There is a lot to keep track of during this chapter so you might have to buckle up. As a reward the fluff will resume shortly afterwards as a reprieve for the growing political conflicts mentioned here. Let me know if you like the political machinations of the mainland families or the historical elements introduced. (Valois is pronounced Valwa) Enjoy!
Tides of Violence: a Political Conflict Emerges.
"Welcome Rose, Al, Scorpius to the wonder that is Gryffindor tower!" cried Louis meeting us at the entrance to the common room.
"Now all of you lions be warned these three are under my personal protection. You don't want to pick a fight with the entire Weasley family so I suggest you don't give them any trouble." Cried Louis into the room of roughhousing boys and giggling girls. We settled in and I couldn't imagine how natural it felt. We were having a wonderful time until someone brought it up.
"Damn those bastards and their threats. How can the ministry do this?" A boy said reading a letter and running from the room.
"Did you hear about the Purists moving to withdraw all of their gold from Gringotts and cease their contributions to the ministry should the legislations against the sacred twenty-eight and the other prominent nine-tenth families not be repealed by Christmas?" Lou asked slightly hushed.
"The magical community depends on that money. Besides how can they risk a goblin revolt now? I'm entirely certain the goblin clans would back the S28 since they are some of the wealthiest witches and wizards in the world." said Rosie eyeing me furtively. She was clearly aware of the growing political strife. Why are the potter-weasleys divided into extraordinary geniuses and imbecilic twits?
"I heard that Minister Shacklebolt is under enormous pressure by the Reformation party to go the opposite direction and increase limitations on families that are ninety percent pureblooded. He can hardly remain objective since the Shacklebolts still remain part of the S28." Said Connor Finnegan eyeing the common room most likely for signs of the Abbots or Macmillons.
"Why is this happening now after all this time?" asked James.
"Well it all started because of that blasted paper! The International Confederation of Wizards was presented documents that actually detail a reawakening ceremony of magical blood in undiluted families. They've discovered a way to enhance the potency of innate magic through pureblood lineage. The Reformation party is terrified that the S28 might use the mentioned rituals to reignite the muggle purges of the first and second wars." Rose said in her most matter of fact tone.
"Are you serious?" James screeched. "Purebloods have always claimed they were superior now there's a way they can actually establish it?"
"But aren't the Weasleys and the Prewetts part of the S28?" Asked Connor worriedly looking at Al and James.
"Well the Weasley's, the Prewetts, the Longbottoms and several others were exempt from the legislations because of their actions during the war. But even many of the pureblooded families that fought against Voldemort have been targeted. The radicals aren't happy that the international community is also starting to fume over the same issues." Al finished.
"Thats right the wizarding communities in France, Japan and Germany are growing restless too. The Reformation party most likely fears that the pueblooded families might exploit the research to argue expanding their control and might receive international backing to do it." said Rose looking at me as though I should have been explaining this instead of her and Al. I hate that they assume i should.
"Since the Malfoy family assimilated the majority of the pureblooded female members of Britains original founders through the ages, Draco Malfoy actually holds the last 'Supreme Patron of Founders' title in this country, as Scor will after him." Al said turning to me as well.
"Does your father know anything about whats going on?" Al asked curious.
"Its worse than you know. Lucius was stripped of his titles, lands, and wealth, all of it passing to Father and Grandmother for their decisive betrayal of the dark lord at the critical final hours of the war. As such Father runs whats left of the founders council in the Ministry but refuses to get involved in the Radical and Purists conflict. Things are getting tenser than ever since the majority of the nine-tenth families and whats left of the S28 look to him for guidance." I started.
"While I understand the Founders Council is important they cant overrule the Wizengamot so how is that worse than we know?" asked Rosie curiously.
"Alexandre deDrée and the Cröy Sisters: Evengeline, Abelinda and Candria wrote Father recently. When he refused their requests... Augustin of house Valois himself paid father a visit over the summer." I said slowly.
"No Way!" cried Louis. "Augustin as in the former Supreme Mugwump of the ICW and Warlock patriarch of the Valois family? The House Valois as in the richest and oldest pureblooded family in the world?" Louis asked half screaming.
"The same" I countered although oldest was debatable... they just ate all the other families, devoured them through marriage.
"I've heard maman is far descended from one of the female Valois but for Augustin himself to pay you a visit… what did he want." Louis continued slightly fearful of my answer.
"Well Augustin and Father were friends for a long time and his sister was at one time promised to Draco, so he pretended that it was just a social call by an old friend. I'm certain however that it was about Father joining the Sacred Houses coalition, since the deDrées and the Cröys wrote to Father about it first. The coalition consists of the oldest and entirely pureblooded Patron Founders from every magical community around the world. Since the British ministry of magic is one of the most powerful, Father's involvement would be an enormous victory for the coalition. Father said when they have amassed enough support they plan to threaten to remove their seals from each of the founders walls should the magical legislations made against them not be repealed by the ICW and the individual ministries." I finished darkly.
"WHAT! But thats suicide!" cried Rose. "Whats all this about founders walls?" asked James rather stupidly.
"Don't you know anything Jamie?" asked Al sarcastically, explaining for Rosie.
"Each ministry depends on the seals of their respective founders for the magical energy they use to govern their respective countries." Said Al.
"What are you talking about? The Wizengamot runs Britain not some stupid wall or founders council." Said James aggressively.
"Well what do you think powers the trace? Or the cloaking matrix that protects our world from the muggles? Or even binds the treaties made with the various other sentient races or fellow ministries? All of our largest and most complex spells are powered by blood and the hundreds of magical seals belonging to the founding members of Britain placed in the Ministry ages ago. Who else but the founders council governs that magic? The founders walls of Britain, America, France, Japan, Germany, Greece and Egypt make up the Seven greatest walls in the world." Al finished tiredly as though he had explained something that should be common knowledge.
"I don't understand if these walls are so powerful, why wouldn't the ministry have used them to fight Voldemort?" James asked.
"Because you twit the majority of our founders council was composed of his supporters. Nobody would have agreed to using the wall against him, but neither would they dare declaring publicly that they would have used its power for him until the ministry fell, well aside from the Lestranges and maybe the Blacks." Rose finished.
"So what can these Valois really accomplish? How can a family of stuck up French be as powerful as all that?" James asked.
"Because for starters every single member of that family has passed Warlock qualifications by age 23 for the last millennia and a half, power is in their blood. Second they have accumulated so many great families through marriage that they have a web of connections running through Europe and beyond. Their name is so magically powerful that the female line carries Valois jointly even after the first generation through marriage. Which means two females must be born to discontinue the name." Louis said.
"And why does that matter?" asked James eyebrows furrowed as though he was having trouble comprehending what was said.
"Merlin you are so dense James. the founders walls consists of a multitude of family seals, when a formerly extant family dies off or joins another the seal is replaced with that of their closest living relatives. The French Court of Magic disband the Paris founders council when the last three families assimilated into house Valois. Augustin, his brothers and cousins control the magic of the Paris founders wall entirely on there own." Al finished darkly, he knew a lot about those horrid wretches. I wonder how.
"Thats crazy! One Family basically controls all France?" James screamed.
"Hahahaha. Actually, the first thing Augustin's father Audric did was to make the palaces of Versailles and the Louvre the Valois personal residences using the magic of the wall to cloak their presence from the Muggles who think they are stlil museums. They are royalty in all but title." said Louis.
"Don't tell me you don't remember meeting Acelin, Apolline, and Cyrille?" Al asked James with feigned incredulity. "Oh right Dad didn't take you did he?" he finished tauntingly.
"You know Augustin's three children as well?" I asked watching Louis turn to Al in equal surprise. Those three are quite gifted. Not like Al or me but enough to frighten any of the Ministers themselves. They were bred to be Princes and Princesses of magical society. They were taught long ago how to play the game and to never ever lose at it.
"As well as Ambroise's children Alphonse and Ariana. Can you believe they wanted to arrange a betrothal between me and Apolline when Augustin found out I was a prodigy? As if we were pieces to be moved about on a board." Al said indignantly.
"How do you know the Valois?" I asked again curious that Augustin would allow let alone arrange his daughters marriage to a wizard anything less than nine-tenths pure. In truth only the first born males were required to marry purebloods, but I still found the idea strange. I suppose power was more important in this case than blood purity.
"Augustin has invited dad to his stupid balls years in a row. The War hero of Britain who survived the killing curse and defeated the only wizard next to Dumbledore who could best his father Audric in a duel. Naturally since Louis taught me french dad and mom thought it would be incredibly fun to bring me along. I'm surprised Aunt Fleur didn't mention the soirée to you Lou. She is Azure Valois-Cambray's great granddaughter and was invited as well." the green eyed twit was being unusually slytherin tonight. Ha maybe the mere mention of those horrible children is infectious.
"Maman most certainly did not!" Lou said in a manner that said he felt extremely cheated. James also looked upset. Like he had missed out not only on the opportunity but that Al seemed to grasp so much more of what the world really was like. He looked utterly confused by the political games being played and hadn't even heard of the Founder's wall or even the council. Well I suppose we try and keep it that way. Nobody bothers talking about it because the council always seems to agree to whatever the Wizengamot decides is best. The council actually was responsible for placing the Taboo on Voldemorts name during the war so that they could track anyone brave enough to say it out loud.
"Come on my little brother you are much too serious for you own good" Said Teddy hearing our conversion. He had resurfaced from Victoire's mouth for air moments ago and had decided to come over to us when she had made to leave. He crossed the room picking up Al from behind to whirl him around playfully in the air. Al merely laughed and smiled as though all the weight of our conversation had lifted away from him. Marvolo… Purists Threats... Radical reprisals... The Valois… The coalition… all on top of Al's very powerful and entirely unstable magic. I still had to study for my potions exam with Snape tomorrow evening… what a first day. This was going to be a tough year, i could just tell.
