Harry Potter and the Knights of the Roundtable
Chapter 10
"You mean you're the new Minister?" Ginny asked. The others in the room were looking at Harry with interest.
"No." Harry said. "According to the Commission, I'm more of a Warrior-King." Gasps erupted around the table. "Really it's more of a military position; the commission makes clear that while I'm in control of the ministry, the Wizagmot still retains its authority. When Arthur took the position, he delegated day-to-day authority to a Minister. This minister then took responsibility for the day-to-day operations of the Ministry. Arthur led the Knights and made important policy decisions."
"Indeed." Dumbledore said. "If I'm not mistaken, Merlin himself filled the position of Minister under Arthur."
"You're correct, Albus." Harry said.
"So what now?" Draco asked.
The next day, Harry, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Draco, Neville, Cho, Jennifer, Jason, Eric and Moira, accompanied by Dumbledore, apparated to the Ministry where an emergency session of the Wizagmot had just concluded. Though the conditions of the Commission were clear, both Harry and Dumbledore felt it was necessary for the Wizagmot to be asked to vote to confirm it. When they arrived at the Ministry, an elderly, balding man greeted them.
"Headmaster Dumbledore." He said, acknowledging Dumbledore and then turned to Harry. "Your Highness, the Wizagmot is ready to receive you. If you'll follow me." He turned and began walking towards a large set of elaborately decorated doors. On either side of the doors was a pair of Aurors, who saluted as the group approached by crossing their closed fists over their chests. Harry returned the salute. The Head Page pushed opened the doors and walked in. Inside the three-hundred wizarding law makers, as well as the four hundred onlookers, fell silent.
"Madame President." He said, addressing elderly looking blonde haired witch sitting at the front of the room. "May I present his highness, Harry Potter." At these words Harry stepped into the room. The moment he did so, the room erupted into applause and cheers. Harry made his way down the aisle, the other following behind him. When he reached the front of the room, he turned and made his way up onto the platform where the president of the Wizagmot was standing. Behind him, Dumbledore and the others took their seats in the center front set of seats. Harry shook hands with the president, and then took his place at the podium. After a few moments the applause died down.
"Greetings fellow wizards and witches." Harry began. "As you know, for the last two years the Wizarding world has been at war. Many have suffered and died; more will do so before this war is over, unfortunately.
Despite the gallant efforts of many within the Ministry, the fact of the matter is that we have been losing this war. The forces of Lord Voldemort have grown steadily stronger, as evident by the assault on the Ministry and many of its top officials yesterday. We have been losing this war because Minister Fudge and his administration did not take the necessary steps to wage the kind of war we now face. That mistake has cost not only his life, but also the lives of many good people.
As you know, the death of Minister Fudge has once again activated the Commission of Pendragon. However, this being a democracy, I had asked the Wizagmot to confirm the terms of the Commission, which this distinguished body did early this morning by a near unanimous declaration.
Ladies and gentlemen, I hereby accept the title of Regent and the responsibilities it entails. For the general public who may not understand what this title entails, allow me to elaborate. First and foremost, I have now assumed direct command of all wizarding forces currently fighting against Voldemort. Second, the Regent serves as the chief executive of the wizarding world, with power to create executive positions, appoint persons to fill those positions and make decrees directly related to the operation of the executive branch and the war effort. Finally, the Regent has veto authority over all actions taken by the Ministry and laws passed by the Wizagmot.
In relation to the second power given to the Regent under the Commission, as my first official act I hereby appoint Arthur Weasley as the new Minister of Magic. He will have all the authority as his predecessor, except in those instances where power has been delegated to the Regent via the Commission.
As I said earlier, for the last two years the ministry has failed to adequately prosecute the war against Voldemort and his followers. That changes today. Under the authority granted to me as Regent, I hereby direct the following:
First, all ministry personnel and members of the Order of the Phoenix are to undergo questioning by members of the Knights of the Roundtable to ensure that there are no more agents of Lord Voldemort hiding in either the Ministry or the Order of the Phoenix. Should a spy or spies be found, they will be charged with Treason and if convicted by our courts, be executed. Those who may have acted against their Will will receive mercy.
Second, though the capture of enemy forces is still preferable, I hereby authorize the use of deadly force against Lord Voldemort and his forces.
Third, I am placing all wizarding schools in Britain on a war footing and placing them under the direct authority of Albus Dumbledore. He is hereby directed, with the assistance of the Order, the Ministry, and the Knights of the Roundtable, to develop and implement a temporary curriculum for all students to train them in the necessary skills and tactics to effectively defend themselves, their schools, and society at large. All students of these schools will undergo extensive questioning in order to determine their loyalty to the side of Light. Those with sympathies to Lord Voldemort or who, even worse, are loyal to Voldemort, will be immediately expelled.
Finally, I hereby issue open invitation to all witches and wizards who wish to fight against Lord Voldemort to apply to the Aurors, Unspeakables, or the Knights of the Roundtable. The same conditions of loyalty will be enforced with all new recruits.
My friends, this is not a war that we wanted. We did not start it. It began at a time of the enemy's choosing. But it is a fight we will win. It will end at an hour of our choosing. The forces of darkness will be defeated."
"Thank you for your faith in me Harry." Arthur Weasley said. Harry and the others, along with Dumbledore and Mr. Weasley were currently sitting in the Headmaster's office at Hogwarts. It had been an hour since Harry's speech. Harry grinned.
"No need to thank me." Harry said. "You're the right person for the job. Besides, I don't know of anybody else I'd trust in the position, Albus excluded. But I need him to oversee the new educational changes."
"Thank you for your faith in my humble abilities, your highness." Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling. Harry rolled his eyes.
"The next person in this room that calls me that is going to be hexed into oblivion." He said. The room erupted in chuckles. Harry turned towards the original Knights. "I'm afraid you guys are going to have to move up as trainers and my lieutenants a lot faster than originally planned. I'm not worried though; you're ready." The others beamed at his praise. Finally Hermione spoke up.
"You can count on us, Harry." She said. The others nodded their heads in agreement.
The group spent the next several hours discussing the plans necessary to implement Harry's decrees. The first step, everyone agreed, was to determine the loyalty of those in the Ministry, then in the individual schools. Using the knowledge that Merlin and Arthur had given him, Harry was able to create a dozen orbs similar to the one he used to choose his Knights. Unlike that orb, these would only determine person's loyalty, as well as if they were under the Imperius curse as well as other mind control agents. He gave five of these orbs to Dumbledore for use at the other schools. Six more went to Arthur for use at the Ministry. Harry and the Knights kept the remaining one. First thing in the morning they would get started.
Training for the fifteen Knights selected just prior to the attack on the Ministry began the next day. Harry placed Ron in charge of the training, and Jennifer, Jason, Eric and Moira assisted him. Hermione and Ginny went to the Ministry to assist with the screening of the Ministry personnel, while Neville and Cho began screening the professors and students at Hogwarts. Meanwhile, Harry and Dumbledore began visiting the other wizarding schools. Their purpose was threefold: first to begin screening the professors and students at those schools; second to begin implementing the change in curriculum that Dumbledore had developed, with the help of Harry and the Knights; and third as a public relations activity. In Harry's words "It's a command function really. The troops have to see you doing the job so they know its real. (This quote was taken from Tom Clancy's Executive Orders.)"
Arthur Weasley sat at his desk at the Ministry, reviewing reports. Harry's speech before the Wizagmot six weeks earlier, as well as the policy actions as a result of it, had ignited a firestorm of passion among the wizarding world. Witches and wizards throughout Britain were applying to the Aurors, Unspeakables, Knights, and other Ministry departments by the hundreds. Naturally not all had been sincere in their passion; a disturbing number had been found to be operating either under some form of control or in the service of Lord Voldemort by choice. This trend extended to those already employed by the ministry. Though no Aurors or Unspeakables were found to be traitors, more than a few were found in the rest of the ministry.
The sudden influx of new personnel into the Ministry had created a few additional problems. Because of the previously small size of the Auror and Unspeakable divisions, the Ministry was finding it difficult to both train the new people and maintain the security throughout the country that was necessary. If not for the addition of the Order of the Phoenix, as well as the calling out of retirement many former Aurors and Unspeakables, had offset the problem.
But now the first class of new Aurors and Unspeakables were nearing the end of their training. More importantly, the new curriculum mandated for all schools throughout Great Britain had taken some of the responsibility for protecting the population and would allow the Ministry's forces to go on the offensive. Even better, the second class of Knights were nearing the end of their training and a third class of some sixty selectees had just begun their training.
Voldemort's forces had been relatively quiet since the attack on the Ministry, launching only four minor raids, all of which were met and defeated by the combined forces of the Aurors, Unspeakables, Order and Knights.
Unfortunately I don't think Voldemort is going to give us much more time. Arthur thought to himself. Recent intelligence suggested that not only had the Dark Lord been recruiting more followers, but also that his own elite guard, the Blood Knights, was also rapidly expanding. Arthur had no doubt that the next major battle of the war was only a short time away.