Action of Another Sort

Disclaimer: I have not claim to characters or scenes from the Harry Potter series, which belongs to JK Rowling and associates. I get nothing from this except the enjoyment of imagining and writing the story. If I did own any of the Potterverse, I could stop having to work for a living.

Time frame – Post–DH except for the epilogue which I am ignoring, for reasons that should become obvious.

A/N: A year and a half after the previous chapter

Harry Potter rose in the Chambers of the Wizengamot, and proposed the repeal of several laws which enforced the inequality between the magical races. He stated that the statue of the 'Magical Brethren' was a racist travesty, and it was time their world came out of the Dark ages. He added that he had other laws to propose, to promote the equality of the magical races and work towards the peaceful integration of the magical and non-magical worlds.

As he sat, and an angry elderly wizard rose to his feet to speak, Harry jumped to his feet and called out, "My Lords and Ladies. By the Law, that man has no right to speak in this chamber!"

There was a collective gasp, and the Chief Sorceress (Headmistress Madame Minerva McGonagall) demanded an explanation of Lord Black's interjection (giving Harry a broad smile as she did so). As a witch, the title of Chief Warlock was not applicable.

Harry stood and had held out a sheaf of parchments. He said, "Madame Chairman, Lords and Ladies, I wish to enter this report into evidence for consideration by this house. It is a confidential report of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, written by the Action Group of the Aurors Division. It details the findings of investigative raids on the houses of some of the Ancient and Noble Houses. By my personal request, my own residences were included in these investigations, so that there could be no accusation of favouritism."

"These investigations found clear evidence of the presence of muggle artefacts in the residences of some twenty three of the supposed members of this chamber, including those of the wizard who just attempted to speak. Many appear to be gifts from Death Eaters, as they bore the magical signatures or fingerprints of convicted and executed Death Eaters. In many cases, the artefacts were wines and spirits; I can understand the desire for such items, but they remain muggle artefacts under the law. Now, under at least one of the laws I seek to repeal to wit, Ministry Statute 1996-7423, any wizard who is the head of an Ancient And Noble House, who is found to have any muggle artefacts in their possession, except where these are 'spoils of war', shall be stripped of their rank, their house will be dissolved, and they shall have no right to sit as a member of this chamber. As no state of formal war has ever been declared against the muggle world, this caveat cannot be applied. The 'spoils of war' clause was, I assume, an attempt by the supporters and collaborators of the Death Eaters to put a legal face on their outright theft of the property of the muggles they had abused and murdered.

Since the fall of Tom Riddle (also known as Lord Voldemort) and his followers, several of these laws have not been enforced. I say that this is not acceptable. Either our world is ruled by laws or not. If the laws are not to be enforced, they must be repealed.

As to the status of the gentleman opposite, either this and the other laws must be repealed, or they must be enforced. I will not accept the repeal of only some of the laws I have detailed. All or none. If no laws are repealed, then the wizard opposite, and twenty two others, have not right to speak in this chamber, their houses must be dissolved, and their assets confiscated by the Ministry."

"Either way, things will change."

"Thank you Madame Chairman for this opportunity to speak."

The Chief Sorcerous spoke "Thank you, Lord Black, for bringing these important matters to our attention. I declare a one hour recess while members consider the issues before you."

The chamber sat in shock. They had never before considered the implications of the laws they had passed under the influence (either monetary, by indication of favour, or of outright threats) of the Death Eaters when it looked like Voldemort was in charge.