Chapter 13 Our Rights

The next morning two very excited, but tired, boys ran down the stairs. It was early, and they were raring to go. Each were dressed in respectably slacks and polo shirts. Hair combed, as much as it could be for Harry, faces washed, teeth brushed, all neat and tidy. They wanted to make a good impression.

They were ready to grab the adults, so they could go back to their room and head to school. Each portkey was allotted to go off at a certain time, and in a certain area. The child's bedroom. Since it was only ten minutes until Harry's was set to go, they wanted to make sure they were ready.

"Mum! Dad!" Justin called as he slid into the dining room.

"Don't yell in the house," Patrice scolded, though she was smiling. She knew he was just anxious. He had been the same way his first year in primary, and Hogwarts.

"I just wanted you guys to know we're ready to go," Justin pouted, standing in the doorway, his arms folded.

Harry nodded and patted Justin on the back. "Yeah, we're ready. We've got all our books packed and stuff," he said, bouncing in place.

"Okay, Harry's first, right?" Patrick asked from the mostly empty table. They had only been drinking coffee and reading the paper, waiting for the boys. The children would eat at school, breakfast and lunch, so they had held off on their own. Though it would be much later than usual since they had a meeting this morning.

"Yeah, in… five minutes," Harry said, glancing at his watch, fretting he'd be late.

"Well, we'd better get going then," Patrice said smiling, raising from her seat and going to Harry. The boys scrambled up the stairs, and Harry went to his room, Justin to his. They each picked up their expanded backpacks and stood in the square that marked this leaving/arrival area. The portkey around their necks.

Patrick was with Justin, and Patrice with Harry.

Six minutes later the boys were at school. The adults met in the middle of the hall and sighed.

"Do you think we should have told them?" Patrice asked, making her way down the stairs.

"No, we'll give them an abridged version tonight. No sense in worrying them on their first day of school," Patrick said, get his suit jacket and putting it on.

"Let's go then," his wife sighed again, grabbing her purse. He could tell she was not looking forward to today. They had both called into work and were now ready to face the 'enemy'. They took the car, and drove to London, where they'd meet the rest of their party.

It was a large group of people who entered the Ministry of Magic. It consisted of, the Mayor of Gobhan Caraidean, Nicholas Bradstone, the Deputy Headmaster, John Foresight, the Prime Minister, John Major and his secretary. There were quite a few adult muggleborn bodyguards, carrying guns, and the Finch-Fletchley parents, who were picked to represent the PTA.

They entered the phonebooth, three at a time. Telling the operator that they were there to confront the Wizengamot. Each got a name tag that stated they were there to fight a losing battle. They all scoffed.

They made quite an impression, each dressed for court, in suits and tie, or a sharp office dress for Mrs. Finch-Fletchley, and the three officials were carrying briefcases. They made a few head turn as whispers followed them through the Ministry. The guard that checked wands shook his head when none were presents. They just barreled through and went to the elevators.

They stormed to courtroom ten, where they had been ordered to go. Not that they had to follow those orders, but they felt it better to let these people know they had no hold on them. Throwing open the wide double doors, they marched into the middle of the room.

The Wizengamot was in full session, everyone was there. They were all glaring at the group that just entered.

Cornelius Fudge was sitting next to Dolores Umbridge. Albus Dumbledore was seated in his throne like chair. And Amelia Bones was next to Fudge. There were a variety of expression on all those faces, from disappointed, to sympathetic, to rage.

Before Dumbledore could open his mouth, Fudge opened his. "We are here to shutdown your school, and you will tell us where this new town is. You have stolen students from Hogwarts, as well as gold from our economy. We…" that was as far as he got when the sound of a gunshot filled the air.

"I'm sorry," Bradstone said completely insincerely, "you seem to be under the impression that we care what you or this body thinks." He waved his hand in a circle, and then sneered. "We're only here to tell you, and everyone in this world to bugger off," he finished with a satisfied grin, like that was something he wanted to say for a long time.

"Yes," Major stated with a cough, trying to keep from laughing. He had to stay professional. He represented the Crown. "These people with me and all they represent are under the Crowns laws. You have no hold on them whatsoever." He nodded his head to the Mayor and Deputy Headmaster.

The muggleborn bodyguards were spread out behind them, training their guns at the men and women in the stands. If they saw one wand, they had orders to shoot to maim.

"Hem, hem. What do you mean, no hold? They're wizards, and we rule all wizards," Umbridge simpered, making many people cringe.

"No, you don't," Major said sternly, giving her a disgusted look. "These people and those they represent are citizens of the United Kingdom. They have agreed to stay separate, yet still follow the basics of our laws. Your International Confederation of Wizards has given them sanction. Mr. Dumbledore knows this," he nodded his head to the old man, who looked affronted.

"I do not seem to recall any such thing," the man said, running his hand down his beard in a thoughtful fashion. No one in the group believed him. Though, it looked like the Wizengamot did. Fools.

"Not all the children in your school are muggleborn," Umbridge stated snidely.

"They have free will. Your citizens are not prisoners. They can go, or in this case, send their children where they want. You can't control that, and if you try, I'm sure you will be voted out of office," Major stated, looking down his nose at the hideous visage before him.

"Be that as it may, we are the ruling body of all wizards in Britain. You will…" another gunshot went off, causing Fudge to fall back in his chair. Damn thing seemed to go off every time he gave an order.

"You threw us away," Foresight said, a sneer on his face. "You took us in, educated us with subpar schooling, for a large sum of money I might add, and then denied us work. We had to go back to the non-magical world with no education, no money, and no skills. Then you have the audacity to hide our heritage from us."

"What are you talking about? The goblins are in control of the gold. If it was hidden from you it was because of them," someone shouted from the Wizengamot.

"Liar!" Foresight shouted, turning to the Wizengamot. "We know what you told the goblins, every single one of you knows that there are no such things as muggleborns. Even the first magical was not born but evolved, just like normal humans." That caused grumbling.

"Where's your proof?" someone yelled.

"Everywhere. There has always been magicals around, even in the time of the caveman. Shaman, village healers, witchdoctors, holy men. They've always been there. It wasn't until the Romans that they started procreating into a more sustainable population. It's all throughout history. Yet, you bastards denied us, and now that we are taking what's ours, you have the balls to tell us we can't. Let me put this as simple as I can. Fuck off!" he finished with a yell, his face red with anger, his shoulders heaving with emotion.

Major put his hand on the distraught man's shoulder, squeezed it a bit and moved him back. Foresight was usually a calm and kind man, hence him being Deputy Headmaster, but this must have hit home to him. The Prime Minster had heard the horror stories from many, about how they had been thrown back into the non-magical world with no money, and most with families that rejected them. Seven years lost to so many. Support groups had sprung up, helping where they could, but still it had to hurt to be denied what was promised. And now finding out that they had had money all this time…

"What rubbish are you speaking?" the pink toad said. "It is a well know fact that muggleborns steal magic," she snapped, her face just as red at Foresight's.

That cause the Wizengamot to murmur, many didn't agree with Umbridge, and felt she had no right putting words in their mouths. A few stood up and yelled at her to be silent. Until Dumbledore created a bang from his wand. He missed the Elder Wand, but he found his old one.

"Do you not care that Hogwarts, and Diagon Alley will suffer with your withdrawal?" he asked the group. "The magical world will deteriorate due to your seceding," he added as if his words would make them change their minds.

"Pfft," came the noise from many of the bodyguards.

"You know, Dumbledore, it is you we blame the most," Bradstone said, folding his arms and glaring at the old man.

"Me?" the old man asked, completely confused. "I've done all I could for muggleborns," he stated.

"Yes, you," the other man said with a pointed look. "You sat on your throne in the Great Hall, and preached kindness and forgiveness. You sat back and watched as we were bullied, hexed for not being pure. You told us that it was children letting off steam, as we sat in the Hospital Wing getting treated. You took a few points off the offenders but smiled your kind smile and told them it was alright, that no one was badly hurt. And then you said that it would be different when we left Hogwarts. So, we had hope, until you sat on this throne, and preached the same thing, telling us that it was tradition as we were cast out. You are a fraud, sir," he finished, then nodded his head to Major.

Major pulled a folder from the briefcase at his side. "This," he held it up, "is from the Queen. It is orders to clean up your act. We will let you stay separate from us, but unlike the last war you had, were many non-magical people were killed, if a war breaks out again, and you let it flow over to us, then we will come here and destroy you."

That caused more shouting, which was ignored. Another gunshot shut them up.

"However, will you do that?" Dumbledore asked, genuinely curious.

"Never you mind," Major said, waving his question away. "It is in the treaty that you would never use your magic to kill non-magicals," he continued. "We let it slide last time because you said you had it all under control. We found out, from the muggleborns, that this was a lie, and you covered up the crimes. Not again. There will be a magical bodyguard with every government official from now on. All the parents of muggleborns have been given the right to protect their home anyway they feel necessary. I will tell you right now, if one wand is raised in anyone's direction. You will be killed on sight." He stated, throwing the folder in front of Fudge.

He then turned and started out of the room. The rest followed with the bodyguards covering their retreat. Noise exploded before the doors closed, but they kept walking.

Soon enough they were back in the non-magical world. Times for meetings were arranged, and then they all parted. They knew it would only be a matter of time before the wizards did something stupid. Plans had to be made.

Meanwhile at Dagworth-Granger's Fine Institute of Learning and Magic, breakfast was under way for the secondary students. They only had an hour, then the primary would start porting in and they'd head to class.

The cafeteria was on the third floor, with the porting room next to it. Primary classes were on the first and second floor, and secondary were on the fourth and fifth. The offices were on the ground floor.

Children were laughing and talking and generally making noise. Some, like Hermione were studying before class. She had talked her friends into opening their books, but they were only skimming them and talking, which made her huff.

Many of the teachers, however, and the Headmistress were frantically combing the cafeteria. The wards had been pinging since the kids arrived and they were searching for what caused it, without alerting the children. Wands were discreetly out and scanning the hall.

Suddenly a loud young girl's voice said, "I am not a stupid girl, Tom!" and a book flew across the room. It landed on the floor next to the teacher table.

"That's what we're looking for. Who threw it?" one teacher asked, heading for the evil feeling book.

"It was the little redhead. Ginny Weasley, I think," another stated, moving towards the girl, who was crying.

"Bring her to the office," the Headmistress whispered. "Be gentle about it. And call her parents. I'll get the police," she ordered and then bustled away.

Soon enough, the Headmistress and the Weasleys were all settled in the office, which was simply a desk, chair, filing cabinets, and bookcases. There was plenty of room, and everyone was sitting in conjured chairs.

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were sitting on either side of Ginny, who was looking sad and scared.

"Well, this is not the way I wanted the first day to go," Madam Fitzgerald said, folding her hands on her desk. "However, it is nice to know the wards work," she sighed. Her face softened as she looked at the terrified child. "Can you tell me where you got diary?" she asked kindly.

The book was already gone, the police took it immediately. They said that they would give it to the equivalent of Unspeakables. There they would analyze it to find out just what it was.

"Percy gave it to me," Ginny whispered. "He said it was in his books he got for Hogwarts. He said only girls write in diaries, but that can't be right because it was a boy's name on the cover."

"Ginny?" her father said, inquisitively. "Did the book write back?" He really wanted to know. According to the Headmistress she had shouted at the book, so is was a good question.

"Yes, he said his name was Tom," she started quietly, then her voice raised a bit, "and that he'd help me in school. He was always talking about how good Hogwarts was. I tried to tell him that I wasn't going there, but he kept saying that it was the only school. He wouldn't listen to me, until here this morning. I told him all about Dags, and the called me a stupid girl who couldn't do anything right. So, I got mad and threw it. You know the rest," she said the last in a whisper.

"We'll talk about this when you get home tonight," Arthur stated, petting her hair.

"Mr. Weasley, did anything happen that day in Diagon Alley? A book like that would not be in a store," Fitzgerald asked, looking at the head of the girl's house.

"There was a bit of a scuffle between me and another man. He was upset at me," Arthur said, furrowing his brow trying to remember. "The last thing I did working for the Ministry was raid his home. We didn't find much, but he was affronted by that. I think. I know he opposed a bill I had submitted before I left. Even after I was gone, it was still on the docket," the man said, looking at the head mistress. "Do you think it was a plant?" he asked, horrified.

"It could very well be. What was the man's name?" she asked, picking up a pencil.

"Malfoy, Lucius Malfoy," Arthur told her.

"Very well," she said as she jotted it down. She then looked up. "I will inform the police when we are finished. I suggest you do the same," she said with a quirked eyebrow. Then she smiled at Ginny. "You can return to class, dear. But do try not to write in anything that writes back, unless told to by a teacher."

"Yes, ma'am," she mumbled, then hugged her parents and left the room. The secretary was outside to show her the way.

School returned to normal and the children had a busy day. Harry and Justin ported home and met in the hall. They were talking a mile a minute about what had happened that day. They finally made it to the sitting room where Justin's parents were relaxing. They sat opposite of them and rambled about classes.

"It was great," Justin gushed. "All non-magical classes, as you know. We had English, Math and Geography in the morning, then Arts and P.E. in the afternoon. Each class is about two hours long, but only an hour apart. It was wicked," he said, snatching up a biscuit. "they're going to stagger the class throughout the week. But we have English, Math and P.E. every day."

"Yeah, but I can't wait until we can do magic," Harry pouted a bit, also grabbing a biscuit.

"It's only a few months," Patrick consoled. "You can practice some here, but only what you learned last year, and only after homework."

"Did you meet up with all your friends?" Patrice asked, sipping her tea.

"Yeah, and we made a few new ones. Neville, Hermione, Dean all sat with us at breakfast and lunch. We met the youngest Weasley, and a girl name Luna. She's really weird, but nice," Justin said, biting his cookie.

"Yeah, but, that Ron kid, Ginny's brother, he was at Hogwarts last year, he was upset that he couldn't bring his pet to school. He kept going on and on about how if he were a Hogwarts, he'd be able to. But the rules say no animals," Harry said wondering why the boy would want to bring a dirty old rat to school anyway.

"Breakfast was a bit exciting," Justin said, then telling them what he knew. Which wasn't much, just that the teachers freaked out over a book, and Ginny had to go to the Head Office. Ginny had told them it was an evil book at lunch.

"Well, I guess we know the wards work," Patrick said, pleased that it all happened without incident. The adults looked at one another, debating what to tell the boys about their morning. Then decided to keep it brief. "We had some excitement as well. We, and a few others, were called in front of the Wizengamot, which is like the House of Lords. We informed them that they were no long in control of us, or any muggleborn. And then we left. Easy-peasy."

"Sounds like we all had an eventful day. You boys go do your homework. Dinner's at seven," Patrice said, shooing them away. "I hope we don't get any visitors any time soon," she said to her husband after she heard the boys upstairs.

"If they come, I'll be waiting," he said, his face like granite.

She just sighed and sipped her tea.