Potter in Forks

Chapter 7

Oct 16 thru Oct 18

Dumbledore watched silently as the members of the Wizengamot filed into the chamber. He had kept his seat as Chief Warlock by the skin of his teeth. He had spent the past few months shoring up rocky alliances and casting a few memory modifications and light loyalty compulsions. The brat cost him his seat on the ICW and when he found her she'd find out just why Voldemort was afraid of him.

He kept his face neutral while inwardly snarling as Sirius Black strolled in speaking to someone Dumbledore didn't recognize. Black being cleared had taken those proxy votes from him and although Black had been voting with him so far there was no guarantee he would always do so. Shock filtered over his face when the stranger settled in the Potter seat.

Once everyone settled, Dumbledore banged the gavel and began the session. The minutes of the last session was read then he called for new business. The stranger stood up.

"Mr. Tessron of Calper, Neffie, Moss and Tessron. I have documents authorizing me to act as proxy for Lady Harika Jamiel Potter."

He sent the document to the recorder seated to the left of Dumbledore.

The recorder scanned them before handing them to Dumbledore. Dumbledore grit his teeth and forced his face neutral although the twinkle disappeared from his eyes. "This appears to be in order. You have then been in contact with Miss Potter?"

"Lady Potter and yes. We met at Gringotts a week ago."

Murmurs broke out around the room.

"And you must know where she is in order to communicate with her."

"Not necessarily. Gringotts is her intermediary for communications. They have, of course, given us communication pouches keyed to her and I only." Mr. Tessron indicated the dragonhide pouch slung over his shoulder.

"We will need her here to verify the proxy authorization."

Sirius stood up. "The very definition of a proxy means the owner is not available to be here. No one else has ever had to appear to verify authenticity for their proxies. The document, however, has been verified by Gringotts in my presence so the authenticity should not be doubted," he looked at Dumbledore with a look of anticipation, "unless you are questioning my integrity... again."

The room went silent as the two powerful wizards glared at each other.

Dumbledore broke first. He averted his gaze to the document. "Of course not, Lord Black." He handed the document to the recorder to be filed.

Sirius regained his seat.

Mr. Tessron nodded. "Let it be known that I shall be voting all of Lady Potter's seats."

"All," someone called out questioningly. "How many does Potter carry?"

Mr. Tessron gave a predatory smile. "Thirteen."

"THIRTEEN?" Shocked gasps and questions of who and how rocked the room until Dumbledore sent a BANG out of his wand.

How could he not have known about them? All he had been able to proxy vote was the one for Potter. He scowled as he totaled the voting balance. Sixty-four seats – thirteen now under Potter's control. Black held seven. Lady Longbottom would more often than not vote with the Potters. Bones would as long as the initiatives didn't interfere with the woman's blasted morals. That gave Potter a bloc of 22 possibly.

Dumbledore held a mere six. Of course Weasley, Albertson, Kirke, Preece, Vane, McLaggen, Filsmer, Brody and March voted with him giving him a bloc of 20. Five others could generally be swayed to his way of thinking given time, but not always. Bones and Longbottom used to be his since they voted against Malfoy, Parkinson and the rest of the Dark block totaling 14.