𝕸𝖔𝖓𝖔𝖈𝖍𝖗𝖔𝖒𝖊
Act I - The Trials of Summer
Chapter 26 - The Wizengamot
"House Padget!" said a portly man standing in the top row, "Eustace Padget speaks for the Padget seat and as a proxy to Houses Slughorn and Fawley. Five votes."
Harry watched with fascination as the Roll-calling went on, with the Wizengamot members standing up one by one, stating their names and the Houses they represented. He had known that the Wizarding World was a big place, but hearing the names of so many families all at once was an entirely different experience. A feeling of deja-vu gripped him, reminding him of the realisation that most of the people he had interacted with in the past couple of years were associated with the Order of the Phoenix and in close contact with Dumbledore himself. It only reinforced the image of just how confined his exposure had been, despite being in this world for four years.
Not anymore. He promised himself.
Another interesting observation was how most families tended to group together, usually through vassalage and proxies. Sirius had given him a crash course on the subject— certainly not enough to talk politics like a pureblood, but enough to recognize a gesture or a norm when it stared at him in the face. The Ancient Houses had a total of three votes to themselves, unlike the normal Pureblood families that held a single vote. Heads of Departments of the Ministry of Magic and some specific positions were also entailed to a singular vote.
The Nobility, on the other hand, had a whooping Seven Votes to their name.
Which was why everything in the Wizengamot tended to be centred around them.
Fortunately for him, House Black was a Noble and Most Ancient House, and if things went as planned, he'd have another of those supporting him in this mess.
Then it happened.
"The Wizengamot calls House Potter. Who stands?"
Sirius stood up next to him, looking like the perfect Lord with his Wizengamot purple robes and practically royal stature. From his gait, there was no way one could tell that the man had been an Azkaban inmate for twelve years. Clearly, wherever he had spent his time during Harry's fourth year, it had worked wonders on him.
Harry wondered if he should ask Sirius to take him to that place.
It would be a good vacation before school began.
"Lord Sirius Black speaks for the Ancient House of Potter and its vassals Houses Appleby, Waffling, and McNally. House Potter is named Proxy for the Noble and Ancient House of Black, and its Alliance. Nineteen votes."
Harry whistled softly. Nineteen votes. A significant addition. Joshua had stood up earlier, casting his total of twenty-one votes from the Greengrass-Selwyn Alliance. Of course, neither of them came anywhere close to when Lucius Malfoy had stood up and cast a whooping thirty-one votes.
And the funniest part about it was that none but a single member of the alliance were Nobility. As Sirius had put it, the Alliance was composed of Death Eater families or sympathisers and owed obedience to Voldemort in one form or the other. Not to mention the other 'Dark' families that sympathised with the Pureblood Movement and voted in their favour. In retrospect, it was easy to see how Voldemort's Pureblood Movement had been so strong back in the first war. They practically owned a fourth of the entire Wizengamot.
"Preposterous!" Fudge scoffed, "The registered Proxy for House Black is House Malfoy. The Wizengamot cannot accept this casting until House Black makes a proper petition to the Wizengamot in open session."
Harry scowled.
"It's a stalling tactic," Joshua said before Harry could formulate his statement. "One that's hardly an obstacle. Your godfather can simply petition for it the moment the session is declared open. This is Fudge trying to undermine his authority over the Black votes for this trial."
"Wouldn't that be bad for us?"
"Hardly. Remember what I told you about plots in power plays?"
Harry did. In Joshua's words, there were plots that must succeed, where you kept the core idea as simple as possible and took every precaution. And then there were plots where it was acceptable to fail, and with these one could indulge oneself, or test the limits of one's ability to handle complications.
"This is the second type?"
"Actually, this isn't even a plot. It's just Fudge being a nuisance."
Harry chuckled.
Sirius cocked his head and gave Fudge a bemused stare. "You are right, Minister, and I plan to petition it once the session begins. I've already taken up my Lordship. According to the Charter, an official petition needs not be declared in open session if it has been sent through official channels to the Ministry of Magic."
"The office of the Minister of Magic did not receive any such notices," Fudge countered.
Sirius gave him a half-shrug. "Gringotts sent an official notice through the Goblin Liaison Office. It is not my place to comment on the efficiency of the Ministry."
Somewhere on the extreme right, a man with light brown hair and a squarish face with a light stubble stood up.
"The Wizengamot recognizes Dirk Cresswell, Head of Goblin Liaison Office," cried the Court Reporter.
"The Goblin Liaison Office has forwarded the notice to the office of the Minister of Magic. We received an acknowledgement slip from the Office of the Senior Undersecretary."
"But not from the Minister?" asked Amelia Bones.
Cresswell looked utterly unfazed. "It is a mere formality."
Amelia Bones turned towards Fudge who looked a little pasty. "Does the Minister of Magic consider that enough confirmation for the Wizengamot to continue its roll-calling?"
Fudge looked like he was about to say something but then decided better. With a curt nod, he settled down upon his seat.
Albus Dumbledore banged the gavel. "Let the Roll Call continue."
The rest continued without any major distractions. Harry was rather surprised at finding out that Ollivander was actually a Noble and Most Ancient House like the Blacks and held a coalition with House Shafiq— another Noble House that had no immediate members but was active by proxy through House Ollivander. But the most interesting thing was—
"Corban Yaxley. I speak as Regent for House Weasley, and Vassal to House Malfoy. Three votes."
Harry had actually coughed out loud at that statement.
"I'm surprised you didn't know that," Joshua commented, "given how cosy you're with them."
Harry shook his head. Apart from the fact that he wasn't sure where he and Ron stood after everything that had happened, he wasn't sure of anything he knew about the Wizarding World.
"How did that happen?"
The man let out a soft snort. "Lord Septimus Weasley, Arthur Weasley's father, borrowed a significant sum of money for an enterprise from Lord Abraxas Malfoy back in the sixties."
Harry choked at that. A Weasley borrowing from a Malfoy? Sounded like a perversion of the natural order.
"I'm not sure if you know this, but the Weasleys are actually related to Blacks by blood. Septimus Weasley married Cedrella Black. Back then, the Weasleys ran in the same circles as the Malfoys and Blacks."
Harry tried really hard to picture a man in red hair and freckles being friendly with another with long, white hair.
It was just wrong.
Ron would probably commit suicide if he ever heard of that. That, or try to kill Draco Malfoy. Whichever was on the table.
"Unfortunately, the venture failed miserably, and doomed the Weasley family fortune. Septimus Weasley had to mortgage his Family Seat to Abraxas Malfoy, with the contract to pay off the debt in the next fifty years. Adding insult to injury, Abraxas appointed House Yaxley, a vassal of House Malfoy to act as the Weasley Regent."
Harry opened his mouth to say something but words couldn't explain how it felt.
"An initial loan amount of two hundred and fifty thousand galleons, plus the annual eight thousand galleons payable to the Wizengamot to keep the Weasley Seat active. That is what Arthur Weasley is still paying, even to this day."
"But why? Yaxley—"
"Yaxley may have the Regency, but the Seat belongs to the Weasleys. If they fail to pay for the Wizengamot dues, the Weasley seat goes dormant. One cannot put a dormant asset on the mortgage. Should that happen, Lucius Malfoy would get Arthur Weasley arrested for financial fraud faster than he can say unfair."
Harry wondered if all that was the reason for the bad blood between the families.
"Is that why the Weasleys are so… poor?"
Joshua shrugged. "Probably. I assume much of Arthur Weasley's income is spent on paying the mortgage and the annual dues. The fact that they had seven children to take care of certainly doesn't help. It does not help that Arthur Weasley suffers from the disease called Honesty, and is a strong opposer of Lucius Malfoy's agenda. There's also the rumour that Abraxas Malfoy intentionally engineered the Weasley enterprise to fail, but that's just that— rumour."
Harry furrowed his brows. "How do you know all that?"
He laughed. "Harry! The Weasleys are legendary. They're a necessary case study for every Heir, Lord and Regent of every House that's on the Wizengamot. I'm sure if there's a section on stupidity in the Wizengamot's dictionary, you'll find Septimus Weasley's picture there."
Harry was conflicted between laughing and feeling bad about his friend's family. Before he could do either, Dumbledore had stood up from his chair.
"A hundred and forty-four votes have been cast, fulfilling the quorum requirement of a hundred and twenty votes. As Chief Warlock, I declare this Wizengamot session open."
The next half an hour to forty-five minutes of the session had been nothing but pleasantries, introductions, pandering, and official rabble that in all honesty was only done for show and had nothing to do with the situation in the first place. Minister Fudge had also invited a group of reporters to the Wizengamot chamber and was currently occupying the lowermost stand of the Well. Whether they were to serve as a supplementary jury or merely cover the proceedings of the trial were remaining to be seen. There was also a strange, pink-clad woman that looked very much like a toad.
Something something, Umbridge.
Who, much like Fudge himself, was a condescending piece of shit.
Correction. She was a condescending piece of shit with a family history of who-cares-how-many-generations and couldn't utter three sentences without trying to take a shot at Harry while sitting smugly beside the Minister's seat, and smiling smugly, as if she had everything under control.
Just as Joshua had predicted, the Minister began the session by trying to force things in his favour.
"Esteemed members of the Wizengamot," Fudge began, "today we have all convened here to correct a grievous injustice done to the pillars of this august institution. A merciless massacre was done on the Summer Solstice, at the night of the Third Task of the Triwizard Tournament, where thirteen purebloods had not just been killed in a most barbaric fashion, but also had their magic stolen from them. The Ministry of Magic stands firm against this ruinous display and has refused to hold back until the last remnants of this injustice have been appropriately dealt with—"
It was a far stiff and pompous speech than Harry had heard at the Triwizard Tournament. Hell, it was even more pompous and self-serving than the chatter at the International Quidditch Cup, and that was saying something. Fudge made a grand show about Cedric, commenting about the unfortunate demise of the rightful Hogwarts Champion, the utter dissonance and conflict during the scholastic year, and most importantly, how everyone except the accused strangely ended up dead, following with a most convenient Return of a certain dead Dark Lord.
It had been viciously insulting at first, but as time went by, the bite lost a big portion of its effectiveness. Now, the man was simply being annoying. Judging from Sirius's own expression and some of the crowd, they were of the same mind as well. Even the most stalwart of traditional pureblood values was starting to show their ire at the display.
It was only when someone in the Nobility— a certain Evan Rosier, made a comment about his time being wasted that things finally began to progress.
"...as such, I'd like to address this matter of grave concern by postponing the other activities of the Wizengamot, until this matter has been decided." Fudge finished.
"Surely the Minister is jesting?" said Joshua, standing up and giving Dumbledore a formal bow. He patiently bore Dumbledore's chastising at the interruption with a casual air before continuing, "I must ask, why are we postponing the due traditions? It's been over a month since the disastrous end of the Triwizard Tournament, and only now are we having the trial. Surely a few notices wouldn't affect it too much?"
"Your point is sustained, "Dumbledore replied, "Do you have any notices to inform the Wizengamot, Regent Greengrass? Also, is there a reason you're away from your seat?"
"As a matter of fact, I do."
Dumbledore looked down at the Court Reporter, Dullard something, and asked him if there were any existing logs for notices to be made for the session. The man shook his head. With Dumbledore's permission, Joshua strode up to the centre of the dais, standing on the podium provided for giving out important notices.
"House Greengrass calls forth its Heir Apparent, Daphne Anastasia Greengrass."
Harry watched as Daphne rose from the Greengrass box and stepped down into the Well to join her father at the dais. Up in the Gallery, Lucius Malfoy watched the proceedings intently. Harry wondered how Malfoy was going to react, given what was about to happen.
"House Greengrass has two matters to bring before the Wizengamot. First, having observed my daughter's demeanour,intelligence, poise, resourcefulness and loyalty to Wizarding Britain, I, Joshua Nicholas Greengrass, Regent of the Noble and Most House of Greengrass, do hereby declare that I judge her worthy of respect beyond what her youth would normally inspire. I hereby exercise my authority as Regent to grant her full emancipation, and declare her a legal adult for all purposes not expressly barred to her on account of chronological age, including immediate elevation to Lady of House Greengrass."
There was some minor muttering in the crowd. Lucius Malfoy in particular had shifted a bit to talk to the people on his immediate left, and was probably not pleased with their answers, if his expression was any clue. Being elevated to her Ladyship wouldn't change very much for Daphne. She would not be free of the Trace, or legally allowed to apparate until she gained a licence, or vote in the Wizengamot until she had passed her NEWTs. But it would allow for the next and most important thing which was what the next part of his statement was all about.
"The Wizengamot acknowledges Regent Greengrass's pronunciation. Is there anyone that holds grounds for objection?" asked Dumbledore.
"I have an objection," claimed Lucius, standing up.
"Please," said Dumbledore. "Speak your concerns."
"House Greengrass has an established contract with House Malfoy, citing marriage of young Daphne with my son Draco right after both have attained their NEWTs. Miss Greengrass is required to stay on as Heir Apparent until then, or suffer penalties for infringement."
"Objection sustained." Dumbledore turned to Joshua. "Perhaps House Greengrass can clarify?"
Joshua let out a soft laugh, enough to sound amused but not enough to feel like he was mocking anyone. "I had expected to clean this mess without making a public issue out of it. But if that is what House Malfoy insists…"
He turned slightly towards his left and looked directly at Lucius. "I'm breaking the contract because it is null and void. I have officially filed a complaint on Lucius Malfoy, for charges of breach of contract through false pretences and financial fraud, as per Section 12B of Article 17 of the Wizengamot Penal Code."
The prior mutterings now grew into a loud rumble of discontent from all around the chamber which grew louder and louder even as Dumbledore continued to bang the gavel. Lucius on the other hand, looked pasty pale and silently sat down upon his seat.
"Regent Greengrass," Dumbledore said, "Criminal charges against another person are subject to the DMLE. Raising it as a notice in front of the whole Wizengamot serves no purpose other than creating confusion among the Jury."
"I apologise for the commotion, Chief Warlock," Joshua said with another small bow. "I was hoping to keep things silent and let the DMLE follow its own approach. Unfortunately, Lucius Malfoy objected to my notice and I was ordered, by this body no less, to ratify my claims."
He met Malfoy's angry eyes. "I can go into details behind my charges, if House Malfoy believes it necessary. Or, it can remove its objection and save the Court's precious time."
Lucius clenched his jaw. "I withdraw my objection."
Harry could swear he saw an amused smile flicker on Dumbledore's face.
"Nice," Joshua smiled, and looked around. "Onto my next notice. As per the Ancestry test conducted by Gringotts this summer, Harry James Potter has been registered as a carrier of the Greengrass bloodline through his paternal grandmother Euphemia Potter nee Greengrass, and I, as Regent, have ratified it. I hereby declare Harry James Potter as a son of House Greengrass. May he wear the Greengrass name with pride."
Harry found Daphne looking at him and smiled. He also noticed the frown forming on Dumbledore's face at the proclamation.
"Hem-hem!"
The toad-faced witch leaned forwards, and peered at Joshua with her large, round, slightly bulging eyes.
"The Court recognizes Dolores Jane Umbridge, Senior Undersecretary to the Minister," cried the reporter.
"I'm sure I must have misunderstood you, Regent Greengrass," she said in a fluttery, girlish, high-pitched tone that took Harry aback. Or maybe that was because he was expecting a croak. "I mean, he's accused of murder of thirteen, well-respected members of our society. Surely someone of your stature wouldn't want to bring… a stain to your venerated House's name by providing sanctuary to Mr. Potter?"
Joshua opened his mouth to answer, but Dumbledore's sudden banging of the havel stopped him.
"Madam Senior Undersecretary," said the Headmaster in a very cold voice, "Harry Potter is accused for the deaths of thirteen purebloods. An accusation that has yet to be proven in front of this body. I was part of his DMLE interrogation, under Veritaserum I might add, and we did not find him guilty."
"But—"
"Until Mr. Potter is proven guilty, he will be addressed with the respect he deserves. I should remind you, that Harry Potter is Heir Apparent to the Ancient Potter family, and from what we have just witnessed, a scion of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Greengrass. Do you believe it is just to make such unproven, acerbic remarks on his character in front of the Wizengamot?"
Umbridge glared at the older wizard, but she knew he was right and sat down.
"Regent Greengrass, please continue."
Joshua shook his head. "No, that will be all, Chief Warlock. With this, I yield the floor to my daughter and Lady of House."
Daphne stepped forward, and tapped her wand against her robes, which instantly shifted into the plum Wizengamot attire and pulled a prepared speech from her pocket.
"Chief Warlock, Lords and Ladies, and Jury members, I stand before you today and address this body as the new Lady of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Greengrass. However, I'm still a student of Hogwarts with three years of education ahead of me. As such, my father will conduct all my duties as my Proxy until then.
From this day henceforth, I submit myself to the duties and responsibilities as a member of this august body. I vow to act with the Wizengamot, and stay true to my oaths as the Lady of Greengrass. So mote it be!"
As she finished saying those words, Harry felt a strange warmth exude from her, and unless he was wrong, from within himself as well, as if the Greengrass blood was celebrating the ascension of its new Lady. A sudden urge to smile and clap at the moment almost overwhelmed him, before a familiar coldness drove it out of his person.
"Your oath has been witnessed by the Wizengamot," said Dumbledore. "Lady of House Greengrass, please claim your seat."
"That concludes my business, Chief Warlock," said Daphne as she bowed respectfully at Dumbledore, turned around, and with a single glance towards Harry, climbed up the stairs until she was back in the Greengrass box.
"Does anyone else wish to provide any notices before we move ahead with the primary subject of today's session?"
Sirius stood up at Dumbledore's words. "I do, Chief Warlock."
"The Wizengamot welcomes you, Sirius Black. What business do you bring before this Chamber?"
Sirius enthusiastically bowed. "Thank you for your kind welcome. I'd like to start my very first presence in this sacred institution by giving out some notices. Chief Warlock, my Lords and Ladies, Ministry officials and citizens, I stand before you today, so that you may witness my vow before Magic."
With that, he pulled his wand out and held it above his head. Harry couldn't help but notice that Sirius's expression looked utterly innocent, while his eyes promised imminent chaos. If he didn't know better, he'd have claimed that his godfather was about to throw a great prank on the Wizengamot.
He wouldn't…
Would he?
And just like that, Harry realised that he wasn't sure. One couldn't be sure with Sirius Black.
"I, Sirius Orion, Son, and Heir Apparent of House Black, claim the House of Black as my own, as its Lord and Master. With the blessings of Tezcatlipoca that we Blacks have descended from, I swear to uphold the traditions and customs that my Family Charter holds on to, and fulfil my duties as the Lord of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black."
The Black Heir ring on Harry's index finger tingled.
He saw the Lord's ring in Sirius's finger shine with a dense, black illumination, darkening everything around him for a second for an intense, dark light shot upwards, forming the outline of a jaguar before dissipating into thin air.
"The—" Dumbledore's voice wavered for a second, "The Wizengamot acknowledges this statement. Welcome, Lord Black. Please, claim the Seat that is rightfully yours."
"Oh I will," Sirius smiled back, "but as the new Lord of the family, there are some notices I must give out." He stood at his tallest, looking around with a smile. "Let's start with the pesky ones first." he cleared his throat. "All outstanding and active contracts set in motion by Regent Black since 1981, are hereby disbanded until further notice, and active contracts hereby held in abeyance and pending review, until I have had a chance to personally attest to their legitimacy. Depending on how things turn out, they will either be reaffirmed or… voided."
Ah. Harry realised. There's the chaos.
"Wh—what?" Fudge's voice broke, not at all believing this turn of events.
"WHAT?" "ARE YOU SERIOUS, BLACK? "WHY ARE OUR CONTRACTS DISBANDED?!" Judging from the shouts, several of these contract holders were members of the Wizengamot. Not even Dumbledore's hammering had any effect on them.
"I know. I know. Lords and Ladies," Sirius looked like he was trying to pacify the audience but Harry knew better. "I know this is an… inconvenience, but I'm afraid I have no options. I have just discovered on the very day of my ascension to Lordship, that the Regent Black has tried to…" He shot an exaggerated glare in Lucius Malfoy's direction, "among other things, barter away my venerated Family Library, the most coveted of all our assets. It is the symbol of the Black's lineage, culture and history. Now I'm certain that such a slight is only due to Lucius Malfoy's… lack of understanding of Noble lineage, but as they say, to err is human. However, that also means I must perform a thorough inspection of every single deal made by the Regent since his appointment. Who knows what other slights might have been made throughout the last decade?"
Sirius offered everyone a smile. It only made his next words sound that much more menacing.
"Of course, your cooperation and assistance to House Black in this matter to expedite things will be more than welcome."
Harry snickered.
"But why disband everything?" asked a white-haired man who stood up from the shadows.
"The Wizengamot recognizes Androcles Selwyn, Lord of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Selwyn," cried the Court Reporter.
"House Selwyn has had multiple dealings with House Black over the last decade, several of which are in various stages of development. Such a sudden move will definitely cause us trouble. Your wish to have a clean record will not do favours among your business clientele, Lord Black."
Sirius gave him a level look. "And what do you suggest?"
"Keep Lord Malfoy as Regent Black. Let him have the responsibility of solving any discrepancies."
"You don't send a puppy to clean up its own mess, Lord Selwyn."
Several among the members laughed at that, including Harry himself.
Justice didn't exist at the Wizengamot. Sirius had drilled this into him. It was simply a convenient excuse to tear down one's enemies.
His godfather was the Lord Black. Everyone knew that. But becoming Lord Black didn't translate to taking over the Alliance that had existed in the time of his grandfather. Lucius Malfoy had more than a decade to use the Black regency to twist the Black Alliance into supporting his banner instead. Hell, half of the Alliance consisted of Death Eater families or sympathisers. Had Sirius tried to exert his House's influence over the Alliance, he'd have looked like an adolescent throwing a tantrum, and ignored.
It wouldn't impress anyone and before he knew it, the Alliance would be disbanded and half the members would flock to Lucius Malfoy's side before the tantrum had ended. So instead, Sirius had gone full offensive. Grabbed them by the balls. House Black was nobility, which meant they had the power to veto their transactions with lesser Houses. He couldn't stop these lesser Houses from leaving House Black's domain, but now they'd know it'd hurt them by going against the House's stance.
"My second notice," said Sirius with a bow too enthusiastic to be genuine. "I name Harry James Potter, now a son of Black in the eyes of Magic, as the future inheritor of all properties in the Black name, upon condition that he shall provide an heir to continue my family name in his absence."
Harry glanced at Daphne and turned pink.
Sirius cocked his head, "My final notice is to state that House Black, House Greengrass and House Potter have a treaty of mutual aid and support with each other. Quite naturally, as the Potter Regent, I agree with myself on that matter."
The crowd laughed again.
"House Greengrass confirms that statement," Joshua proclaimed.
"Acknowledged," said Dumbledore and banged the gavel.
"My final notice comes from my position as Potter Regent. I have to make one last declaration before I yield the floor to my heir. Harry James Potter, son of James and Lily Potter, has been recently emancipated due to his participation in the Triwizard Tournament, and as such, has become eligible to take up the mantle of the Lord of House Potter. That said, I will be holding on to the Potter Wizengamot seat until he comes of age."
Furious hoots and whispers began at this statement.
"Order!" Dumbledore banged, "I demand silence."
"Chief Warlock," claimed Fudge, "Harry Potter is accused of very serious crimes. To welcome him into our hallowed grounds would be committing a severe misdeed against the dead that are no longer with us, no thanks to Mr. Potter's—"
"KRAACKKKKOW!" banged the gavel.
That shut everyone up.
"I have already mentioned Harry Potter's status as far as the accusation stands. Unless anyone has any factual or legal basis for objecting to his claim, I suggest we move on without further delay."
There was a lot of grumbling and muttering but no one voiced any objections after that.
"It's alright, Chief Warlock," said Sirius, "Minister Fudge is spending more time trying to demean my godson and anything that has to do with his right to be here in the Wizengamot as a fellow member, rather than trying to support his own accusations. Clearly, the prosecution is depending too much on their political clout instead of any real evidence. It's honestly embarrassing. But yes, that was the last of my notices. With this, I leave the floor for my godson and heir, Harry Potter."
Harry met Sirius's eye and stepped forward. One step, then another, and soon he had walked all the way up to the centre of the dais.
Seeing all those people looking at him was enough to frighten anyone. It probably helped that he had been used to stares from strangers for the entire time he had been a wizard.
"The Wizengamot welcomes you, Harry Potter," said Albus Dumbledore, "I understand you have as much right to be here and make your voice known as any of us. That said, I recognize the possibility that you can and probably will use your newly gained titles to your benefit in your upcoming trial. This body will keep those in mind while judging your conviction."
Harry met Sirius's eye who nodded, as he stepped forward.
"Now, what business do you bring before us?"
Harry met the Headmaster's eyes. This was the first time they were meeting in such a position outside the school. He could feel the man's electric-blue eyes x-ray him like he was standing naked, with all his secrets revealed before the centennial wizard's eyes.
Closing his eyes, he gathered up the Gryffindor courage he had in him and exhaled.
And then he began to speak.
Out loud.
"Lords and Ladies and esteemed Wizengamot members,, I am Harry James Potter, and I… thank you for welcoming me here. Despite being in this world as a student for the last four years, I have been practically ignorant of the wizarding lifestyle, traditions, and society, and as such, have muddled my way over the years. Sometime during this summer, after my godfather Lord Sirius Orion Black took me in and accepted me as a son of House Black, I have been learning what it means to be a Potter, and the responsibilities that come with being the Heir of an Ancient House."
He allowed himself a careful pause.
"As such, I'd like to take this opportunity to ask for forgiveness for any faux pas I might have committed over the years on account of my ignorance of the customs of this land."
And just like that, the whispers began.
"My participation in the Triwizard Tournament is no secret. With the right to emancipation granted to me as an official Champion of the Tournament, and with the permission of the Potter Regent Lord Sirius Black, I hereby invoke my right as Heir Apparent, and claim the Lordship of the Ancient House of Potter. With this, I accept my duties and responsibilities as a fellow Wizengamot member, and stand before this Body and vow to fulfil my responsibilities as Lord Potter. So mote it be!"
Dumbledore looked at him pensively. "I have witnessed your ascension to Lord Potter. Please, claim your seat."
The announcement was accompanied by a flash of light as two chairs materialised in the box that had been set aside for House Potter, but had been empty for the last decade.
"Thank you, Chief Warlock," said Harry, "and I will do the same, after finishing another notice in front of the Wizengamot. During my study of our ancestral traditions, I came across a very peculiar section called the Rites of Ascension, describing the observances and prerequisites for a family member to rise to the position of a Lord of the family. Unlike today, wizard titles were more than just the accident of their birth. Being born and having the blood of a family wasn't enough to inherit such mantles. Instead, witches and wizards spent a lifetime building up great actions and deeds, or conversely, ill actions and deeds, and crafted a reputation that they left behind as the legacy behind their names. Of course, today's generations have started to care more about their own lineage and than their own accomplishments, choosing to revel in what they have gotten from their ancestors instead of providing a platform for their progeny to achieve higher greatness. Today, we place more importance on our names and our titles rather than how our ancestors gained them in the first place. We place more value on the dead, than we do on our future progeny and potential."
He paused and took careful note of the Jury.
"But back in the old days, this was not true. Great witches and wizards would often set qualifications for someone to inherit their lines, deeming accomplishments and a person's attributes far more valuable than blood. That is why you don't see people laying claims to Houses like Emrys, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Rasputin and so many others. There exist notable descendants of Houses Hufflepuff and House Gryffindor even today, but are unable to lay claim to these houses."
Harry knew he was talking about Houses Smith and Longbottom respectively, and hoped Neville's grandmother wouldn't take slight on his words. Joshua and Daphne had run him ragged with this speech and he needed to pull it off perfectly.
Another member of the crowd, a certain Benjamin Nott sighed loudly, sounding more bored than concerned. "An intriguing preamble, Lord Potter. You speak as if whatever you're about to say will shake the foundations of our current system."
Harry glanced at the half-bald man. It will not shake your foundations. It will shatter them.
"For Noble Houses, the condition to inherit a mantle had one extra step. Shining more than the other members of the household, ensuring the House's prosperity, respecting its traditions and staying true to the Family Charter are all important duties, but there is a fifth clause to the mix, one that was forcibly removed by a unanimous Wizengamot decision in 1768. Do you know what that is, Lord Nott?"
The man's confident and condescending stature didn't change immediately. It took a few moments for the man to slowly realise what he was referring to.
One could tell by the rapid vacation of colour in his face.
Harry tilted his head, ever so slightly, his posture completely relaxed. Honestly, he needed to thank Benjamin Nott. The man was a Lord of a Noble family and would instantly understand what he was referring to. Conversely, that he had just silenced a Noble Lord would keep the momentum in his favour.
The kind of stuff you learnt while living at Cinnamon Grove for a week.
"As I'm certain Lord Nott will agree, what I am about to say will prove that the upcoming trial is worth less than the paper upon which the charge sheet was filed. I am talking about the condition of being… a Vessel."
"Let Magic sanctify my oath," he said in a confident voice, "I, Harry James Potter, stand before the Wizengamot. I, in whose veins runs the blood of Iolanthe Peverell, granddaughter of Ignotus Callidus Peverell, the last lord and Vessel of Peverell—"
Hoots and yells broke out among the masses, despite Dumbledore's attempts to restore order.
"— as a vessel to the Peverell family magic, claim it for my own."
He raised his right hand up. The tanzanite ring, with the Peverell coat-of-arms shone proudly on it for the entire chamber to see.
"Mine to command!"
A monstrous roar erupted out of his ring at a volume that sent every single person falling down to their seats, their hands tight over their ears. A few of them were trying to cast silencing charms but to no effect. Harry felt the familiar coldness erupt out of him, forming a dark, dense mist that soared above him to form a mandala of pure darkness right above his head.
"Mine to mould!"
The noise kept rising and rising, until Harry could hear the sounds of hooves, reverberating all around the chamber. The Wizengamot members were looking around frantically, their wands shaking in their hands as they tried to locate the source of this immense noise that kept getting louder and louder. Meanwhile the fire burning on the pillars were slowly dimming until they were a flicker away from being put out.
"Mine to pass down!"
A ginormous thestral, black as the darkest night, erupted out of the swirling mandala above his head, the aura radiating from it enough to make everyone shield their eyes. The ethereal creature extended its wings out and flapped them powerfully, the shockwaves causing a massive gale that even the engraved enchantments in the chamber found hard to resist. The spiritual beast neighed loudly, before swirling into a mass of darkness, and merged into Harry's ring.
The entire Wizengamot watched in silence.
Finally, Harry spoke in softer tones. "I, Harry James Potter, claim the Peverell Thestral as my own, enacting my authority as the Lord of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Peverell. So have I spoken, so mote it be!"
And then the madness began.