The Brightest Sun

Chapter 13

These magicals certainly like to build grand things, Elia thought in amusement.

The entry of the Ministry of Magic was built entirely of dark marble; marble floors, marble hearths – even the walls were made of marble. In the centre was a statue depicting different magical creatures gazing in adoration at a wizard and witch.

“An interesting statue,” she murmured lowly, feeling the stares on her back. Elia straightened, head held high as she walked arm in arm with Harry to the level designated for the courts.

They had spent the past moon going over the function of the Wizengamot, the specifics of the amendment that would be debated, and discussing the many people who made up Magical Britain’s ruling council. He had warned her that there would be talk when people saw her, questions regarding her connection to Harry.

Let them talk, she had told him. Elia had spent the past two years as the subject of court gossip; a group of magicals wondering just who their hero had brought with him was nothing compared to scornful, grasping courtiers.

“A mockery, but they insisted on going back to how things were,” he replied. His face was blank, but Elia could see the disdain in his eyes.

There was no guard to check wands he had told her beforehand, not after the war had shown the dangers to someone in a position like that, and the Lords and Ladies of the Wizengamot were required to show their family rings to enter the chambers. As Harry’s guest, she would be required to show some identification, and he had prepared a ring to signify her position as a familial ally.

It was as they entered the lowest levels, turning a corner to walk the path to the council chambers that she felt the eyes of the wizarding nobility.

“Let the games begin,” Harry murmured, and Elia felt the twitch of a faint smile as they began to make their rounds.

The Minister for Magic had been one of the first to make his way to them, an old acquaintance of Harry’s she had been told.

“Lord Potter-Black,” the man said in a deep timber. He wore robes of a deep plum, the same as the ministerial council members, though he wore them much better than his colleagues. He was clean-shaven, head gleaming beneath the light as his dark eyes settled on her.

“Minister Shacklebolt,” Harry said, a polite nod of his head. “I hope all is well.”

“Indeed, the usual business. How is young Teddy?”

"Well," was all Harry said, eyes cooling as he stared at his former ally. Kingsley Shacklebolt looked unaffected as he smiled at them.

“This is the Lady Elia Martell,” Harry introduced easily. “She is an old family friend.”

There was a flash of uncertainty in his eyes as he greeted Elia, though she did not look too deeply into it as they stopped their walk into the chambers.

“Well met Minister,” she said, hand outstretched in greeting.

“Lady Martell,” he greeted, eyes widening the slightest bit as he caught sight of the ring. “ A pleasure to meet you. If you’ll excuse me. It was a pleasure to see you again Lord Potter-Black.”

He had walked off to greet others, and Elia and Harry made their way through the brightly lit chamber as others whispered quietly or exchanged polite greetings with Harry.

“How long until that bit of information makes the rounds?” he asked her, smiling as a wizard with blond hair waved them over.

“A few minutes? How fast does wizard gossip travel?” she asked.

Quite fast, it turned out.

The man with the blond hair was Harry’s old schoolmate, Lord Neville Longbottom if she recalled the green and brown heraldry correctly. He looked relatively stern, though there was a kindness in his brown eyes that reassured her.