Ember sparks Fire

"And they did not."

A week has passed since Snape deducted Harry's points. When Griffindor's first got to know they lost so many points because of Harry, their attitudes did a 180-degree turn, straight from adoring him to cursing him behind his back. Even McGonagall made subtle snide remarks about it in her class.

But thanks to it, most Griffindor left him alone so he counted that as a win. Hermione too got some backlash but she earned back all points she lost in few days and the rest of the House left her alone.

"Please bring a complete two-foot essay next week, Mr. Potter. Our house has points back in positives with great difficulty, I rather would hate if your tardiness brings our house back down again." McGonagall said Harry with a stern expression.

"And you too Mister Longbottom." Neville ducked his head, nodding shyly. Hermione, sitting behind them gave McGonagall a disapproving look.

"Class Dismissed"

Harry picked up his bag and left the class with Neville and Hermione. Throughout the week, Hermione stood by him and Neville supported him in his own little way.

"Harry do you need with notes? Professor McGonagall will be after your hide if you lost any house points."

"Or we can do it together?" Harry said, looking at Neville.

Just then trio was stopped by Malfoy and his cronies. Harry was amused to note that this time, he brought along three more with him. He remembered their names from sorting, Zabani, Parkinson, and Nott.

"Mister Malfoy we meet again," Harry said.

"Potter," Malfoy said in a long, drawing voice, "I think we should forget about our first meeting and start over again."

Without waiting for any response from Harry, he continued, "I am Draco Malfoy, heir to Noble House of Malfoy and...I would like to...formally extend a hand of friendship towards you" Draco extended his hand. His speech was mechanical as if he was reading it off the script. It was not difficult for Harry to deduce that Draco was doing it at the behest of his father.

Harry looked at Draco's hand and asked, "And if I refuse?"

Behind Draco, his followers took out their wands and pointed at the trio. Draco was smirking, his hand still extended, "Then what? Are you are going to be friends with them, a squib and a Mudblood" He spat.

"Let me get this straight, you are threatening me to be friends with you?" Harry said, discretely summoning his wand in his sleeve. He noted that both Hermione and Neville had wads ready in their hands. "Is that how you became friends with them, by threatening them?"

Draco fumed, pointing his wand straight at Harry's chest, "Potter, you should know not to mess with Malfoy..."

"Or was it your Father who threatened their parents?" and he saw a few of them flinch. Harry shook his head, "You are extending a hand of friendship but you have no idea what friendship. Friendship brought on from intimidation is not friendship but slavery."

"So mister Malfoy, I would have to reject your hand of 'friendship'" Harry lightly swatted Malfoy's wand and moved past him, Hermione and Neville following behind him.

Malfoy just stood there, frozen. Never in his life, he was ever rebuffed like this. Soon his anger returned and he turned around, pointing his wand at Harry's back "You will regret this Potter."

Harry stopped, without looking around he answered with more heat than he would have liked to show, "I will be no one's slave Malfoy, me not liking it was never a factor."

"And lower your wand before you poke someone in the eye. You may not have got me as a slave but do not make me your enemy." Draco stilled, as did the other Slytherins, their instincts screaming at them to not make the mistake, they are sorely going to regret.

Leaving the Slytherins, Harry, and company made their way towards Great Hall in silence.

"Well, that was intense," Hermione said, not able to take the silence much longer.

Harry snorted and the tension broke. "But in all honesty, did he really expected to accept his offer after what he said about you two. And that is excluding when he tried to 'teach me how to respect my betters' on the train."

"Malfoy could be a major problem Harry, his father is on the Hogwarts board of directors and is very influential in the ministry. Even the Minister of magic defers to Malfoy's father." Neville said, looking worried.

"I and Malfoy could not friends in any definition of word, not unless he stops being a racist bigot. But do not worry, I will be careful."

Soon they reached the door to the great hall, and immediately noticed something different. The entire hall looked agitated, with most students and teachers wearing frowns. Many were reading Daily Prophet, those who did not have one were looking over the shoulder of those who had.

Harry looked towards his leftmost table, Slytherins who were usually the quietest bunch were especially loud, Harry could make out many insults and curses mixed in. Sitting at Griffindor, he ignored the commotion and started his lunch.

"New laws poised to be passed in ICW, Obliviators to be made illegal!" Neville read his copy of Daily Prophet. That immediately made him curious. Lunch forgotten, he and Hermione peered over Neville's shoulders.

The entire front page was dedicated to single news, a large photograph of a Lady speaking to reporters in the middle of it. "Who is she?" Harry asked, absentmindedly.

"Oh, you do not know? She is Ember Ravenclaw, the Enchantress." Neville answered.

Harry stilled, this was the first time he had gotten a look at his Godmother's face. He tuned out Neville in favor of getting a good look, fearing blood wards would backlash anytime. He kept looking, drinking in her features but the backlash never came.

"Harry, Harry!!" It was only when Hermione shook him that he looked away.

"It is great, is it not? If those laws were passed, so much can change for the better." Hermione rambled excitedly.

Harry just shook his head, not getting the context. Hermione continued, "Non-Magicals will have rights in the magical world. No one can just confound or obliviate them at whim."

"They will never pass," Neville said with a tone of finally, "ICW is primarily an organization for maintaining Stature of Secrecy. Such law never will never pass, even if she puts the fear of death in half of them."

"But these laws are wrong, to change memories of anyone non-magical, just because they can is wrong."

"Look from the perspective of Wizards Hermione, if obliviation are banned, wizards will lose their primary tool to maintain their secrecy."

Harry watched as Neville and Hermione argued back and forth, the normally shy boy argued filled with passion. He could understand where Neville was coming from, he was raised as a wizard, in history and culture of seclusion.

But Harry could not condone manipulating muggles in any way simply because someone saw you drinking some fire whiskey. In their disdain and arrogance, wizards barely even try to blend into the non-magical world, instead rely on mind-altering charms and wards.

Harry looked at other tables and noticed everybody was animatedly discussing the same topic, having animated and angry arguments, but most seemed opposed to the motion.

Malfoy and his cronies were back, joining in the chaos that was the Slytherin table, and Harry could guess there were no supporters of the law there.

Harry once again read the article, all the clauses attached to the law. In the shadow of such a big upheaval, there were many other, comparatively smaller acts independently purposed.

"Harry, what do you think?" Hermione turned to him. He thought for a moment, "I think it is not simple as it looks. It is wrong to have the right to mind control anyone but the wizarding world is too set in its traditions, they will not stand for it."

"I suppose you are right," Hermione replied morosely, and Neville gave a triumphed grin, "But that does not make it wrong." Neville shrank under her glare.

Harry looked thoughtful, "I don't think it is that simple. If we can come to this conclusion this easily, how can Ember not know." He may not know Ember as well as he liked, but he knew she was no fool.

Just then Dumbledore entered the hall followed by few wizards and stood in front of his throne. The entire hall immediately quieted down, giving him their undivided attention.

Dumbledore begins, with a little more energy than usual, "Thank you for your attention. We all read a piece of worrying news this morning, a law is being petitioned in ICW to ban obliviation and similar spells on muggles."

"I know you all must be worried. But rest assured, Me as Supreme Mugwump, Minister of magic and a contingent of Ministry Beurocrates will attend the conference will fight with all will and wits against this attempted atrocity on rights of wizards and witches."

A portly man in bowler hat and pinstripe suit came forward, his squeaky voice gaining a powerful quality through the sonorous, "As Minister of Magic, I assure you we will not let these atrocities come to power."

"Every Witch and Wizard as tight to obliviate and confound any muggle, this is our birthright and has been for centuries. No one, no matter who says that

The entire great hall cheered. Students stood up from their seats and clapped, yelled, and a few even stood on their seats to cheer, but not everyone was happy.

Harry watched it with cold apathy, people cheering for their right to mind control. Harry watched on as Hermione lost all respect for the Ministry of Magic, he watched as Neville realized how messed up his world is, he watched on as at Hufflepuff table, [The Protector] watched everyone around him, taking note of who was a future threat, he watched at the head table, Snape and Dumbledore doing same.

Harry watched as lines were drawn and winds of change started to blow. Something big was coming, he knew it, he could feel magic whispering to him about it, of great violence the lay ahead. Ember sparked a change and he was sure it was much, much more than what appears on the surface.

"I had enough of it, Let's go," Harry said, his voice every bit apathetic as he felt.