CHAPTER 107: THE MUGGLE WAR, PT 5

It was mid-afternoon on Wednesday, when the children were just catching a breath after Snape had made them do a series of intense emergency escape-drills, when Harry felt a tug on his arm and thought he saw a flash of gold. Dumbledore?

He stood up and left the room, supposedly to the bathroom. In the hallway, the old wizard appeared.

"Harry, there is something crucial we need to discuss. Will you come with me to the Ministry of Magic? Now?"

"Sure," Harry shrugged. "I doubt my presence is critical to operations here."

The Headmaster grabbed his arm, and with another burst of flame, Harry reappeared in the Chief Warlock's office, where a soft, comfortable chair was already placed in front of the desk. The former Headmaster of Hogwarts himself sat down on the chair behind the desk.

"At this very moment," he spoke gravely, "a closed session of the Wizengamot is debating your emancipation. The vote will pass in about thirty minutes time, and I will be sent to collect you, so you can take your family seat and participate in further discussions."

"About time," Harry said.

Professor Dumbledore just smiled tiredly. "This is a very unusual decision, Harry. A pre-O.W.L. student filing for independence would not normally be accepted, even with the full support of their guardian. I believe it would not have been successful if not for the current crisis, and the rather favorable impression you have made recently. I have spoken of the suggestions you made yesterday – which are admittedly naive, but have the potential to be expanded on since they move in directions we had not considered before – and your request to take your family seat and be included in the discussions regarding our response to the Muggle violence. I have also made them aware that you have extensively studied the Muggle world, but stressed that you are still a noble child of a witch and a wizard. I may not have been entirely truthful in suggesting that you explicitly asked for emancipation, but I suspect that I did not misrepresent your wishes in doing so regardless."

Harry nodded. "Correct."

"Even with many of the Wizengamot realizing that your expertise could be valuable," the old wizard resumed, "the vote might not have passed if it were not for your recent trial. It has been argued that you have proved your maturity in that instance, as you had both ability and inclination to destroy the nation's prison, yet chose not to do so. For one who is to be included in the Wizengamot immediately on being recognized as an adult, it is fundamental that you have shown yourself not to be rash, as Miss Granger was in destroying the Dementors surrounding Azkaban, but understanding of a precarious political situation."

"Er... That was the worst decision of my life. Or would have been if Hermione hadn't done the job in my place."

"I would strongly suggest that you refrain from mentioning this view," the old wizard said with a smile.

"All right..." Harry said. "So why the extra thirty minutes?

The old wizard took a deep breath. "There is a little more I must prepare you for. You see, over the last few days I have not merely been trying to get you involved in the decision making process; I have been seeking to have you included as an influential member from the start. You may find that many of the more open-minded people – from all sides of the political spectrum, not merely mine – are prepared to view you not as a child but rather as a prodigy, a new player on the chess board who is almost certain to come into power before long. They will remember that you have invented two unprecedented new spells in your first year, managed to strike up a friendship with both the Malfoy and Longbottom heirs as well as a Muggleborn, and that when you last spoke before the Wizengamot, you demonstrated a greater competence than many of its members, resolving conflicts and broaching subjects which others did not dare to raise. They will also acknowledge your admirable foresight in teaching three fellow students your variation of the Patronus Charm, which helped to keep last week's tragedy in hand, and all are aware of your natural assumption of command in Monday night's battle, which may well have saved hundreds of lives. Add to that the things many of those same Lords and Ladies have learned from their children and grandchildren of your performance in school, and the dominance you seem to hold in your year... In short, I imagine that you will have a following."

Harry blinked, taking this in. "If you can run that sort of PR campaign on such a short notice, how come you're not ruling the world yet?"

The old man smiled. "I merely said you will have a following, not that everyone will follow you – not by far. And the reason these tales could be circulated into the enemy camp is that I did not advocate for you directly, nor does it seem to be help me much to gather support for you. You are an independent actor, aligned neither with myself nor my opponents, and many in the political scene are open to embracing a change of its climate and welcome fresh blood – provided, of course, the blood in question is moderately pure and clearly powerful. What is more, the foundation was already laid. You have no preexisting enemies with a motive to bring up less favorable episodes. I feared Lord Malfoy's resistance, but he has so far been remarkably silent on the issue. But do not be overconfident. Not everyone perceives you in the same light; most of the Wizengamot, I imagine, will not easily overlook your youth."

Harry nodded slowly. "That's... useful, I guess. Thank you." Since when did he get so cooperative?

"What is more," the old man continued. "Amelia Bones and a rare few others understand what I have been trying to accomplish. Should a suitable situation arise, do not be surprised if Amelia pushes for you to be given authority."

Harry paused. What?

And then he suddenly understood what the old man was doing.

"You're not helping me because you believe I will do a good job, are you?" He asked hollowly.

The old wizard met his eyes. "I do have faith in you, Harry. You have a good heart, the idealism I have long been forced to lose, and wisdom well beyond your years. But I confess that it is not the sole reason I am pushing for you to come into power earlier than you otherwise would."

"You're giving him what he wants," Harry concluded. "You're trying to get me put in charge, regardless of what I may do, so Riddle will stop interfering. You're losing."

"I know you must think me weak." The old man tore his eyes away, staring at the wall instead. "For ten long years, I have fought Voldemort. Ten years of death, loss, agony. Fighting a losing battle, and yet knowing that more people would suffer if I did not fight. Then a miracle happened and I got my reprieve, always knowing that it could not last forever. And then you came, and you told me that he had been holding back all along. That he could have won easily, had he only chosen to."

Grief crossed the old face. "People are dying once more, in greater numbers than before, and it will only get worse. For all my efforts, I have no hope of stopping this war; I can only futilely try to mitigate its damage. I cannot bear it anymore, Harry! If we have no hope of winning regardless, will it not be better to lose quickly, rather than sacrificing numerous lives to only stall the inevitable?"

"I see," breathed Harry. And he did see. He had given the former Headmaster an out, the idea that perhaps he could just give up and stop fighting, and the world would be no worse for it. And it might even be true.

"I expect that, if you should manage to come into power," the old wizard continued, "you will not attempt to subjugate Muggles. Nor do I expect that –" he trailed off. "Come in!"

The door opened and Mad-Eye Moody strode into the room. He turned his face to look at Professor Dumbledore, who nodded and started casting a number of wordless spells. Finally, he turned back to Harry.

"Before we carry on, there is one test we must try, Harry. Alastor?"

"Imperio."

It was the most wonderful feeling. Harry felt a floating sensation as every thought in his mind was wiped away, leaving nothing but a vague, untraceable happiness.

(Yet somewhere inside him, something struggled for attention.)

UNTIE YOUR SHOELACES, a voice in his head said. It wasn't any of the usual voices, but it carried such a tone of command, that his brain almost unquestionably sent the command to his hands to obey.

No! said a small voice inside him. Harry's hand halted. Where does that voice come from? It is not me!

UNTIE YOUR SHOELACES the voice of God repeated in his head.

I normally wouldn't just follow random voices in my head, the small voice repeated, almost inaudible but persistent. I would question where they came from. What has changed between then and now?

Oh, I don't know, maybe the part where the ex-Auror guy pointed his wand at us and said Imperio? Harry recognized the new voice as his Slytherin side speaking.

Oh. Right.

With a rush of disorientation, thought returned to Harry's consciousness. He gasped as the dreamlike state lifted. That had been weird, listening to his own thought processes as an outsider.

"What –"

"He's done it, Albus."

"I can see that. Thank you Alastor. And Harry, I am sorry, but before we proceed with the plan to steer you towards a position of influence, I had to know what would happen if you were placed under the Imperius Curse."

"You just – !"

The man looked grim. "I do apologize for violating your free will, but if we succeed, and you come into a position of influence, we cannot have you controlled by Voldemort or some other powerful wizard. Fortunately, the Imperius Curse does not become much stronger as the caster's power grows. If you can resist Alastor, especially without mental preparation, you can resist anyone. I hope you understand the need, and why I did not ask for your consent."

Harry breathed deeply, once, twice. He did understand. And given that Moody had done nothing worse than trying to make him untie his shoelaces, he really didn't have a proper reason to feel overly offended about it.

"Isn't that illegal?"

"Yes, it is, which is why we are doing this now, as opposed to when you go before the Wizengamot. I hardly think you are likely to report us."

Given how much blackmail material you have on me, Headmaster, that's kind of a given.

"How does Amelia Bones feel about your doing this? She's in on your plans, isn't she?"

"Partially," the man nodded. "Her main incentive to follow my suggestion of leading you into influence is to lay a trap for Voldemort, actually. She believes that if we can bring him out into the open, her Aurors may have a chance to overpower him."

"Good luck with that," Harry muttered. In the corner, Mad-Eye snorted. "Don't underestimate Amelia."

"To answer your question," Dumbledore spoke, "she does not officially know what I am doing, and is wise enough not to ask. The Imperius Curse is illegal, even for testing and teaching purposes, and even with consent. There are good reasons for that, although yes, I rather believe that an exception is warranted in this case. However, I feel that I should mention that your success was entirely probable; anyone who knows you and understands the spell would have expected you to be able to resist. It takes a certain force of personality and rejection of authority, which you possess in abundance. In truth, my fear was not so much that you would be unable to resist, but rather that it would pass control to... certain parts of you."

Ah. If his dark side had been a separate entity, it did make some sort of sense that when his consciousness got discoupled from his thoughts, his dark side might take over. But it wasn't, and it hadn't. Regardless...

"How do you know that that's not what happened?"

"Because the spell was lifted from you, as Alastor sensed. Besides, you do not now seem to be the persona you were in January, when the Dementor reduced you to the coldest, darkest part of yourself." He did not mention Harry's dark side explicitly, Harry noticed. Moody had probably not been told about that particular detail. Which was a flaw, as Moody might well be able to figure out the horcrux thing, but Harry wasn't going to bring it up.

""I see," he said instead. "And, forgive my asking, but are you sure it was lifted from me? I mean, I think I'm fine again, but I don't have that much experience with the Imperius Curse, and maybe that's just what he wants me to think. I'm surprised you trusted him to Imperius me, honestly." Moody just grinned. That was one good thing about the paranoid ex-Auror: he would never be offended by such an accusation.

The Former Headmaster smiled, with a glance at his friend. "I am certain the spell was lifted from you, Harry, because you can see that in the eyes the moment it happens. And I had to rely on him, since I cannot cast the spell myself. It was the safest option. Alastor cannot be controlled with the Imperius Curse, and I tested him beforehand for all disguises known to man. He insisted that I do, in fact."

"At least you're thinking properly," Moody growled. "That makes this whole mess a tiny bit less of a disaster. And it's time. Take him away, Albus. I'll see myself out."

Harry stood before the greatest people of the country, thinking what a stupid little man Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic, seemed to be.

"Mr. Potter," the Minister of Magic was saying in formal tones. "A select group of representatives of the Wizengamot have reached the decision to honor your request for emancipation and recognize you as an adult. This means you will assume formal leadership of your house: you will be known as Lord Potter, have full access to your family vault, and may assume your family's seat in the Wizengamot. You will also be held fully responsible for your actions, and judged as an adult for any crimes you should commit. Do you accept?"

"I do," Harry answered in an equally formal tone. As long as that crime judging part is not retro-active.

"Welcome then, Lord Potter," boomed the Chief Warlock. "Feel free to take a seat. We shall have suitable robes made for you within three days."

Harry carefully climbed up the half-circles, noting how much space was free. Many of the Wizengamot must already have left the country, and it might not be easy to get back on a regular basis. He carefully selected a place right in the middle of the room, away both from Dumbledore's and Malfoy's camp. Everyone will know that that is a sign.

"Now that this pointless interlude is settled," a man on the Malfoy side spoke, "perhaps we can finally get back to debating the current crisis."

"Of course, Mr. Nember," the Chief Warlock nodded. "But please do recall that we agreed to debate Lord Potter's emancipation due to its relevance to the... other situation. Lord Potter might bring a key voice to the debate."

The man snorted, but abated.

"May I ask," Harry said. "Exactly what the current status is? I was not briefed before being brought here."

"We have confirmation from Sarissa Johnson that not the Muggle government, but rather high-ranked figures in their military were responsible for Monday's events," Madam Bones answered. "Military-grade equipment has been handed out to civilians all over the country, and there have been various attacks. We have contacted the Prime Minister, but he called for security and we deemed it more diplomatic to leave. It also does not seem likely that the man has any hold over his people. The Wizengamot have been debating a response, but so far no resolution has been reached."

"That is to say," a man Harry did not know by name spoke up, "For some unfathomable reason we are still debating whether to pander to those child-murderers, or show them what it means to put yourself against wizards."

"You are unreasonable, Lord Usto!" Dumbledore spoke loudly. "You would punish the many for the actions of the few. In relative terms, a mere handful of Muggles have assaulted wizards. Most Muggles just want to live their lives in peace. Most, I daresay, would not even approve of the actions of those you view as their representatives."

"So our real ire should be aimed at those Muggles you conveniently sent off abroad, is what you're saying," Lord Usto bit. "The ones with their hands on the blade, those are the ones you gave back to their own kind, where undoubtedly they are now feasting and celebrating their victory. If anything, they should have been cut open in front of their families as an example! Since they are beyond our reach now, I say we pick their family and neighbors for punishment."

"There is no purpose in revenge!" The Chief Warlock exclaimed. "Our kind have already taken thrice as many Muggle lives as they have taken ours, in the last two days alone!"

"Well, that's nothing, is it?" Another man – Lord Jugson, if Harry remembered correctly – piped up. "A wizard is easily worth a hundred Muggles!"

"This is pointless," another man on the Malfoy side spoke up. "We are not in a position to exact revenge. Beasts though they may be, they hold power that I would not have imagined possible."

"They won't be able hurt us if we kill the lot of them first, Mr. McWillen."

"There are sixty million Muggles in Britain alone," Madam Bones spoke impatiently. "Even if the idea of killing them all would not be morally repugnant, we do not have the resources to achieve it."

"But as I said before," the toad-woman sitting next to Minister Fudge said in a falsely sweet tone, "we can simply subvert their government first, and then set an example."

"We've gone over this several times," Madam Longbottom spoke dismissively. "The Muggle government doesn't have much control over their people at the moment, and will have even less control if the people see wizards controlling them."

"So we replace them," a woman on Dumbledore's side spoke up. "Set up a new government, and enforce law and order. We do not need to hurt them, as long as they stay in their place."

"You are being wantonly naive, Madam," the man called McWillen spoke up. "They will resist such a rule if it is not achieved with their consent, and their resistance will be bloody. If anything, the last days should have demonstrated that they are willing and able to cause a lot of trouble for us."

Toad-woman gave a fake giggle. "Surely you're not suggesting Muggles can really hurt a competent witch or wizard when they're prepared for it? I mean, a dog can bite an unsuspecting wizard, but surely you wouldn't claim that they could do anything to an adult – let alone a whole country! – who knows what they can do?"

Harry decided that this was a good point to step in. He stood up. "You don't know what they can do."

"We have seen a fair few of their attacks, Mister... I mean, Lord Potter," one of the men responded. "At close range, they can use confringo-like effects and summon smoke, but they have very little versatility. I will admit that their large-scale weapons are fearsome, but as long as we remain in their own cities, near their own citizens, they cannot use them."

"Professor Flitwick said a similar thing, Monday night," Harry said kindly, "This was right before the Muggles surprised us with a volley of tear gas. So far they have figured out only a few things they could use against us, and those they use over and over, but it will not be long before they realize all the other possibilities they possess that could hurt us. I would also like to note that nobody in this room seems to be wearing bubbleheads, so we are clearly not so perfectly prepared even for the things we already know they can do."

"The Wizengamot is very well protected!" Toad-woman snapped. "Muggles couldn't get down here, the very idea!"

"Exactly how sure of that are you?" Harry threw back. "They clearly know where the Ministry is, and the Wizengamot is connected to it. Even if the wards keep out Muggles, would Merlin have thought to block robots? They only need to get a hose down here to take us out."

Some people looked uncomfortable, but Amelia Bones shook her head. "Even if they were able to penetrate the Ministry, they would not manage to do it without detection. My people will give warning immediately when something threatening appears."

"What's a robot?" Someone else asked. "Do they have more dangerous magics?"

"Technology," Dumbledore corrected.

"Yes they do," Harry answered. "And if they do not, they soon will." He looked around, making sure he had everyone's attention. "My Lords and Ladies," (that seemed to be the right way to address the group) "I hope I do not offend anyone if I point out that there is a flaw in your perception. You see Muggles, and think of them as witches or wizards without the magic. In this view, they are reduced to helpless creatures, as handicapped as a witch or wizard would be if they lost their magic. But they have never known magic, and this is not the way they see themselves. Muggles grow up in a completely different way from us. Where we mostly study existing spells, Muggle technology was almost entirely developed in the last century. Muggles learn to invent, and adapt. There are hundreds of Muggle inventions that could be creatively used against us, and it only takes one person to think of them."

"I find that hard to believe," Minister Fudge protested.

"It is a fact," Harry said simply. "If any of you have children who have watched or participated in the first-year 'armies', ask them just how much different such things like a car battery or ball bearings can make."

"Against first-year magic, maybe," Lord Usto said dismissively. "But that's hardly impressive."

Bellatrix Black was broken out of Azkaban with the help of Muggle technology. Harry thought it, but it wouldn't be safe to bring it up. Instead, he shrugged. "I could only use what a first-year could transfigure. Muggles, however, are not restrained by having to transfigure everything themselves, which means that they are allowed to use liquids and gases, and can use far more advanced equipment and potentially lethal weapons. Do not underestimate them. It will be the last thing you do."

"This is much like I have been saying all along," a man near the middle spoke. "If we go to war, we can only lose. Even if – if! – we should manage to defeat the Muggles, they will not give up. It is nigh impossible to hold an underground resistance in check, and even if we can, how many resources will we not have to expend on keeping them in line?"

"War is bad for business," a woman agreed. "If we can put these hostilities behind us, with the Statute of Secrecy ended, we will be able to engage in a mutually beneficial trade. I would rather monetize the opportunities this creates than spend money and effort fighting a foe we can control through market forces."

"What do they have to offer us?" Another man sneered dismissively. "Food, perhaps, and some precious minerals. But if we enslave them, we can simply set them to working the land and the mines! You're over-thinking how hard it is to keep a bunch of Muggles in check. We'll just employ a small number of Legilimenses to randomly test them for ill intent towards wizards, and execute the rebellious ones!"

"You will be forever killing if you do so," Dumbledore spoke sternly. "For surely the act of executing innocents who have merely committed crimes in their thoughts will itself cause more rebelliousness."

"At first, perhaps," the first speaker shrugged. "But I cannot see this cycle lasting long. There are plenty of people who would be cowed by such methods, and we don't really have a use for more than a small fraction of the Muggles currently alive in Britain."

Arguments flared up again, as the morality and practicality of enslaving and possibly killing millions of people was debated with vehemence. Harry kept silent. It wouldn't be good politics to immediately try to dominate the conversation, and the arguments didn't seem to be going anywhere, so he could afford to sit this part out. Instead, he quietly considered the best formulation of his next point while waiting for an opportune moment to bring it up.

"Before we continue debating what to do after we win our hypothetical war," a man whom the others referred to as "Mr. Deas" spoke firmly, "we should ask Lord Potter what exactly he meant not to underestimate them." He turned to Harry. "What other weapons can they employ against us?"

"All kinds of things," Harry answered promptly. "A flashbang – that's a kind of explosive that can blind and deafen you at the same time – might well break even a competent wizard's concentration. Ball bearings will complicate movement, and a wizard could be lured into a pit trap – most wizards don't carry around a broomstick to get themselves out. We can avoid breathing gases with a Bubblehead Charm, but that charm only covers the head, and there are noxious gases which hurt the skin. Explosives also don't need to be thrown, they can be buried as mines, or you trap a building and then blow it up once you get a few wizards inside. Also, electricity will put stress on a shield – I actually tested that in the first army battle we had this year – and once the Muggles figure that one out, they will definitely weaponize it. And that's not even going into things like lasers or electromagnetic radiation. Some of those things may not be practical with the equipment the average Muggle keeps around the house, nor even available to the military right now, but I guarantee you that the technology will get developed very quickly once Muggles figure out that it can be used. In fact, there's probably some secret labs already working on them, both here and in other countries."

Rattling off all the possibilities felt remarkably like his first Defense class this year. In fact... "Oh, and before I forget about the defensive side, we already know that metal armor will stop low-level spells. I strongly suspect that better materials can be developed that will hold out against almost everything, and you don't want to start throwing too many Unforgivable Curses around. Also, it's not just direct combat you should be picturing here – they might well employ things like poisons or, if the situation gets desperate enough, perhaps even suicide commands. There's more than a thousand Muggles for every witch or wizard, after all."

There was a shocked silence as he finished, and several people looked distinctly green.

"Surely," a woman eventually said, "now that we know about these things, we can guard against them?"

Harry grimaced. "These were just the first ideas that came to my mind, Madam. I suspect it is not even half of what a competent military commander could come up with. Also, although I claim a fair amount of expertise because I have studied the possibilities of the Muggle world extensively, I am only eleven. I never had access to military science laboratories and my knowledge of physics is rudimentary. I cannot even guess at what scientists may invent in, say, a year time, especially if they have access to a witch or wizard to test with."

"But how would they get –"

"Mudbloods," a man near Lord Malfoy spat. "And blood traitors. They might well sell us out."

"We can keep an eye on them, surely?" Another asked, voice wavering.

"Unlikely," Amelia Bones said with a frown. "It takes only one person willing to cast their faith with the Muggles, either due to bribes, conflicting loyalties or simply mistreatment by the magical world – I do not personally know any Muggleborn who I believe would willingly engineer the destruction of our kind, but I know of many who would have every earthly reason to do so. And do not forget that it wouldn't need to be a British person. Muggles do possess near-instant globe-wide communication methods."

A deep, painful silence followed these words. Harry decided that this was a good moment to lead into his point, before the others started trying to rationalize their preconceived ideas again.

"Look," he spoke clearly, standing up. "I think we've been trying to answer the wrong question here." (It definitely seemed like a good idea to use we instead of you, so he wouldn't be seen as setting himself against the more senior Wizengamot members.) "We can debate all day whether it is moral to attempt to conquer the Muggle world, but we will never agree on that point. Let us instead ask whether it is expedient. To that, I think we can all agree, the answer is an unequivocal no. Even in the unlikely event that we could win a war in Britain, it would be at the price of massive bloodshed on both sides – would that be worth it? And then the other countries would respond. They have nuclear weapons too!"

He looked around the room, catching eyes. "But we do not have to go to war. We can negotiate, create a peace treaty that satisfies both sides. Ultimately, all we want is to be left alone, and I daresay they will be content with the same thing. The average Muggle does not want war, they cannot even truly contemplate the idea. Don't forget that there hasn't been a Muggle war on British soil in centuries."

"You would have us negotiate with child murderers?" A woman spoke up.

"I do not see that we have much of a choice," Madam Longbottom spoke angrily. "Harry Potter is right. We have to think about the good of the country, even if that requires distasteful decisions like allowing murderers to get away. Are you willing to have us all destroyed just so you can have revenge?"

"Negotiation is challenging, though," Mr. Deas pointed out. "Seeing as they will not talk to us."

Lord Jugson snorted. "Nor would it matter if they did, since we have already established that the Muggle government are no longer in control of their people, nor have any checks on their soldiers."

"I think there is a way around that," Harry said. He wasn't entirely sure whether it would work, but there was a decent chance, and they should at least try. "Use publicity. Give the Muggle government free reign to set the location and conditions for the negotiations, allow them to transmit everything to national television... If we can then arrange a deal that the majority of the people can live with, and proceed to follow through with our side of the agreements, it will take the heart out of the resistance. There probably will still be some people who do not believe it, but the longer we are seen as holding to our side of the deal, the more those people will be considered mere conspiracy theorists. This does require that we do not give them any provocation whatsoever. That is to say, we must pass laws against any and all lethal, painful of permanently debilitating magic used on Muggles, even in self-defense, when other options are available."

Lucius Malfoy shook his head. "How do you propose to enforce such a law? You will never persuade most of our kind to not retaliate against Muggle violence, let alone not defending themselves!"

"I did not mean to suggest that people should simply allow themselves to be hurt, Lord Malfoy," Harry nodded. "But we can set standard procedures. A signal, perhaps, that will call a group of Aurors to the aid of any magical person who triggers it? Or self-defense with stunners, where the offending parties are imprisoned afterwards. Muggle prisons are not like Azkaban, fortunately, but they are still far from pleasant to be in, and it will be in the Muggle government's interest to not offend us overly much by letting the people we arrest get away without at least bringing them to court for attempted murder. In turn, we should also arrest any witches or wizards engaging in violent behavior towards Muggles, and openly try them."

"I can't see that happening, lad," a man near Harry spoke. "You can make laws whatever you like, but you won't stop the people who want to hurt Muggles. They'll just wear a mask, and the DMLE cannot be everywhere at once."

"I'm afraid Mr. Fortescue is right," Madam Bones nodded. reluctantly. "With emotions running as high as they have been lately, it will be quite difficult to prevent further attacks on Muggles, or even to detect them in time to make an arrest that will appear convincing. Certainly my people will do all that they can, but even so, we will have to prepare the Muggles from the start for the eventuality that there will be attacks – or overly violent defenses – that we cannot stop in time."

"Not to mention," another woman added, "the crazy nutter who started all this is still at large. Considering he single-handedly brought down the Statute of Secrecy, I'd be amazed if he were to refrain from further provocations."

"Why should we care what he does?" The Toad-woman asked. "I'd say we'd be doing quite enough already, allowing them to keep governing themselves and even passing laws against self-defense! They can hardly expect us to solve every little problem for them, can they?"

"We should care," Madam Bones said impatiently, "because the Muggles will never accept a peace treaty which includes a clause that wizards will not randomly kill Muggles if we are not actually seen to enforce that clause. We do not approve of the man, but they will nevertheless perceive him as representing us. Our negotiations would not achieve anything if our partners believe us to be insincere." She turned to Harry and added formally: "Since you seem to have considered this, do you have a solution in mind, Lord Potter?"

"I have some ideas," Harry said calmly. "But I would need to know exactly what tools we have. First of all, is it possible to detect magic done on or near Muggles?"

"Only if we specifically put a warning ward on every Muggle in the country," Madam Bones said regretfully. "Even doing so, nearness to Muggles may not be problematic by itself – many wizards live near Muggles, but not in direct sight, and in order to detect whether the Muggle would notice the magic, the Muggle would need more advanced shielding that needs regular reinforcement."

"That, or just a way to report magic they notice, conditional on magic actually being performed nearby," Harry pointed out. "But I can see this being open to abuse, and many Muggles will not want to be subject to magical protections, so let's put that idea aside for the moment. Second idea: at the start of the year, Professor McGonagall told me there are ways to detect underage magic. Can you tell me how you do that?"

"We put a trace on the areas where Muggleborns live," Madam Bones answered with a slight tone of surprise. "We can detect any magic occurring there. Magical parents are expected to keep an eye on their own children."

"Does the trace tell you who did the magic?"

"No, just the nature and location."

Harry closed his eyes briefly and counted to ten rapidly. There were so many flaws in this arrangement that it was hard to imagine, but then, these were the same kinds of people who organized professional Quidditch leagues.

"Does 'nature' mean the spell that was used?" He asked.

"The effect, actually," Madam Bones replied. "Normal spells tap into a select range of magical effects, which can also be triggered by certain magical creatures like House Elves, or using accidental magic. It is usually quite possible to determine the spell from the effects, especially for powerful spells which carry a unique effect."

Harry nodded. "All right. But I guess the fact that you put the trace on the place where Muggleborns live means that there isn't any way to put a trace on the children themselves, then?" This might make things a little bit harder, although he thought he could work around it.

"Oh, of course we can! But then we'd have to remove it after every holiday and reapply it when the children go home, or we'd constantly get the alarms."

"I see. Couldn't you just make it not give an alarm if the student is in a place where it's explicitly permitted, like Hogwarts or the Hogwarts Express?"

She appeared to consider this. "I suppose we could. But why should we? The current system works well enough, and also captures use of magical items, which a personal trace would not do."

Harry nodded. "Very well. So, there are personal traces and area traces, which can both give information about what magic is being done. How hard would it be to get around such a trace?"

"For a child almost impossible, unless they had a powerful wizard to help them."

"Suppose you were a powerful wizard, inside a traced area. Would you be able to take down the trace without it first giving an alarm?"

She frowned. "Not if it's properly applied, and the core points of the field are well inside the area. The wizard would need to use magic to do it."

"Professor Dumbledore," Harry turned to the former Headmaster. "Could you get around such a trace?"

"Yes," he said simply.

"Do you think you could get around that? Make a trace so sophisticated that even Salazar Slytherin, say, couldn't circumvent it?"

The old wizard considered the question for a few moments. "Yes," he said eventually.

"And what," the man referred to as Mr. Crouch said, "would you want to do with a trace like that?" His tone was aggressive, with a very slight undertone of what might be fear.

"It is quite simple, sir," Harry answered. "It seems that what we want to do is twofold: detect and prevent illegal uses of magic, and find individuals who operate outside the law. By combining both kinds of traces, we can do so. I would propose setting up area traces around the country, detecting any and all uses of magic, and additionally putting a trace on all witches, wizards and spell-casting magical creatures in it. Putting this information together, we will be able to differentiate between magic done by a law-abiding citizen, or by someone who has escaped our detection, and we can give an alarm for lethal spells used in areas labeled as 'Muggle', regardless of who's doing it. Or for any magic done by unregistered entities."

Mr. Crouch blanched. "That is a gross violation of privacy!"

"You speak of privacy, in a country where Legilimency is not against the law? Seriously? Using these traces, we could detect uses of Legilimency and avoid the risk of our government getting compromised by the Imperius Curse. What is more, they will enable us to determine aggressive magic in primarily Muggle areas, and allow us to instantly interfere."

Mr. Crouch spluttered. Professor Dumbledore, too, frowned.

"I am not sure that is wise, Harry – Lord Potter, I mean. If we set up such a system, will we ever be able to get rid of it? What if some dark lord, or even just a less capable government, comes into power? By knowing everything each of its members does at all times, such a rulership could never be rebelled against. Even abiding by the law, I would not be very comfortable living in a country where the government knew everything I did, while I could not know for certain whether I could always trust the government."

One of the men in Malfoy's camp smirked at him. "Didn't you speak in favor of emancipating the boy just an hour ago? Don't like it very much now that he's actually making his own contributions rather than yours, do you?"

"I am merely pointing out a danger – a grave danger! – in the course of action he proposes. Lord Potter, I fear this is not wise at all, not in the long term!"

Harry smirked. Point for Professor Dumbledore disassociating me from himself. "You bring up a valid point, I suppose. The main goal is to have the system in place for the few weeks it will take to calm down emotions and restore a piece of order, but I can see that the system, once it exists, might well remain in place permanently because it is really convenient to the government and law enforcement agencies in particular." He looked at Amelia Bones, who nodded.

"I agree to the need for care," Harry continued. "Not just for fear of a dark lord compromising the system in the future. Everyone is guilty of minor offenses; complete knowledge of everyone's actions would allow the people in charge of the system to selectively enforce laws, thereby essentially giving them the power to punish everyone they do not like for whatever reason. In particular, this would likely affect journalists and leaders of political opposition groups in the future. So yes, we must avoid that. Fortunately, we have magic at our disposal. Perhaps we can build some security straight into the system?"

"What did you have in mind?" Madam Bones asked, in a business-like tone.

"Well, is it possible to give an alarm only for specific kinds of spells – or spell effects, as you said – under specific circumstances, and make the spells and circumstances vary depending on the area?"

"Should be," Madam Bones nodded with a frown.

"Perfect. Then, for a start, it is not wise to have a vast information asymmetry between the government and the governed. Make it so that if the trace gives an alarm, the person – or creature – who set off that alarm is instantly notified of this. Can we do that?" Madam Bones nodded. Harry went on: "Don't store things: if you are not immediately told that the trace gave an alarm, then it cannot be queried afterwards what spell was done or who did it. And also make it so that the things which give an alarm are easy for anyone to check, and that any change in these things can be queried for at least a month afterwards. That way, the government will still be able to snoop without the consent of the people, but not without their knowledge – and any government turned evil could already do the former by forcing people to take a personal trace."

"And what kinds of things would give an alarm?" Mr. Crouch bit.

"We should be able to set that, and any setting should be available for public query. Say, for a given area, we can either specify a number of spells or kinds of magics which are `forbidden', or simply say everything is forbidden except for a certain group of spells. If a `forbidden' spell is cast, it gives an alarm naming the spell effect, the entity who did it and, if at all possible, who or what it was targeted at. We should also be able to add extra alarms for unregistered entities and allow specific people – like Aurors – to do forbidden spells in certain areas without giving alarm."

"So we could forbid any magic from being cast in Muggle towns," Madam Bones concluded. "And if that law is broken, we would be able to send Aurors there to deal with the disturbance without drowning in alarms." Yes, Harry thought, she does look eager. Not surprising, of course, for the head of Magical Law Enforcement to appreciate new tools to do her work more effectively.

"And stop the Unforgivable Curses from being used anywhere!" Madam Longbottom announced viciously. "About time for that too! I fully support this idea. I would be in favor even without any Muggle crisis!"

"Well I, for one, am not!" Mr. Crouch shouted angrily. "Are you all out of your senses? Will you submit to having your private concerns laid open to the world? Will you force our people to not cast any spell without a first-year child knowing about it? Forget it. I shall not accept this proposal."

He has something to hide, Harry thought, and he clearly wasn't the only one. People were casting suspicious looks at him. It was Amelia Bones who spoke up.

"I don't see why you're so upset, Barty – indeed, I would have expected you to welcome an idea like this with open arms! The proposal seems very reasonable, and would not violate anyone's rights – in fact, I would consider it on the conservative side. If we have such a system set up, with some extensions – storing information, as young Lord Potter calls it – we might be able to use it in trials for Occlumenses."

"But it would be difficult to set it up securely if we allow storing," Harry objected. "I'm sure it can be done, but it would require a lot more time to think about than we have now." And ideally we would want to have a computer scientist security expert poking at it for a month or so. "But if you consider the idea sound, and the Ministry and Wizengamot agree, then I think there is no reason why you could not set up an improved trace afterwards. And as for those who do not agree –", he turned to the seething Mr. Crouch, "– I would not wish to force anyone to accept such a trace against their will. No one should be stopped from leaving the country if they do not want to accept the personal trace, or for whatever other reason. In fact, I think the trace should not give alarm for any magic performed outside of our territory."

"What if they get it removed while they're abroad?" one of the women asked logically.

"Let them," Harry suggested. "The main reason for a personal trace is to not give alarm for innocent magic cast by civilians. Remember that the main part of the project is area traces, so we can detect any undesirable magic whatsoever – if we combine that information with the identity of the caster it would make certain things not undesirable. For example, if the average John Smith casts a cutting hex in his garden, you don't want to hear an alarm about that. If Bellatrix Black casts a cutting hex, you do want to know about it. Since I suspect Bellatrix will not be available for tracing, we would have to set a high alarm for spells by unregistered entities. I know that's probably rather inconvenient for tourists, but newborn Muggleborn witches and wizards, at least, already get a trace on their houses, right?"

"No, actually," Madam Bones replied. "Only when they start Hogwarts. But that is inconsequential. International visitors are already required to use registered portkeys or Apparition spots, or otherwise at least announce their arrival to us. The only large thing that will need changing is that we will have to keep an eye on House Elf births."

"But can this really be done?" A woman asked. "It sounds incredibly sophisticated."

"Well, Chief Warlock?" Lord Nott challenged. "I daresay you would be the one most qualified to perform such magics."

"Not on my own, certainly," the grayed wizard shook his head. "But I think I could devise spells like Lord Potter describes, especially if the Ministry would lend me the aid of some skilled Charms Masters and Arithmancers. Some experts in the Ancient Runes would also not be amiss."

"That should not be an issue," Cornelius Fudge nodded. The man looked positively excited, which was probably not a good sign.

"I would like to suggest that all spells are checked by independent parties," Lord Malfoy spoke up. "To be very clear that they do exactly what is described, and that we can all agree to those effects."

"Of course, Lord Malfoy," Dumbledore nodded. "I had no desire to cheat the assembly."

"So are we decided on starting negotiations, then?" Madam Longbottom queried.

"I still don't like it one bit," Lord Usto spat. "But I can see I'm going to be overruled, aren't I?"

"Little though I like the idea of pandering to Muggles," Lucius Malfoy spoke slowly, "I will support this proposal. It seems that we have little choice, if we are to survive. Our country is not yet ready to fight a war."

Yet, Harry registered. But the implication seemed to resonate with many people. There were nods around the benches.

"All right then!" Minister Fudge exclaimed. "So what shall we say is the timescale on this? Can we stop this disaster and then get the Muggles under control before Friday?"

"I think if I can assemble a good team and work through the night, the spells should be ready by morning," Professor Dumbledore supplied. "Any experts Lord Malfoy wishes to appoint for approving the spells can then have a go over them. Amelia, do you think your Aurors can apply the trace on everyone in the country in the matter of a day?"

"I believe so," Madam Bones nodded. "If I can set all my Aurors to it."

"That's assuming quite a lot," another woman pointed out. "Unless you mind not responding to violence aimed at innocent witches and wizards."

"Waiting another day might also be too long," Harry said, frowning. "Today was pretty intense – it won't take long before the Muggle military decides to take a big step again, and we don't know what they're planning, aside from the obvious indication that they're clearing the areas around our important buildings. It's probably a good idea to have the full tracing system developed and approved by independent parties before we start applying it, but how about first placing the area traces, and leaving the individual ones until later? The way the system should be designed, that'll just act like everyone is an unknown entity who should be treated with mistrust, but that only means that we have to ask everyone to refrain from casting spells for a short time. We could exempt St. Mungo's from the trace, allow Apparating and basic Healing Charms everywhere, and start adding the individual trace on reliable Aurors to allow them to cast non-lethal spells, although if possible we want to run them through Thieves' Downfall first. How long would it take to set that up?"

Madam Bones closed her eyes, thinking. "Probably a few hours. Three or four, maybe?"

"Which means that we should be ready at noon tomorrow," the Chief Warlock concluded. "Then we can contact the Prime Minister by Patronus and propose negotiations, showing our goodwill by promising them that no further attacks on Muggles by witches and wizards will be tolerated – and enforcing this from then on."

"We must also contact all of our kind before then," Madam Longbottom supplied. "Perhaps overnight owls with instructions not to cast magic?"

"And instructions for a warning signal," Madam Bones added. "With traces all over the country, this is a lot simpler than it otherwise would be. We can simply detect any time someone casts sparks and send Aurors there to help."

"Which will allow us to decisively deal with any Muggle offensive as well!" McWillen exclaimed eagerly. "If we can demonstrate that we can exercise that kind of control, it should make them interested in a quick resolution too!"

There were sounds of agreement. Mr. Crouch still looked sour, but he didn't protest any further.

"Wonderful!" Professor Dumbledore exclaimed. "It seems like we finally have a solution that will bring an end to this madness. Now we merely need to appoint a negotiator. I hope I do not offend, but perhaps it would not be optimal to send our esteemed Minister again, seeing as the Muggles have a grievance with him."

"Hah!" Lord Jugson cried. "You expect to persuade us to send you, don't you?"

The Chief Warlock smiled genially. "I would naturally be prepared to represent the Wizengamot in this matter. Although I suspect that there are some in this assembly who may not be entirely comfortable appointing me, it is fundamental to send a representative who will not unduly offend the Muggles. As you well know, I have a lot of experience interacting with Muggle leaders."

Clever move, Harry thought silently. Malfoy's followers are more likely to accept me if the alternative is you.

"Such negotiations may well be dangerous, however," Deas pointed out. "I would certainly not like to volunteer myself. If we indeed allow the Muggles to set all the conditions of the meeting, the negotiator may not leave the place alive."

"But it would be a great honor," a woman spoke out.

Harry glanced at Amelia Bones. This would be the perfect time for her to –

Lord Malfoy stood up. "I nominate Lord Potter."

Harry blinked. What?

And that was when he realized that the Malfoy Lord had been remarkably silent and non-confrontational all through the meeting; that he had only commented on feasibility and avoided Dumbledore from getting unchecked control over the country's wards, and that Dumbledore had even said that the man had been surprisingly silent in the last two days.

Was Lucius acting under Voldemort's orders? Or did he simply see a way to take power from the hated Dumbledore and pass it to a new entity?

"If the Wizengamot chooses to send me, I am willing to go." Harry said formally.

"Hem hem," Toad-woman intoned. "I'm sorry if I misunderstand, but Lord Malfoy, surely you would not suggest sending a first-year child as our representative? The idea is absurd!"

"I agree!" Lord Usto shouted. "It's bad enough that we listen to this child, but to have him negotiate on behalf of the entire Wizengamot is absolutely ridiculous."

"The young Lord of Potter is obviously an expert on Muggle matters," Lord Malfoy said patiently. "Despite not being a Muggleborn or blood traitor himself. This makes him perfectly suited to handle the negotiations on our behalf. His youth is only to our advantage: as a child, he will more easily be forgiven for any offense he may inadvertently give. Yet if he is seen to be backed by adults, they will have no choice but to take his offers seriously."

"And if they do bring it up," Madam Longbottom said bitterly, "he can just remind them that they did not much seem to care much about age when they murdered our children." The anger dripped off her voice.

"I agree to the nomination," Amelia Bones said decisively. "We have already voted to put his youth aside, and Lord Malfoy has a point that it could work to our advantage in this regard."

"I too support young Lord Potter," Albus Dumbledore said. "He is our greatest hope in this crisis, and I know his heart to be pure."

There was a stunned silence as the two powerful enemies aligned themselves.

"I have one request, though," Harry asked in the silence. This would be difficult to get away with, but he couldn't afford to be denied on this point. "If I represent our kind in these negotiations, will I have the authority to enter into an agreement on behalf of the government of Magical Britain, and will that agreement be respected afterwards? If I make promises or threats, can I be assured that these will be followed up on?"

"If the agreements reached are reasonable, I am sure we can all agree –" McWillen began, but Harry shook his head.

"I have seen how this body functions," he said firmly. "If I come back here with a treaty, it is certain that every minute detail will be argued about and debated beyond measure, and it is unlikely that we shall have consensus on any point – indeed, I cannot imagine any deal that would meet with the approval of all of the Wizengamot, simply because there is little that we all agree on. There will necessarily have to be compromises, and I have to be free to make those. What is more, recall that the negotiations will have to take place under conditions set by the Muggles, under full witness by the entire country. If I am hesitant and cannot make any promises, we will not get anywhere. If I speak decisively, I expect we can come to an agreement for a full package of laws that mediate the interactions between our kinds, but they will not take me – and by extension, us – seriously if I then come back the next day and request to have three points changed. This is why I ask that you give me the full authority to set a binding deal on behalf of the Ministry."

"Now hold there a moment," the Minister of Magic protested. "Surely we should still have a say in the outcome? You cannot expect us to put ourselves by the sidelines!"

Madam Bones frowned. "I do not like this idea much, but Lord Potter does have a point about the infeasibility of negotiations without this assurance."

"Perhaps there is a compromise," Lord Malfoy spoke. "Our representative does not need to go alone. Indeed, he will be taken more seriously when accompanied by adults."

"That seems reasonable, but we cannot be seen arguing in front of the Muggles," Harry said with a frown. "Nor have the negotiations stall if we disagree on a point."

"There is a spell to speak silently," the Chief Warlock supplied. "What if the final responsibility to speak is yours, but you will have experienced advisers who come with you and are able to supply both opinions and information without interfering with the proceedings?"

"That could work," Harry said, thinking quickly. "As long as the advisers do not directly interfere." Which will still be a problem if I can't guarantee that they'll stay quiet... Unbreakable Vows, perhaps?

"May I ask what is it you're planning to tell the Muggles?" Madam Bones asked reasonably.

"It depends on what they have to say. Ultimately, I want us to live side by side with the Muggles in peace. Peace, and guarantees that they will never use their destructive power on us again. I do believe they want the same – they just don't trust us, as we don't trust them. I will make whatever promises are in the Ministry's power – positive and negative – to achieve that goal."

"Shall we vote on the matter?" Cornelius Fudge asked. "All those in favor of giving Lord Potter the Ministry's full authority in the coming negotiations?"

There were hands – most notably Dumbledore, Bones and Malfoy – but several people still looked hesitant.

"Under protest," one of the other men said, raising his hand only slightly. "As there are no alternatives on the table anyone can agree on. But I do not like it."

"Count me out," Crouch grumbled. "With this child in charge, I'm leaving the country."

"Oh very well," one of the women said, raising her hand. "I can't see that we have much to lose. If someone has to negotiate, it might as well be Lord Potter as someone else, and if Albus thinks he has the best of intentions, I will accept that. So long as the Ministry promises protections on the ancestral houses of those who flee the country for a few years if this turns out wrong."

They just don't want to stay behind when the majority elects a strong leader, Slytherin snickered, as more people and more people, including Cornelius Fudge, raised their hands.

They're right to hesitate, Hufflepuff pointed out. They've just given the authority to make any laws regarding Magical Britain which Muggles can agree to, to a child they know next to nothing about.

It was sad, in a way, to see the government of Magical Britain trade away its power and freedom for a vague promise of protection. But he'd been planning to overthrow the government all along, and this was clearly the most peaceful way to achieve it.

"It seems we have a majority," Cornelius Fudge concluded. "Lord Potter, the assembly agrees to give you full power of negotiation and access to the Ministry's resources for the duration of the crisis."

"I would like to know, however," Lord Malfoy spoke up, "who will accompany Lord Potter in his negotiations."

"Those I can trust," Harry answered. "It is absolutely essential that they can agree to refrain from interfering and stick to it. I have to be able to make snap decisions and propose things whose ulterior goal is not immediately clear – hesitating to discuss it silently and get agreement on such points first would be wildly counterproductive, especially if the people who accompany me are from different sides of the political spectrum and unlikely to agree to everything. If one of my advisers suddenly decided that the agreements are not to his or her tastes and objected out loud, it would severely undermine the efforts and likely launch us all into a war."

"There are ways to guarantee trust," a man sitting next to the Minister, who had been one of the first to vote in Harry's favor, brought up.

Harry raised his eyebrows. "I was under the impression that the Unbreakable Vow is not to be taken lightly, as it requires a magical sacrifice."

"It does, but under the circumstances that may well be acceptable. What is more, a House Vow does not require a permanent sacrifice, and you are the Lord of your House."

This sounded like the idea Padma had brought up to him before, but what she had told him didn't seem like something the Nobles would easily agree to doing. "What exactly does that entail?"

"It is a spell developed in the late Middle Ages. Those who swear service to a Noble House are at the command of its Lord or Lady. They can be killed in an instant if the Lord so chooses, either by his direct decision or by violating a prearranged condition. The contract of service remains in place until their death, or until the Lord of the House releases them. If those who accompany you are sworn to you, you will be certain that they do not speak out of turn, as it would have them killed on the spot, and then you can simply release them afterwards. Indeed, as you have only just gained control of your Noble House, it is actually customary to allow willing witches and wizards to swear to you."

So it was the spell Padma had mentioned. Somewhat similar to the Unbreakable Vow, but limited to obedience to a given person, and possible to break if you were willing to take the risk; a spell that placed your fate completely into someone else's hands. He would have expected this kind of thing to have gone out of style centuries ago, but apparently it hadn't.

So magical Britain condones slavery of people as well as House Elves. Big surprise there, is it? "Would anyone do that?"

"I can guarantee it, sir," the man replied with a slight smile.

"Very well. If anyone should wish to swear service to me, then I will be open to that. But let's make it clear that I do not expect anyone to do it. If no one swears, I will not mind being accompanied by people whom I believe to be trustworthy even without vows, or simply with Unbreakable Vows if a willing binder can be found."

There were nods around the hall, and sudden thoughtful looks on many faces.

The meeting was disbanded shortly afterwards. Harry watched the Lords and Ladies filter out, savoring the bittersweet feeling.

He was king.

At eleven, he held the power of a country, and he might be able to set in motion some of his most ambitious plans for the world. He would never just be a child prodigy who flashed and faded anymore – whatever happened, he would go down in history, whether as hero or villain to be determined later.

And he had done exactly what the man who had – directly or indirectly – murdered three of his parents had wanted him to do.

-o-o-o-o-o-

Author's Note: if you are thinking that no government, sane or insane, would ever allow negotiators to make agreements on its behalf without checks, I would originally have agreed with you... and then I heard about "fast-track" for trade agreements actually getting passed. Hum.