Finally the time came. Dumbledore instructed Staros on how to use the floo, which Staros thought was a completely ridiculous means of transportation, after all, portals had been around for almost fifty years, and they left for the Ministry.
Arriving via the Ministry's public floo entrances, Staros first stumbled out of the fireplace and nearly landed square on his face, but for running into some other individual coming out of a different floo. That person, who Staros never identified, caught the young boy and helped him gather himself together before vanishing into the crowds. His kind of landing must be common enough that no one really paid any attention. Dumbledore arrived shortly after this, the short delay obviously to make sure he didn't step on Staros while coming out of the floo.
The entrance room was enormous. At least twenty or more very large fireplaces lined the opposing walls while several sets of double doors lined the one end, probably leading out into London proper. The opposite end opened into the main lobby area where a massive set of golden statues, larger than life-size, in the middle of a circular pool. Tallest of them all was a noble-looking wizard with his wand pointing straight up in the air. Grouped around him were a beautiful witch, a centaur, a goblin, and a house-elf. The last three were all looking adoringly up at the witch and wizard. Glittering jets of water were flying from the ends of the two wands, the point of the centaur's arrow, the tip of the goblin's hat, and each of the house-elf's ears, so that the tinkling hiss of falling water was added to the pops and cracks of people apparating in and out and the clatter of footsteps as hundreds of witches and wizards, most of whom were wearing glum, early-morning looks, strode toward a set of golden gates at the far end of the hall.
Staying close to Dumbledore so as not to get lost amidst the confusion, Staros looked about with a mix of wonder and disappointment. While the statute was beautifully done, the image it portrayed was not one of harmony. While the openness of the entry area invited people to come and see their government in action, it was obvious that the vast majority of people present were employees. Unlike the US where tours were held hourly of the main governmental buildings, even while in use, no such evidence was found here. The statues in America were all of people or ideas that promoted harmony and democracy, even if the government in general fell short of the ideals. The comparison between his old home and new did nothing to make Staros feel any more welcome.
Putting aside such thoughts for now, Staros followed Dumbledore to the security entrance, one that was explained to him led to the Wizengamot chambers. As Staros was walking through, a rather lazy looking guard just happened to look up and see him. The man stood up and grabbed Staros by the arm.
"Hey now! No kids in the Wizengamot!" the man shouted, trying to drag Staros back. "This here's for House Lords and such, not little tykes!"
"Excuse me!" Staros replied rather hotly. "Let me go this instant you idiot!"
Dumbledore turned to see what the shouting was about and looked rather distressed at the scene. Walking back and laying a hand on the guard's shoulder, he said, "Really, sir, is such rough handling necessary? This boy is in my care and has an appointment with the Wizengamot."
The guard looked terrified at Albus Dumbledore, Chief Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, etc. actually speaking to him and NOT for a good reason. Dropping his hand from Staros' arm, he stammered something that could be mistaken for an apology before trying to back away to his desk.
Staros was having none of that.
"Exactly!" Staros said, straightening his robes. "Honestly, just accosting a person who's walking by like that! Never mind that you could have simply ASKED before behaving so rudely. If this is an example of Ministry security, be sure I will be speaking with Madame Bones about this. What is your name, sir? I want to know who I am putting as an example of piss poor training and rude behavior."
The man, still shaken from Dumbledore's intervention, and seeing that Dumbledore was standing behind the boy like he supported him, just stammered out Eric Munch before managing to retreat to his desk and hide.
As the two continued towards the inner chambers, Dumbledore asked Staros not to be too harsh with Mr. Munch. He was after all, just doing his job.
"Sir, as much as I respect that he is doing his job, there is doing one's job and doing it properly. Security has no reason to act rudely unless dealing with an actual threat. A child walking through a door is not a threat. If an area is restricted, the man should simply stop the person and explain it as such, not go grabbing people willy-nilly with no idea who they are or what they are doing. I might let this incident go, let him stew a bit wondering when his boss will be coming down on him, but I certainly will NOT forget it."
Dumbledore sighed but nodded. Shaking his head at one so young being so serious, even though correct about Mr. Munch's rude behavior, Dumbledore led Staros through the halls of the Ministry, down deep into the chambers of the Wizengamot.
Stepping into the chamber, Staros was awed by the size of the room. Tier upon tier of seats, two very different groups of seats. The lower set, in a U shaped pattern facing a single raised seat and podium must be for the Houses. The upper set that just circled the room must be for spectators. What was surprising was the number of people in attendance. Since the bi-annual meetings were mandatory, all of the current House seats were filling up, but the number of spectators milling around the upper tiers was completely unexpected. Staros grinned as he idly wondered how well the American Congress would do with an audience.
Dumbledore showed Staros to his House seat and then bid him farewell as he had to go take his place as Chief Warlock. Staros nodded to him and stood looking at the chair his ancestors had sat in, passing laws, judging trials, and trying to push the agenda of their House founder. Brushing his hands across the sigil that made up the center of the House coat of arms, he was humbled by the history that the seat represented.
"Out of the way, boy!" an impatient voice snapped Staros out of his musings. "What are you doing here anyway? This is a meeting of the Wizengamot, not a nursery!"
Turning with a slight smile, Staros looked up at the man who was being so rude.
"So sorry, sir. Allow me to assist you to your seat. You're looking unwell and you should really sit down. Which seat did you say was yours?"
The man looked completely lost with a reply like this. 'Who is this upstart!' the man wondered.
Staros gently took the man by the elbow, as if dealing with an infirm elder and started to pull him towards seats further down. Still in shock, the man let himself be led for a few feet before suddenly realizing what was happening and yanking his arm from Staros.
"I can walk myself, boy!" the man said before shuffling off to a seat four down, muttering the whole time. Probably about whippersnappers and lawns.
Staros smiled, walked back and sat in his House chair. He felt immediately the magic of the room wash through him. With a slight gasp, he lost himself to the sensations of time. Flickers of scenes passed before his mind's eye. Votes, laws, trials, shouting, near mobs, people screaming for someone's head. Images of various things popped up here and there in perfect clarity while whole scenes came by as impressions, mere ghosts of their truths. In some cases, it was a person's face, in others whole scenes, still others just pages of parchment held in front of his face. There was sound in some impressions, others contained only a sense of what was happening. It felt like the entire history of the Wizengamot was being pressed into his skull.
He didn't know how long he sat like that, but when he became aware of the room around him then, a man to his left chuckled and asked, "It's a bit overwhelming the first time, isn't it?"
Staros looked blankly at the man for a few moments while his brain rebooted. Shaking his head, he said, "Wow! Does everyone go through that?"
"Yes and no. The older the House, the more intense it is from what I understand. Looked like you were lost to us for quite a while. I had wondered when someone was going to come and sit here. This chair has been empty the past decade."
Shaking his head again to clear the remaining cobwebs, Staros wondered why no one had informed him of this, and then realized it was probably part of a test or prank put to everyone who wanted to sit their House. Maybe a little of both.
"So sorry, where are my manners. I am Staros Aniken Marcus, here to claim my family seat on the Wizengamot. Pleased to meet you." Staros held his hand out to shake.
Taking his hand and shaking it firmly, the man next to him said, "James Tiberius Kirke, nice to meet you too, son."
"Captain Kirk?" Staros asked in awe. Seeing the confusion on the man's face he said, "Never mind. It's a… what do you call them? Ah, yes, it's a muggle thing. A character in a series of plays. I wonder if they borrowed your name or came up with it on their own?"
Shaking his head at the odd young boy next to him, James T. Kirke, NOT of the Starship Enterprise, sat back in his chair still chuckling over the whole thing. 'Ah, the youth today,' he thought.
A long, boring twenty minutes or so later, the rest of the Wizengamot had finally arrived and seated themselves. Dumbledore stood at his podium for a moment, looking over the assembled persons and noting any empty chairs. It seemed all had arrived that were able to attend in person, or had sent their legally appointed proxies. A few chairs were empty except for a single carved runestone, denoting that another seat holder had control of that vote. A bit of a shock was the small line of five seats towards the back that all contained a runestone of amethyst, not seen in many, many years. It seemed that the Queen had decided to partake in the game once again.
Knocking his gavel upon the podium, Dumbledore called the people to attention.
"All ye present, we hereby called this one thousand, nine-hundred seventeenth meeting of the Wizengamot to order. The doors are sealed, the room barred. All not in attendance by person, proxy, or submission are hereby stripped of their seat. So be it."
The formality of the introduction over, Dumbledore sat back down and gestured to the scribe to begin the docket. A very old man, Ogden Tiberius stood and picked up a scroll from his desk. Unfurling it, he began to read the opening dockets.
"We have gathered this day to examine the proposals for articles seventy-three, ninety-one, and an amendment to the Dangerous Creature Act put into law in nineteen-hundred-seventy-six, re-examine the regulations for articles one hundred eighteen and one hundred thirty-seven, to induct into his seat, Lord Staros Aniken Marcus. We also have a petition set to grant a seat to House Patil. This meeting is now is session and from hence forth, is recorded into history."
Sitting back down, Ogden waved his wand at a set of nine quills that were attached to nine desks next to him. The quills stood up and began scratching out the words he had just spoken and would continue to record everything said until the end of the gathering.
"Yes, thank you, Ogden," said Dumbledore. "Our first order of business shall be the induction of young Lord Marcus. Lord Marcus, would you please rise and make your introductions?"
Staros stood and looked around smiling, pushing the little boy image a touch far.
"Thank you, Professor… I mean, Chief Warlock. Sorry, force of habit there," Staros said, hearing more than a few chuckles at his 'slip up.'
"I stand before this august body today to take up the Lordship of my family. I have been sworn and confirmed by the Queen, taken up her sword, and been formally given leave to reign in the stead of my Head of House, Astrix Daniel Marcus, who shall retain the title of Head of Family. Though I am only just turned eleven, I shall strive to meet the needs of my House and perform my duties as required by Her Majesty."
Dumbledore frowned slightly at the last statement. By saying Her Majesty instead of the Wizengamot, Staros had declared himself a hand of the Queen and not a mere member of the group he stood with. Of course, his coaching was three hundred years out of date and he might have simply said what he was taught. 'I'm getting too old for all these games,' thought Dumbledore, sighing slightly.
Staros sat back down amidst a smattering of polite applause. He hadn't expected a standing ovation by any means, but even still, it was rather quiet. Some of the people there looked positively bored; others murderous especially that horrendously dressed round lady there next to… the Minister if Staros recognized the man from the pictures correctly. Sitting back, he waited for the extreme boredom to continue, glad for the occlumency training of his grandfather to sustain him.
He was not disappointed.