The Privy Councilors 1/33

[herumtreiber]

Title: The Privy Councilors 1/33
Chapter: Meet the councilors
Author:herumtreiber 
Genre: AU to HBP, romance, adventure
Disclaimer:  I do not own Harry Potter or related characters. Nor do I make any money from the writing of these stories.
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Violence
Epilogue compliant? No way!
Chapter length: 3,600 words
Summary: Draco/Harry, Luna/Neville, Ron/Hermione, Narcissa/??? Harry is about to be sent to Azkaban. The story explores Wizengamot politics and the fight against evil Dumbledore - where he gets vanquished early and does not prattle on and on - but is he gone? Plus de-aging. Someone returns whose name begins with  S. (And my revenge on characters whose accents are hard to read – like Hagrid and Fleur ;-)

Table of contents




Harry's world had crashed down in flames. After having to deal with the death of his godfather plus the crushing weight of the prophecy disclosed so nonchalantly by the Headmaster, he was whisked off to Privet Drive. His friends didn't write him at all.

The clumsy Order's attempt at intimidating the enraged Erumpent known as Vernon Dursley made the situation much worse. The walrus took every opportunity to whack Harry around. Seeing that the Order didn't care and did not arrive to rescue Harry, his uncle grew more vicious and daring.

Eventually, what was fated to happen occurred. Harry could recall only parts of the gruesome experience. His uncle and cousin beat him senseless, and then a translucent curtain of white light appeared all around him.

Harry tried to stand up; crouching above the linoleum floor, he saw his faux-family lying dead on the ground. Immediately he heard the sound of apparition and Dumbledore burst through the door, accompanied by assorted members of the Order and Ministry Aurors. They took the scene of devastation with nary a sound or change of facial expression. The Aurors swished their wands as they performed several spells. The surreal scene appeared to Harry's dazed mind like a forensic investigation in the Muggle world.

Shacklebolt approached Dumbledore and conferred with the old man. Presently Albus stood in front of Harry and looked down at him with a perceptible twinkle in his eyes. "Harry Potter, by the authority vested in me by the Wizengamot I charge you with the murder of your uncle, aunt and cousin. You will be taken to a holding cell in the ministry for your trial." Dumbledore made tsking sound as he fingered his long white beard. "My boy, I'm afraid if they find you guilty, you will be sent to Azkaban for life!"

oOoOo

Sitting alone in that holding cell, Harry endured the worst moments of his life. They hadn't even given him a medical check-up, saying that it wasn't needed for a murderer. It was only his innate magic that allowed Harry to survive, healing him from the numerous lesions his dreadful relatives caused.

The visits Harry received were the worst. The Weasleys and Hermione came to his cell, sneering and taunting him. They all said hurtful things, especially Ron. The redhead yelled, "I wish I'd known what I was getting into when I decided to be your friend!"

Hermione crossed her arms, looking down her nose at the brunet prisoner. "Honestly, Harry, that's what you get when you break the rules. They exist for a reason you know."

With a sinking feeling in his stomach, Harry realized that his friends thought he was a cold-blooded murderer. If they were of that opinion, the rest of the Wizarding World would follow suit. Notwithstanding the fact they'd been woefully wrong about him, regarding the lurid articles of Skeeter, and the rumours surrounding his ability as Parseltongue. Harry was lost and it was only his stubbornness to accept his fate which kept him sane for what was to follow.

Ron stayed for a moment after the others left. Smirking at Harry, he thrust a parchment in his face and bade Harry sign it, adding a drop of his blood. The brunet was exhausted; he was tired of it all and he didn't care that he could give Ron the key to sink him further.

Harry felt there was no deepest pit imaginable than what he was living. He complied wordlessly, pricking his thumb with the quill. Ron took the piece of paper and signed it himself, adding his own blood. The redhead strutted out of Harry's forlorn cell.

oOoOo

After "visiting" with Harry, Ron and Hermione were on their way to meet Percy. Ron kept ranting about the perils Harry's friendship had meant for them all. She concurred, opining that time alone might curb Harry's anti-authority streak for a while. Hermione grabbed Ron's neck, kissing him aggressively to shut him up.

Someone clapped whilst he wolf-whistled. A boy approached them, drawling mockingly, "Is this what you are reduced to, Weasel? To kiss a mudblood?"

Ron took out his wand, preparing to throw a hex, but then his blue eyes, which had been curiously lifeless, twinkled strangely. He stopped his motion and turned to his girlfriend. "Mione, you come up with the weirdest ideas, I must say."

The boy let his cowl down, the white-blond hair proclaiming it was Draco Malfoy. He asked imperiously, "Do you have anything important to report?"

Ron crossed his arms, answering nonchalantly, "I tested the doors of the trial chamber. There are loyalty spells, notice-me-not charms and I guess some kind of Legilimency thing. You might be interested to note that there will be medit-sieves in Grimmauld Place and the Burrow. Headmaster Dumbledore kindly informed us that these sieves would register our daydreams and would instantly erase that recording if there was nothing plotted against the Order. Hermione and I think that Dumbledore will use the medit-sieves to select his true followers. He told us the sieves will be put into place immediately after Harry's trial."

Ron squeezed gently Hermione's hand. "Won't you see to Hermione's safety if the worst comes to pass?"

Draco looked sharply at the two Gryffindors. After a few seconds, he nodded solemnly.

Ron took out a piece of parchment, handing it to Draco. "Here's the document you wanted to have, Harry and I signed it, authenticating it with our blood. Pity that the bureaucratic procedure to make it valid lasts seven days and the trial is scheduled for tomorrow!"

Draco appeared to pout as he bowed mockingly. "O ye weasels of little faith! Ron, if you must know, I have an unlicensed time-turner belonging to the Malfoy family."

The blond wrapped his fingers around a silver chain that was wound around his neck. "This is it. Now that I have Potter's parchment I will just put it with ours, going back in time to the office in the Ministry where they sort documents and send them flying to their destination. I guess these are the perks of being the brat of a Ministry worker." The blond tapped Ron's shoulder. "Like you."

Hermione looked to the stone ceiling, grimacing. "I'm worried about those medit-sieves."

Draco smiled reassuringly. "You can't return to your house after the trial. Those medit-sieves you speak of? I'm afraid you'd be brainwashed, even killed in an attempt to lure Potter. I offer you sanctuary in the Manor. You'd have a safe haven, no matter what happens in the Wizarding World."

Malfoy looked to the floor, mumbling, "I warn you, though, that you will deal with my mother." He visibly shuddered, "She'll be fine, so long as you don't mention a shopping spree. If you do, then you'll have to fend for yourselves."

He took out a ceremonial dagger from his black robes. "This is a Portkey. It will take you to the parlour. I've already keyed you into the wards so they'll admit you. The password is Matthäus."

Draco offered the weapon to Hermione. She put it into her pocket.

Then he took out his wand and gave it to Ron. "Tomorrow they won't let me enter the chamber with my wand. We'll need to create a diversion so you can slip it to me. I'll give Potter his own; the one we covered with demiguise hair."

Hermione hugged Draco. At first Draco had been a little weary of the emotional content of the hugs and the fact that Hermione was a Muggleborn. Though he soon recognized that she was an incredibly talented witch; sharing a hug with her was something he needed, perhaps more desperately than he chose to acknowledge.

Bowing theatrically, Draco drawled, "Until we meet again, red-head and lady!"

Then he said, "Mudblood!"

Ron's blue eyes lost the twinkle, significantly diminishing in brightness as he took out his wand, ready to hex Malfoy. Meanwhile Draco had made good his escape. He knew very well the Ministry from countless trips he'd taken to see his father. He knew the way to the Office of Distribution of Documents.

He used the time-turner and travelled back in time seven days. He put the documents in the box with a recommendation that they be voted en bloc with Wizengamot Law 4UR-GOAT, a favourite project of the Headmaster. That would ensure that the measures contained therein would be law, as soon as Albus' pet project was approved.

oOoOo

That night took place the reading of Sirius Black's Will. The Headmaster had seen the opportunity to assume control of the Black fortune, seeing as how the main heir was awaiting his trial for multiple murders. Presumably Harry would be unable to command the enormous assets of the Blacks. Luckily for them all, his Magical Guardian, Albus Dumbledore, would take care to distribute everything according to the Greater Good - of him.

Having been told of the reading only a few hours before, the other interested parties congregated at Gringott's. They were led to a conference room by a bearded goblin called Ashbolt. The group sat around a large, circular table.

Remus Lupin was there. So were Dumbledore and Auror Kingsley Shacklebolt, Narcissa Malfoy, Andromeda and Nymphadora Tonks.

Ashbolt tugged his greasy beard, holding the parchment with his long fingers. "This is the last will and testament of Lord Sirius Black."

The paper rose up in the air and unfolded whilst Sirius' voice came out from it.

"Hello all, if I'm dead then I've no doubt who killed me. It wasn't a Death Eater, but a Life Eater masquerading as the Lord of Light. Anyway, here is my last will:

To Remus I give 5,000 Galleons and the order to let the wolf out and follow its advice.

To Andromeda and Nymphadora Tonks I leave 5,000 Galleons each.

To Harry Potter I leave 1,000 Galleons.

The rest of the Black holdings, investments, real estate, plus the title of Lady Black I leave to Narcissa Black Malfoy, my cousin and favourite relative.

Cissa, I've no doubt that you will do what needs to be done, no matter how disagreeable or difficult. You will make a great Lady Black.

Toujours pur

Lord Sirius Black."

Everyone was astonished. They all expected Sirius would favour his godson Harry and leave him everything. Of course, with Dumbledore manipulating every action of the boy that would be the same as leaving everything to Albus, which Sirius was loath to do. Apparently the Marauder cunningly devised a way to circumvent Dumbledore. The wily and manipulative headmaster would not have a frail Narcissa under his thumb. Instead Cissa would give as good as she got.

Dumbledore was so angry that he took out his Elder wand and prepared to hex Narcissa out of creation. Unbeknownst to him, she was under the protection of an old and crazy elf, Kreacher. From the shadows, the elf growled at the uppity wizards, saved from boredom by the fact that Narcissa now was Lady Black, like his beloved Mistress Walburga.

The elf noticed the shaggy wizard as he took out the wand, Kreacher's magic allowed him to read the very malign intentions of the spell. He joggled the old wizard's elbow and as a result the hex passed by Narcissa, gouging the wall behind her head.

Narcissa brandished her wand, shouting, "Expelliarmus!"

When the wand fell to the stone floor, she waved her wand. "Accio Dumbledork's wands."

Two sticks of wood flew toward her. Narcissa wrapped her fingers around the knobby stem of the legendary Elder wand and kept it for herself. The other was Albus' family wand which she proceeded to break in three.

She motioned to the prone figure of the Headmaster. "I believe that Nymphadora and Kingsley Amis are Aurors, are they not?"

Andromeda replied, "Yes, they are, but it's Kingsley Shacklebolt."

Narcissa answered, "Whatever. I demand that they arrest Dumbledore for attempted murder!"

Shacklebolt and Tonks refused to obey her, though. It seemed they were Dumbledore's puppets.

Her face red with anger, Narcissa turned to Kreacher. "It behoves me to see how 12 Grimmauld Place is used. Sirius suffered a lot in that place. Since I'm the owner, I want to raze it. It's nothing but a nest of Dark animals, from Boggarts to doxies - no place to take impressionable young men." She paused to smirk at the Headmaster who had stood up. "Don't you agree, Dumbles? Oh, I forgot, since it is not a goat, you don't care at all."

Shacklebolt tried to cast Silencio so she wouldn't continue, but with a lazy swish of her wand, she cast a shield. The spell reverted to the Auror, who was forced to silently watch the exchange.

Narcissa drawled, "Kreacher, you will deliver an ultimatum to the members of the so-called Order of the Fried Flamingos that are there. If they don't leave they will be destroyed. Destroy that abode completely half an hour after you tell them this."

Dumbledore shouted angrily until Narcissa put him under another Silencio spell cast by the Elder wand. Though the aged wizard was reputed to possess an incredible amount of magic, the wand prevailed.

Narcissa sauntered up to her niece and slapped her forcefully, muttering "Traitor!"

She disregarded her sister's startled cry, grabbing some parchments from the unresisting hands of the cowardly goblin, Ashbolt. She left the room to sign them and call Ministry officials on the Floo. Even though she spoke with Minister Fudge and Amelia Bones, they told her they were powerless to charge Dumbledore with any wrongdoings, since they doubted they'd find independent witnesses who could verify her assertions.

Two hours later, Narcissa met an exhausted-looking Kreacher who delivered his report. Briefly put, 12 Grimmauld Place was destroyed. There were interesting things in some of the rooms which the elf had kept. Narcissa told him to bring them to other Black residences.

Kreacher told her about a strangely intriguing device which functioned like a Pensieve. The elf's magic betrayed its purpose to him. The thing would store imagery, daydreams and reveries to be studied later. What Narcissa found interesting was the fact that this device was attuned to find true loyalties of people, whether to Harry Potter or to Dumbledore. In case the results were worrisome to Albus, the strange Pensieve would alarm Dumbledore.

oOoOo

The next day lasted forever, in Harry's opinion. The morning was utterly cheerless for him, imprisoned on that cell. Before midday, Harry felt smothered by the negative energy and sad memories of his parents dying. Cold and foreboding were the feelings enveloping him; Harry reckoned someone had brought Dementors to play with him.

However, the negative sensations soon disappeared whilst Harry heard a thud as someone hit the guard. He heard a voice drawling menacingly, "How dare you! How dare you bring a Dementor here when it's not allowed? Shacklebolt, I will have you in Azkaban for this. Your vaunted Dumbles won't keep you from prison as it won't save you from this: Crucio!"

Harry supposed he should be angry on behalf of Shacklebolt who was suffering Crucio under Malfoy, but he wasn't. The damned Auror had brought a Dementor just to see Harry cowering. He'd always been standoffish, exuding supposed professionalism. The man always took Dumbledore's side. Kingsley didn't even raise an eyebrow at Harry's sudden fall from grace. The Gryffindor just wished he could see good old Shacklebolt writhing under the curse.

Strangely enough, the incident which was supposed to sink him into despair served to make him more confident. Obviously there was more to Malfoy than what he always believed. Harry realized that ever since he had appeared in the Wizarding World he had always looked at things through the Dumbledore perspective. From Hagrid's comment that all dark wizards came from Slytherin, which turned out to be laughably false, to his sudden friendship with Ron; he blithely absorbed Weasley's anti-Slytherin bias.

If Harry had had more gumption and street smarts, he would have realized that he was in an excellent position to be a bridge between the Hogwarts houses. No one would dare dispute his role, being the Boy who lived. Instead Harry let the headmaster take every important decision in his life, speedily doing his bidding, no questions asked.

After the guards brought him thin gruel which he hardly ate, Harry was taken to the trial chamber. His chains rattling behind him, Harry crossed the threshold to find a plenary session of the Wizengamot. The wizards and witches sneered and murmured things about him, the picture of perfection with their silly hats which made them look like Ron's chess pieces.

Harry had to sit in the Chair of the Accused whilst a cumbersome chain was wrapped around his legs. He glared at the two long tables in front of him, filled with his faux-friends. Ron and Hermione were there, Harry noted with chagrin.

Dumbledore started the proceedings as head of the Wizengamot. Harry mumbled to himself when the damnable old cheater was getting to the charges.

Dumbledore couldn't proceed though; he was interrupted by a loud cough coming from Draco Malfoy. The haughty blond sneered at Ron and Hermione. "Weasel and Mudblood, how romantic!"

Harry was watching Ron when this happened; he noticed how the redhead's eyes twinkled suddenly. Ron surreptitiously looked at Harry and took out his wand, advancing menacingly on Malfoy.

Harry knew intimately Ron's and Malfoy's wands and the one Ron brandished had a smooth finish like Malfoy's, he would bet good money on it. Also he noted was a scripted quality to their insults, as if they were playing to an audience.

Ron jostled and pushed Draco so that he fell to the floor in front of Harry. The brunet was speechless when Draco pushed something into his palm, a furry wand which his magic recognized as his own. Malfoy muttered, "Take care, it's invisible now."

Harry briefly considered the idea he was suffering under hallucinations due to the Dementor's presence earlier as he caressed his new wand, so different from the smooth polish it used to have. Whatever occurred, he was in a better position armed with it.

Malfoy stood up and walked away. The Ron-Draco confrontation had been so brilliantly played that no one noticed that Malfoy had a wand on his hand. They all had been carried away by the intensity of the words, the abruptness of the tone and the rude behaviour of the boys; gestures agreeing completely with their mental image of the duo.

Draco sauntered towards Dumbledore as he drawled, "If it pleases the Wizengamot, we the Privy Councilors demand to be recognized."

Dumbledore thundered, "The Wizengamot will never recognize you as such, young Malfoy. I don't know what tale you are selling, but we are not buying."

Draco took out an official-looking newspaper from the pocket of his robes. As he unfolded it, he said, "Here is today's edition of the Ministry News. It's the official paper of the government, everything it prints is approved and becomes law by the mere fact that it appears here. Curiously, this issue has the appointment of the following individuals to the Wizengamot as Privy Councilors:

Lord Draco Malfoy

Lord Blaise Zabini

Lady Parky Parkinson

Lord Neville Longbottom

Lady Luna Lovegood, Heiress of Ravenclaw

Lord Harry Potter

Amidst the gasps of the audience, Draco folded the newspaper and put it back in his pocket.

"The paper also publishes the results of a Wizengamot session to recognize us. The motion was approved by 345 votes, coincidentally the same number that approved your bill 4UR-GOAT. Congratulation on a good deed for ruminants everywhere, Goatmaster!"

Dumbledore growled, he wanted to cast a hex on young Malfoy but since he was in the public chamber, he refrained.

Draco brushed the lapels of his robes. "Since we inherited our positions in the Wizengamot, we do not need petitessen like votes to confirm what is ours. We will decide the fate of one of our own!"

Draco pointed at the Chair of the Accused, where an astounded Harry sat. "Now please remove the chains from Lord Potter and allow him to sit with us."

Dumbledore shouted, "No, I can't allow this!"

Draco scowled at the old man. "If you don't, I will invoke Lex majoris, which will make piecemeal of whatever defences you think you have. You cannot treat a Privy councilor like you have treated Lord Potter!"

Dumbledore visibly reined in his temper. He knew the spell would turn the tables and treat the rest of the Wizengamot as they were treating Harry. Better to roll with it for now and watch like a hawk Harry's trial. After all, Potter was guilty. It would inevitably come out so in the Veritaserum session.

The Headmaster frowned and directed that Harry's chains be removed. Thereupon, flanked by Luna and Neville, Harry made his way to a regal table conjured by Draco near the left edge of the chamber.

The Privy Councilors sat down and prepared to treat business.

Draco took out his wand and flicked it with verve. Presently a silver bubble surrounded the students. They could still see the outlines of the people outside but neither their voices nor anything else intruded in their calm atmosphere.

Draco explained to the rest. "I've cast a spell and used a time-turner to keep us nearly suspended in time. For us an hour will pass while to the people outside it will seem like half a minute. We can speak freely because we can watch our main enemies. They were completely surprised by developments. At any rate, I urge you to cast wards to ensure the sanctity of our communications to your own content."

Harry took out his invisible wand and swished it energetically with great panache, diminished a little by the fact that the wand was invisible. Harry cast strong privacy wards taught to him by Sirius.

Spills and planning - part 1