Never Elucidate, states in remarkably plain terms that:
1- MACUSA rejoices that the once and future king has turned out to be a queen after all.
2- MACUSA rejoices that even while heroism is lauded, peace is preached by veterans of war.
3- MACUSA stands in solidarity with her sister nations in recognizing Hermione Jean Granger Krum Peveril Potter Black Pendragon, daughter of non-magical parents, vanquisher of dark wizards, heir to her torturers, knight in the order of Merlin, queen in charge of Avalon; that boundaryless notion of magic and peace, and heavenly empress of all China, as the first among equals.
4- MACUSA is ashamed at President Stiltwell's short-sighted and insulting words of a woman who values education, married for love, and is blindingly intelligent and wise, and has called into question whether the President herself could embody any of these things since she clearly cannot recognize them in others.
5- And apropos of nothing at all, save a bill that is certain to pass and possibly the very tenuous connection of HRM Hermione's clear affection for her American-gifted wampus kittens, a large amount of funding has been secured for the phoenix nation's internationally regarded kneazle-based obscurial remediation program and wampus cat sanctuary, Graves Adairondack, something that has faced the budgetary chopping block in Stiltwell's presidency.