Disclaimer: See previous chapters.
Chapter 15 – Deliberations
Hermione woke up to the trill of a phoniex. She looked out of her window to find a golden red phoniex outside. She opened the window and let the phoniex in. The phoniex turned its head to peer at Ron's sleeping form and then flew to the door. Hermione walked to the door and followed the phoniex out of the room.
When the phoniex reached the kitchen it transformed into Ginny's human form. She looked at Hermione with sympathetic eyes. "Tell me that you knew the phoniex was me and would not just open your window to any animal in these times." Ginny said as she took a seat at the kitchen table.
Hermione looked at Ginny in shock. Harry had never told Hermione and Ron about Ginny's other form, which was surprising as Ginny was one of Harry's favorite subjects. "Phoniexes are animals of light, not dark. Therefore I felt comfortable trusting one. Given that we don't really know whose side you were on I am beginning to second guess my decision." Hermione said as she sat opposite Ginny.
Ginny gave a half smile. "Understandable I suppose. I don't intend you or yours any harm Hermione. In fact, that is why I am here. I am guessing by the scene upstairs that you and Ron have finally admitted your love for one another."
Hermione shifted in her seat. "I fail to see how that is any of your concern."
Ginny laughed lightly. "Even with all you know from Dumbledore's portait and the help that I gave the Order, the Resistance, and Harry in their endeavors you still don't trust me?" Ginny shook her head. "I suppose I will have to earn it back in time, but for now I came to tell you something."
"And what may that be?" Hermione asked exasperated.
"Simply that if you and Ron love each other, truly love one another, then you should get married post haste. It would be best if you did it soon, Hermione. True love should never wait, especially when later might be too late for happily ever after." Ginny said with a sad smile.
"Did you love him Ginny?" Hermione asked with an understanding smile.
"Love who?" Ginny asked.
"Harry of course. Why else would you warn me about happily ever after. Cirumstances robbed you and Harry of you chance. It is sweet that you would want to protect me and your brother from the same fate."
Ginny's eyes became glazed over. "Maybe you missed when Harry killed my husband?" Ginny shook her head. "Just follow your heart, and soon. There isn't enough time left to dottle."
With that Ginny transformed into a phoniex and flamed back to Prince Manor.
Severus looked up from the report he was reading on acts of agression against muggle borns when Ginny flamed in.
"Hello, my love" Severus said as he rose from his seat and walk toward Ginny. Ginny had to stop herself from stepping back. It was still weird for her that Severus was there in Draco's body.
Ginny smiled at Severus. "Good morning. Didn't you head to bed yet?" Ginny said as she looked Severus over. He was still in his attire from the day.
"No, I was waiting for you. Did you warn her of what is to come?" Severus asked as he walked Ginny to their chambers.
"I did the best I could without giving specifics. The rest is in her hands." Ginny said as she said as Severus closed their bedroom door.
Severus took Ginny in his arms and kissed her forehead. "Enough work for tonight. Lets get some rest." With that he took Ginny's hand and lead her towards the bed. Ginny brought Severus down with her then flipped them over so Ginny's head was resting of Severus's chest. His light breathing calmed her to sleep.
Monday morning came as the weekend closed and Ginny dreaded the meeting that she was to have with the counsel…it could only cause arguments and harsh feelings, but it had to be done for now.
An hour before the meeting began Ginny took a stoll through the school. Severus offered to escort her, but Ginny felt as the headmistress she make her rounds unaccompanied.
Ginny pondered handing the reigns of the school over to Hermione for she tough that she would make an excellent Headmistress, but Hermione was a muggle born and society was not ready for her yet. She knew that she would have to chose someone soon as ruling the contienent and running the school was just too much considering her pregnancy. Soon she would have a child to take care of an something would have to give. Since her child and the contienent had to be her top priorities she knew she would have to transfer control of the school to someone soon.
Ginny walked towards the shelter in the castle when she heard as scuffle. She turned her head to see one of the teachers, a pureblood death eater, hold a six year old girl by the neck. He was unbulking his belt. Ginny raised her hand and flung him to the opposite wall. The child slid down the wall that she was held up against, her tears coming in waves.
Ginny ran towards the little girl. "Are you okay?" Ginny asked.
The child looked at Ginny with fear in her eyes. "No one is going to harm you. You are safe."
Ginny looked up as she heard running from down the hall.
"What happened here?" Severus drawled as he looked at the death eater passed out on the floor in distain. Ginny blinked, 'that was so Draco' she thought.
Ginny waved her hand and bonds appeared on the Death Eaters wrists and ankles. "We will talk about that when we get to the office. For now lets get this little angel somewhere safe."
Ginny took the girl's hand and led her into the shelter. "Is your mother in the shelter?" Ginny asked the girl.
The girl shook her head.
"Where is your mother?" Ginny asked.
The little girl pointed up.
Ginny sighed. Life was never fair
Fifteen minutes after she got the girl settled. Ginny returned to her office where she peered at the agenda for the meeting. She added two more items and then looked out the window.
Behind her Draco paced as best a spirit could do. "The Death Eaters may have won the war, but you need to place restrictions on them. They cannot have free reign, especially not in a school." Draco said.
"Damn it! Don't you think I know that Draco! After what just happened. This is a school. Children should not have to fear for their lives here. Children should never have to fear for their lives. I need options, not just someone telling me what I already know." Ginny said.
Draco sighed. "The meeting is about to start. Maybe your counsel can present you with options after all that is what you formed it for isn't it." Draco drawled.
Ginny gave Draco a week smile. "I should get going then. Thanks for the advice." With that Ginny walked out of her office and to the meeting.
As Ginny walked towards the meeting room she heard voices raised.
"Really Percy, I am surprised a Death Eater like you even thought enough to congradulate her. Not that is any of your concern. You turned your back on your family a long time ago!" She heard Bill shout.
Ginny walked into the meeting room to see Percy and Bill glaring at each other from opposite sides of the round table.
"You have no idea how far I have gone to protect my family." Percy said in a deadly calm voice.
"Enough!" Ginny yelled. "The entire contienent is coming back from the brink of chaos. We cannot afford to be divided right now. We will talk of family matters later, in private." Then in a quite voice Ginny said "Congradulate who?"
Hermione looked at Ginny incredulously. "Me of course. Ron and I were married on Saturday."
Ginny smiled at Hermione. Her message on Friday night reached its mark. "Congradulations Hermione. Now on to business. Please sit."
As the counsel members sat Ginny passed around the agenda to the various counsel members. "I know that most of what we are going to discuss is hot button topics, but lets face it if we don't deliberate on these issues who will." Ginny said.
Hermione looked at the list.
1. Voldermort's Campaign Promises
a) Werewolves
b) Muggleborns
c) Dark Arts
d) Death Eater Rights
2. Women and Children
3. Hogwarts
"Where are you going with this Ginny?" Remus asked.
Ginny looked Remus dead in the eyes. "It is not where I am going with this Remus. It is where we are going with this. I formed the counsel for a reason. I value your opinions and I want you to present options to the issues at hand. Look I am not going to lie to you. Some of this stuff is really ugly; we need to work together to make this better for everyone."
Ginny then looked around the room and saw that she had the counsel's full attention. "Shall we being with the werewolves?" Ginny asked.
Remus looked at Ginny with questioning eyes. Ginny gave Remus an uncertain smile.
"One of Voldermorts promises in his campaign to gain allies was to grant werewolves equal rights. Not all werewolves are monsters like the one that attacked Remus and Bill. Some of them are upstanding citizens who want a better life. As such I am welcome to the idea of reinstating their rights, but I think that we need to make a few considerations for them also." Ginny said as she looked around the room.
Remus looked at Ginny wearily.
"What kind of concessions Ginny?" Bill asked.
"For one we need to ensure that there will not be employment discrimination based on their condition." Ginny said.
Remus looked at Ginny in surprise. This was not the avenue that he thought Ginny would take the matter. After all, politicians usually took the other route.
"We also need to make a ready supply of wolfsbane available to the afflicted. Then there is voting rights, marriage rights, equal pay. We have many laws to draft and I want options on what to put on those laws."
Ginny looked around the room. Many of the members looked uncomfortable at the amount of freedom that Ginny was proposing while Remus was beaming.
"Next order of business… Muggleborns. I am sure that you are aware of the recent attacks against muggleborns. We need to figure out how to protect them. On the same token, another of Voldermorts campaign promises was that pureblood lines would be protected. This would mean that relations between muggleborns and purebloods would be limited. Needless to say that if Voldermort had his way marriages and procreations between muggleborns and purebloods would not be allowed; obviously such laws would not be retroactive. I would like to hear your thoughts on this." Ginny said as she looked across the room.
Ginny could not help, but notice that Greg and Percy looked far too comfortable at the idea, while Hermione looked like she was Hera herself.
"Next of the campaign promises is the education and use of the Dark Arts. This is something that the Dark Order fought for." Ginny said.
"…" Greg opened his mouth to defend the Dark Arts, but Ginny silenced him by holding up her hand.
"Right now I am only going over the agenda. We will debate of them later. The last topic under this category is Death Eater rights. Both sides of the war fought for freedom. The fact of the matter is that the war is over. The atrocities commited in the name of freedom will not be allowed to happen anymore. Not on my watch. A dear friend of mine, my own person guardian angel you could say, gave me a piece of advice on the subject that I urge you all to consider. He said that the Death Eaters may have won the war, but we need to place restrictions on them. They cannot have free reign." Ginny said with a sad look in her eye.
Greg made to interupt again. Ginny continued. "That brings me to the next category - Women and Children. As you all know this war tore apart many families. The children were left without parents. Women and children are being abused by the former Death Eaters at every turn."
Greg moved to speak. "Yes Greg, I know that not all the Death Eaters are doing it. I know that there are scum all over the place that are taking advantage of them. The fact remains that today I was taking a stroll around the school when I saw a former Death Eater who applied for a teaching position at the school accost and attempt to rape a six year old girl. I stopped him of course. He is detained right now until I figure out what to do with him. I plan to make an example of him so others will think of his crime against that child and decide to abort use future plans. We must protect the women and children, whether they be purebloods or muggleborns. We cannot allow such acts against the innocent. I will not allow it."
Greg quited down and looked at Ginny. He could tell that she was serious. He also knew that he would follow her lead and personally make an example out of that Death Eater if she asked him to.
"Our topic, which we will discuss, is Hogwarts. Most importantly the selection of a new Headmaster or Headmistress. Shall we begin?"
With that Ginny sat in her seat and watched as the counsel tore the issues apart.
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