(as recorded by Peter Pettigrew, Mr. Wormtail)
Place: Hogwarts express
Date: July 6th.
Members: Remus Lupin, Mr. Moony
Peter Pettigrew, Mr. Wormtail
Sirius Black, Mr. Padfoot
James Potter, Mr. Prongs
Lily Evans, Miss Lily (Mrs. Prongs)
Aladdin Niadria, Miss Aladdin (Mrs. Moony)
continued
Prongs: Now onto business. Summer is upon us. This means that our days of pranking the Slytherins are over, ka-put, and officially done with. Are there any suggestions to put before the court or any pre-laid plans?
Moony: Mr. Moony would like to inform the court he shall be on vacation in Paris for two weeks.
Prongs: Mr. Moony's plans have been duly noted. Mark it down on the official record calender, Mr. Wormtail.
Lily: Miss Lily would like to inform the group she and Mr. Prongs will be vacationing in Flordia with her cousin, Miss Amretta.
Padfoot: Mr. Padfoot would like to say Miss Amretta has an odd name.
Lily: Miss Lily would like to say Miss Amretta's name is none of Mr. Padfoot's business.
Padfoot: Mr. Padfoot requests Mrs. Prongs stop planning the Prongs family's honeymoon at the official Marauder court.
Lily: Miss Lily would like to point out that Mr. Padfoot keep his abnormally large nose out of other people's business.
Padfoot: Mr. Padfoot would like to object Miss Lily stole his line!
Moony: Mr. Moony would like for Mr. Padfoot and Miss Lily to stop arguing.
Prongs: Mr. Moony has set forth a proposition. All in favor?
Aladdin: Aye!
Moony: Aye!
Prongs: Aye!
Lily: Nay!
Padfoot: Nay!
Prongs: As Miss Lily and Mr. Padfoot are outvoted, he would like to point out that their continuing this argument is against the will of the court and further insults from either party will be heavily fined.
Lily: Miss Lily would like to say that is thorougly ridicoulous.
Padfoot: Mr. Padfoot would like to point out that Miss Lily has just said the rules are irrelevant. If the rules are not held sacred, this court should go to the dogs now.
Prongs: Mr. Padfoot, there is nothing in the rules about respecting the rules and that you cannont control the court.
Padfoot: Motion to change the rules to respect the Marauder patriotism!
Prongs: Denied in the interests of free speech in both parties.
Padfoot: Mr. Padfoot is outraged and would like to complain does Mr. Prongs think this is America?
Aladdin: Miss Aladdin would like to point out that Mr. Padfoot is going against the will of the court by continuing this argument.
Padfoot: In the interests of free speech, Mr. Padfoot would like to point out that this court is contradicting itself if it claims free speech and postpones an argument.
Prongs: Mr. Padfoot is correct. Motion appealed.
Lily: Miss Lily would like to point out that even in the interests of free speech, the judge may call truce in the interests of keeping order.
Prongs: Mr. Prongs refuses all requests on the grounds that this is not a debate team. All previous motions undone.
Aladdin: Miss Aladdin would like a motion to open a debate!
Moony: Mr Moony would hastily claim to act as mediator!
Wormtail: Mr. Wormtail would like to exit himself on the grounds of taking notes!
Prongs: Mr. Prongs will hastily claim to act as judge. A motion has been set forth. All in favor?
Padfoot: Aye!
Aladdin: Aye!
Lily: Aye!
Prongs: (sigh) Motion forwarded. Mr. Moony has the floor.
Moony: This debate is now open, the topic of free speech. A moment to organize into teams.
Lily and Aladdin are on a team, Padfoot by himself, Wormtail recording.
Moony: The issue: free speech in the courtroom. Does the court have the power to stop Mr. Padfoot, or any person, to stop an argument?
Prongs: (under his breath) I wish I could stop this whole thing now.
Moony: The views: the party for the court, Miss Lily, Miss Aladdin. The view against the court, Mr. Padfoot. Opening statements, please, keep it brief. Mr. Padfoot, as the minority, you go first.
Padfoot: Mr. Padfoot would like to present himself before the court as a victim. This court claims free speech as a right of all its participants, yet when it tires of hearing one point of view, it passes a motion to silence one of its occupants. This is not right nor fair towards the person speaking, and this dishonors the court as going against its word.
Moony: (sigh) The counter argument?
Lily: Miss Lily would like to point out, with no offense in mind, that some people talk merely to obstruct the court, and that such talk is often petty and demeaning, impeding justice and higher matters to satisfy a personal grudge.
Padfoot: Mr. Padfoot objects!
Moony: Speaking out of turn!
(Padfoot shuts his mouth)
Moony: Mr. Padfoot has the floor.
Padfoot: The issue being debated here is not the topic of the argument, but rather the right of the person to say it, even if some people may think what the person says is petty, they cannot deny the person's right to say it.
Miss Aladdin makes a rude gesture at Mr. Padfoot
Moony: (stifiling a laugh) That was uncalled for! Penalty to Miss Aladdin; Miss Lily has the floor.
Lily: Miss Lily would like to say that the issue being debated here is the court's right to take away speaking priveleges of the person speaking, not the freedom of speech, and would also like to point out they are not in America. If the person speaking is impeding justice, than the court has a right, even a responsibility, to make sure the person in question does not waste precious court time, and other people's time, arguing about petty things.
Prongs: Mr. Prongs excuses himself on the pretense of going to the bathroom.
Mr. Prongs hurriedly exits the carriage, stops outside and sighs in relief.
Moony: Mr. Moony would like to point out that Miss Lily is repeating her points. We don't want to be here all day.
Padfoot: Mr. Padfoot would like to point out that we are indeed here all day and that Miss Lily is slimy and smells bad.
Moony: That was uncalled for. Penalty to Mr. Padfoot; Miss Aladdin has the floor.
Aladdin: Miss Aladdin would like to point out that with the judge absent, there is no use in continuing this debate as there can be no final verdict.
Padfoot: Mr. Padfoot would like to point out that the debate is against the court and that Mr. Prongs will, being a judge, naturally be prejudiced in favor of the court and Miss Lily, and that a new judge be requested.
Moony: Mr. Padfoot's request is put on hold until Mr. Prongs returns, as it would be unsporting to remove him in his absence.
Padfoot: Mr. Padfoot would like this court to go to the dogs!
Moony: Denied. Mr Padfoot may not take control of this court. (sighs) This is gonna be a looong train ride.
All ideas copyright the Marauders and Abigail, all characters copyright JK Rowling, the goddess/murderer. The idea inspired by Nicole (danellegirl56@yahoo.com), made possible by Esquiline (randomness muse).
Notebook: It was a small stroke of brilliance to keep Wormtail occupied keeping records as an excuse not to say much. What can I say. And poor Remus, James, and Peter will do anything not to have to get between two angry girlfriends and Sirius. The debate will be interrupted next chapter, no fear. It was getting motonous anyway. The chapters should be fairly quick unless I stumble into writer's block; this is fun and easy to write.