AN: Well, this got out one week from the last chapter, so at least there's that! Hope everyone had a good week, and as always, thanks for the support!
Nightwing2013 - Glad you enjoyed Dumbledore's scolding. It was long since overdue. Voldemort's retaliation will definitely come eventually. He is a vindictive bastard after all. I wouldn't say he'd be tipped off to the knowledge of the horcruxes. He'll learn that Astra intervened in the attack on Chiara too, and just assume that Harry has some way of monitoring those close to him . . . though that's something he might try to take advantage of. You could be right about Voldemort's thougts about Snape though.
Kalvin Ellis 80 - Oh the attack on Theseus will definitely backfire. I guess you'll see this very chapter! Thanks!
alix33 - Thanks! Glad you enjoyed the chapter and Dora's rant. It was about time for Dumbledore to get scolded like that. As always, thanks for your corrections!
Guest - Thanks! I'm sure Dumbledore will prove to be an asset in the hunt. At the very least, he'll be a huge help for the ring. The locket, perhaps so, or perhaps not. I guess you'll just have to see!
Mando-Vet - Thanks! Definitely agree. Dumbledore needed a talking to. Umbridge's fate approaches ever closer.
stars90 - A proper mama bear scolding indeed.
GreengrassRebel - Thanks, I'll fix that issue. I guess you'll just have to see who will be at the Wizengamot meeting in this chapter. You are correct that the Death Eaters don't know how the prophecy hall works yet. Not until the escape.
Chapter 62
"Alright you lot," Mad-Eye growled out. "Fall in."
"Fall in?" Ron muttered in confusion, looking at Harry.
"He means line up," Harry answered back
"They're not Aurors, Mad-Eye," Alexis said with a snort
"So, you're saying that only Aurors can figure out how to stand in a box formation?" Mad-Eye retorted before he huffed. "Fine, gather around."
Harry, his friends, and his family all gathered around Mad-Eye and his fellow "instructors." They had those Harry would have expected to be there: Ron, Fred, George, Ginny, Katie, Alicia, Harry, and Angelina, with only Hermione being gone, on a ski trip with her parents.. However, they also had some unexpected, but pleasant guests in the form of Neville, Astoria and Daphne Greengrass, Tracey Davis, Haley and Hazel Quentin, all three of whom were under House Greengrass's protection, Marina Witcher, and oddly enough, Luna Lovegood, who had reached out to Ginny to wish her father a swift recovery, and Ginny had invited her over to spend the day with them, since her father was working.
Next to Mad-Eye were Alexis, Kingsley, Rick, Dora, Sirius, Remus, Neville's parents, Bill, Fleur, and Kane Witcher. With the holiday season, it wasn't just the Hogwarts students that had time off. Many of the Aurors did too, especially since the Ministry still refused to believe Voldemort had returned. Thus, while this group all had Order duties, they had time on some days to pass on some lessons. Today, for the first lesson, it seemed everyone was in attendance on both sides, which was good because the instructors' skills were just as diverse as the students' focus of study.
"Alright, some of you are going to be doubled up," Mad-Eye said. "Harry, Angelina, you're both with Kingsley. He'll work with you on your lightning and wind elemental abilities, respectively."
Harry and Angelina smiled at that, and grinned at Kingsley who winked at them.
"Ginny, you're with me," Dora said brightly.
"Bell, you're with me," Mad-Eye growled out..
Harry's two girlfriends eyed Harry's sister and pseudo grandfather and mentor, guessing it wasn't a coincidence that they were with two of Harry's fiercest protectors.
"Alicia, dear, you're with me," Alice Longbottom said. "We'll take a look at your water elemental abilities."
Alicia brightened considerably at getting to work with someone who actually already knew her element.
"Ronald, you and I are going to work on fire togezher," Fleur said, and Ron blushed, but looked pleased to get some help in the element he'd just committed to learning.
"Fred, George, you're with me," Sirius said with a wicked grin. "Let's see if we can put your two dastardly minds to work against an opponent using trickery."
"Brilliant!" both boys exclaimed.
"Marina, we'll work on earth together," Rick said, and Marina nodded, and gave a slight grin.
"Neville and I will keep working on the good old Longbottom tradition of Sound elemental magic," Frank said with a smile.
"Daphne and Astoria will work on Ice with me," Alexis said.
"I'll take Tracey," Kane said, and Tracey smiled.
"The Quentin sisters are with me," Remus said, and both girls nodded, smiling slightly to have dedicated time from one of their favorite defense teachers.
"And I've got Luna," Bill finished. "I understand you have some skill with the Light element, and it just so happens that I do too." He grinned, and Luna beamed with an eager nod.
"In an hour, we'll change magical disciplines to focus on," Mad-Eye said. "We'll rinse and repeat for what time we have. Now, get to it."
"Ah, cheerful as always, Mad-Eye," Dora said with a grin, before she smirked mischievously at Ginny. "Alright, firecracker, let's go. I want to see what you're made of."
"Call me firecracker again and you'll find out," Ginny threatened, and Dora laughed, as various groups started to disperse to different parts of the grounds to start their lesson.
"Lass, let's go," Mad-Eye growled out, and Katie grinned.
"Good luck, Katie Kat," Angelina called out. "You'll need it!"
"You don't think you will?" Kingsley asked, his deep voice filled with humor.
"Compared to Mad-Eye?" Harry said with a raised eyebrow. "No. I should probably be worried about what he's going to do to my girlfriend."
"He's testing her, and letting his favorite protege test your other girlfriend," Kingsley said amused.
"Yeah, which is why I should be worried," Harry agreed.
"Well, you can worry after I'm done with you both," Kingsley said. "Now, you both have been working on your elements for, what, five months now?"
"Just about," Angelina agreed.
"And how are they coming?" Kingsley asked.
"Much better than my initial start with Shadow," Harry agreed with a sigh.
"Difficult, but manageable with Harry's help," Angelina said. "The material is complicated, but not a giant leap from NEWT level magic, and while Shadow or Lightning and Air are not the same, the theory for all elemental magic has similarities."
"Honestly, I think I can have it just about mastered in a few more months," Harry admitted. "I just didn't struggle to find my arcanum for the element, and Angelina's right. Compared to all the other magic I've learned, including Shadow, Lightning is complicated, but not beyond my ability."
"It helps that you didn't pick your first element's opposite," Kingsley said. "You didn't pick something similar . . . though there isn't really anything similar to Shadow, so I guess that's moot. Regardless, many learn second or third or even fourth elements much quicker than their first, assuming they can figure out their arcanum for those elements. It's when you start reaching the incompatible elements that things get very difficult."
"I'm probably more than a few months away from finishing my element," Angelina muttered.
"Air has more manipulation potential than many of the other elements," Kingsley said kindly. "Also, it is your first element. Do not worry about length of time. Now, let's get started. Harry, what are you working on?"
"Mostly body manipulation," Harry admitted. "Extra sensitivity to charges in an environment for tracking and awareness, immunity to electricity, using lightning to enhance reflexes, and nervous system paralyzation."
"Tricky," Kingsley acknowledged. "Though, after that you basically just have fundamental manipulation and animation, which shouldn't be quite as hard for you since you already have managed a more complicated version for Shadow."
"That, elemental travel, and the two most destructive attacks," Harry said with a nod.
"Angelina?" Kingsley asked.
"Well, I'm working on the more advanced offensive and defensive manipulations," Angelina said. "Air shield, gale slice, wind bullets, and the wind bomb."
"Well, Harry, I'll start by giving you some advice which might help," Kingsley said, with a smile. "Then I'll help your sister."
"That would be great, Kingsley," Harry responded gratefully, both that Kingsley would give him some advice which might help, and also that he was going to devote more time to Angelina, which Harry was happy about. Angelina
"Thankfully, you already have experience with the type of magic that will help," Kingsley said with a smile. "You need to meditate and draw on the same type of experience that you used when you started learning sensing. Elemental manipulation of the body works on similar theory."
"You have to be aware of your inner core, your body, and exactly how it affects your body," Harry stated in sudden understanding. "You can't do it without knowing how to balance everything."
"Correct," Kingsley responded with a proud nod. "Now, get working on that, and Angelina and I will get to working on her element."
Harry nodded, and then moved off a little ways before he got into a meditative position, so that he could start reaching inside himself. Despite his own task and practice, he couldn't help but glance around to see how everyone else was doing.
Ginny and Dora had started to duel, with Dora pushing Ginny hard, testing her defenses, speed, and agility. Dora seemed to be sticking mostly to curses, hexes, and jinxes, so Harry knew she was at least trying to make it somewhat fair, otherwise she'd be using some very complicated Transfiguration against Ginny.
Mirroring that duel was Katie and Mad-Eye, the former of whom was aggressively trying to push the legendary Auror, fighting with a ferocity Harry wasn't used to seeing from his girlfriend. Harry suspected Mad-Eye had said something to get on her nerves or something to ensure she proved herself to him. Mad-Eye wasn't quite as limiting against Katie, but Katie was also a sixth year, and so could be expected to handle a bit more complicated magic.
Alice Longbottom had Alicia manipulating water in increasingly complicated methods, likely testing her control, or perhaps just working up towards whatever it was Alicia needed help with. Perhaps this was Alice's way of trying to help Alicia.
Ron was watching Fleur manipulate fire in mostly basic ways, his face set with determination, as he listened to whatever Fleur was explaining. Ron had already been determined to pick up an element, but Harry knew that Mr. Weasley's life-threatening injury had drilled the risks of the war home for him.
Fred and George were working with Sirius, casting at conjured targets, and Harry had rarely seen the twins ever look so enraptured by someone else's words. Whatever Sirius was saying was clearly something the twins thought was very important.
Marina and RIck were manipulating the Earth in various ways, with Marina following Rick's orders. Harry suspected Rick was testing Marina's abilities, since he wasn't sure if Rick knew them or not. Harry didn't even know how close to mastery Marina was. He didn't know that Marina knew Earth elemental magic prior to today. Harry really needed to talk to her more about this. He'd thought, back during the Triwizard, she might have known elemental magic that couldn't help her much during the Dueling Tournament, but now he was wondering if she did, and this was just her attempt at correcting that, or if she just hadn't progressed enough with it back then to use it.
Frank had erected some sort of barrier around him and Neville, but if they were manipulating Sound, it made sense that they didn't want to hurt anyone else. Harry had only read small snippets about Sound, but in some ways it was one of the most dangerous of the elements, even if it was also one of the most easily countered.
Daphne, Astoria, and Alexis were trading off manipulating Ice, with the two girls seeming to hang on to every word Alexis muttered. Harry had gotten to know both girls quite a bit inside, and occasionally outside, of the Consortium, but it wasn't often he saw the look of respect that was on Daphne's face.
Tracey seemed to be working on defensive transfigurations with Kane, which surprised Harry a bit. He knew his friend was supposed to be quite good at the subject, but clearly she was good enough for more advanced practical approaches.
Haley, Hazel, and Remus, like Sirius and the Weasley Twins, were using targets, Remus helping their accuracy, speed, and then Harry assumed helping them to work on spells they were struggling with. Both girls had shown talent in the Consortium, but he pushed people in the Consortium so pretty much everyone had some spell they were stuck on, even if they'd only been "stuck" on it since the previous meeting when it was introduced to them.
Lastly was Bill and Luna, who Harry could only see hints of what they were doing. Bill had conjured some sort of building for the two to be in, likely to create darkness to really test Luna's light. Harry could see flashes of various colors coming from underneath the conjured walls periodically. So, hopefully whatever they were doing was bearing fruit. Someday, if he lived long enough, he'd have to get Bill or Luna to help him with light. It being the natural opposite to his main element, he knew he would struggle with it.
Harry shook himself out of his observations and focused back on his own efforts. He dived back into his own mind and his core, focusing on what Kingsley had told him, and he worked on that for nearly an hour, with occasional tests to see if it was working before Mad-Eye blew a whistle and it was time to change topics.
"Alright," Kingsley said. "Now, I know you both got somewhat proficient at this during the Tournament, but I'm going to hopefully have you take it to the next level."
"Tracking magic?" Harry asked with a grin, knowing Kingsley was a specialist in it.
"Exactly," Kingsley said. "I'll have you tracking people halfway across the planet someday."
"This will be good," Angelina said, winking at Harry. "My little brother likes to run off. This will help me track him down."
"I'd say ditto, but if I can't find you, I assume you're with George," Harry said with a snort. "I don't need to see that."
Kingsley laughed as Angelina blushed and then glared at Harry.
"Alright you two," Kingsley said. "Let's get this started."
Harry paid more attention this time, with it being more interactive between him, Kingsley, and Angelina, but occasionally he couldn't help but glance around, seeing everyone working on something new.
Some, like Fleur and Ron had switched to dueling. Others, like Daphne, Astoria, and Alexis, had switched to Charms, or transfiguration like Fred, George, and Sirius. Still, others had started on some of the more obscure magics that the various aurors or magical experts knew. Dora was showing Ginny how to hit targets from further away, while Mad-Eye had conjured two quarterstaffs to work with Katie.
Harry was happy to know that between all of them, they'd be able to introduce some new things to the Consortium . . . over time that is. At the very least, they could give people very basic introductions and help guide people to the resources that would help them get better, should they be interested.
"I'm noticing a trend," Harry said, as he and Angelina worked to detect and reveal the enchantments that Kingsley had placed.
"Is that so?" Kingsley asked blandly, but his eyes had a glint of approval to them.
"This requires us to better harness our own magic to then feel the external magic," Angelina said, nodding at Harry. "Just like you advised Harry for his elemental magic, and even for my own. It's also like sensing, in a way."
"Good, you both noticed the theme," Kingsley praised. "The more in tune you are with your magic, the more you can progress with many of these more obscure and difficult arts. For many branches of magic, you can 'master' all the spells, knowing the words and being able to cast them, but to get more powerful at them, powerful enough to do what most can't . . . well that requires mastery of self."
"So, the next lesson or two will follow the same theme?" Harry inquired.
"Indeed it will," Kingsley agreed. "Now, let's keep this going. If you get good enough, one day I might even teach you how to track apparition or elemental travel trails . . . something many believe isn't even possible with how difficult it is."
Harry and Angelina exchanged eager glances, and continued to enjoy the lessons with the powerful Auror. After tracking, they moved to dueling, but using sensing and legilimency to help predict or sense what was coming so the counter could be prepared without necessarily having to recognize the wand movement, spell color, or hear the words, something they didn't work on as much as they probably should on their own. Lastly, they ended with concealment magic and the ways to identify it, something they did have a fair bit of experience in practicing, but which they still fell short on compared to Aurors.
When it was all said and done, Harry looked around seeing his friends and family were all looked pretty ecstatic with how the lessons had turned out, likely everyone having improved in some branch of magic that they were interested in, or at least ones that could save their lives, and they could learn without an Auror guiding their every lesson.
With the lessons done, they all moved back into the lake house, and Harry started working on dinner, assisted by Katie, Angelina, Ginny, Dora, and Fleur.
"If people knew you could cook," Daphne remarked as they ate, enjoying the chicken fettuccine he'd made, "Bell and Weasley would have to work much harder to fight off challengers."
"Like Harry would ever . . ." Alicia muttered in amusement.
"Let them come," Ginny remarked fiercely.
"I knew I liked you," Tracey remarked with a grin.
"You know you can call us Katie and Ginny," Katie said wryly.
"But then you'll think we're friends," Daphne replied snootily.
"We are friends you uptight bint," Ginny remarked, and snorts echoed through the group.
"I blame Astoria for that," Daphne replied.
"We do too," Katie agreed, and Daphne smirked.
"This is really good," Astoria cooed, digging into her meal.
"Better than our house elves," Haley and Hazel both admitted.
"Always thinking with your stomach," Daphne said with a sigh.
"No, I'm just used to you, big sister," Astoria responded cheekily. "Now, stop being antagonistic and enjoy the meal with our friends."
"Fine," Daphne said with an exaggerated sigh. "It is really good, Harry."
"Well, this one was a group effort," Harry responded. "It wasn't just me."
"Always so modest, 'Arry," Fleur said fondly.
"Yeah, my contribution was pepper," Katie said with a laugh. "Not sure that's really worth giving credit for."
"Seasoning is very important," Harry disagreed with a grin, and Katie leaned in and gave a quick kiss.
"Thanks, love."
"Too sweet," Haley complained, nose scrunched in mock disgust, and Daphne beamed at her friend.
"I like it!" Hazel disagreed.
"The younger siblings are rallying together!" George exclaimed.
"This cannot stand!" Fred added.
"Snowball fight!" They both said together.
"Youngins against distinguished elder siblings," Bill said mock pompously.
"The elders can be a third team," Dora mocked Sirius.
"I'll show you elders, Nymphadora!" Sirius mocked back.
"Why do I feel like this is going to get out of hand?" Daphne asked.
"Because it will," Remus said mock wearily.
"You know you both will be settling your own scores," Alexis said with a chuckle, as Dora and Sirius started really getting into.
"Outside before we tear my kitchen apart " Harry scolded, pointing towards the door.
"Your kitchen?!" Sirius demanded.
"I've seen you cook, Black," Mad-Eye said dryly. "It's definitely the lad's kitchen."
"Alright, the crotchety old bastard is on the young sibling team," Sirius said.
"Never a dull moment," Alice said in amusement as people started to race outside arguing and taunting.
"You've got good friends, Nev," Frank agreed, before he grinned. "I'll give you a head start to join them before I strike for the elders!"
Neville grinned and ran out after his friends, thinking about how life had definitely gotten a lot better in the last year.
*HP*
Sirius and Dora walked into the Emergency Wizengamot session. It was still the winter holidays, so a meeting shouldn't have happened for another week, but with Chrstimas over, the attack on Theseus Scamander needed to be discussed.
Dora glanced around, sadly noting the empty Scamander seat, and she felt her blood boil seeing Umbrige there and looking mighty pleased. Looking at her happy expression, Dora was starting to be sure that she had played some part in the attack. Death Eaters had certainly helped, but Dora would put her money on Umbridge being involved somehow.
Everyone filed into their seats, and Dora could feel a tenseness in the room. The attack had brought back things many had hoped to forget.
Fudge supporters were a bit mixed on the attack. Some were, disgustingly, happy with Scamander being indisposed, him being one of Fudge's harshest critics. As Dora had witnessed Theseus claim, he was a staunch Ministry supporter, so his word carried a lot of sway. However, against Fudge supporters was that the attack had shifted people into believing Harry and Dumbledore about their claims of Voldemort's return.
Carlos Dobbin, who had died, had been once accused of being a Death Eater, and had been apprehended at the World Cup during the whole Death Eater attack, which the Ministry claimed was nothing more than "deviants" getting a bit too drunk. Samuel Montegue and Emerson Lestrange, both also killed by Theseus, were also previously accused Death Eaters, and of course Emerson was infamous since his children, Rabastan and Rodolphus, had attacked the Longbottoms after Voldemort had been defeated. All three of them attacking an upstanding pureblood like Theseus Scamander had people whispering.
People in Dora's corner were upset at the attack, and wanted to ensure that whoever replaced Scamander was able to continue to reign in Umbridge. Even those who didn't necessarily care for the Potter/Black side of politics, but were staunch Ministry families were also wary of how this could swing, also not wanting Umbridge to have free reign again.
"Very well —" Fudge started to say before the chamber doors opened again and Porpentina Scamander walked in with another woman that Dora recognized as her sister, Queenie Kowalski, the famed master legilimens. Tina was scowling, while Queenie had a concerned frown on her face.
"Is your husband incapable of spending one evening doing his family responsibilities?" Thaddeus Nott asked snidely.
"My husband played with creatures enough today," Tina retorted, "so it was my turn to do some work."
Nott, among others, scowled at the dig to the body and members of it. Sirius, of course, barked out a laugh and grinned, and around the room there were others who were openly smiling or suppressing slight grins.
"You are welcome, of course, Lady Scamander," Leroy McDonald said, "but I question why you brought a legilimens who has been known to enter minds without permission." McDonald scowled. "Surely you are not deliberately attempting to pry secrets from our minds?"
"My sister would hardly find much of worth in many of your minds," Tina said, and Leroy scowled, "but no, she's here because to back me up."
"You expect to be attacked here?" Franklin Boot asked with a concerned frown.
"Well, not two hours ago, someone tried to kill my brother-in-law at the hospital," Tina said icily, and there were gasps of surprise and outrage.
"How could this have happened?!" Tiberius Ogden demanded.
"Well, a healer tried to kill him, but she didn't count on my sister choosing to visit around the same time and sensing the intentions, allowing us to storm in just before she potioned a poison into his system," Tina said, and she glared at one person in particular, who shuffled nervously.
"Clearly someone must have used the imperius curse on the healer," Hector Parkinson said calmly.
"I'd perhaps be able to consider that, if she didn't immediately try to use two unforgivables and make her escape," Tina responded, and Parkinson's eyes narrowed.
"So, she was apprehended," Lucius Malfoy said smoothly.
"Unfortunately not," Tina said, a hint of unhappiness appearing on her face. "Lobelia Parkinson was killed by an Auror that was in the building at the time, an Auror Cassius Ross."
Parkinson stood up angrily, a growl coming from his throat. "You bitch! You killed my wife!"
"Sit down!" Marcus Macmillan thundered.
"You killed her when you convinced her to take that job," Tina responded coldly.
"Prove it!" Parkinson snarled.
"Oh, honey, seeing the truth in your mind was easy," Queenie said with a look of disgust.
"That is hardly proof!" Thaddeus Nott accused. "She could claim whatever!"
"Oh, you are right, of course," Tina agreed with a nod. "We can't prove he did it, however House Scamander is going to get even, which is another reason my husband didn't come tonight. He's far too kind for this. I'm tired of Houses that claimed to have not supported the Dark Lord in the past war, and who avoided punishment, now being found to have attacked once again."
"What are you saying, Lady Scamander?" Cyrus Greengrass asked.
"I'm saying that House Lestrange attacked House Scamander," Tina said. "The eldest scion was killed. The younger two are in prison, also for attacks on a pureblood House, an Ancient one at that. I move for them to be removed from the Wizengamot, their vote stricken. House Parkinson attempted to kill my brother-in-law as well. They too avoided Azkaban under claims of the Imperius Curse. We also demand they be removed from the Wizengamot, and we demand restitution for the attack from both Houses."
Lucius Malfoy stood up angrily and shouted his vehement disagreement along with Parkinson.
"This is outrageous!" Malfoy exclaimed angrily. "What's to stop you all from coming for the rest of us? We were victims in the war!"
"You haven't attacked anyone recently, have you?" Tina inquired icily. "Then you are fine. House Parkinson and House Lestrange have committed multiple attacks against Ancient or Noble Houses in the past decades, whether coerced or not. I want their political power curbed."
Dora eyed Sirius who was also eyeing Tina Scamander with admiration. If her motions got passed, it would be a huge hit to the Voldemort supporters in the Wizengamot. They'd lose two of their votes, and their voting bloc was quite strong, but this would be a hit against them. Part of what had made them so strong was controlling Fudge's actions, via Malfoy, but Fudge's group was shrinking by the week. He'd lost his vote as Chief Warlock to Tiberius Ogden, who was a neutral party. Fudge had previously had many of the Department Heads backing him, but his actions had made life difficult in the Department of Magical Cooperation, so the Head had moved away from him, as had the Department of Games and Sports. Several other of his supporters had openly moved against him, clearly deciding that supporting him for any reason would just lead to ruin, even if simply by association when he inevitably failed.
There were effectively five groups in the Wizengamot. Fudge's group had nine votes, with Fudge himself being two of those votes, one being his House, and the other his position. Considering another vote was Umbridge, his undersecretary, and two Department Heads, he was really relying on his own office and the Ministry to support his position.
Voldemort's bloc was strong, having eighteen votes, and often using gold to buy Fudge's approval, adding the other nine, giving them almost fifty percent of the vote without having to do much. Granted, all the Voldemort supporters weren't always on the same page, since not every piece of legislation was something that Voldemort himself cared about, so the faction was hardly unified at all times, but when they were, it was something the Order paid attention to. Losing two votes would hurt them quite a bit, ensuring they needed to keep Fudge around. With Fudge being on such a precipice, should he fall, those supporting him will also take hits to their reputations, including those who funded him.
The third bloc, which was small was the Order members, only seven votes, but they were generally able to throw all their support behind neutral parties to help swing the vote against Voldemort's people. They didn't need to have their own opinion to make things hard. They just had to help swing to an indecisive tie or a loss.
The last two blocs were the neutral parties. One group was generally under either Cyrus Greengrass, Amelia Bones, Theseus Scamander, or Tiberius Ogden, depending on who was leading the opposition for whichever piece of legislation, but they held nearly eighteen votes between them, often gaining all of those votes for their positions. The last neutral party was mostly made up of former Fudge supporters, with a few who were at least staunch traditionalists, but not blood purists, which was the remaining seven votes. So far, neither of these neutral groups seemed to support the darker pieces of legislation that Voldemort's people brought forth, making it easy for the Order members to help thwart Voldemort's plans.
Regardless, the dark families losing two votes would be a huge loss and Voldemort's influence in the Wizengamot would be greatly deteriorated, especially if Fudge fell in the next six months.
"I agree," Augusta Longbottom said with relish. "I made the same motion against the Lestranges years ago, but the counter was that Emerson Lestrange was not a convicted Death Eater. Now, he's dead, killed while trying to attack a member of this body. His sons will die in Azkaban. It seems counter to the premise of this body to let someone continue to vote for a family that has committed unspeakable evil and is a disgrace to our world."
"I third the motion," Sirius said, and Parkinson and Malfoy glared.
"All against?" Fudge asked nervously
All of the dark families naturally raised their hands, but they only managed to net half of Fudge's people, and a couple of the neutrals.
"All for?" Fudge asked, resigned, and Lucius and Parkinson were cursing as nearly the rest of the Wizengamot raised their hands in support.
"Lord Parkinson, your seat is gone, and thus you have no business being in this room," Cyrus said curtly.
"No business!" Parkinson snarled, before gazing at Tina. "Oh, I'll get you, bitch! You, your stupid husband, your whore sister! Your whole family will pay for this!"
Tina's eyes narrowed."We'll see about that, Lord Parkinson. For now, you will leave."
Parkinson swore up a storm as he stormed out of the room
"We can discuss restitution at a later date, in a civil court," Tiberius said, and Tina nodded in agreement.
"Now, I believe we should nominate who we wish to fill the two vacant seats," Dora said, and the dark families glowered.
"We should have time to come up with worthy options," Nott replied snidely.
"I've already got one," Sirius said. "Arthur Weasley.
There were cruel and derisive laughs.
"The Weasleys are a disgrace –" Noah Selwyn started to say.
"They are an old and honored pureblood family, are they not?" Sirius asked loftily. "You don't like Arthur Weasley, but he is an honorable man who has never been accused of attacking another Ancient or Noble House . . . unlike some on this body."
"I find Arthur to be a fine choice," Augusta agreed. "The Weasley have had seats before, and they are a fine family, and you cannot argue that Arthur's children are quite respectable. One is a Gringotts curse breaker, another a dragon handler, both well considered in their fields, and the third has a respectable position in our Ministry. The family is successful."
"Arthur is one of the best Heads among my subdepartments," Amelia added. "He also is above bribery and greed. If he wasn't, he would have taken a job in a different department long ago."
There were murmurs of agreement to that, and the dark families glowered as the vote was put and the Weasley family regained a seat . . . and the Order gained a vote that Voldemort lost.
"I have another vote to put forward," Kingsley said. "I vote we give a seat to Rick Savage, one of our finest Auror Captains, also from an old pureblood home. He has an outstanding reputation and is one of the most successful aurors in our Corp, and one of the best duelists in the continent, who has brought honor to our country."
Dora grinned as even some of the darker families couldn't seem to disagree with Rick, at least not without broaching impropriety against someone who was well respected and liked. The Weasleys were respected and liked, but there was open dislike of them as well . . . Rick, that wasn't the case.
Tina grinned viciously as the Savage family earned a Wizengamot spot, the Order gained another vote, and the dark lost the vote for good.
"Now, I believe it is time to discuss my brother-in-law's position at the school," Tina said, moving the meeting along.
"I am perfectly fine continuing in my position as Professor," Umbridge asserted in a simpering tone. "I also believe that I should regain my position as High Inquisitor. While it was a tragedy what happened, I was prepared to bring up that Theseus Scamander was biased and was over indulging his position."
"You say that because he was holding you to the standard," Dora
"I must say my son also felt that Lord Scamander was going beyond his position," Lucius said with glittering eyes.
"And you just happen to bring this up when he's not here to advocate for himself," Tiberius Ogden said with a disapproving frown.
"We haven't had a meeting since before the attack," Lucius said simply.
"I'm prepared to take over for my brother-in-law," Tina said. "I was an Auror as well, after all, and can assess Madam Umbridge and the students at Hogwarts."
"I think House Scamander has done enough," Thaddeus Nott disagreed. "I believe it is time for someone else to observe, and see if Theseus truly was as biased or unbiased as Madam Umbridge and House Potter and House Black claimed."
"I'd be happy to evaluate Madam Umbridge," Lucius offered up.
"You were sacked as a governor because of your undue influence," Sirius retorted, and Malfoy glared malevolently.
"I vote for Lady Scamander," Dora motioned. "She has the experience in the field that we need, and perhaps, with her there, we can convince her to take her husband for guest lectures for Care of Magical Creatures."
Dora grinned as Tina chuckled wryly, while many of the neutral parties looked interested at that. Guest lectures from the man who effectively created the OWL and NEWT would be invaluable to their children, godchildren, grandchildren, or wards.
Even some of the darker families looked a bit interested in that, many magical creatures having great worth in the wizarding world.
"Motion seconded," Kane Witcher called out.
After a quick vote, the motion was carried, and Umbridge was scowling again. Dora glared at the vile woman. If she'd done something to Theseus, then her time was coming, one way or another, but Dora was sure that Tina wouldn't tolerate Dolores for the whole term. Theseus had barely survived his own term with the woman, and that had been without OWL and NEWT testing.
Still, her end couldn't come soon enough.
*HP*
The last night at Shadow Hold was bittersweet. Harry had had a very enjoyable holiday, with friends and family in abundance, and he'd loved being at his actual home, rather than Grimmauld Place.
They'd worked on their magic, played in the snow, ice skated, flew and played Quidditch, and Harry had made great leaps in consecrating the rest of the property, with so many friends and family around to help fuel the ritual.
With Mr. Weasley home for the last few days, the rest of the Weasley children had been in good cheer, seeming to intend to make up for how the holiday had started. Then had come the news that the Weasley family had a seat in the Wizengamot again, something that had gotten rounds of congratulations and a party thrown.
Harry, among many, privately wondered when Percy would finally get his head out of his ass and try to make amends. Now that the family had a seat, they were "respectable" again, and with Fudge's failing popularity and power, being too close to him was career suicide. Even if Percy didn't believe Voldemort was back, he had to see that Fudge had been wrong.
Harry spent one last night among the stars, walking through the woods, with many of his friends and family with him. His two girlfriends had fun testing their elemental magic, with his guidance, as they eventually camped out for a few hours, playing with various shadow hounds that came out to visit. Eventually, it was time to call it a night, but with their plan to return the next day being not via the train, getting up at the crack of dawn wasn't as much of a worry.
The next morning was still more rushed than it should have been . . . but that was standard when the Weasleys were involved. Harry, Angelina, Alicia, and Katie enjoyed watching them all scramble to find their lost things while they waited. It was exasperating and amusing at the same time.
When it was finally time, they made their way out of the protection of their home, braving the icy, winter air, and called the Knight Bus. Dora, Remus, Sirius, and Mad-Eye were their escorts, all of whom threatened Stan Shunpike, the bus conductor when he was about to loudly announce who Harry was.
Soon, with a loud bang, they were all sitting in mismatched chairs, being flung around as the bus took off towards Hogsmeade. It wasn't a long ride, with only a few dropped off before them, but still pretty unpleasant. Finally though, with a bang, they were rolling through a snowy Hogsmeade.
Then it was a short walk and they were at the Hogwarts gates.
"I'll see you soon, I'm sure," Dora said, hugging Harry, and then Angelina.
"Yeah, inspections, right?" Harry asked.
"And perhaps more," Dora said with a grin.
"That'll be great," Angelina said, smiling.
"You all be safe," Remus said.
"And play some pranks," Sirius added cheerfully.
"And practice –" Mad-Eye started to say.
"CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" Harry, Angelina, Katie, Ginny, Fred, George, Ron, and Alicia all cut him off, screaming, and he snorted.
"Maybe you lot have finally learned something," he said in approval. "Take care . . . and I'll be in touch."
The teenagers watched as they disappeared, before they turned back towards the castle.
"Hopefully this term starts off better than last one," Ron said grimly.
"Way to jinx us, Ron," Ginny said acidly.
Oh, how right Ginny was . . . Ron would curse himself out the very next morning.