Black Fortunes

Chapter 9

February 1976

The Wizengamot was back in session today. There had been a nice break through the holidays and now they were back here in this hallowed hall, making decisions that affected all of wizard-kind and magical creatures. Harrigan sat directly next to Orion, ignoring the speculative looks sent his way. The pair had been photographed leaving the restaurant on their first date as well as their outing to France for Valentine's. That had been Harrigan's planning, he knew that day was also the birthday of the oldest and still estranged Black child, Sirius. Harrigan hoped that his little comment to Sirius was at least making the heir think, he hated seeing the composed disappointment and sadness when Orion's gift was returned unopened.

The almost hatred on Dumbledore's face was somewhat expected, but Harrigan was surprised by just how openly the man was showing his attitude toward Harrigan. He was Lord Peverell after all, while Dumbledore was a senior member of the Wizengamot his position was by election, the man had no family title or great monetary status. It was why he relied so heavily on his supporters, those that had actual titles and some status (excluding the Weasleys by default). Honestly, the man acted as if he was impossible to have removed, it was an attitude that was quickly becoming wearisome and annoying.

He ignored Dumbledore, which became something of a necessity as Lucien leaned in his direction and said teasingly, "France, really? Isn't that a bit of a cliché for a Valentine location?"

"It was something last-minute," Harrigan protested with a smile playing on his lips. "If I'd have thought about it better and planned it out, I wouldn't have used such a common destination. We enjoyed it, however, took a boat trip down the river and had dinner at a lovely little cafe on la voie des roses."

"Rose Way? That's the magical street of France, correct? It was recently rebuilt, they made it wider and added more plants according to the Prophet."

"Rose plants," Harrigan nodded in agreement. "It's a lovely road, far better than Diagon in my opinion. Even la voie du soir is far better made and high-quality. I must remember to show you the pair of mirrors we picked up in a little shop there."

"Night Way is the equivalent of Knockturn Alley, so why would a 'Dark' shop be selling a pair of mirrors?" Lucien asked, sounding slightly confused.

"Because these mirrors use blood magic," Harrigan answered in a low voice. "They're communication mirrors, solid silver gilt frames, absolutely gorgeous craftsmanship, and a very talented use of Runes."

"You found communication mirrors?" Lucien breathed in astonishment. "They are so rare nowadays, they were outlawed in Great Britain about the same time that magic was split into Light, Grey, and Dark."

Harrigan chuckled, "It was funny, Orion was absolutely stunned and almost excited when he found them, I had no idea what they were. I just thought it was that inherited Black vanity popping up because they have such a clear image."

Lucien burst into rich chuckles, which were echoed by Abraxas and accompanied by a slight glare from Orion, whose mouth was twitching slightly. Apparently, he wasn't too annoyed at the jab to his 'peacock tendencies', as Harrigan referred to them. Harrigan gave his companion an innocent smile and a slight shrug.

"You are incorrigible," Orion huffed, unable to keep up his pretense of annoyance. He linked an arm around Harrigan's shoulders and tugged him slightly closer, to an accompanying glare from Dumbledore. The man just about flinched when Orion blasted him with an icy glare in return.

"I do not know why he takes such an interest and intense dislike in you, aside from the Lord Peverell matter. If his behavior continues I'm going to do something about it however, perhaps I will bring it up to the Madame Minister one of these days," he growled, obviously agitated.

"Calm down, Orion," Harrigan soothed. "There is nothing he can do that wouldn't be totally obvious here in the Wizengamot chambers. He is just losing his place on a high horse and he doesn't like it. There are men like him the world over. They get a little bit of power and it goes to their heads. When they begin to learn their true place they resent it and the one who shows them."

"Harrigan is right," Abraxas nodded. "He thinks he is infallible and Harrigan is showing him differently. He is just a man, even if he did defeat Grindelwald. If we truly wanted to do so at the moment it would be all too easy to force him out of the Wizengamot permanently. His judgment is skewed and he should be giving more of his attention to the students and leaving government to those who actually care about our world."

"Perhaps we should force him out," Harrigan mused aloud, earning startled glances from his companions. "He is influencing others in the Wizengamot and forcing through laws that have no place here. Look at the one that gives him total control of orphans once they come of age to attend Hogwarts, for example. He can decide where they are placed on holidays and can even approve or veto marriage contracts. He could make a child's life miserable with that kind of power and yet his supporters backed it without even really thinking about the law at all."

"He could," Orion agreed slowly. "It would be better off if the wizarding world created a center for them to go to on holidays, or placed some with agreeable wizarding parents. Marriage contracts don't matter if they aren't at least a half-blood with some family monies and those that fit that category most likely have some living family."

"And there you hit it on the head," Abraxas stated. "They most likely do have living family, but that family could very well be Dark or Grey. And the all-but acknowledged 'Lord of the Light' would hardly let money go to those he has deemed unworthy."

Heavy sarcasm laced his voice through the entire remark, laced even more heavily on the 'title' Dumbledore had given himself all but publicly. For him to do so without acknowledgment from the Light families was a big no-no for social and political careers, so he kept it unofficial for now.

"How would we go about doing this?" Lucien asked, getting them back on topic.

"We would have to get a majority to agree," Harrigan thought aloud, words slow as if testing them on his tongue. "We would need to approach the Grey families and those of the Light who are disillusioned or never supported him to begin with. We can begin by watching him tonight, noticing who supports him and who needs more cajoling to do so, or refuses outright."

"Then let's begin this grand game called politics, shall we?" Orion stated, just as the doors closed with the usual ringing note that signaled a start of session.

Harrigan leaned into Orion and turned to pay attention as well, concealing a smirk with great effort. It appeared that Dumbledore was soon going to be in for a shock. Maybe he could get a word in to be the one to inform the old man of the loss of his position... His three companions should agree, maybe for the price of a bottle of wine and what would be no doubt a treasured memory.

Let it begin.

All credits go to J. K. Rowling and Herald_of_Dreams (AO3). This is not my work, it is just a repost of the work by Herald_of_Dreams on AO3 and by Herald-MageAnduli on fanfiction.net.