And Harry laid it all out for them. He spoke of the reason for the Statute existing in the first place, the arguments put for its implementation, even the arguments that had been put against its implementation. Then covered the period since the implementation, including the significant drop in hospital admissions from contaminated potion ingredients, which showed the existing Statute was effective.
However, he even covered how parts of the mover's arguments were sound, in that there were procedures that had arisen in the Ministry's handling of such inspections that had become too onerous.
"Therefore," he said, coming to a close, "I understand Lord Strickland's clear frustration with the current inspections by the Ministry as they are, today, carried out. Instead of scrapping or making significant alterations to the existing Statute, as this Bill demands, I recommend the Ministry inspectors, themselves, have their procedures inspected and audited toward better handling of such inspections and, of course, corruption.
"Chief Warlock, House Potter thanks you for this opportunity to present its views."
And sat.
The entire chamber was silent. It took a long moment before the Chief Warlock said, "Errr... thank you for those views, Lord Potter. Do I have a speaker for?"
In the end, the Bill lost. Strickland wasn't happy, but another immediately suggested a motion to have Ministry inspectors inspect the Potion ingredient inspectors, 'as Lord Potter suggested'. The new Minister was very quick to agree, without it needing to go to the vote. That seemed to placate the older Lord.
This time, Harry was happy to hang back and speak with other members, both about his speech and about his views on other matters. His normal response was, "As it is a busy time at the moment, perhaps I can impress upon you the need to write down your thoughts and owl me with them. I promise to pay them due attention."
As Harry left, again escorting Lady Marchbanks, she asked, "When you promised to pay matters due attention, what did you mean by that?"
Harry smirked, mimicked opening a letter and said, "Ah! From Lord Parkinson." Then mimicked screwing it up into a ball and lobbing it. "Bin! That's rightful due attention to something Parkinson wants."
Again she cackled, which had Harry grin.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
As soon as they returned to the castle, Harry was about to leave when Marchbanks said, "Stay a while, Lord Potter. Tea?"
Surprised, Harry gave a shrug and said, "Leave and miss the chance to have tea with such a wonderful lady? Perish the thought."
Again with the cackle.
As she called for an elf to serve tea, there came a whoomph from the fireplace and Sirius stepped through. "Hi!" he cheerily said.
"Sirius!" said Harry, laughing. In a stage whisper he said, "I think Lady Marchbanks is trying to seduce me with tea."
That had the woman laugh again, but also Sirius. Her cackling was in great counterpoint to Sirius's barking laughter.
"Don't ever change, Lord Potter," she managed to get out.
"Score!" cried Sirius.
A moment later Marchbanks flicked her wand at him and he was spitting up soapsuds.
The look of shock on his face had Harry laughing.
Meanwhile, their tea had arrived. Harry noticed four teacups. 'We're waiting on one more?' he thought.
Harry cast a finite at his godfather, which had the soapsuds vanish.
"Lady Marchbanks!" said Sirius. "Really?!"
"You deserved it," she smirked. "If not this time, then another."
He seemed to think about that, as he moved to sit next to Harry. "True," he muttered, as he sat.
There was another whoomph of green flame from the fireplace and Samuel Greengrass stepped out.
"Aaaand, here comes the reason for the fourth cup," said Harry.
When Sirius gave him a funny look for the odd comment, he smirked and pointed at the tea service.
Marchbanks, who saw it, looked for herself, grinned and laughed, "Well spotted, Lord Potter!"
Once everyone was seated, Harry said, "Alright, Lady Marchbanks. Perhaps someone can now come clean as to why I've been shanghaied into a meeting?"
Watching it happen, Harry was quite shocked when it was as if someone had doused everyone with cold water. Mirth suddenly became serious business.
"An... issue has arisen," said Samuel.
'No kidding,' thought Harry. 'Your reactions told me that.'
"Well, don't go casting about the forest, willy-nilly," he said. "How can I help?"
"You?" asked Samuel. "What makes you... oh. Of course. Why else would we have you in the meeting."
Harry just cocked an eyebrow back with a slight smirk.
Samuel looked uncomfortable and not wishing to explain. Sirius, however, did. But, even then, he didn't get directly to the point.
"Harry, an issue has cropped up relating to what happened during the Second Task," he said.
"What?" he asked. "Did Bagman decide he couldn't live with the shame of being a daft moron and tried to top himself? I say 'tried', because he probably couldn't get that right, either."
That had Sirius give a snort of amusement.
"No, pup," he replied. "It has to do with the young lady you rescued from the lake."
"Fleur?" he asked. "Is she alright? Did she suffer from complications?"
Sirius sighed and said, "Yes, she's currently alright. However, there were... are... complications... or, rather, unforeseen complications because you saved her life."
Harry frowned and held up a finger before tapping it with the index finger of his other hand. "Point." Then used that second finger to circle around the first from above. "Sirius."
That had Marchbanks give a snort of amusement and for Sirius to grin for a moment before the grin disappeared from his face again.
Instead of then answering, Sirius looked at Marchbanks with a pained expression.
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