Disclaimer: We all know how these work, I acknowledge that J. K. Rowlings, Warner Bros. and Scholastic own Harry Potter and all other characters and settings from cannon, and I get to write whatever I please and even add in characters of my own as long as I don't get any money. The no money sucks but there you go, at least I don't get lawyers knocking on my door. Addendum: If you recognize a name of a character from elsewhere it isn't mine.
A/N: I'm tired of flames, I know all writers worth reading get them but they, just fuel my ire. I love reviews that praise, the inform me about little details that are wrong , that correct spellings and punctuation, or that are honest constructive criticism. I know my inadequacies as a writer. I'll be the first to admit my punctuation sucks, that at times my word choice isn't always the smoothest and that at times I lose myself in the minor details. I'm writing to become an even better writer. What I can't stand though, are the reviews that tell me that my plot or artistic license is wrong. Whose story is it? I'm writing it not you. Don't Like Don't read! Don't effing flame me!It's pathetic that flamers, feel so inadequate that they have to take the time to tell me how awful they find my story. Flamers are cowards and bullies who get their rocks off trying to make others feel bad. As my Hufflepuff daughter puts it they are just like Snape, they need to grow up. If they had courage and can do so much better they should put their stories out there instead of spending their time trashing other people's stories.
There that's out of my system now. THANK YOU! :D to all of you who have faved, or bothered to alert or most of all give me good reviews(See above definition) :) :) I apologize for the long wait the last few weeks if I got a paragraph a day on one story I was doing well.
Sirius' Savior
Chapter 61 Reining in the Wizengamot
"Ladies and gentlemen, this continuous arguing must cease unless we wish to lose the charter that keeps us safe from muggles. The Queen will grant an extension only if we get outside help in our restructure. The most qualified person is Roderick Stevens. He requires that we deal with sending the attackers to the United States. I have his assurances that the aurors won't be facing the death penalty despite the fact they participated in an attack that killed an American wizard." Rufus finished his statement.
"How can you think of sending our wizards to that place? They're ignorant yokels that think nothing of handing out absurd punishments." Lucius Malfoy stated.
"I don't know, sometimes I think they have the right idea. They haven't had Dark Lords in that country, that gained followers the way we have here. Something about they actually try and punish the followers as well as the dark lord." Amelia Bones drawled and gave him a look to encourage him to shut up and sit down. "Minister, we are talking about sending just the aurors that participated and Fudge aren't we?"
"Yes, Fudge who ordered the attack, Moody who carried out the order, Trent ,Williamson, and Dawlish. Five people who should have known better, versus the well being of eight thousand witches and wizards. I think the equation is simple so I ask again for a motion from the floor."
Andromeda Black stood, "I move that the five people involved with ordering and carrying out the attack on the United Magical States wizards face the consequences of their actions and be extradited immediately as should have happened five months or more ago. As I have said at every meeting of this body since that time."
Augusta Longbottom smiled at Andromeda, "Second?"
"I second the motion to extradite the five people behind the destabilization of our society." Amelia said.
"Discussion?" came Lady Longbottom's voice.
The discussion lasted twenty-two hours and had Lady Longbottom banging her gavel to create order more than once. She had decided to have the session run until a vote occurred which she suspected was the only reason why the factions not in favor of the extradition ever shut up. In the end when the vote was cast it was one of the closest votes following one of the longest sessions ever in the history of the Wizengamot. By two votes the aurors and Fudge would be extradited.
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Rufus breathed a sigh of relief as he left the main Wizengamot chamber. He really hadn't wanted to go down in history as being the Minister of Magic when the Statue of Secrecy was broken. He was confused that Albus had managed to gather a block of votes and had been so against the extradition. He was just thankful that last week the Wizengamot decided the votes that would one day belong to Harry Potter had been put into abeyance ending the dispute that had lasted since the fiasco of the attack. No one got to vote them, otherwise today's close vote would have not passed. According to the Potter wills Sirius Black was indeed the Boy-Who-Lived's guardian. But there was still the matter of overturning the trial, if he walked down Diagon Alley and queried the average British witch or wizard they would still say that Black was a disciple of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. There would have to be a large very public trial and as much as Rufus hated it, that trial would undoubtably leave the backside of the British Ministry hanging in a breeze similar to the ones that came in a blizzard.
As he walked to his office he got an idea, what if he invited all of the ICW to England on the British galleon and they could oversee the retrial under the eye of the international media, that would help ease the near strangulation of the current sanctions. It would probably take two months to organize it all and getting the Wizengamot to pass the budget... Such a thing would be required and would be as difficult as getting them to pass on today's resolution of extradition if not even more difficult. But if he approached the right people...
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Augusta Longbottom quietly finished the paperwork from the Wizengamot meeting that day so she and Rufus could hand off the prisoners the day after tomorrow. She heard a noise near the door to her office. "Yes, Neville?"
"Bad dream, why were you so late Gran?"
"Wizengamot business I'm afraid. Sorry if you feel I've been neglecting you."
"S'okay. I know what you're doing is important."
"Yes well, I'm trying to make sure things will be better for you and your children. But you're important too, Neville. I was hoping that next weekend the worst of this Wizengamot business will be settled so we can finally find time to visit your parents."
"That would be nice, can you talk about what's happening?"
"Well the Wizengamot has finally passed the resolution to extradite the five men that caused all the international problems. We have a few more resolutions to pass and then hopefully the worst of this will be over."
"Why is it so hard?"
"Lots of reasons, Neville. There are many people that have to work together to have laws be made. Unfortunately the Queen's dictates haven't been well received by everyone. Certain people that have been using money and personal influence to control the way things are done here in the United Kingdom and are very reluctant to change, because they want to continue to do things the way they have always been done. As result they are fighting change for everything they are worth."
"I don't like them. They are making things harder for everyone, and making it that you don't have time for me!"
"To be frank Neville, I don't like them much either. They have bent laws for their own benefit for years, now the chickens have come home to roost and they think they can stop the consequences by burying their heads in the sand." She sighed, when she wasn't here it was mostly Neville and the house elves, Neville spent most of his time with Gus the elf in charge of the green houses. "Perhaps we can arrange for you and Susan Bones to have some time together ."
"That could be fun maybe she'd have a new letter from Harry with pictures. The pictures from his China trip that she shared were amazing."
"Neville maybe you should ask Susan if she would share his address, that way you could know him and be a friend to him if he returns to England before his majority. And you could be getting letters of your own."
"I'll ask night Gran."
"Goodnight and sleep tight Neville." Augusta wondered for the hundredth time if taking the position of Chief Witch had been the correct choice. Poor Neville was so painfully shy and seemed so weak magically, only one bout of accidental magic in eight years. Of course had Augusta not had the gall bladder attack and been in bed Algie wouldn't have had the opportunity to drop Neville out the third story window. She still wanted to throttle him for that, but he was one of those people that believed better dead than a squib. Had Neville died that day, there would have been two murders committed, Neville's and Algie's. But maybe getting the opportunity to become friends with the young Lord Potter if only by mail would be good for Neville. He would be able to present himself well on paper it was mainly in person that Neville's awkwardness was readily apparent. In most ways Neville was acceptable as heir to the Longbottom family. He was intelligent, hard working and had a better than average grasp of politics mostly due to her own interest she supposed. Once he trained to get the most from his limited magic he would probably do the family proud, never as well as Frank, but still Neville would do well.
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Amelia Bones walked through the Auror Headquarters on her way to the holding cells, she was looking forward to the look on Fudge's face when she informed him the resolution for his extradition had passed late last night. She decided to finally let Moody know that Sirius and Harry survived the attack; the five and three quarter months of misplaced guilt was long enough. She wanted her former employees to know what the American President had promised as well.
"Good morning," she said, "I have news that affects the five of you."
""What news?"
"You will be extradited tomorrow at eleven thirty a.m."
"They can't! The Americans will order us executed!" Dawlish cried out.
"They can, they are, and you should have thought of that before you blindly followed Fudge's orders. But relax Dawlish, I've spoken to the Americans and you are not likely to face the death penalty. Trent the same goes for you and Williams. Moody I can't offer you and Fudge the same assurances."
"That's alright Amelia. If I'd have done what was right, and thought instead of emoting I wouldn't be in this mess."
"I wanted to tell you though, Harry survived the attack as did Sirius."
"How? They took two sectumsempra curses and not even I know the counter."
"I don't know, I'm afraid. I've been so busy with trying to straighten out all the problems created by the shit for brains that calls himself candy over there. I haven't really had the chance to read through the reports, not that the information coming from the other side of the pond is very plentiful to begin with.
"How dare you insult me Amelia!" Fudge spouted indignantly.
"Easily you brainless twit! I'm very much looking forward to what the Americans will do to you for ordering the attack." She said with a sardonic smile.
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Albus sat in the Headmaster's office and thought. The last six months had ripped his influence in half. Many of the influential families that had followed his lead no longer did so, he still had a good following in the working class wizarding society. He was frustrated because of all the changes to his influence the Wizengamot had instituted. He no longer could use the seats the Potters held on boards and in the Wizengamot those seats now sat empty. How could he do this, the magical world would be in a world of trouble when Voldemort returned. He wished he knew how Voldemort had managed it. perhaps if he'd been able to study Harry ,he might have had clues enough to know why it was the the back fire of the Avada Kedavra curse didn't kill him. Albus wasn't certain how he knew, but he was sure if only because of Severus' Dark Mark that Voldemort wasn't dead.
The changes the Queen wanted affected more than just the Wizengamot. If he followed the dictates of that woman, Hogwarts would be very different. But how to fool the oversight committee? Could he? The lack of reasoning skills and gullibility of the British wizarding society worked to make them believe what they were told. He was perfectly happy having Binns teaching history, the population's ignorance of rights and government worked in his favor. How to win back his influence? Who were the most financially powerful in the British magical world?
The Malfoys, the Blacks, the Potters, the Duc de Sable, the Greengrasses, and the Ogdens; well the first three he wouldn't be able to influence but the last three...