More Meetings

"We of the Student Counsel meet again. Terry Boot is my record keeper, and I, Head boy Gillian, will lead. First off, many thanks for the material provided for by Harry Potter and Company, and the skills in making and rune work of the few who formed it into armour. I have had those on the Inquisitor's Squad, as well as our regular prefects, tell me thanks for the extra protection. Let's give them a hand, folks!"

As Terry wrote down a quick note, the room grew loud with the group clapping. Gillian waited a minute for the clapping to stop before continuing. As he did, the clapping ceased.

"As to continue the topics from last time, Daphne, have you gotten in contact with the Head of the DMLE?"

"I have. I have also sent a letter off to the Improper Use of Artifacts Office as well. I don't known about you, but a quill designed for signing contracts as its only proper use being used as a torture device is an improper use of the quill. I have had replies saying that the heads of the main department and the subdivision are willing to work with us on this issue. We are going to have to show that we are working as a group on this, as we (and here she gestured around the room) are united on this but a good portion of us who have parents or relatives in the Ministry and Wizengamot are often working against each other. The war starting is not making this easy. So to have both Light and Dark families working together will make this go through."

A random sixth year spoke up.

"You're talking as if we need to bring this up in the Wizengamot?"

"If we get our relatives in the Wizengamot to support and make a move to deny any use of blood quills in detention on both the Board of Governors and in the Wizengamot, then we make what she is doing, even with Minister approval that she has, illegal. It doesn't matter then if Minister Fudge may be against the idea, for if both Light and Dark sides vote for that, then he doesn't have the power to nay-say it. He doesn't have the votes."

"Then, when she refuses because she still has that writ, then she is breaking the law."

"Then she can be arrested for that as well."

"That's three things then: We get Madam Bones to go after her for making students feel unsafe, torture of minors, and using a blood quill in detention."

"When's the next Wizengmot meeting?"

"This week Wednesday, I believe."

"You're not sure?"

"I was more sure before school started, but now we're meeting as well and I've been paying more attention to these."

"Understood. Does anyone else have any idea? We need to get this to our parents and other representatives before then if possible."

"My Dad normally is at the Ministry Wednesday and Thursday."

"My uncle as well."

"Susan? Your aunt is there at each one as well."

"Yeah, but she's also there for her office work. I don't know the days off by heart that she's there for trials, lawmaking, or her regular work."

"Understood."

"Can I make a move that we each send our representative on the Wizengamot a letter on a move that we should make?"

"Can I make the same move but add sending letters to the Board of Governors as well?"

"Alright, Blaise, Draco. Second to either motion?"

"Here. Second to the motion to send letters to representatives of both the Wizengamot and the Board of Governors."

"Raise your hand if you agree."

Gillian counted.

"Raise your hand if you disagree."

Gillian counted no hands this time.

"Thank you. Motion carried unanimously."

Terry was heard scribbling.

"Should we send a message to the DMLE that we are trying as a group to get the blood quills banned with no exceptions from schools except in the Headmaster's and Deputy Headmaster's offices and for signing contracts related to hiring and firing staff only?"

"As in so that Umbridge, if she acts as we're certain she is capable of, can get arrested for clear direct law violation as well as stuff that she could probably wriggle herself out of?"

"Yes."

"Good thinking. Daphne, as you have already reached out to them, can you please do so?"

"Sure."

"Terry, do you have that?"

"Almost" was heard, then a few more movements of the quill were seen, and then he said, "Done that."

"Next order of business is the next game, specifically, getting the staff and students to the game without Umbridge knowing. Ideas?"

"Question: Why are we discussing this and not the Quidditch captains?"

"Answer: Because while we can dictate to our teams, we don't have the same authority to the rest of the student body unless to take points for something a prefect typically would."

"Understood."

"In order to direct the amount of people that the student body is made up of, we will need a lot of people."

"Good point. What if we use prefects and the Inquisitor's Squad?"

"As opposed to the group of us?"

"Well, think of it this way. We're already in danger of being shut down because we are a danger to her changes. She knows that. If she catches us, we, the student counsel, can be shut down at least temporarily if she gets what she wants and enough support from other teachers."

"I think its the same danger if we use the prefects and the Inquisitor's Squad. She knows who each of us are as well. She doesn't know who all are here."

"We could even use the Quidditch teams and prefects, as an option. Use the team members who aren't playing this month to direct traffic, and that means that there is a month for them to heal up. Prefects have armour. If we keep most of the Inquisitor's Squad out of the loop, then they can't tell. We are trying to get Umbridge arrested in the next two weeks or so."

"Correct."

"Yes, we could do that! We really could."

"I mean, we could place invitations by the plates for everybody just like the candies last time."

"We'd have to do something else for the teachers."

"Do we need to even have teachers?"

"We'll need to have the Heads of Houses at least."

"Are there spells for mail and stuff to keep your mail from being read by anyone else?"

"That's definitely an idea. Send the Heads of Houses invitations with spells against tampering or for specific people."

A seventh year raised his hand. "Can I make a motion that the Quidditch teams and prefects guide and invite the students and Heads of Houses to the next game?"

"Motion made. Who'll second this motion?"

Ron raised his hand.

"Ron Weasley seconds. All who agree?"

Gillian counted. It wasn't unanimous, but it was still a majority.

"All who disagree?"

The few who hadn't agreed raised their hands and Gillian counted them as well.

"Motion carried."

The rest of the meeting went well, and the students left in little groups heading in all directions.

.

Severus Snape and Sirius Black did not see completely eye to eye. That was definitely an understatement. However, Severus Snape had found on this day the letter that Sirius Black had sent him, asking forgiveness for all the bullying that he had done at school and while he was in the Order before being sent to Azkaban, and the name calling since. Truthfully, Severus Snape had mostly gotten over it, as the two and a partial years working with the Marauders in the Order before the Dark Lord had... died temporarily and growing maturity had made him see it as the lesser of the two evils between serving the Dark Lord and being bullied. The Marauders had lightened up quite a bit after school, seeing that they didn't live in the same castle with less opportunities, and had mostly resorted to name calling and bringing up things from Hogwarts. That Sirius Black had had to have a former of Potter's bullies point out what he was doing and compared it to what he had been doing showed that Sirius was still childish. He... what? Wasn't so childish? According to this last strand of logic, he was more childish in this instance than the former Gryffindor and his brother who recently joined his house. In that case, he was just as childish keeping the anger on those boys. In continuance of that logic, he was even more childish keeping up the hate on Gryffindor house. Never mind that the house was brave and fool hardy, his anger towards them had continually chased them away or to stubbornly continue on their path. It didn't mean for a good success rate of that house in potions.

Here was the burden of Severus Snape. Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts, had talked many times of how Harry Potter had attributes of both parents. In doing so, he was trying to get the now middle aged man to grow up a little. However, what tactics might be used for Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs are not tactics to be used on Slytherins or those who have trouble with typical social interactions or the paranoid, so Severus Snape was only seeing how Harry Potter was both the reminder of a lost friendship and a former bully, a push to stubbornly continue as he was towards the boy. He was also quite used to arguing with what the Headmaster said, having been on the opposite side of the battlefield before switching sides. He was not seeing what Dumbledore was pushing him to see, or act. It took finding the lesson on his own or from a less typical source for him to see it. His pride and paranoia had blinded him.

Even so, it took him a while to admit that what the conclusion he had come to was correct. Then, because he was no Gryffindor, he had planned each of the next four moves and repercussions with back up plans. Each apology and how to answer those answering him was thought over and analyzed. It smarted to think that a fifteen year old that was at the same competency level as Crabbe was better than him at something.

He sat down and wrote the letter.

Next step, apologizing to those Gryffindors in the building. That one would take some thinking on his feet, though starting with the former Gryffindor Potter was the first start. After that were his classes, and changing the stance towards that particular foolhardy house.

He decided to do that one this evening, with the random curfew check of the week.

.

"Zabini, Dursley-Potter, what are you doing out of your dorm? You were supposed to have been in there five minutes ago. I'm taking off five points each."

"Sorry, Professor, but we can't go in there right now."

"Tell me why this instant."

The two boys looked at each other.

"Malfoy and my brother are running late today."

"Any more details?" asked the teacher who was becoming angrier by the minute. And he was going to apologize to the brat that was... well, not annoying him on purpose, but doing things in a manner that would get them caught, which was annoying him. Then, he had the fear of having to rescue said boy from his Death-Eater in upbringing dorm mate. Well, he was going to interrupt them now.

Both boys shook their heads.

"No, sir."

The man walked quickly to the dorm room and opened the door, completely willing to disturb whatever was on the other side. What he saw once he opened the door was not what he expected. Potter and Malfoy were on beds facing each other, and staring into each other's eyes. He knew what was going on, and it was legilimency.

"Malfoy, Potter."

He gave them a minute for the one to leave the other's mind before scolding them.

"...and I'm taking fifteen points from Slytherin for neither of you keeping track of time and causing your fellow students to stay out of the dorm after curfew. Both of you are getting detention with me as well. Draco Malfoy, yours is tomorrow morning before breakfast. Harry Potter, you will see me for yours after dinner. Do not be late."

The apology would have to wait. Just what were those two numbskulls thinking?