So, here's chapter six for your perusal. Hope you enjoy it and thank you again to everyone that favourited/followed/reviewed the story so far. I appreciated each and everyone of you!
Chapter Six
Making his way back to the audience section, prepared to make notes on the session he was about to witness, Harry was surprised to find Daphne already sat waiting for him. He didn't know what had happened but Daphne had been more subdued since he'd returned from his break. He didn't know if it was his letters crossing the line from professional to slightly more personal, or if something else had happened while he wasn't here, but he was too nervous to actually ask, so instead he just remarked that he was surprised to see her in the audience. Especially considering her father was part of the session that day.
"This is one of the biggest sessions on the calendar that isn't a full seating," she informed him. "I thought you were more than likely going to sit in on it, so thought that I'd join you," she said with a small smile.
"I'm happy for the company," he said as he sat next to her. "What's the session about anyway?" he asked, finding it annoying that members' were not informed about the topic of sessions when they were not scheduled to sit in, though he did admit it made him more impartial when it came to final sessions and votes.
"It's a session to approve the use of a new potion at St. Mungo's," she told him, handing him a familiar sheet of parchment that held all the information on that day's session on it.
Reading through the parchment, he was surprised to see the session was for an improved Skel-Grow potion. "Hopefully they've improved the taste of it," he remarked with a grimace as he recalled the horrid taste.
"Hmm," Daphne remarked idly, obviously no really paying attention to her companion.
"Are you okay?" Harry asked, never having known Daphne to be so distracted.
"Yeah, I'm fine," she told him with a quick smile before focusing back on the chamber below. "Now you know the topic, have you noticed one glaring omission from today's members," she asked him.
Looking down at his fellow members, Harry went through everyone there when he finally spotted what it was that Daphne was referring to. "Belby isn't here," he exclaimed in shock at the absence of the famed potioneer at a potion focused session. "Is it safe to assume that his absence is deliberate."
"Nothing is accidental when it comes to the Wizengamot," Daphne pointed out with a sardonic smile. "Out of all the members that are down there, four of them do business with either potion producers or apothecaries."
"Let me guess, they're all part of the traditionalist bloc," he remarked with a shake of his head.
"Actually, one of the potion producers is owned by a relation of the Fawley's," she informed him much to his surprise.
While the two of them were discussing the peculiarities on the selection on members for this session given the topic of debate, the actual session itself was already under way. The opening proposal had already been read and the floor was now open for questions and it was this that Daphne was keen for Harry to observe.
"How much is this new version going to sell for?" Burke asked.
"The cost remains comparable to the potion currently on the market, at 72 galleons, which is a reduction of 3 galleons" Macmillan answered.
"What is the cost of the ingredients that have been added to the original formula?" Fawley asked.
"The alteration in ingredients has added a cost of 9 sickles and 3 knuts."
"What percentage of the cost is going to the potion masters brewing it?" Nott asked,
"Based on the time and level of skill required, a potion master or mistress may take up to forty percent of the cost of the potion as payment, so approximately 27 galleons, 1 Sickle and 6 knuts," he told him with a glare at the obvious omission in female potioneers.
"What happens to the old type pf potion that is currently in circulation?" Rowan asked.
"We would ensure all of that type is used before introducing the newer, improved potion."
"What about Hogwarts?" Flint asked.
"What about Hogwarts?" Macmillan asked, not understanding the relevance of the question.
"Well, have you thought about how an entire section of N.E.W.T potions classes is going to have to be changed now the potion is different," Flint responded as though it were obvious.
"The potion is not taught at the school level, that won't change," he answered.
"And Herbology classes?" Flint continued.
"Again, the ingredients are not taught now and won't be taught when the changes are made," he answered.
"Is the potion suitable for animal consumption?" Burke asked.
"I don't know, that's something a Magizoologist and Potioneer would have to be consulted on."
"What colour is it?" Flint asked.
"What does that have to do with whether or not it should be approved?"
"Appearances are important," Flint told him with a pointed look at Macmillan's lack of Wizengamot mauve robes that were favoured by the more traditional members.
"The colour, texture and taste have not changed," he answered with a roll of his eyes.
"Who is allowed to brew it?" Burke asked.
"Any potion master or mistress that requests the instructions from the creators," Macmillan informed him with a tire sigh. "Are there any questions about the efficiency or effectiveness of the potion?" he asked the assembled members before the ridiculous questions could begin again. When no one offered any further questions, Macmillan sat down to allow for the counter-arguments to be read.
It was here that Harry realised that he's stopped paying attention to the rest of the sessions he was proposing at, once it became apparent his proposals were going to be blocked or rejected, as what happened next completely blind-sided him.
Standing up to give the counter-argument, Zabini started reading a chapter from Quidditch Through The Ages. Next, Bulstrode stood and started to read aloud the history of the 18th Century Goblin rebellion. When Burke stood and started to read from Hogwarts, A History, Harry and Daphne unanimously agreed they'd had enough of that day's sessions and returned to Harry's office to discuss what they'd both witnessed.
"What on earth was that?" Harry asked, shamefully admitting that he's never realised what was happening after his proposals had failed at the questions stage.
"That is filibusting," Daphne told him. "It's what they use to delay and curtail proposals they don't want passing."
"How is that allowed?" Harry asked.
"Si Fiduciam, it's a respected act that everyone practices," she told him as they relaxed on the sofa in Harry's office. "Unfortunately, it does mean they can read whatever they like during proposal discussions and no one can stop them."
"But why talk about Quidditch and Goblins during a potion proposal? I think if Hermione knew her favourite book was being used to stop proposals from being passed, she'd be horrified and heartbroken," he said in amusement, smiling when Daphne laughed lightly.
"Only Granger would have that as her favourite book," she said with a smile. "The truth is, the more boring the topic, the more zoned out the other members get. And there is no rule to say it has to have any relevance to the topic of discussion, hence Quidditch; Goblins and Hogwarts."
"Is there anything that can be done to stop it?" Harry asked curiously.
Turning on the sofa so that she was facing him, Daphne got comfortable, kicking off her heels and tucking her feet underneath her, clearly comfortable in Harry's company and office. "There's only one real way to prevent this happening. There's this motion that was silently passed by Ignatius Tuft in 1961 called Guillotine that limits the time people are allowed to talk during proposal hearings and debates. It basically forces members to keep their speeches to the point and curtails them from, well, from reading pointless stories to the Wizengamot, such as Hogwarts, A History or Babbity Rabbity."
"You're seriously telling me that someone has stood up in the Wizengamot and read out Babbity Rabbity in response to a proposal?" Harry asked with an amused grin.
"Not just anyone," Daphne told him with a matching grin, clearly thrilled to be able to regale him with the tale. "In his first sessions after being appointed, Fudge stood up and read it, in opposition to changing who cooked the food in the Ministry canteen," she told him, the two bursting into laughter as they took it in turn to do impressions of how the event might have looked. "There was also someone who read out their family favourite recipes; another wizard once read the entire wizard genealogy book and apparently one session included members using dissolutionment charms on themselves while they relieved themselves in buckets that undersecretaries then had to remove from the floor," much to Harry's shock and amusement.
It was while the two were laughing and impersonating there fellow Wizengamot members, that they were found by Cassius. "What do we have here?" he asked with a raised brow, taking note of Daphne's relaxed and casual position, Harry's equally relaxed position, his arm stretched out along the back of the sofa, his hand brushing Daphne's shoulder where she leaned back against the cushions. "I looked for you in your office and your father's. He suggested I come look for you here," he told his betrothed with a pointed look.
"We were just discussing the last session of the Wizengamot," Daphne told Cassius as she slipped her heels back on and straightened out her robes.
"Certainly, looked like it," he told her disbelievingly before stepping forward towards Harry. "Cassius Warrington, Daphne's betrothed," he introduced himself.
"Daphne's mentioned you," Harry said with a smile as he stood to greet the other man, somewhat amused by the other mans attempt at posturing. "Harry Potter."
As the two men silently squared off against each other. Daphne summoned all her belongings to her before moving to stand beside Cassius. "I'll see you later Harry," she told him, before grabbing Cassius' arm and practically pulling him from Harry's office, slightly embarrassed at his slightly Neanderthal behaviour, though she knew that she would undoubtedly get an earful from him in regards to her behaviour later on.
As my profile states, I'm not American and don't know all the ins and outs of the American political systems, so if there's a mistake in relation to filibusting then take it as creative licence. However, the examples that Daphne told Harry of filibusting in the Wizengamot are based on actual filibusters that have taken place in Senate (yes, including the peeing in a bucket in 1957!)
Also, there have been some reviews that have pointed out how old, tired and cliché my story is in relation to the power dynamic between men and women, but there is a point to this story that will be revealed in the last chapters that highlight the disparity between the sexes even in today's age. Of course, if you're not happy with the topic/theme of my story, I did say this was an AU story so you were warned, so feel free to stop reading and to go read something else that you'll find more enjoyable.