MADE FRIENDs

and lost them through the years

And I've not seen the roaring fields in so long

Hesper had not expected to have to rearrange her afternoon to accommodate a special Wizengamot session, but when the Minister of Magic and Head of the Department of Treasury had made the request, she knew it was time critical. Matters of the economy in the wake of the epidemic were imperative. She was one of the last to arrive, as her two o’clock had run over slightly. But just past three, her gavel knocked against the podium as she called the Wizengamot to order.

“Lords and Ladies of the court, today we have been called together to address a pressing economic matter. Prior to this meeting you were provided a fully detailed report outlining the findings in detail that Lord Malfoy is here to discuss with us today. I do hope that you made time to review the information as I know we all have other obligations that require our attention. ” Hesper was tempted to go on and plainly state that she wished to vote on the funding agreement within the hour, but she did not want to demean the bureaucratic process. If there was relevant, valid discourse that was needed, she would not disrupt it simply because she had an exceedingly number of matters that required her attention with her department. Health and Human Services had been very hectic since the epidemic.

And if she was perfectly honest, part of her motivation to get back to her office was a hope to address enough of the proverbial dumpster fires there that she could go to the ballet this evening. She had not gotten to spend as much time at Avalon since September as she typically would have. She missed the music and the beauty of it. Sitting in her balcony box and watching the dancers perform was exactly the sort of stress relief that she needed.

Giving a small nod of acknowledgement to the blond standing before her, Lady Gamp declared: “Lord Malfoy, you have the floor.”

329 • appearance
Kingsley Shacklebolt , @carlisle , Michael Holden Parkinson , @philip , Rodolphus Azazel Lestrange

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wizengamot

special session: fund muggleborn wages

co-presentation from the dept. of treasury
& dept. of Commerce

Lucius had already briefed the Minister about the topic of today’s special Wizengamot session. He was to act as her voting proxy on the matter. With her support and that of an assortment of other families, the wizard was sure the measure would pass. He was not in his seat for this session. Instead, as Chief Warlock Gamp called the session to order, Lucius stood in the center of floor of the Wizengamot chambers.

Behind him, graphs were levitating on display. The Head of the Department of Commerce stood behind him, there to offer silent support. Lucius was much more comfortable with the role of public speaking than his fellow department head. This proposition had been crafted between their two departments, and was truly for the best of the United Kingdom.

Lady Gamp deferred to him and he gave a small incline of his head towards her, meeting the woman’s respect with his own. “Many thanks, Chief Warlock Gamp.” The man’s pale, calculating eyes swept over the faces scattered around the chamber. There were some he was certain would support him, but others he worried about opposing the measure just out of spite and malice. Those he hoped would be swayed by the Minister’s vote on the matter.

“Lords and Ladies of the Court, I appreciate and value your time. I will be as brief as I am able while still communicating the vital information to you. We are here today to vote on a funding measure. As purebloods, we have reshaped our country. We have restored order and tradition, even so far as to this very chamber. We have taken on responsibility and leadership. Muggleborns have been relocated to vocations suited to their station. They have been provided with food and housing, but up to this point, we have not provided any monetary compensation for the work performed by these individuals.”

He frowned. Lucius Malfoy was no lover of mudbloods. He did not wish to be seen as such, but this was not about his beliefs, this was the fragile state of the economy in a post-epidemic world. A sigh passed his lips before he continued on: “For two years, there was no reason to entertain the idea of wages for these workers. Their needs were provided for. Their wants were immaterial. That truth remains unchanged. However, the state of country and economy have changed. The state of emergency that we remain in has closed our borders. Tourism is gone. Exports cannot leave the United Kingdom. That is not changing until a cure is found.”

“So, we must be ingenious in finding new ways to bolster the economy. The Department of Treasury with assistance from several pure families has managed to keep the Galleon relatively stable so far. This approach is losing efficacy as the time our borders are closed grows. So, we need a new approach. We need buyers for goods. We need diners in restaurants. We need an influx of consumers into our economy. Providing wages to the muggleborns will result in a rise in product sales and service purchases.”

“You will find within the report Lady Gamp referenced detailed statistical analyses performed by the Department of Commerce. This effort is necessary to sustain the nation’s economy and for the good of us all. As Heads of the great houses of our nation, we have a responsibility to lead and care for the country. Through this philanthropy, we will see businesses be able to continue operation. It is not enough to simply sit in this chamber and vote yay or nay, which is why I am asking today for funding for these wages. The measure to be voted on today is for a tax to each house, one that will be fair and in accordance with wealth and influence of the family. I will open the floor now to questions, or if there are none, then to a motion to vote on the measure.”

@ wizengamot • 657  • outfit

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W I Z E N G A M O T

S P E C I A L S E S S I O N

F U N D M U G G L E B O R N W A G E S

Even knowing what this special session was to discuss, the wizard was still not really prepared to see Lucius Malfoy stand before the court suggesting a positive change in relation to muggleborn rights. It was not the change he wanted. He wanted them free and to have all their rights restored. He encouraged this in discussions with the Minister and the other Department Heads. Everyone in the Ministry knew where he stood. He wanted equal rights for all wixens. That had been his policy when he had been Minister and now that he held his family seat on the Wizengamot, he still felt that way. He still believed in the same core values.

Was supporting this bill wrong? Would the Order be displeased with him? He was their leader. He had a duty to bring their voice to this chamber. He had a duty to bring the voice of all those oppressed to this chamber. But he didn't want to speak up at the wrong time. There was a balance in everything. If the purist leaning head felt like too much was being pushed for, they could all walk out of here today with no change or progress at all. It was still a positive change to get the muggleborns wages. 

Kingsley would keep building support among the light and moderate heads. He would play the politician--he would gather his votes and then, only then would he make the motion to completely overturn the muggleborn registration. He would  make the motion when he could be sure it would pass, because a failure to repel would set back the  movement to repel considerably. The registration had already been in place for too long. He could not make a misstep now. 

The courtroom was quiet for some time. Kingsley looked about, half expecting one of the purists to stand, to protest, to mock the Malfoy. But none did. So, after a respectable amount of time, the wizard stood. His wand came to his throat to amplify his voice in the cavernous chamber. "I call the motion to vote," he said firmly. Gustav Slughorn stood across the chamber. The man had been in the Wizengamot for Kingsley's entire life. He had seen so much change, so many power shifts--and always he survived, a paragon of neutrality who truly always put the Galleon before everything else. He was man who made decisions that would benefit the market and in turn his pocket book. Gustav offered only a singular word: "Seconded." But that was enough. The Shacklebolt and the Slughorn turned their eyes to Chief Warlock Gamp. It was to her to convene the vote.

@ Members of the Wizengamot • ### • outfit

MADE BY VEL OF GS + ADOX 2.0

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[attr="class","ctopline"]But lend me your heart

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[attr="class","clyrics"]Lend me your eyes, I can change[break]
what you see, But your soul you must keep[break]
Totally free

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[attr="class","cbody"]The Wizengamot tended to bore him. It was an obligation that was required of him, though. If he was told there was something that required his attention, then off he went. That was just how it worked. There were worse jobs. He got to sit and listen to whatever it was they were discussing, and then he got to vote. It was interesting to see the ways that people voted, to see how opinions were turned by how others voted. He liked to think that he had a deciding vote at times. Anyone who was a Death Eater would not be likely to vote differently than him if it was an issue that impacted them. If it wasn’t, then he couldn’t care less if everyone had the same opinion that he did. There was no denying that they dealt with some monotonous topics.
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Rodolphus had not known what today was about. He had just told that there was to be a special session, and that was it. He had no idea how long it was going to take or what it would entail. He just lounged back in his chair and waited. It wasn’t long after three that the gavel was knocked, and his gaze lazily moved to Hesper. She spoke of a report that they had received, and he vaguely realized that he probably had been given that report, hadn’t he? More than likely, he had seen the name Malfoy and had decided that it was not worth reading. It was still on his desk unopened. Whatever Lucius Malfoy wanted to discuss was nothing of any interest to him. The man was somehow keeping the economy going, against all odds. Or, more likely than not, he was taking credit for it while someone else did all that work.
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Whatever this was, he was sure that it would not be nearly interesting enough to hold his attention. Probably another idea that Lucius had poached from someone else within his department.
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He had not been planning on paying much attention to the words that left the Malfoy’s mouth. Truly, it would have been better on him not to have shown up at all today, such was the torture of not just Lucius Malfoy speaking, but also graphs and charts. The Department of Treasury did so love their graphs, after all. No part of him was surprised that they had a place in this presentation.
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What did surprise him was what the man actually had to say. The Malfoy name did not garner much respect with the Death Eaters after their turncoat actions at the end of the last war. But he had never thought the man to be a blood traitor. The Mudbloods were where they were meant to be. After the Dark Lord’s failed attempts, they were right at their proper place in the world. His wife had already been granting them concessions that they did not deserve. But paying them? All that could do was further them along toward getting their full rights back. It was something that he had been sure his wife was aiming for and now he was even more certain of. She was just using Lucius Malfoy as her mouthpiece instead of coming up with the idea herself.
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Interesting. Very interesting.
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His gaze moved to Shacklebolt as he spoke and shot just as quickly over to the voice that said ‘seconded.’ A Slughorn. Not a surprise. But there were many Death Eaters within the Wizengamot. He thought that this would be a close vote.
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[attr="class","cnotes"]589 ● @ no one really, he just has opinions ● outfit

[attr="class","cred"]MADE BY VEL OF WW + ADOX 2.0

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