Chapter 207 "Easter Holiday"

A few days later, on April 9, the Easter holiday commenced.

On the first day of the holiday, Skyler and Dumbledore stepped into the fireplace in the principal's office, using the Floo network to travel to the Ministry of Magic.

Today marked the day when Skyler was to be honored with the Order of Merlin, Second Class.

The investiture ceremony unfolded similarly to the previous one, featuring a round of socializing among Wizengamot members. Notably, there was a surge in individuals seeking connections with Skyler, expressing their eagerness with heightened enthusiasm.

Following a brief, content-light speech by Minister Fudge, Dumbledore, the chief wizard of the Wizengamot, took the stage to present the prestigious award.

Amidst the flashes of numerous cameras, Shearing ascended to the elevated platform, received the Order of Merlin from Dumbledore, and proudly affixed it to his chest.

This gold medal, adorned with a purple ribbon, surpassed the white ribbon medal previously held by Skyler.

Following the award ceremony, the attendees shifted to the Wizengamot Management Agency within the Department of Legal Enforcement at the Ministry of Magic. Senior figures of the Wizengamot, including Griselda Marchbanks, Tiberius Ogden, and others, guided Skyler through the intricacies of Wizengamot's administrative procedures, document handling, and storage.

During the Knight Medal presentation, Fudge seized the opportunity to declare to the guests and media that Skyler would assume the role of "Wizengamot Youth Representative."

With this status, Skyler gained quasi-civil servant standing, granting him the freedom to access the Ministry of Magic at will (akin to Harry's "guest" status in the original book). Consequently, it became imperative for him to familiarize himself with key locations relevant to his official responsibilities.

The term "Wizengamot" serves as a collective reference.

The term "Wizengamot" essentially symbolizes the system of checks and balances within the judicial branch of the British wizarding community, acting as a counterbalance to the legislative and executive bodies embodied by the Ministry of Magic.

Within the overarching umbrella of the Wizengamot, there exists the "Wizengamot Management Agency," tasked with documenting and archiving records of various tried cases, and the "Wizard Legal Council," responsible for adjudicating individual cases.

Ultimately, the "Wizengamot" itself serves as the highest court, handling cases that are exceptionally controversial and possess significant, far-reaching impacts on wizarding society.

(In the original work, the Wizengamot is referred to as Wizengamot; the governing body of the Wizengamot is also referred to as Wizengamot; the Wizarding Law Council is the Council of Magical Law)

In the original storyline, characters like Sirius, who faced false accusations and imprisonment, or the Lestrange couple, who were rightfully sentenced, were both dealt with by the Wizarding Law Council. This indicates that even in cases involving egregious crimes like murder, the "Wizengamot" proper wasn't directly invoked.

In the original book, the Wizengamot Supreme Court was only mobilized once when Harry, under duress from dementors, cast the Patronus Charm in front of his cousin, violating the "underage wizard's violation of the International Confederation of Wizards' Statute of Secrecy."

Such a crime, though significant, wouldn't typically warrant the attention of the Wizengamot, highlighting Fudge and Umbridge's attempt to undermine Dumbledore's authority.

Exploring other courtrooms, not all carry the ominous atmosphere of the No. 10 courtroom in the original book, which was reserved for judging heinous criminals. Grindelwald and Voldemort are perhaps the only ones truly qualified for such a setting, while Harry's case was an unfortunate misstep.

In contrast, courtrooms like the Third and Seventh offer unique features, housing various magical devices such as the wizarding world's lie detector—a mirror reflecting not only a person's appearance but also their true emotions and intentions.

Navigating through the various courtrooms, Skyler encounters intriguing magical devices, including the Confession Instrument resembling the Sorting Hat, capable of rewriting a person's memory and personality, and containers for potions like Veritaserum and Despair Agent. With these, he gains the freedom to access these facilities at will.

Skyler also secures access to the Ministry of Magic by achieving the Second-level Medal of Sir Merlin and the title of Wizengamot Youth Representative.

This Easter, unlike previous years, is filled with more homework. Harry and Ron find themselves grappling with an endless stream of assignments, acknowledging Hermione's ability to balance academic tasks with investigating Rita's eavesdropping on Harry. Harry remains committed to sending regular food packages to Sirius in the cave despite his busy schedule.

Harry casually updates Sirius about their status, emphasizing the ongoing wait for Percy's reply. Hedwig's return just before Easter's end brings Percy's response, enclosed with Easter eggs from Mrs. Weasley.

The eggs received by Harry and Ron are large, reminiscent of dragon eggs, and filled with homemade toffee. Hermione, however, gets a smaller egg, prompting a disappointed expression.

Observing Ron's indulgence in toffee, Hermione quietly asks if Mrs. Weasley reads Witch Weekly; she leans in closer and whispers, "Ron, I am sorry to ask, but does your mother actually read the Witch Weekly? She does, doesn't she?" Hinting at her suspicion about the influence of the magazine on egg sizes.

Ron confirms it, "Yes, she does read it. She is interested in the recipes that come from there. I sometimes pray hard enough for her to get a good recipe to cook," Ron replied with his mouth full of toffees, mentioning Mrs. Weasley's interest in recipes.

While Ron indulges in toffee, Hermione, affected by Skyler's influence over the past three years, silently reflects on her changed perspective.

She's no longer the innocent student immersed solely in books, now more attuned to the world beyond the window.

Hermione, hailing from a Muggle family, keenly recognizes the challenges of excelling among her wizarding peers. Despite the Weasley family's reputation for embracing Muggle culture, often earning them the label of "pure-blood traitors," a closer look reveals their ancient heritage, rivaling the Gaunt family's antiquity. Persistent rumors suggest that Gaunt may be Slytherin's descendant, while Weasley claims lineage to Gryffindor.

An intriguing piece of evidence supporting this lineage theory is the shared fiery red hair among Weasleys, reminiscent of Gryffindor's own distinctive hair color. Additionally, each Weasley family member's fortuitous placement in Gryffindor House throughout history adds weight to these ancestral connections.

Earning a place among the esteemed "Sacred Twenty-Eight Pure-Blood Families" underscores the Weasley family's significance. Admittance to this exclusive group requires both a long and ancient family history and a steadfast commitment to the tradition of pure-blood marriages, excluding unions with Muggles.

The Weasleys meet both criteria, affirming their deep-seated adherence to pure-blood values. Despite their professed kindness toward Muggles, the family remains resolute in preserving their bloodline from any potential Muggle influence.

A thorough examination of the Weasley family tree spanning nearly a millennium reveals an unwavering commitment to avoiding intermarriage with Muggle wizards. However, the other pure-blooded families think that the Weasleys were cursed to poverty due to their unnecessary kindness and mingling all the time with the muggles.

Even Arthur Weasley, known for his fondness for Muggles, married into another ancient and revered pure-blood family, the Prewetts, when he wed Molly. Notably, in the original book, Molly vehemently opposed Bill's desire to marry Fleur, further emphasizing the family's dedication to preserving their pure-blood lineage.

Hermione suppressed her discontent, tightly pursing her lips in response to the "Witch Weekly" incident. Despite being portrayed as a victim in the article, Molly's support for Harry and Ron made her feel abandoned. Desiring someone to confide in, she glanced towards the Slytherin table, avoiding Harry and Ron as unsuitable confidants.

With Skyler's heightened spiritual power, the Illuminating Insight combined with his magical eyes and heightened senses had become a nearly passive skill. Sensing Hermione's gaze, he looked sharply in her direction. Observing her eyes filled with sadness, "Did the story on this part deviate from the path inside the book once again?" He wondered about the cause.

Without thinking, Skyler sent Hermione an encouraging look and silently made a mouth gesture. "You are doing great!"Skyler mouthed before he flashed a smile toward her.

The smart Hermione quickly understood the meaning of the mouth shape, which was "You are doing great." It's that simple, nothing else. But with just these four simple words, Hermione suddenly felt a warm feeling in her heart, and all the grievances and unhappiness miraculously disappeared without a trace in an instant.

She suddenly wasn't sad anymore as her feelings turned for the better after Skyler's encouragement.

She showed a bright smile, as if those two bright eyes were also smiling. She nodded to Skyler and then went back to discussing Percy's letter with Harry and Ron with a big smile on her face.

Percy's letter was short and impatient:

"As I keep telling the Daily Prophet, Mr. Crouch has worked too hard and is currently taking a break. He regularly sends owls with instructions. No, I have not met him in person, but I think you should believe that I There's no mistaking my boss's handwriting. I've got my hands full at the moment trying to put down these silly rumors. Please don't bother me again unless it's something important. Have a happy Easter."

"Aha!" Hermione said, "Percy didn't see Crouch himself. There is another suspect that we could think of."

"Well," Harry whispered: "So, the person who sneaked into Snape's office on the Marauder's Map that day was really Crouch...we must notify 'Cold' as soon as possible."

"Come on, let's go to the Owlery after eating." Ron chimed in while still continuing to eat.