Anarchism

"It's half past eight, are you hungry?" Sev asked Valerie.

She laughed. "Of course I am, Prince, we haven't eaten for eight hours."

"Do you want to stay in the bedroom and I'll go for what Deborah brought us? This place has a little flaw, but it's a kind of ward, if there's someone inside you can't get in, we both have to go in and out at the same time. Now both Anthony and Jack will be in the Library."

"Okay, because Andrew may be in the Common Room, I don't feel like seeing him right now."

Of course, neither do I, but I'll do it for her, he thought. "Then I'll get dressed, we'll go out together and I'll be right back."

He got dressed and they went out together. Valerie waited in the common bedroom and Sev went downstairs to the Common Room. Sure enough, Andrew was there with George and Angie. On his corner of the table was the food Deborah had brought them.

"What's up, guys?"

Angie and George greeted him, Andrew spoke, "Brilliant. Being lazy, as I no longer need to study, reading a book."

Well, he seems lively, he's not brooding. "Well, for that, better sit in an armchair."

"I also love the window, what did you think? And I almost always put my back to it."

Right, so he's not that selfish, Sev thought. "And what are you reading?"

"A novel that Paul has left me, by an American author, 'The Grapes of Wrath'."

"Oh… And what is it about?"

"About the American depression of the thirties," Andrew replied. "A farming family that loses everything and has to emigrate, it's very hard."

How interesting. "The crack of '29?"

"Yes, that was the origin of the crisis."

"History is also learned through novels," Sev commented.

"Of course, they are the most interesting."

Of course, something in common with him. I have to look for those, kill two birds with one stone. I'll ask him and Paul, and I'm sure Peter knows a lot too. Now I no longer regret having come down. "And the Magic of the Moon? Did you read it last night?"

"Of course," answered the older boy.

"And why don't you read the Druid Magic?"

"Because Valerie kept the notes and I can't go up to her bedroom."

"Ugh... And why haven't you asked Deborah for them?" Sev asked. "Ask her when she comes back from the clearing."

"It's just that I prefer to read them with Valerie, I'm excited to share them with her."

"Sure…"

He is head over heels for her, he'll do anything to keep her. I'm going to tell her when I go up. Sev picked up the food. I'm going to give him a hint about her, that he is not so nonchalant, that he prepares himself for what awaits him. "I'm going to bring her dinner, she's hungry."

Angie and George laughed, Andrew spoke, "Of course, it's already time for dinner. You always do it at meal times."

Andrew didn't get it, it's true that he's dumb for that. Sev, Angie and George laughed. A certain reproach, he's a little hurt, but let him be annoyed, he deserves it, I'm going to keep stinging him. "Because that's when we get hungry, Andrew."

The four laughed. Now he has got it, how short he is for these topics. "See you tomorrow, enjoy the book," Sev said goodbye.

"Yes, since you are enjoying my girlfriend."

They all laughed. Take a taunt! There he has poked me well, but he is laughing, he is torn, in a mess. I'm going to give it back to him so that he finds out what's going on. "One who can, she is also enjoying."

George and Angie laughed, but neither Sev nor Andrew did, they just stared at each other. He has caught this one, he's not so dumb, let him take note. "Good night, guys."

They all said goodbye to him. As he went up to the bedroom he thought, Difficult situation, until now everything was theoretical between them, but Valerie has finally done it with me, and if he already suspects that she doesn't like it so much with him, he has the fly behind his ear, because so far Valerie hasn't had anyone to compare him to, she's only done it with him and I'm going to set the bar very high for him.

I'm going to propose to Valerie that she'll be with Sirius too, if he's so successful with women it won't be just because of his good looks, girls aren't dumb either. That way she also has someone who fuck her and is well served the rest of the term. In summer I will also be with her from time to time. At Deborah's house, she offered it to me.

Valerie and Sev went back into the hidden bedroom and ate sitting on the bed to the right. They talked while they chewed. Ugh... We should have Bonded by now to talk more comfortably, surely after what we have confessed to each other we could already do it without looking at each other.

"I get sick, we are going to fill everything with crumbs," he said.

"You're a bit of a neat freak, aren't you?" she said, laughing.

"Of course, organization is the key to everything."

"I am very messy."

"Yeah, you already look," Sev agreed.

"Andrew also gets sick. Luckily he can't come into my bedroom and see how I have my trunk."

They laughed.

"Don't say funny things, Valerie, we're going to choke."

They laughed again.

I'm going to value her. "I have a great time with you," he continued. "You make me very happy, you are wonderful."

"You really are."

"Today I plan to change the memory of your Patronus so that it is with me."

"What a dream, Prince," she said, excited.

"Too bad it won't be a common memory."

"Why? Don't you want to repeat?" disappointed.

How she changes her mood, it's incredible. And I have screwed up again, I don't know how to do it. "No, Valerie, I've already come twice today," patient. "It's enough, I have to reserve energy. If we do something else it will be so that you will be pleased. We will do it together another time and we will have the memory in common."

"Sure..." sad.

I don't know how to cheer her up like Andrew, I'm going to have to make her laugh and we're going to choke. "Come on, don't be sad."

"Ugh… it's just that now I think I've wasted it," she said.

"You have not wasted anything because it has helped us to talk about very important issues that we should not ignore."

"You are absolutely right," with absolute conviction.

Well, it seems I've convinced her, she's cute. I'm already getting horny again, just seeing her shirt open and her bare legs, she's very hot. I think I won't be able to contain myself, well, it will be worth it to make her happy. Let's see how she feels about Andrew, now that she's had a few more minutes to think. "Andrew was downstairs," Sev said.

"Sure. Was he alone?" indifferent.

She's not worried about him at all, great. How easy it is with Valerie, she's an open book, I don't understand how she manages to fool Andrew. "No, with Angie and George."

"Has he asked you about me?" she asked.

"I'll tell you later, otherwise we'll laugh and choke."

Valerie laughed.

Let's change the topic, he thought. "He has told me that last night you read the notes of the Magic of the Moon. What do you think about it?"

"What you said, it has no waste. A really useful magic, focused on the vital needs of protection, sustenance, healing…"

"Of course, the simple life of the primitive tribes. And the social organization"

"Wonderful. Another rooster would sing to us if societies were organized in this way, by large affinity groups, enough to stay alive, not isolated, but not so large as to lose the individuality of each member," she answered.

Very interesting assessment, she does not tell me anything about the fact that women were the ones who ruled. "And what do you think about the witches being the leaders?"

"That's the least of it, I think there are also very capable men and Muggles. But yes, maybe yes, if the world was run by women it would probably be a nicer place to live, but also the social structure should change, with the current one I don't agree at all."

Political ideas, very interesting, I want to know about them, Sev thought. "What political ideas are you? Labour?"

Valerie laughed and nearly choked.

"Valerie, be careful."

"Ugh… do you want to scare me to death?"

"I don't understand anything, there are only labor members and conservatives, and the labor members are the ones who promote social rights, right?"

"But the political parties that stand for election and alternate in power are all cut from the same pattern, deep down they are all the same," Valerie explained. "I have already told you that I do not believe in the system of social organization that we have."

Wow, this is quite a revelation, I want to talk about this. "Then which one do you believe in, communism?" very interested.

"No, please, neither," laughing again. "Never a dictatorship."

"But in principle the communist ideas were not bad," he opined.

"Yes, they are, because they maintain the hegemony of the state, a vertical organization, where a few command and all the rest obey."

Of course, what Mum explained to me that the common goods are in the hands of the state. "Of course…" understanding. "So, what are your political ideas? Because I'm sure you have them."

"Of course I have them, I consider myself an anarchist," she replied, proud.

"And what is that?"

"Incredible, Prince…" She laughed again. "You are the most anarchist there is and you don't know what anarchism is."

"I'm very ignorant when it comes to everything Muggle."

"Well, I'll tell you and you'll see how you are an anarchist or its synonym, libertarian, for 'liberty', freedom," becoming serious. "Anarchism is an intellectual and social movement that emerged in the second half of the nineteenth century. It was always a minority. Do you know what anarchism means?"

She takes it absolutely seriously, she has very deep convictions, I love it, Sev thought."No idea."

"Word formed by two Greek roots. 'An' absence of, 'archism' power. Absence of power, that no one rules over anyone."

"Of course I am an anarchist," with deep understanding and absolute conviction.

"I already told you, and not only that," Valerie continued. "Those who vilify anarchism call it chaos because of the lack of power, but it is a lie, anarchism promulgates its own social organization, which is based on a horizontal structure, in which people are organized by not too numerous groups, such as the primitive tribes, neighborhoods, villages or the group of workers in a factory, to give you several examples. Everyone participates in the decisions and from there representatives are elected, who in turn form other groups in order to organize themselves at a higher level. A power emerged from the people, true democracy. 'Demos' people, 'cracy' power, Greek too."

"Wow… Valerie, it's fantastic…" deeply admired.

"Of course, I already told you that you are a libertarian. More things, private property disappears, only the essentials for life, housing, clothing, etc., are possessed. Everything else belongs to everyone, the factories, to the workers, not to the rich owners. The lands belong to those who work them, not to the landowners. The common goods, hospitals, schools and others, governed by the horizontal organization, what are called collectivities."

"Valerie, it's wonderful."

"Of course."

"Valerie, what country in the world is anarchist?" anxious, stopping eating. "Now I really want to escape from here, with you. We'll learn the language and go to live there, forget the war and everything, we'll dedicate ourselves to music."

She caressed his face very tenderly. "None, Prince…" very sad. "I've already told you before, it's a minority movement. It had its peak in the nineteenth century but it is becoming more and more a minority, very, very much. They do not stand for election, the only way to gain power would be the revolution, the armed struggle."

"Of course…" understanding.

"Come on, let's continue having dinner."

"Sure."

They continued eating.

"Another thing that has contributed to the bad reputation of libertarians is that throughout history there have been many anarchist terrorist groups," Valerie went on. "Another quality they have is that they are combative, a lot."

"Unsubmissive to power, combative, we are the Slys…" with deep understanding.

"Of course!" excited. "I wanted you to come to the conclusion yourself, all of us at home are libertarians at heart."

"Wooow…" he exclaimed, admired.

"Now they subsist as unions of workers in the factories, but they are also very minority."

"What a pity. And there was no country that attempted an anarchist revolution?"

"Of course there was!" she exclaimed, excited. "And the British participated in it, regardless of the state."

"Where?" very interested.

"In Spain, in 1936."

Wow… I am more and more interested in Spain, the 'Way of the Stars', anarchism… what a most interesting country, what a desire to know it, Sev thought. Maybe I will learn their language, with the power of the cave it will be easy. "During the civil war?" even more interested.

"Yes sir, the day after Franco's uprising, July 19th, 1936, the first day of the Revolution. The people rose up in arms in response to the military coup under an anarchist organization, around a union, the CNT, National Confederation of Workers, which has subsisted in hiding during the almost forty years of Franco's dictatorship. They collectivized the land, the factories, expelled the owners from the country, confiscated their property. Everything."

Wooow… awesome, what I would have given to be there. Now I explain myself what Mum told me about the International Brigades, all the foreigners who came to fight in support of the Republic. It was not for the Republic, it was for the Revolution. But this she did not know, otherwise she would have explained it to me. It has remained silent, because it is very risky that that is known for those in power, they would lose their privileges. "Tell me more."

Valerie continued, "A popular army was organized spontaneously, without uniforms, in which everyone participated equally, including women, of course, and numerous foreigners who came to fight, forming the so-called International Brigades."

"Spontaneous, without uniforms and with women, like the Wizarding Army."

"That is, like us!" very proud and satisfied.

"And who commanded it?" he asked.

"The most important figure was Buenaventura Durruti, a Spanish man, a mechanic, specifically from León, a city in the northwest. He was assassinated under strange circumstances in Madrid, the capital, in the center of the state, a few months after the start of the war, at the age of forty."

Wow... the 'Way of the Stars' passes through León. Another who died young sacrificing his life for freedom. "Oh, what a shame. And besides, later they lost the war."

"The libertarians lost it long before Franco won it, the Revolution only lasted a few months," she continued explaining. "The Soviet Union, under Stalin's dictatorship, got in the way of supporting the legitimate government of the Republic and they got rid of the anarchists, including the International Brigades and the women who fought, killing many of them and forming a regular army. How about?"

"The communists, the worst there is."

"Not only them. No democratic country, as you can understand, supported them. It was too risky for their own interests, if it had spread the rich would have lost their privileges."

"Of course... Nor it has been known in detail what happened for that very reason," Sev deduced.

"Of course. Silenced."

"And how did you come to find out?"

"Because I am informed, I read books on the subject," Valerie replied. "There are historians who talk about it, none of them Spanish, of course, they just came out of the Franco dictatorship, but they are British."

"Ugh… Valerie, you have to pass me some."

"Of course, I have them at home, I'll do it this summer. At the moment you can read a novel that is about the subject that is in the Library, by a British author who traveled to Barcelona, the second most important city after Madrid, on the northeastern Mediterranean coast, the nucleus of the Revolution, and was a combatant at Huesca, in the south of the Pyrenees. He later wrote the book, as a war correspondent."

"What does war correspondent mean?"

"A journalist who travels to a country in conflict to report from the front line," she answered.

"Wow… another way to fight."

"Of course, there are many ways to fight."

"Tell me the title of the book, I'll check it out tomorrow," he asked.

"'Homage to Catalonia' by George Orwell."

Indeed I'm going to leave 'Oliver Twist', what a waste of time. "Great, Valerie."

"More interesting things about libertarians," she went on. "They reject religion."

"Wow… great."

"Like we warlocks, they would never have persecuted us."

"Well, they can be a good way to get closer to the Muggle world, to make ourselves known," Sev suggested.

"Yes, if it weren't for the fact that there are so few left."

"We have to get in touch with one of those anarchist unions."

"We will do it this summer, in London, but for the moment, camouflaged and probing," Valerie agreed.

"Of course."

"One more thing. The cell of the social organization that we have, do you know what it is?"

"Yeah. Families made up of a couple and their children," he replied.

"That is. And what about the libertarian organization?"

"I have no idea, tell me."

"What are we trying to form in the Army?" she asked.

"Squads."

"In what way?"

"By affinity groups," Sev answered.

"That is!" deeply satisfied. "Affinity groups, the cell of the anarchist organization."

"Wooow, Valerie… it's us!"

"Of course, families formed by affinity, not by blood relations," she explained. "How about?"

"That I am an anarchist."

"Well, never vote in the elections or get married. Anarchist motto, 'Neither god, nor master, nor husband, nor party'."

"Excellent! Nor husband," he said. "It also includes the Magic of the Moon."

"Of course," very satisfied. "That's how I convinced Andrew to do it with others. Free love was already practiced by libertarians, long before it emerged in the past decade."

"Wow…" understanding, excited.

"And this gesture that you have seen me make in the morning," Valerie went on raising her clenched fist, "it is a revolutionary gesture, recovered by the student revolts, May 1968 and others, in which sometimes the spirit of anarchism seems to revive."

"The first article in the Daily Prophet was entitled 'Revolution at Hogwarts'."

"It was fantastic! Revolution at Hogwarts!"

They both raised their clenched fists in deep satisfaction.