Harry tried to board the Hogwarts Express discreetly. He wore no crown or fancy clothing. Excalibur was stored safely in his trunk. He had his cloak pulled close and his hood up.He had done everything possible to make himself blend in to the crowd. It didn't work. He was halfway to the train, when a young child's voice called out:
"Look Mommy, It's the King!"
Immediately, Harry was swarmed by wixen.The Abhartach moved from the shadows to surround him, pushing the crowd clear for him to board the train. Many just wanted to be able to touch the young king. To say that they had been close enough to feel his breath on their neck. Some wished to plead with him for assistance with their various domestic problems. There were some, however, who had more nefarious reasons. They wished to cause him harm, either out of a desire for revenge or just simple greed and a desire for the throne. These were the ones he had truly been trying to avoid. For all his power and training, he was still only eleven years old. He could not easily withstand an attack from any number of fully grown and matured wixen who wished him ill, whatever the reason. So he let the Abhartach surround him and push the crowd clear. He dodged the grasping hands and tried to ignore the pleas for his help. He tucked his head down and boarded the train.
Once he was safely aboard the train and safe in a private compartment, Harry's bodyguards once more melted into the shadows, guarding the train and their king unseen. Harry slumped in his seat, already feeling a wave of exhaustion. The fallout from the attack on the Mundane Monarchy and the subsequent punishment he had imposed was prompt and emphatic. He had immediately joined Amelia at the Ministry of Magic following his pensive tea with Queen Elizabeth after administering the sentence the two had agreed upon. Once there, the two had sat for an interview with the reporter from the Prophet who had been present as a witness. In the interview he had explained precisely what circumstances had brought about the day's events. He explained his reluctance and disdain for the death penalty. As well as why he had decided on the removal of Magic, public flogging, and life imprisonment in the Mundane world. How it was meant to serve both as a punishment for the wixen who had perpetrated this attack, as well as a deterrent to any future attacks. When asked her opinion, Amelia fully supported her king and even implied, had it been her decision, she would have imposed an even harsher sentence. Peace between the magical and the mundane was of utmost importance and that peace would be maintained at all costs. They had spent nearly two hours answering the reporter's questions before releasing him to write and submit his article and the ensuing interview for printing.
Said article and interview were front page news the next morning. The article was precise and descriptive, providing readers with all relevant information on why there had been a need to punish the former wixen. The interview was detailed and broad reaching, covering exactly how and why the administered punishment had been determined. Both were extremely well written and Harry had made note of the reporter's name so he might use him for any future interviews. Harry gave a grim nod at the paper before he once more journeyed to the Ministry to await the coming storm. He was met by a somber council as well as Amelia. Together, they braced for the veritable flood of owls that were likely heading to them at that very moment.
Unexpectedly, the vast majority of the letters they received held nothing but praise for Harry and his actions. Yes, there were the anticipated declarations of vengeance from the various wixens families. As well as letters condemning him as a traitor and cruel dictator from the more fanatical blood purists. But, overall, the population praised him for his mercy. It seemed that the fear of dementors was so strong that most wixen would rather lose their magic than face being subjected to the kiss, which was a wixen equivalent to the death penalty. Harry, Amelia, and the council were able to breathe a sigh of relief as they continued sorting through the letters.
Even though the majority of the letters were expressing support, it still took the nine of them two days to sort through. It seemed as if every wixen over the age of 13 had written a letter to the king, expressing their opinion. They had barely finished before it was time to return to Hogwarts. Which led Harry's thoughts back to the present. Many of the letters of support had also contained pleas for assistance. Whether that be with settling disputes between neighbors or families, feelings of unjust persecution from those who believed themselves to be superior, or even requests for help in conceiving a child. Nearly half the letters received had contained a petition of some kind. Harry was at a loss for what to do. He did not wish to ignore the supplications of his subjects, but could he truly help all those who asked. He would need to think hard about just what kind of king he wished to be. Fortunately, he had an eleven hour train ride and nothing else to do. Settling into his seat, and locking his compartment for privacy, he began to evaluate his options and plan how he would respond to the pleas of his subjects.
By the time the Express pulled into Hogsmeade station, Harry had come up with, what he felt was, a good plan. He would begin by searching for a group of wixen who would act as his secretaries and assistants. They would be responsible for reading any letters he received and organizing a time for him to respond in the appropriate manner. They would help him manage his schedule, arranging appointments for those who desired them around his regular duties and his schoolwork. He would hold an open court one weekend a month at the Ministry where wixen would be allowed to personally petition the throne for assistance. Once he had a large enough pool of secretaries, he would contact that reporter from the Prophet, laying out his plans in an interview so his subjects would know what to do. He was determined to be there for his people, no matter what he was dealing with in his personal life or within the Kingdom of Avalon as a whole. He wished to be a king who spent his life in service of his subjects, not one who took advantage of them. With his mind made up, he began to mentally pen a notice to be printed on the front page of the next morning's paper, calling for applicants to fill his pool of secretaries. He disembarked from the train, confident he was doing the right thing for his people.
King Hadrian Sends Out Call for Royal Secretaries
Last evening, the offices of The Daily Prophet received the following missive directly from the desk of our King:
From the King to His Subjects;
People of Avalon, As I continue to assume and perform the duties upon me as your King, I find myself unsatisfied with the manner in which I have thus far carried out these same duties. Therefore, I hereby form and declare open the Office of Royal Secretaries. I will accept Thirteen wixen into this Office; One Senior Secretary and Twelve Junior Undersecretaries. These wixen will be responsible for reading and cataloging any correspondence the Crown received as well as scheduling appointments to meet and hear petitioners. They will take dictation of any meetings and collate summaries for future review. They will be responsible for maintaining records of all actions taken by the crown as well as what led to those actions. All applications should be sent to Minister Bones for review. She will perform extensive background checks and forward any acceptable candidates to The Royal Advisory Council for further evaluation. The Council will further narrow the pool of applicants before bringing them to me to interview personally. I will make the final selections. I have heard the voices of my people, crying out for help, and I shall respond.
His Royal Highness, Hadrian James Charlus Michael Arturo Potter Gryffindor Ravenclaw Hufflepuff Slytherin LeFay Emrys Pendragon, King of Avalon, Defender of Magic,Lord of Camelot, Lord Hogwarts, Lord Potter,Lord LeFay, Lord Emrys, Knight of the Round Table
As you can see, our King may be young, but he is determined to serve Avalon and its people. We at the Prophet applaud His Majesty's devotion to the service of Avalon, and encourage all who are qualified to apply for a position as one of the new Royal Secretaries.
Ryann Weller, Special Correspondent
The applications came flooding into the Ministry. Amelia and her people were overwhelmed trying to sort out the true candidates from those who might be a threat to the King. After two long weeks, full of numerous interviews and investigations into every aspect of these people's lives, they had a list of two hundred names for the council to consider. Amelia sent off the list and they all returned to their homes to get some much needed rest.
Once the council had their list of candidates, they began conducting secondary interviews. These interviews were meant to determine who the most qualified applicants were among those who had passed the security and background check portion of the process. They presented each candidate with a different hypothetical and asked them to deliver the best possible solution. They had the candidates organize a mock schedule of dignitary meetings, with very restrictive conditions and demands from each dignitary. They threw every possible challenge that their minds could produce at these people and only those who persevered and endeavoured to meet each challenge as it came were sent through to the final round of interviews with the king. After three weeks of constant trials and challenges, they had whittled the applicants down to twenty five people, each with a file listing their qualifications. These files were then forwarded on to King Hadrian for perusal and the final decisions.
Harry met with each person individually during his free periods and on weekends. He didn't look at the files his council had composed for more than the name of who he was meeting. He trusted that whomever his council sent to him was more than qualified for the job. He wanted to know who they were as a person, what their personality was like. He would be working closely with these people. They needed to be able to exist peacefully together. So his portion of the interview process was a simple conversation over tea. He asked them about their personal lives.They spoke of families, and any feuds or disagreements that existed. They discussed temperament and patience. The strength needed to withstand verbal abuse and his absolute no tolerance for any sort of physical harm coming to his staff. After nearly a month of these intimate meetings, Harry had selected his pool of secretaries.Those he decided against were sent back to his council with the suggestion that they might make use of them as their own assistants.
He chose a witch named Fen Willows as his Senior Secretary. She was a strong willed mother of three grown children, well accustomed to any manner of chaos. She had a no-nonsense demeanour and was not afraid to stand up against any injustice she saw, even if it meant going against the King himself. Harry trusted her to not only help manage his schedule, but also point out when he was treading down the wrong path and guide him in a different direction in a way that only a mother could. His Under-Secretaries were Oran Bitterwood; Leonard Grouse; Bertrum Biscuss; Moses Wolpers; Cade Hold; Alec Everglade; Gail Catts; Evie Colton; Oleander Cross; Kale Reynards; Skyler Coyota; and Clove Bottlebrush. These Twelve witches and wizards would work directly under Fen and relay any pertinent information to her. She would then bring it to Harry who would decide how to proceed.
After over two months of rigorous searching, Harry had built his pool of secretaries. He settled them in offices at the Ministry, leaving a floo with a direct connection to his private rooms at Hogwarts in Fen's office, with a password known only to Fen, Amelia, and himself. Then, he sent a notice to The Daily Prophet, letting his people know that they were ready to field requests and hear petitions.
Harry and the council had met twice in the past months to discuss the larger issues that came with running a Kingdom. He was briefed on each of the various nations under his rule and the leadership within them. There were a couple of problems, but none greater than that of Magical Russia. Consisting of the magical populations of Russia,Ukraine, Romania, and Bulgaria; their Prime Minister, Laskutin Mikhailovich, was refusing to accept or even acknowledge Harry's rule. When informed of the King's return to the throne, he had ordered Lucius' arrest and had him imprisoned in the Russian prison, Frostgate. Harry had ordered his rescue and he was now recovering at home, under his wife's loving care. Plans were being made to bring the errant nations to heel. Forcefully. The magical communities of France, Italy, Germany, Greece, and India had all received the news with joy and thankfulness. They welcomed the return of the King, and eagerly anticipated Avalon's return to her former glory.
The only other hiccup was in Magical America. Augusta had met with MACUSA President, Roan Sterling, and brought the news of the return of the King of the Avalonian Empire. She had also disputed Harry's sovereignty but had simply provided Augusta with a trans-atlantic portkey and informed her that future attempts to reclaim the nation would be taken as an act of war and met with lethal force. They too would be brought back in line, but with less force or bloodshed. Sterling was only doing what she believed to be the best thing for her constituents. Mikhailovich was a power hungry fool, consumed by greed.
The mundane leaders of these nations had reacted with apathy. Most had little or no control over their respective magical communities and those that did were happy to wash their hands of it. So long as no attack came, they were happy to leave the wixen alone.
The magical creature communities were also happy to welcome the newfound king. They had all sent representatives to meet with Remus and he was able to assure the more peaceful, like the kitsune, elves, and leprechauns, that he had no intentions of forcing them to fight in any potential future wars against their will. The more violent creatures, such as weres, vampires, and gargoyles had insisted on testing themselves in battle against Remus. He had faced all of their challengers at once, and had emerged with a few new scars and the respect of their communities. They likewise had left happy, with Remus' assurances that if there were to be war, they would be given the opportunity to fight. All of the creatures had left requests for Harry to overturn the many restrictions that had been placed on them by magical ministries over the years.
The finances of the Kingdom were strong but could be stronger. Fudge especially had been using the funds for his personal benefit. Stinkblast and Bloodclaw were having a blast, tracing the money, and imposing sanctions on the accounts of those who had misappropriated funds.
The demigod situation was still being monitored.
The first of the trials for those Harry had arrested was scheduled for the beginning of April. They would start with Fudge, and work through the list. Each person had been provided with a barrister, to organize whatever defense they wished, and were interrogated under veritaserum. The trials were more sentencing hearings. They would be able to get through several in a single day.
Harry awoke on the morning of April 3, and breathed deeply as he mentally prepared himself to preside over his first series of trials as King. Yes, he had been involved in the conviction and sentencing of the wixen who attempted to overthrow the mundane government, but most of the details of that situation had been handled by Elizabeth and her people. He had only helped to devise and then execute their sentence. These trials were completely under his domain and the fate of the accused was completely his decision. There would be no one to share any potential condemnation from the people. He took another deep breath, holding it for a long moment, before releasing it and beginning to dress for a day in court.
Cornelius Fudge, Dolores Umbridge, and Tiberius Ogden would each face judgement today. They had been interrogated under veritaserum and copies of their testimony were distributed to Harry, his advisors, Amelia Bones, and would also be released in this morning's Daily Prophet. A live broadcast of the trials would go out over the Wizarding Wireless as well.
After the trials concluded, Harry planned to hold his first Royal Court to announce some changes in the law,and hear petitions from his subjects. His secretaries had already received hundreds of requests for aid. Harry had already helped resolve six feuds, blessed nearly a dozen marriages with the magic of the realm, and re-opened five cases of wixen currently locked in Azkaban prison for various crimes. The most troubling of which was the Lestrange case. The three wixen had been tried together, without veritaserum testimony, and according to records, only Bellatrix had spoken, raving that her lord would return and rescue her. Lord Lestrange had petitioned Harry, on behalf of his grandsons, to take another look at the case, insisting that the two wizards were innocent of the crimes they had been accused of. Augusta was angry when she first found out the case had been re-opened, but once presented with the full picture, she agreed that further investigation was warranted. They were retrieved from Azkaban and waiting in the ministry cells. With one last glance in the mirror, Harry straightened his crown and strode out of the room, to break his fast, before journeying to the Ministry.
Arriving at the Ministry, Harry quickly made his way to the largest courtroom, and took his place on the raised throne. He surveyed the crowded room with a glance, finding each of his advisors at different places around the room, as well as his group of secretaries, each with a quill poised to take notes of the proceedings, and gave a regal nod. At his nod, Amelia fired off a low level cannon blast charm and called the court to order.
"Hear ye, Hear ye, The Court of Law of Avalon is called to Order! His Majesty King Hadrian James Charlus Michael Arturo Potter Gryffindor Ravenclaw Hufflepuff Slytherin LeFay Emrys Pendragon, presiding in judgement."
"Call the first case."
"The Court calls the Case of The Throne v. Cornelius Fudge. Bring out the defendant."
A shaking, emaciated, Fudge was led in shackles into the courtroom. Jeers from the gathered public echoed around the room.
"Order!" Harry called out, as the weakened form of the former minister was seated and chained in place. His barrister stood behind him to the right. Waiting for the crowd to quiet, Harry turned his attention to the man in front of him.
"Cornelius Fudge, you stand accused of Corruption, Accepting Bribes, Extortion, Embezzling from the Ministry, and Treason against the Crown. You have been interrogated under veritaserum and confessed your guilt. Have you anything to say before sentence is passed?"
Fudge just sat in the chair, shaking and weeping. His barrister, Spencer Dogbane, cleared his throat and began to speak,
"The defense pleads with the Crown for mercy. Mister Fudge was led to believe that his actions were all legal, and that the tales of Your Majesty were merely rumors, not truth. He begs that Your Highness allow him the chance to correct his mistakes."
Harry nodded, and sat silently for a long moment, considering his next words carefully. This was his first true test as King. If he was too harsh, he would be seen as a tyrant. Too lenient, a foolish, soft-hearted child. Reaching a decision, he had Cornelius stand.
"Cornelius Fudge,You have been judged guilty of the accusations against you. It is the decision of the Crown that you shall serve a period of 30 years in the Medium Security wing of Azkaban Prison. Should you survive, upon your release, your magic shall be bound and you shall be exiled from Avalon and all her territories, on pain of death. Take him away."
A wailing Fudge was roughly escorted out of the room, and turned over to a pair of dementors to be taken to Azkaban.
"Next case."
"The Court calls the Case of The Throne v. Dolores Umbridge. Bring out the defendant."
A struggling Umbridge was drug into the courtroom, flailing and gnashing her teeth. She was forced into the defendants chair and tightly bound. Her barrister stood as far away from her as possible.
"Dolores Umbridge,you stand accused of Corruption, Bribery, Extortion, Embezzling Ministry funds, Conspiracy to Commit Murder, and the Murders of Forty wixen. You were interrogated under veritaserum and have confessed your crimes. Have you anything to say before Judgement is passed?"
Dolores held her chin high, intimidated, as she spoke in a venomous voice.
"I refuse to recognize your claim to the throne. You're nothing but a disgusting half-blood mongrel son of a whore mudblood who-"
"ENOUGH!" Harry cut her off, thunderous, anger evident on his face, " As you have nothing of merit to say, Judgement shall be passed. Dolores Umbridge, You have been judged guilty of the accusations against you. It is the decision of the Crown that you shall serve a period of 50 years in the Maximum Security wing of Azkaban Prison. Should you survive, your magic shall be REMOVED, you shall receive the Dementor's Kiss, and your remains shall be cast through the Veil of Death. You shall never know a moment's peace or feel the sun on your skin again. You are the definition of all that is wrong in MY Kingdom. You disgust me. Take her away."
A screaming Umbridge was viciously removed from the room and surrendered to the dementors.
"Next case."
Ogden's case was the simplest of the three. He humbly accepted the blame for his crimes and blamed his trust in Albus Dumbledore for his decision to rebel against the Crown. Harry sentenced him to 15 years in the Minimum Security Wing, and exiled him from Avalon. He was allowed to keep his magic.
"Next Case."
"Your Majesty, the next case is one of a pair of Magical Twins. They are one soul, in two bodies. They ask that they be tried together."
"Very well. We shall do so. Call the case, Madame Bones."
"The Court calls the Case of The Throne v. Rodolphus and Rabastan Lestrange. Bring in the Defendants."
Two badly emaciated men were practically carried into the courtroom. A cry of shock and pain echoed from one corner of the room, and Lord Percival Lestrange had to be held back from running to his grandsons. The men were gently seated and the chains loosely draped over them.
"Rodolphus and Rabastan Lestrange, you stand accused of Terroristic Activities as member of the Dark Lord Voldemort's Death Eaters, and the Torture of Lord Franklin Longbottom and his Lady-Wife Alice Longbottom need Fortescue. You shall be questioned under veritaserum to determine your guilt before judgement is passed. Administer the Potion."
The brothers were each given three drops of potion and their eyes glazed over. Amelia asked them a few test questions and nodded that the potion was in effect. Harry leaned forward and began to ask his questions.
"Did you willingly accept the Dark Mark of Lord Voldemort?"
The brothers spoke as one, "No. Our father forced us before him and held his wand to our heads."
"Are you now or have you ever been willing Death Eaters?"
"No. We did not wish to serve him and hold him no loyalty. We wished to remain neutral and protect our soulmates."
"Who are your soulmates?"
"Franklin Longbottom, Alice Longbottom need Fortescue, and Regulus Black."
Crimes of shock echoed around the courtroom. Sirius had paled where he sat, watching the trial. Augusta had fainted in her seat, her vulture hat lying where it fell on the floor. Harry called for silence and continued.
"Is Regulus Black dead?"
"No. We do not know where he is, but we can still feel him in our bond."
"Did he join the Death Eaters Willingly?"
"No. He was imperiused by his mother."
"What happened in the attack on the Longbottoms?"
"We had just returned from searching for Regulus with Frank. We were about to have dinner when the wards went off. Alice took Neville and tried to apparate out, but they had already erected their own ward against it. We couldn't reach the floo. Bellatrix and Barty Crouch Junior broke into the manor. We fought them with Frank while Alice protected Neville. One of them hit Rabastan with a spell that cut off his breathing. Rodolphus turned to help him and was hit with a stunner. Then both of them fought and subdued Frank. We woke up under the Cruciatus. They tortured ALL FOUR OF US for hours, seeking information on what had happened to Lord Voldemort. Frank and Alice used the bond to try and protect us. They took most of the pain themselves. Rodolphus managed to break free and get our wands. We had just stood up to begin fighting again when the aurora arrived with the Dowager Lady. We still hadn't told her about our bond, so when the aurors arrested us, no one was able to protest. We went willingly thinking we would be able to tell the truth in our trial. But when it came, we weren't allowed to speak because of the Mad Bitch, ranting about Voldemort. We were sent to Azkaban and forgotten."
Silence echoed in the courtroom as the weight of the injustice these men had suffered became fully known. Harry gestured for them to be given the antidote and had them stand so he could deliver his judgement.
"Rodolphus and Rabastan Lestrange, I find you innocent of the accusations against you. You are to be immediately taken to St Mungos and healed of the damage done to you. The Crown will pay all expenses. You will each receive 1 million galleons as compensation and you have The Sincere Apologies of the Crown for your suffering. A team shall be formed to search for your missing bondmate and The Crown shall send for the most talented Healers available to attempt to help the Longbottoms. Know that you were neverforgotten, Your grandfather has petitioned the Ministry every year of your imprisonment to overturn your convictions. May your futures be peaceful and prosperous. Case dismissed. Someone fetch these poor men some healers."
With that, Harry's first day sitting in judgement over The Court of Law of Avalon ended. They would take an hour for lunch and to reset the room. Then he would return to preside over the Royal Court and hear petitions from his subjects. It had been a long day and there was more to be done.