Gods Give Another Chance

Chapter 7

Harriet

The rest of the school year flies by. While Dumbledore had enough pull to keep him in the school, everyone knew he had been the one to mess with the letters and now they would be checked before being allowed to be sent out. By the end of the year Quirrell is gone. Dumbledore looks disappointed in me, but I just act clueless. On the last night I am sitting in the common room when Jasper comes down. He freezes at the sight of me.

"Sorry." He mumbles as he turns around to go back to his dorm.

"The common room is big enough for both of us." I say smiling. He didn't seem to speak to anyone, and my curiosity was eating at me. He looks unsure but comes to sit on the couch across from me.

"I don't blame you for what your family was." I finally say breaking the silence.

"I love my father, and he told my mother he never wanted to join. I hate he is in Azkaban."

"I'm sorry for that. Do you get visits?" I ask.

"Would have had to have a trial to get visitation." He says clenching his fists. Oh, hell no, I would not let any person rot in that place without a trial. I had seen what that place did to people and even if guilty they deserved a trial. We don't say anything else, but I have a plan.

When we arrive at the Black manor I smile as Sirius fusses over me and asks a hundred questions. When he finally finishes, I ask to speak to Lord Black. He looks surprised but leads me to his study. Lord Black was the only one who could bring something up to Wizengamot.

"Did you know not all supposed death eaters got trials?" I ask, no point dragging this out.

"I was unaware, but it was a hectic time." He says.

"Is there any way to push for them to get trials?"

"I suppose but why?"

"Rabastan Lestrange has a son. His son can't even visit because there was never a trial. A child should not suffer for their parent's choices." He seems to think for a moment before nodding.

"I will make you a deal. I want you to write up a proposal. If I approve it, I will support you going to Wizengamot to present it." He says and my eyes widen.

"Me?"

"Why not? There isn't an age limit on when someone can present a bill, as long as you have the backing of a Lord. It was your idea and as the savior it will show you hold no ill will to those families. Prove you want balance, not the light to rule as Dumbledore has tried to suggest."

"Ok, I can do that." I say a proposal already forming in my mind. He smiles and leans back.

"You will do great things one day Harriet."

As I step out of the office I head to my room and flop onto the bed. Change needed to start somewhere.

~

I spend every moment researching everything I needed. I would already have a disadvantage because of my age. Leo jumps at the chance to help. I even get permission to invite Luna over to help. It takes a month to have everything together and one trip to Gringotts to speak to the goblins. Their magic worked differently and with their help I knew I had an air-tight proposal. The day I present it to Lord Black he reads over it surprised.

"I don't think I have ever seen a proposal so well written. Some of this none of us would have thought of but the proof is here." He says handing it to Orion. The adults had stayed out of it, only helping if we asked specific questions. Sirius was nervous about the publicity this would bring me, but he was being supportive.

"There will be people against it simply because it is death eaters, but even they can't deny the proof." Orion says allowing Regulus, Barty, and Sirius to read it.

"Got us some future politicians on our hands." Barty smirks.

"If this is what you do at 11, I can't wait to see when you are of age." Regulus smiles at me and Leo.

"I guess you are going to Wizengamot." Sirius says shaking his head.

Lord Black

I sit in my seat as Orion sits beside me as heir. The rest of the family had to sit in the visitor section. When Harriet's proposal is announced I smirk at the murmurs. She walks out looking every inch as powerful as I know she can be. A bill could be suggested by a civilian as long as they had the backing of a member of Wizengamot. The minister had asked if it was a joke, but I assured him that Harriet would hold to the Black family standard while presenting. With her being heiress Potter and the last remaining tie to the Peverell line I knew the minister would want her support. She would one day sit just as high as the Blacks in power. Once her packet is passed out the minister motions for her to begin.

"Esteemed members of Wizengamot I come today with the proposal of trials for those in Azkaban. As you will see in my packet, I have proven that the goblins have a ward that will prevent lying. As we all know this is used frequently in the bank when it comes to sensitive matters. I propose the use of the ward along with purging potion to prove once and for all who truly followed you know who and who was forced into such heinous acts. We as a wizarding community cannot risk having willing followers walk free but we should not condemn those who wanted no part in such acts. We stand as a pillar for many other communities and with this we show them that we do not rest until the truth is found." She says and I couldn't be prouder.

"You wish for us to possibly release those monsters!" A member shouts.

"No, I wish to free those who did not want to follow a mad man. We are all aware of the tactics used by him to control people. What would you have done if given compulsions or had your family be held against their will to make you comply? We cannot condemn someone if they had no control similar to how people plead the imperio curse or those simply doing what must be done to protect their families."

"They still killed!" Another shouts.

"As did many aurors but we are not condemning them. War is never pretty, and we should never forget those lost but let the true criminals take the punishments."

"Why are you pushing for this?" Lady Longbottom asks but I see she isn't as opposed as I thought she would be.

"Because I was always told my parents believed in not judging those without proof. I see the damage it causes to the children in my year whose parents were locked up without trial, denied their given right to visit because of this. I know how hard it is to lose your parents and I could not imagine having a parent alive yet still kept away from them. That breeds resentment in the ministry." She says and I have to bite back a chuckle. The dead parents thing didn't work for many but for her I can see many rethinking their beliefs.

"Yet they are still dark, tainted by the dark magic he held." Dumbledore says. I truly hated that man.

"Are you suggesting that the ministry approved healers are not capable of dealing with such a thing? If you had read my proposal, you would have seen where I suggested a mental evaluation for all found innocent." She says holding his gaze. There are plenty of murmurs, some for and some against.

"If that is it for the questions we will vote." The minister says. When no one speaks up the voting begins. When asked all for I smile as even Lady Longbottom raises her wand. The people against are mostly Dumbledore supporters and those who lost many during the war.

"Motioned passed. The goblins will set up the wards and trials will begin next week." The minister says and I want to groan. I hadn't thought about it before, but I was about to spend a lot of time in Wizengamot.