My Time
Chapter 61
"Everyone except Dumbledore, yourself and…Thomas have their chosen parties," Orion explained quietly, "The biggest political party is the phoenix party." He ignored Hayden and Tom's identically timed snorts, both of them quite derisive. "Why the snort? One came to you without prompting might I add." Which generally made no sense, Hadrian was death's chosen, death and phoenixes didn't exactly mix now did they? Or rather, they did, when he thought about it, both immortal, but one dark and the other light…but is Death dark? No, it wasn't, Death was just. A natural part of living, of the universe and absolutely terrifying, he'd rather see a phoenix.
Tom listened to Orion explain things to Hayden, clearly the wizard had corners cut whilst being educated. Either that or he hadn't done the logical thing and read up about everything. He rather hoped it was the first, the second would just be disappointing given how powerful the wizard actually was. Perhaps even more powerful than him, which he definitely felt denial over.
"There are nine other political parties, I'll name them in order of popularity," Orion stated, "Widdershins Equinoctial Party closely followed by Deosil Equinoctial Party then it would be the Raven Union," pointing to each party's logo as he went along, "After them it's Walpurgis party, Red party, Blue party, Yellow party, Green party—"
"Really, I mean really? They can't be any more obvious if they tried," Hayden commented dryly, "They might as well have called it Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin." At least the real rivalry wasn't stitched into the very seams of society. Although, if Dumbledore got his way it sure would be. "Speaking of which, why didn't they?"
"The Ministry, ergo the Government actually existed before the school," Tom said dryly. "Or rather it was in its beginning stages, they didn't gain control until our more powerful wizards and witches created spells to ensure our safety." Then it became about controlling the magical population instead of protecting them from the Muggles. Somewhere down the road, the Ministers (magical and Muggle) created accords, and decisions were reached on whom was allowed to know about wizardkind. The only exception was the Muggle Prime Minister. He personally thought it was an accident waiting to happen.
"The last party is the Morrigan party with only seven members," Orion finished, "They have different aspirations and goals, naturally, and you join the one in which your goals align. Or you can join one and try to change them from the inside. The green, yellow, red and blue don't signify Hogwarts colours actually, they're prominently Welsh political parties, Welsh Green Dragon, then there's the red Chinese fireball, the yellow the antipodean dragon, the blue is the Hungarian Horntail. The Welsh Ministry's flag has Dragons on it."
"They're black," Hayden pointed out perplexed. And of course, the Ministry had a flag with dragons on it. The Wizarding world didn't have an original thought in its head. They copied the magical world relentlessly.
"Most people insist it's blue," Orion explained, he wasn't going to get into an argument about what colour it was. Least of all here, and with one of the few people who had been up close and bloody personal. The memory of that dragon was going to give him nightmares. To think his fiancé had battled it at the tender age of fourteen. If such a thing happened here, they'd be trying to kill the dragon, not cheering on in anticipation. Human life held more value than that of a dragon on the loose. The wizarding world had gone backwards, it was truly alarming. They had much work to do in order to ensure that the likes of Dumbledore don't happen.
"And I'm the one who had glasses," Hayden muttered under his breath, shaking his head incredulously. "Why is Morrigan only got seven members?" he added, befuddled. Muggle political parties had hundreds, for them to have so little in number he wondered what their goals were. Was it normal in the wizarding world and completely different from muggle politics? Orion was right though, he really needed to read all the books, now he had to focus on the wizarding politics and law before his exams.
"They're the group that believe the muggle world should be informed of us and our abilities. It's been their consistent goals for decades now, it's never gained the slightest bit of momentum, thankfully." Orion explained, his own exasperation showing through. To visibly show exasperation showed just how frustrated he was by their ideals.
Orion blinked at the look of sheer shocked incredulity that painted over both Hayden and Thomas' face. You could tell they were related, even if somewhat distantly. They had the same ancestors, so it made sense that they would look similar. It's funny, he thought the same of Charlus, Fleamont and Hayden too when they were together. Yet he couldn't see anything of Charlus and Fleamont in Thomas.
Hayden eventually choked out a sound that Orion wouldn't be able to accurately describe for the life of him. "They want to WHAT?!" his voice raising at the last word, blinking rapidly, if he didn't know any better, he would have thought he had just hallucinated that little bit there. Surely nobody was stupid enough to believe that would go over well?
"Stupid idiotic fools the lot of them," Tom stated derisively, a shudder crawling up his spine at the mere thought of such a thing occurring. "They must have been on joyous tenterhooks these past years." His tone bone dry.
Hayden snorted, finding it comical despite their conversation. "It's likely they were," he uttered in disgust, grimacing. "Imagine wanting the worlds to co-exist like that, haven't they learned anything from history? Oh wait, we never do." Seriously, he honestly could wring their necks, what stupid foolish decisions to make. They would never be accepted by muggles, the sooner they accepted that the better off they'd be. Poor deluded stupid fools, Tom was right on that front.
"I shall enjoy correcting their errors of judgement when it comes to muggles," Tom stated firmly, eyes gleaming dangerously devious.
"I almost feel pity for them," Orion commented idly, well aware of all looks Thomas supported he had shared a common room with him for years.
"Oh, yes," Hayden commented, "And hopefully I'm there to overhear everything."
Tom gave Hayden an amused look but remained silent as Dumbledore spoke, deciding his political party.
"Wish I could say I was even remotely surprised," Hayden said dryly. "Let me guess it's the party with the biggest number?" resigned, his mind mulling over possible ways to begin bringing Dumbledore down. Perhaps the slow way he had devised wouldn't be a good thing. Maybe he should just take him down hard.
"It is," Orion agreed, lips twitching in amusement, recalling Hayden's brief conversation with the phoenix. "There are now exactly fifty-eight members on the phoenix party."
"Pretty high number since the wizen is what? Only two hundred strong?" Hayden commented in surprise.
"Actually with our addition it's set firmly at three hundred," Tom corrected Hayden, his gaze impassively staring at Dumbledore as he was welcomed by his party with open arms. "It's not the highest it's been but it's getting back to it's pre-Grindelwald numbers. People are returning to the UK so those numbers are predicted to rise further. We may be in for an unprecedented number rise in the next year."
Orion hummed, one Hayden was becoming familiar with, one that suggested he was agreeing with whatever was said.
"Okay, so what are the Phoenix party's ideals and ideology?" Harry asked as they watched Dumbledore sit amongst the Phoenix party, feigning humbleness and watching, waiting it seemed.
"It changes with each leader they pick," Orion told him, ignoring the applauding, barely watching as someone stepped down to the podium. The podium had a spell imbued so that their voices were amplified. It saved having to physically cast the spell and hold it aloft against your throat as you spoke. Especially in long conversations/debates it could be rather draining and not to mention annoying. "I suspect it will be happening again soon." Eyeing Dumbledore was distaste.
"He'll definitely be changing strategies in order to win the next election and become chief warlock."
"And we will just have to go against him won't we?" Hayden said icily, and there would be hell to pay if they lost.
"I don't know whether to deride your statement or be in awe of your audacity and belief you actually can." Tom said dryly, glancing at him. "He is not easily fooled." The words were spat out grudgingly, detesting the roundabout way of complimenting the old fool.
"It's too bad Dumbledore came to see you, if it had been anyone else…" Hayden trailed off with an apologetic grimace. "Let's get say things would have been different."
"Meaning?" Orion demanded to know.
Hayden leaned into Orion, never noticing the drop in conversation as the purebloods gasped scandalously at the display. Honestly, the way some of them reacted, you'd think they were having sex right there on the bench. To some of the old purebloods sitting there they may well have been, crotchy old farts.
"Anyone else would have told Tom about his abilities, he told Dumbledore he could talk to snakes." Hayden murmured quietly into Orion's ear, "Now anyone else would have told him about his inheritance and his family. Dumbledore kept silent and as you know Tom floundered, sought information on his own. Given just what the Gaunts would have done to him though Dumbledore could have unknowingly saved his life."
"I'm not sure why you have such a dastardly view of the Gaunt family, but from all I've been told, they're really not that bad. Not any worse than we were in our beliefs." Orion replied, not even the little he'd seen of Hayden's memories could shed any light on that come to think of it. Well, except the little teases Hayden was so fond of dropping here and there.
"I know," Hayden murmured quietly, sadness gleaming in his eyes, "You know Tom went to find his family, they were absolutely horrid to him. It probably contributed to his further decline at their merciless words. Despite the mask he likes to show everyone…there must have been a small part of the child in him that craved acceptance. If he hadn't wished for more…he wouldn't have ended up seething in fury and doing what he did."
"I know you're talking about me, stop it." Tom said through gritted teeth, more so because he knew there was nothing he could do about it. If he dared to touch Orion or Hayden the ramifications would be more than he could handle. He knew this, deep in his bones and in his mind, they were untouchable. He dared not touch them, and that was…not something he easily accepted. However, his survival trumped all else, especially since he no longer had contingencies in place. He also refused to make them again, having realized what he lost…he knew it wasn't worth it. He'd chase immortality, yes, but one with less deathly consequences. If he played his cards right, then he'd have help in that endeavour.
Hayden just gazed at him unrepentantly, he wasn't scared of Tom like nearly everyone else was. Or rather he should correctly phrase that, everyone else who knew the real Tom. For those who casually knew him, they thought he was brilliant, brave and handsome he had it all. "How did you're meeting at Gringotts go?" he couldn't help but be curious.
"I'll talk to you about it later," Tom revealed, a smug smile appearing on his face momentarily before it was gone. His gaze staring at the table, as he listened intently to what the person on the podium was saying.
"…for this reason, I believe the oculi reparatione potion must be banned within the United Kingdom and Ireland."
"You can't ban it!"
"This is outrageously idiotic!"
"Don't start down a road you can't come back from!"
Hayden listened to everyone shouting and yelling, wondering how they got anything done. Now he wasn't well versed in everything to do with the Wizen and Wizengamot. Hayden however, did know enough that this was just the beginning stages of a new bill's passage. It would need to be approved by both the Wizengamot and the Wizen. Orion had told him a few weeks ago about this. The second part of him was reeling over the fact there WAS a potion to repair eye sight. Which by the way he was abstractly pissed about. He had hated wearing glasses, to think there was something available to help with that. It hadn't gone beyond his notice him and only other Muggle-borns even wore glasses at Hogwarts. Likely, the purebloods and half-bloods went abroad for the procedure.
"Little bit hypocritical aren't we, Armand, how many surgical beautification potions have you and your wife consumed over the years?" Arcturus asked coldly, a look of utter disgust on his face as he observed the wizard. "Or is that only acceptable while you're abroad? As if you could hope to hide the procedures you've had done." Ignoring the stifled laughter from all around him.
Armand flushed floridly; humiliation was not a good look on the wizard at all. "That is besides the point…" he cleared his throat, terribly uncomfortable. "The downside to such potions is more prevalent than any of the positive elements." He blustered out, clearly thrown by Lord Black's proclamation.
"You have got to be fu—" Hayden started, but the rest of his statement was muffled by Orion, he continued muttering angrily, but it was clearly aimed at Orion for his part in stopping him.
Tom choked out a laugh, and Harry straightened up indignant and quite frankly shocked by his laugh. He'd never heard such a hearty laugh from him, usually it was cold, harsh and just demented like the wizard had been.
"That language won't be tolerated here, under any circumstances," Orion whispered urgently with a harshness he'd not used whilst speaking to Hayden since…the day they met. "They can and will see you removed, excluded for a period of time or even forever. The language you're using might be acceptable where you came from but here? It's not just crude, it's unthinkable for a Lord of such standing to utter them in the presence of another, never mind in the public realm."
"Do you think I care? You know I can't stand politics," Hayden commented bluntly, as he often was.
A hand was waved and they found themselves in a muffled bubble, you weren't allowed to use your wand within these hallowed halls. However, there was one thing they forgot, that not all wizards were mediocre where magic was concerned. Orion didn't do it often, but he could cast magic without a wand. It had been taught to him as a young wizard, for his own safety and wellbeing.
"Then why did you even bother to come?" Orion was just as blunt in return.
Tom watched them in utter fascination, and he wasn't the only one, but the only one that could hear. Most of the focus was on Arcturus rendering Armand to shreds. He would need to look into his pensive tonight, he wasn't going to miss out on both shows, so he focused on Hayden and Orion at the moment.
Hayden made a face, and shrugged just a tiny bit, "I was curious," he confessed, "And it confirmed everything I ever suspected." It wasn't what he wanted to do with his time. However, he did want to make a difference, and this was where difference to happen, and die as well.
"Which is?" Orion asked, already suspecting he knew exactly what Hayden was going to say.
"I don't want to be here, I've no interest in politics other than seeing them through." Hayden stated.
Orion pursed his lips a little, "You haven't given it a chance, you're allowing your preconceived notions, your history with the Wizengamot and the future dictate everything. It hasn't happened, what we have here is a unique opportunity." Orion refuted, "We've barely been here ten minutes, it's not long enough to make an informed decision."
Hayden paused, swallowing thickly, well and truly chastised. "You're right," he confessed, nodding, "I am."
Orion blinked, inwardly surprised but he wasn't sure why. Hayden wasn't one for shying away from the truth or lying. If anything, he was far too blunt, with everyone around him. He wasn't one of the ones who could dish it out and not take it. "Take a few weeks, attend a couple of meetings then make an educated decision. If you find it's not for you then that's fine, nobody will hold it against you. It's normal, people come, observe meetings and some don't return." Politics and the law weren't for everyone. To take the heat out of his earlier comments, he twined his hand around Hayden's. Squeezing his hand in reassurance.
Another flick of a finger, the silencing spell – one-way silencing spell might he add – was removed.
They themselves remained silent for the rest of the meeting, which went on for hours. Not all about the eye repairing potion, no, but a lot of different subjects, that sort of got derailed. The arguing was loud, with everyone trying to get their say, applauding comments they liked and shouting when they didn't. He'd give Orion his comment, it was true, they were yelling but no obscenities.
"That was by far the politest fight I've ever seen," Hayden commented, "All that was missing was slapping their gloves against their faces."
Tom made a soft but strangled sound, dark eyes glimmering outrageously as he suppressed his amusement.
"Gloves?" Orion queried, not understanding their amusement.
"Muggle thing, back in the day they used to slap one another with their gloves if they wanted to duel, or at least that's what they say anyway." Hayden admitted, he couldn't say whether it was accurate history or not.
"Duel?" Orion asked, looking intrigued.
"They used guns not wands." Tom informed him before he could get invested.
Orion made a moue of distaste before settling again, a thoughtful look gracing his handsome features.
"It's over, right?" Hayden commented idly. Watching everyone begin to move, they looked rather excited by all this.
"Technically we can leave, yes, but there's a conference party taking place a few doors down for everyone." Orion explained easily, more familiar with them.
"They're practically frothing at the mouth in hopes you'll be there," Tom replied wryly, "They're following you with their eyes, making excuse, lagging behind in order to see whether you'll attend or not."
"And are you?" Orion questioned his fiancé.
"No, I need a drink and something to eat, I'm starving…and Tom's coming with us," Hayden stated, grasping Tom's sleeve so he couldn't leave, "Ant, you can come as well."
Tom threw a look of malcontent at Hayden for that, but as usual it was ignored. Which, if it was anyone else, they'd have been under the cruciatus curse for that disrespect. That was before though, he had a far tremendous control over his anger than he had in the past. Regardless he found he rather liked it; he'd never tell anyone that though.
"Only Hayden," Orion stated to Thomas ruefully.
Tom inclined his head in silent agreement, yes, that summed it up quite well.
A/n – I'm sorry it's taken so long to get this up, as I said back to normal life, work, walking, and cleaning and what free time I've got is still dedicated to writing 😊 I'll try and not take so long, but I can't make any promises since I like to keep them and can't guarantee it here. Sooo will we see four of them bonding in the next chapter? Will Hayden decide politics is for him or will he give Orion his seats making him the leader of which party he and Hayden decides? Will they be able to circumvent all Dumbledore's movements? Which ones will they fail at? After all it's not a good story if they always win now, is it? 😉 Will Antonin join the core group? Will Lucretia and Ignatius once they have returned from their honeymoon? The core group will be the ones written about most 😊 and just who are the Riddles related to before they became Riddles I wonder :P lol R&R please