She wasn't sure why she did it.

Perhaps it was because it was a topic that was rarely discussed amongst those of her age bracket.

Or maybe because it was due to the fact that this was the first time since their association that Potter, arrogant rule breaker that he was, was willing to engage her in a debate that had nothing to do about his conduct as a student.

All that mattered now was that she was now regretting it thanks to the volatile Huffpuff's tendency to act like the insufferable jerk while providing rational arguments for his viewpoints.

"First off Granger, I would have thought that with all the extra reading you do you would have known by now that Wizarding Britain is NOT a democracy. Sure the Prime Minister, and Chief Warlock are elected to the position, but only by the landed aristocracy or corrupt paper pushing bureaucrats. With a good chunk of them wishing to return to the days where they can openly silence those who either disagree with their policies or are, in their words, tainted with Muggle blood."

Doing her best to reign in her temper, using one of the meditation techniques her paged 'mentor' had told her about, Hermione tried to counter Potter's viewpoints with her own argument.

"But the government does have checks and balances like a true democracy would possess. Whether they be Muggleborn, Halfblood, or Pureblood, everyone is subject to same laws. Which means any illegal activity carries with it the same penalty."

She was proud of her argument.

But sadly it was not enough to prevent a rebuttal.

And what was worse was that it came from the previously silent members of their group.

"Actually having connections tends to help cover up illegal wrongdoings. It's distasteful, but that's how its always been."

"My Auntie says that a fair number of cases get thrown out due to 'lack of evidence'. Which she told me is code for 'someone accepted a bribe."

Shooting both Macmillian and Bones a glare for their interference, though to be honest she should have expected them to support the viewpoints of their fellow Badger, the bushy-haired Lion felt her spirits sink even further when Neville, who had previously remained silent, decided to voice his own political views.

"My Gran says that it's worse for other magical beings like Goblins, Merfolk, and Wer...Werewolves. The ministry has a whole department regulated to keeping them in line and..."

She hated interruptions, especially when she was learning information that would be vital to know once she was in a position to enact real change.

But Hermione couldn't deny that Ernie and Potter's insight was as useful as it was abhorrent.

"Well what can you expect? The Merfolk don't really bother us, but the Goblins have a history of attacking us when we refuse to give into their demands. Which means that we can never let our guard down. And Werewolves are...well their monsters. So of course the Ministry would need to regulate how they can interact in a decent society.

"Which if memory serves has always been a means to justify a government's decision to either enslave, exterminate, or segregate a distinct ethnic group."

Though Potter's comment had caused many of their impromptu study group to gasp in horror, Hermione was more disgusted by the previous words of his housemates.

For even if Macmillian belonged to a family that had condemned the violence perpetuated by the strongest blood supremacists, and Susan being related to a government official, their statement reflected why such movements had yet to be removed from modern society.

Which is why she was beginning to think that her dream of implementing real change in magical society would prove to be more difficult than she had originally anticipated.

Potter, as insufferable as he was, was accurate in his observation that the government of Magical Britain was more than willing to allow suspected war criminals to retain their influence in society. Her 'tutor's' recent teachings had given her the skills to see why certain suspects had been declared innocent of their crimes while others had been sentenced to Azkaban.

Money and pedigree were great tools to avoid prison. So long as one wasn't too blatant with their crimes.

But the terror of He Who Must Not Be Named and his followers was merely a symptom of a disease that had been festering for centuries.

A disease that could only be eradicated if magical beings everywhere could be made to focus on their similarities rather than their differences.

Though her 'tutor' had persuaded her that such an idea should be kept secret until her skills and knowledge were developed enough to be both taken seriously and too difficult to silence. For she had been told what had happened to the last individual that had dared to use the slogan of equality to push his agenda.

Yes his viewpoints were undeniably anti-Muggle, though they had been less genocidal than the one that came after him, and his stance of magical creatures was ambiguous. But the fact remained that unlike You Know Who, Grindelwald was more than willing to accept Muggleborns into magical society.

Of course the lengths he went to achieve his dream were, to say the least, extreme, but his vision was ideal.

Or it could be if it was modified to include magical beings of every race.

Something that would take time. But she was confident that it was possible.

...

Doing his best not to smirk, since it wasn't often that his arguments managed to send Granger into a period of reflective silence, Harry rolled his eyes as his housemates continued to show faith in what was clearly a flawed system.

"I...I don't think the Ministry will go that far. There's checks and balances to that sort of thing."

"He's right. My Auntie would never allow THAT to happen."

If they weren't paid to ignore them. Or if she was even aware of it.

He disliked doing so, but he knew when to keep his mouth shut.

Something that couldn't be said for the idiot who still hadn't learned to leave him alone.

"Which is further proof that the government needs to clear itself of the riffraff. Once their gone, I'm sure a more proper, and effective governing body can come about."

His mind already going over what sort of 'lesson' would be appropriate in this situation, Harry found his earlier attitude towards his housemates improve as they proved more than willing to deal with Malfoy's insults.

"Which would probably lead to the opening of previously closed cases. I'm certain that Susan's Aunt and most of the Wizengamot would be quite willing to make sure that certain cases of 'enchantment' are thoroughly investigated before they can determine once and for all that someone was guilty or innocent."

The explanation was a tad pompous for his tastes. But as far as Harry was concerned, he supported Macmillian's retort.

Though he couldn't help but add to it by posing an idea of his own.

"Which should probably include a punishment worthy of the crime. I mean, if it was up to me, if someone was found guilty of doing things that Malfoy's dad did, or was accused of doing, I'd strip him of all his wealth and possessions, distributing most of it to his victims and the rest to local law enforcement. And charge his widow and progeny for legal fees."

Smirking at the look of outrage that was currently being worn by the blond-haired ferret, the black-haired Hufflepuff had to concede that for once, he was actually glad of Granger's interference.

"You should also probably withhold his heir's title until he proves he is nothing like his father. With maybe the promise of permanently revoking the family's status if they continue to behave in a manner that has no place in proper society."

Nodding to show that he agreed with his, though in truth Harry was of the opinion that something else should be permanently 'revoked' from those that committed war crimes, Harry quickly sported a shit eating grin as the blond idiot continued to serve as an example on the dangers of inbreeding.

"The next time I want advice from a filthy mudblood I'll..."

"MR. MALFOY!"

Though he was greatly enjoying the sight that was Malfoy and his goons being punished by the vulture like librarian, who continued to shriek about 'unseemly behavior' as she dragged the blond idiot out of the library, Harry was sadly prevented from offering further commentary thanks to the lowkey notification that someone from 'home' was trying to call him.

Excusing himself without a word, ignoring the suspicious look that Granger was shooting him, Harry walked until he found an abandoned classroom before casting the necessary privacy wards.

However, instead of his parents, friends, or teachers, the face that greeted him was none other than his employer.

"Blitz! Wha...is everything ok?!"

Dreading the worst, since there was no valid reason why Blitzo would contact him, the black-haired Hufflepuff soon sported a small glare as the former circus performer started talking.

"Relax kid. Everything's fine. I mean, your folks' place might be a little bit trashed and stained with various liquids, but that's only cause they're currently doing something that may or may not result in you becoming a big brother."

Eyes twitching in disgusted annoyance, the former because no child wanted to think about their parents doing THAT, Harry managed to somehow keep his temper as he pointed out what should already be the obvious consequence to Blitzo's peeping.

"You do realize that nothing is preventing me from ratting you out. And before you even think to threaten me with what you may know about my drinking habit, I know for a fact that there are certain things about your home invasions that you don't want my mom to know about."

He didn't really. But considering this was Blitzo he was talking to, it was likely that he was doing something that he really shouldn't be doing.

Though interesting enough, the Imp didn't really seem to care about his threat beyond offering some pointers.

"Your blackmailing skills need some work kid. Mutually assured destruction only works if the other party actually cares about keeping their secret. But enough about me, and the hidden camera that may or may not be in your dad's secret magazine collection. I have a job I need to do, and frankly your the only one of my crew who's available right now."

Deciding not to think about his dad's taste in viewing material, though he had to admit that the images of scantily clad, or completely naked women were slightly more interesting now than they were when he had accidentally discovered them when he was 9 years old, Harry shot the former circus performer a look of confusion.

"Can't my parents do it. Or Loona?"

Predictably, Blitzo was ready with an answer.

"Sorry Kid but no. Your mom's currently showing your dad how a real cowgirl uses her thighs for riding, and Loonie...well she just didn't want to do it. Even if the pay off is pretty good."

Once again summoning the necessary patience to keep his temper with the voyeuristic Imp, Harry felt a frown cross his features as his desire for a quick score warred with his common sense.

"Can't this wait? I mean, I'm gonna be home in 3 days. So unless the target is close to death, we don't really need to..."

"Its not a hit job kid. Got me some bodyguard work lined up. And I need someone watching my back while I watch over our client's target. And this happening in about an hour so...I need your ass here pronto!"

Opening his mouth to point out the various flaws in this plan, notably the fact that he didn't have the means to travel back to Hell, Harry was immediately silenced when the room was suddenly filled with the unmistakable sound of a portal opening.

"Okay Kid! Let's get this show on the road! We got a big job to do, and only a small amount of time to do it."

Deciding that there would be little harm in doing a small job, Harry hopped through the portal. Becoming still as a statue as he came face to face with their newest client.

"THIS is the backup you needed?"

...

While there were many days of the year which revolved around the Sin he embodied, none were as close to his heart as this one.

Spectacle.

Entertainment.

And above all, hundreds, if not thousands of adoring fans all ready to open their hearts, and more important their wallets, to show their appreciation for what he brought to Hell.

Sure the more ambitious fuck heads up in Pride did their best to showcase how important it was to follow his magnificent example. But a Sinner could never hope to have the level of power and influence that came with embodying a crucial aspect of existence.

The foxy bitch, and the strutting rooster thought that their circles were more important. But as useful as Lust and Gluttony were, they were nothing next to Greed.

It wasn't enough to want to indulge in the pleasures of the flesh, or wanting to spend hours upon hours at the buffet.

You needed to be insatiable with your appetites. Never being satisfied with just one of anything. And always wanting more even when those around you can't afford to provide you with what you deserved.

It was a balancing act to be sure since there were times where he had to restrain, at least publicly, his desire to bleed the plebs til they had nothing but the skin on their backs. And even then, he could make some money off of that through his more 'predatory' clients.

But, thanks to his genus idea of delegating the responsibilities of promoting his merchandise to those that he could easily manipulate, he was able to put a more positive spin on his image as a fun loving and price gouging clown.

Only problem was that he regularly had to ensure that he had a steady supply of fuckers who not only wanted to give him all that he asked for, but also the ability to convince the masses to part with their hard earned cash.

Which was why this one day of the year was soo important to him.

For not only was it a day that drew in bucket loads of money from paying customers, but it was also the day that had the possibility of making him shell out a couple of bucks for the purposes of rebranding his image.

He would always make the money back quickly since people always wanted to show support for a winner.

But the fact remained that if his current brand baby failed to maintain their position as a crowd favorite, he would have to move quickly if he wanted to provide the crowds with products associated with the contest's champion. Which could only be achieved if he was willing pay the price for changing the production lines at the last minute.

He was fortunate that for the past decade or so, the winner of the yearly competition had been the same Imp over and over again.

Yes it was kind of annoying that he had to share Fizzarolli with a fellow Sin, especially with one that actually gave a fuck about what happened to the little fucker. But they were largely overshadowed by the benefits he received.

Having a devoted fanbase meant that Fizz, so long as he didn't do anything stupid, would always be able to make money. Whether it was through products designed in his likeness, his personal favorite was the robot Fizzies since they could be sold to ANY customer base, or by ensuring the yearly pageant was filled to the brim with people willing to pay for the chance to get even a nod of acknowledgement from the little jester.

Sure some of the fans might want a little more 'attention' from their hero, which would sadly go unfilled since Ozz had stupidly argued for Fizz to have the right to deny those willing to pay for a few minutes behind closed doors, but the more rabid the fan, the more willing they were to be parted from their wallets.

Which was perhaps, after all these years, he was finally allowing women to take part in the competition.

A lot of the hopefuls had been complete ugos. Making them less than worthless in his eyes since a woman's worth was based on how much someone was willing to sleep with them.

But he had to admit that those who he had allowed to compete for the top spot were easy on the eyes. And what was better was that not only was he potentially getting a two for one deal with those fish sisters, but unlike his current brand baby they didn't seem squeamish about using their bodies to make money.

Still, since they were only chicks, he didn't give them much of a chance at winning since only guys could be funny. Especially since Fizzarolli had the advantage of being a household name.

Only problem was that despite knowing how much he relied on Fizz to be approachable to the public, the little fucker had seen fit to hire some protection this year.

And while he had no issue in protecting his investments, provided they foot the bill for doing so, the whole point of having a marketing tool was to ensure that it was accessible to the public.

Which meant that after he greeted his white faced little money maker, he would have to remind him that being associated with the embodiment of Greed had some responsibilities.

...

Annnnd I think this is a good ending point:)

Wanted to briefly return focus to Hermione since it not only allows for further criticism of Magical society, but also allows me to showcase how some of her viewpoints have been twisted.

She is still naive when it comes to the nature of Magical Britain, but combined with proof that even non Slytherins hold racist/discriminatory ideas and the teachings she is receiving from her 'tutor', she's starting to be changed to the viewpoint that perhaps another Dark Lord wasn't that bad. Still at the point where she doesn't approve his methods, but as for his dream, or at least the cause he championed, her only criticism is that Grindelwald didn't expand his vision of magical equality to include other magical races. There is of course a lot of detail she is missing, but what she knows is enough to make an impression. Especially when confronted by the biases/discrimatory views of students who are not Blood Purists.

As for Harry, to be honest I think he's just participating in these discussions to be an asshole. He knows full well what type of society Hell is, and he knows that it is pointless to try and change things unless he has the power to try. He's still only 12, but he knows that the power imbalance is not in his favor.

And as for the Mammon portion, I think I did a good job in getting into his mindset. He values Fizzarolli, but only because he recognizes the value of having a secure source of income, and would be open to alternatives if they proved to be more popular/greater money makers.

Not sure when next chapter will be out...but hopefully before the middle of February.

Pls review. No flames.

Til next time.

P.S.

Also, Thank You for all the offers to do artwork for my stories, but I am not looking to have any done at this point in time.