Chapter 10: MACUSA, the statesmanship surprise, and supper.
Tuesday, August 14th, 2018
Jimmie and Goodnight walked out of the Colchester-Astor Hotel at 12:30 PM, which was an early 20th-century grand hotel on the corner of Sayre Ave. and Graves St. in the wizarding district of Manhattan. After that morning's orientation at MACUSA, they had come back to their hotel to freshen up, and eat. The Colchester-Astor was a five-star wizarding hotel, which made the young Potters gape in awe at the extravagance of the highly decorated plastered ceilings, crystal chandeliers, and the huge granite columns about the lobby when they first arrived the day before and checked in that evening after leaving MACUSA to sign up. Their two-room junior suite, which consisted of a sitting room, bedroom, and en suite all-marble bath was exquisite luxury, where the two slept well under the fine white silk sheets that night.
Jimmie was wearing a bespoke three-piece, super 120, tropical worsted tic weave grey wool suit from his father's tailor. He was wearing a dark grey herringbone flat cap, like his father, which had been fitted to him at Lock & Co. Hatters at St. James's St. in London. Underneath, he wore a fitted light blue dress shirt with cufflinks, with an expensive dark blue and silver striped tie, and bespoke black full brogue oxfords from John Lobb Co. over his argyle socks, whose shoe shop was close to Lock & Co..
One thing of notice was the pink gold double Albert watch chain hanging from Jimmie's waistcoat, where the T-bar was placed within the third buttonhole up. In the waistcoat's right pocket, and connected to one of the chains, he carried a present from his father, a 1926 Hamilton 23 jewel, gold filled and cased, "Railroad" model 950, and a size 16, pocket watch. In his left waistcoat pocket, and connected to the other chain, he carried a highly engraved, gold-filled, penknife, which would magically open any lock. From the T-bar hung a round fob about the size of a silver sickle, which was made of gold. In its center, it was engraved with an equilateral triangle, which within contained a circle that was bisected by one vertical line - the seal of the Peverells.
Goodnight had her hair done up in a neat bun, and was wearing a rimmed black petite lady's hat from Lock & Co. as well, which had a white silk rose on the left side over the small and narrow brim. She wore a two-piece bespoke women's pants suit of the same fine super 120 worsted wool, which was black with fine pinstripes. Underneath, she wore a fitted white silk shirt, and for shoes, she wore a pair of shiny Babbsy, pointed-toe, slingback pumps. She was also carrying a small black and shiny clutch purse, with gold accents.
The two screamed wealth and sophistication for the passerby, and either could make a Wall Street banker jealous, as Jimmie and Goodnight flagged a wizarding taxi, where they headed toward the Woolworth building not far away, which was just to the south in Manhattan.
After leaving the taxi, Jimmie and Goodnight walked up to the entrance of MACUSA, where, with a quick tap of his wand on the door, it opened, and the two then walked along the entrance hall and started up the stairs at the back heading to the second floor at 1:00 PM. The building was laid out odd, in that only the top four above-ground floors were completely used, and the rest were below street level. When one walked in, the steps ended at level four, where there was a memorial for the witches burned at Salem. This level also contained the large, round, magical emergency alarm clock. However, to the young Potters, it also seemed creepy, as it almost looked like a shrine for the president, whose portrait hung at the rear behind the brown granite columns of the memorial. The Woolworth building and tower were much larger than they appeared, which was hidden with magic, as the wizarding portion was toward the rear, and when one tapped the door with their wand, it opened a portal similar to the Leakey, where you entered the MACUSA section.
This fourth floor was open above to the tall tower, where the tower was ringed with a single row of offices around its perimeter, but hollow in its center, where the higher floors could be reached by two antique lifts. If one looked up, it was completely open, and the ceiling was high up and under the observation floor at the top. The upper ringed tower office's halls, which faced the center, were covered with frosted glass windows all the way up.
Here, the two made their way to the second floor, followed three halls to a security desk where they checked in, and entered an auditorium, where they took their seats beside Mark.
"What's up for this afternoon, Markie?" Goodnight inquired.
"Dad said that they had something special to show us about politics and bad policy this afternoon," Mark replied, "and about using skill and cunning within government to rectify it. Anything farther than that, I'm not sure."
"Hmmm," Jimmie hummed, as he sat back in his seat. His father and mother were sitting in the Wizengamot that afternoon as well. Maybe, though, it was something about the ICW or a movie that they wished to show them, he thought.
The auditorium began to quickly fill, as people sat down from several of the fifty states, with the two from the UK, who were Jimmie and Goodnight, along with three, it looked to be, who were from France.
A door leading to the lecture area in the front corner of the auditorium opened and out walked Mark's father, David Graves, who Jimmie looked up to as an uncle. Dave walked up to the podium and held up his hand silencing those who were speaking. After this, he gave a quick glance at the clock high on the wall and cleared his throat, where he smiled up at the Potters, and his son.
"Good day, everyone," David drawled in his Texan accent. "We have a treat for you this afternoon, which will be part of a political debate, and I am told that it will not only teach you a bit about politics but about ill-thought-out bills that come up within governments. I personally know one of these politicians and work with him all the time. What you will witness this afternoon, is true cunning and stratagem, as well as doublespeak, where the bill will be picked apart bit by bit without anyone being offended, or knowing that they've been played." This brought chortles from several.
David walked to the back wall behind the podium, and with a flick of his wand, he raised a huge blackboard, which was covering a large mirror that now showed the MACUSA seal upon it. Next, the lights were dimmed in the auditorium.
As David made his way back to the podium and glanced at the clock once more, the mirror monitor switched to showing the inside of the British Wizengamot. The members were just then entering, and taking their seats, which caused Jimmie to take out his pocket watch, and look at the time, which was five hours ahead of them, making it 6:30 PM there, which would be after the court had held session. It was to start within about five minutes.
"Jim," Goodnight whispered, "what's up?"
"I have no idea, dear! Da' never said a word!" Here, Jimmie huffed about him being in the dark and sat back in his seat.
Finally, they watched Kingsley call the Wizengamot to order after the doors were sealed, and when business was called, Jimmie noticed a wand go up within Dumbledore's old faction. It was a middle-aged witch, who the Chief Warlock told to stand, and she did. If Jimmie recalled, she was a half-blood who was a little older than his parents.
"August members of the Wizengamot, I wish to introduce a new bill today over the consumption of alcohol," The Right Honourable Lady Perks of Swindon stated. "I call for full prohibition of this devil's brew - all types of it! We should ban it from our streets, from our places of business, and from our homes, as it tears apart families and friends. Henceforth, I introduce the following legislation," and here she held up a stack of parchment to be passed out, "and call for a debate, and a vote!"
When a call was made for a second on the debate, and to bring the bill before the Wizengamot, Dumbledore's old friend, who could now barely get around, Elphias Doge, raised his wand from the lower row of benches, and it was seconded.
When the parchment was passed out, Jimmie noticed his father and mother take one with a quick smile, and when the debate was opened, his father's wand was the first to be lighted, and in the air.
"Sir Harry, of the Most Ancient and Noble Houses of Potter and Black, representing the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter, you have the floor," The Chief Warlock's voice boomed out, as Harry stood with the help of his cane, Jimmie noticed. He also noticed his da' smile at his mum and grandda', as he rubbed his right leg, where he was making a real show of it.
Harry quickly glanced around at the assembled Wizengamot and then turned to address the Minister and the Chief Warlock.
"August members of this Wizengamot," Harry drawled in a voice that sounded much like Churchill, which made Jimmie snort with a smirk, "I did not wish to have to address this, but I was told that this would be brought to the floor today, so here I stand before you. If you do not mind, Minister, I would like to address this gamot from the floor, as an old war injury has my leg paining me today, and It would treat me better to make my statement while moving."
Jimmie looked down at the podium at Dave, who was covering the grin on his face with his hand, as he watched his best friend, and little brother in all but blood, do his work before the other politicos. Jimmie watched his father hobble down the steps leading from their family's seats at the top benches, and, he thought, he noticed his father give a quick wink at a few people, with Mr. Ogden being one of them, and Nott another. Finally, his father took out a stack of notes from inside his jacket, which he wore behind his Wizengamot robe.
Here, Harry adjusted his glasses and cleared his throat as he looked back at Dumbledore's faction.
"This may take more time than I have, but bear with me," Harry said, which caused not only Mr. Ogden and Nott to announce that they would cede Harry their time, but so did the Head Hit Wizard, Mr. Lagavulin.
"This is a setup," Jimmie muttered to Goodnight and Mark, making them snigger.
"My friends," Harry drawled, as he began walking about the Wizengamot floor in a circuitous route, "I really had not intended to discuss this controversial subject at this particular time. However, I want you to know that I do not shun controversy. On the contrary, I will take a stand on any issue at any time, regardless of how fraught with controversy it might be. All right, this is how I feel about whiskey:
"If, when you say whiskey, you mean the devil's brew," Here, Harry looked back at Dumbledore's faction, "the poison scourge, the bloody monster that defiles innocence, dethrones reason, destroys the home, creates misery and poverty, yea, literally takes the bread from the mouths of little children; if you mean the evil drink that topples the religious man and woman from the pinnacle of righteous and gracious living, and into the bottomless pit of degradation, despair, shame, helplessness, and hopelessness, then certainly I am against it!"
Here, Dumbledore's lot began to applaud, forcing Kingsley to use his gavel to quieten them down. Harry, though, stood very still for a few seconds and looked over at Mr. Ogden and Nott.
"BUT," Harry's voice rang out, and one could have heard a pin drop, as some gasped while Harry let that one word hang for a few seconds.
"If, when you say whiskey, you mean the oil of conversation, the philosophic wine, the ale that is consumed when good wizards get together that puts a song in their hearts, laughter on their lips, and the warm glow of contentment in their eyes; if you mean Yule cheer; if you mean the stimulating drink that puts the spring in the old gentleman's step on a frosty and crispy morning, much like myself; if you mean the drink which enables a man to magnify his joy and his happiness, and to forget, if only for a little while, life's great tragedies, heartaches, and sorrows; if you mean that drink, the sale of which pours into our treasury untold hundreds of thousands of galleons, which are used to provide tender care for our little crippled children, our orphans, our cursed, our sick, our blind, our deaf, our mentally disturbed, our pitiful aged and infirm; or to build infrastructure, and to finance St. Mungo's and Hogwarts, then certainly, I am for it!
"This is my stand, by Merlin. I will not retreat from it, and I will not compromise!" Harry stated this with a shake of his head much like Churchill, Jimmie noticed, and he was awed by his father.
This caused the majority to explode into applause, with some even standing. Jimmie noticed that it was the majority of the Wizengamot and that Dave was now openly chortling at the scene. Finally, after Kingsley banged his gavel down several times hard, while asking for order, the witches and wizards sat and became silent.
"I cannot take credit for this rebuttal, though I totally agree with every word," Harry said in a low but proud voice, as he shook his head. "No, it was given by The Right Honourable Noah S. "Soggy" Sweat Jr. of the great State of Mississippi, who was a representative in their great state's legislature back in 1952. He was addressing those that wanted to ban the sale of alcohol within the state. I merely modified it to fit my cause.
"Ol' Soggy and I have a close tie, you see, as his nickname means "sorghum top", a reference to the way in which his unruly hair resembled a sugar cane tassel much like my own, and of course, cane is the source of sugar, sorghum molasses, and rum." Here, Harry run his fingers through his hair, causing a few to laugh.
Harry paused for a moment, and smiled, as he started to lowly sing one verse from a favorite song of his and Daphne's. He knew that it would mollify many that were probably now pissed off at him in Dumbledore's old faction.
.
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"Mississippi, in the middle of a dry spell;"
"Jimmy Rogers, on the Victrola up high."
"Mama's dancin' with a baby on her shoulder,"
The sun is settin' like molasses in the sky."
.
.
Here, Harry paused and sighed as he looked back at Dumbledore's faction.
"I would be, though, all for helping those with an addictive personality, who can't lay the bottle down, and I would vote for any measure to help anyone with a depressive disposition, who should seek a mind healer, and receive help. I would not only vote to fund that but would also vote for a program sponsored by the ministry to help those in need to accomplish it!"
Now, Harry turned on his heel while using his cane, as he looked at everyone within the Wizengamot.
"Now, allow me to be deadly serious," Harry deadpanned after clearing his throat. "When you ban the sale of alcohol, which our great island has enjoyed for centuries, very bad things can happen. Something similar occurred during prohibition, which caused the public houses to go underground, thus forming the speakeasies. Organized crime grew, as they became the distillers and suppliers that smuggled the alcohol in. With them also came drugs, illegal potions, prostitution, clip joints, gaming, and a whole lot of other vices that they call 'amusements.'
"If prohibition is what you want, then feel free to vote for this, but I will not support it. I support liberty and freedom, and I like everybody. I don't care who you are, as I want you to all live a free and unrestrained life. I want every single person within this gamot, and those outside of it, to lead a happy and joyous life.
"However, take heed of what may happen, as many may just decide to turn their heads, and allow these things to occur if this passes, while you are forced to wallow in the mess that you've created. We should be getting rid of laws, instead of piling more on!" Here, there were several "hear, hears" that rang out.
"Last, let me give you a warning about an increasingly centralized government, which seeks more control over the populous, and its overreach. This is a history lesson about the founding of the United States, and it starts between two political philosophies going back to when they signed their Declaration of Independence. That history is the difference in political philosophy between conservative Jeffersonian Republicanism, which, by the way, I favor, and that of Hamiltonian and Hobbesian Federalism.
"Jefferson, you see, was for state's rights, a strict reading of the law, liberty, freedom, and a small central government as a compact between the thirteen sovereign states. Hamilton, though, was of the other opinion, where the Federalists wanted a huge overreaching and centralized big brother government, where the states would have no sovereignty, and were made into something similar to a county or shire. Of course, those states were actually sovereign, as they all have their own constitutions, and laws to this very day, which the US constitution sets out. Jefferson was correct, as he and Madison kept the Federalists under their heel for years.
"However, the war of 1812 began with us, and at the end, Madison, while president, was forced to start a new national bank to pay for the war debt. Here, they began selling bonds, and taxes have to pay that off. He also began to drop the idea of a strict interpretation of their constitution, which destroys the interpretation of the 'four corners of the law, and he began laying taxes and using tariffs. The Federalists didn't die away, even though their party had by then, dissolved. They joined with Madison's faction, where they eventually became the Whigs, and then later, the new Republican Party under Lincoln.
"The Jeffersonians continued with the Democratic Party, that of Ol' Hickory, especially in the south, which also controlled Congress through most of this time. This Federalist buildup and overreach was what triggered the southern state's secession, and the Civil War. It was never about slavery, as Lincoln never intended on freeing a single slave until on into the war, which was a political move to counter one in the south. The southern states seceded over this ever-expanding Federalist government centralization, their grab for power, their corruption, their expanding laws, and their overreach, as well as the taxes and tariffs.
"When the party split had occurred, Ol' Hickory, a Scots-Irishman named Andrew Jackson from the Carolinas was president, who sought to advance the rights of the 'common man against a corrupt aristocracy,' but still preserve the Union. In 1835, Jackson became the only president to ever completely pay off the national debt, and that's saying something!
"After the southern states lost the war, reconstruction began, which was a controlling, destroying, domineering, belittling, and brainwashing campaign designed by the Federalists. Lincoln, nor Johnson, wanted to take it this far, but the Radical Republicans pushed their Federalism ahead. Let me remind you about the hate and discontent that this caused, by reading this poem, which later became a song, by Major Innes Randolph of the Confederate Army:
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Oh, I'm a good old Rebel soldier, now that's just what I am;
For this "Fair Land of Freedom," I do not give a damn!
I'm glad I fit against it, I only wish we'd won,
And I don't want no pardon, for anything I've done.
.
I hates the Constitution, this "Great Republic," too!
I hates the Freedman's Bureau, and uniforms of blue!
I hates the nasty eagle, with all its brags and fuss,
And the lying, thieving Yankees, I hates 'em worse and worse!
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I hates the Yankee nation, and everything they do,
I hates the Declaration of Independence, too!
I hates the "Glorious Union" - 'tis dripping with our blood,
And I hates their striped banner, and I fit it all I could.
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I followed old Marse Robert, for four years, there about,
Got wounded in three places, and starved at Point Lookout.
I catched the "rheumatism," a campin' in the snow,
But I killed a chance o' Yankees, and I'd like to kill some more!
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Three hundred thousand Yankees, is stiff in Southern dust!
We got three hundred thousand, before they conquered us.
They died of Southern fever, and Southern steel, and shot,
But I wish we'd got three million, instead of what we got.
.
I can't take up my musket, and fight 'em now no more,
But I ain't a'gonna love 'em, now that's for certain sure!
I do not want no pardon, for what I was and am,
And I won't be reconstructed, and I do not care a damn!
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After Harry read this, there was a low muttering all around the Wizengamot.
"Take heed, all of you!" Harry exclaimed. "Do you want to keep poking the dragon? Will you learn from your past mistakes?"
"Federalism is nationalism, which is what Grindelwald supported!" Harry exclaimed. "On the other hand, Tom Riddle made good wizards a promise of giving them something very similar, and he hoodwinked many! All because they had been encroached upon in other ways, especially with the Statute of Secrecy, and over some trying to force a change in the way they preferred to live their lives. That is what encroaching on people's liberties, and their freedom leads to - WAR - and I damn sure do not want to bring that back!"
Here, Harry stood with a solemn look for a few seconds.
"Now, gentle wizards and witches," Harry finished in a low voice, "I've said my piece, so, I will retake my seat, and further debate can continue."
As Harry hobbled his way back to his seat, the mirror blanked out, and Dave gave a flick of his wand, making the blackboard drop down, and cover it. Next, he walked back to the podium, where he glanced up at his son, and at the young Potters, before he gazed out at everyone else assembled.
"That, my fellow witches and wizards, is how a professional uses their slyness, guile, and cunning to work a group of people. That, my friends, is how you will learn to work your marks and gain what you want! The trick is for them to never know that you've played them. This is the basis for the art of intrigue, and my good friend, who is the head of MDOCS in the UK, was who you just witnessed work a roomful of very important people. He is a true southern statesman, and, I dare say, a proper gentleman, as well as one of us.
"Now, any questions?"
Jimmie and Goodnight were sitting in the dining room at the Colchester-Astor Hotel, along with David, Debbie, and Mark Graves having their supper. They selected a nice three-course meal each, and Jimmie ordered a nice bottle of wine for the meal.
"I truly didn't know that Da' had it in him," Jimmie remarked after he was finished chewing his medium-rare roast beef. "I was actually very proud of him taking that stand today."
Dave snorted, as he glanced over at Harry and Daphne's eldest. "Jim, you lived with them now for close to eighteen years, so you know how your dad can operate. Your mum is no slouch as well, isn't that right, Deb?"
Debbie gave Jimmie a nod, as she was still chewing her food. She had been reminiscing about how their children had grown up so quickly.
"It was a damn cool lesson," Mark said, "and I learned a lot from Uncle Harry."
As Goodnight swallowed her last bite of steak, she took a drink of her wine, and then looked over at Dave. "What's up for us tomorrow?"
Here, the elder Graves both grinned. "You'll be catching a magical train down to Florida," Dave explained, "to the Everglades at Camp X, and that is where the grin and bear it begins! I do hope that you three younguns can handle it."
Jimmie, Goodnight, and Markie groaned, as the elder Graves sniggered at the three "younguns."
"We're so screwed," Jimmie muttered to Goodnight.
A/N: The song that Harry sang was Black Velvet.
