When the Slytherin etiquette class started everyone was given a written test that was followed by a formal luncheon. Snape presided over both with an eagle eye. Two hours later he dismissed Draco, Harry, Blaise and Daphne, saying their manners were adequate until the more advanced lessons that would be taught in March, but that the rest of them needed work. Harry, Blaise, and Daphne spent the next couple weeks coaching Tracey and by mid October she too was dismissed until March's lessons.
At this point Harry was going into withdrawal about strategy so he issued his challenge to Ron Weasley. He stopped by the Gryffindor on Saturday morning. "Mr. Weasley, Neville tells me you play a mean game of chess. I find myself desiring a challenge. What do you say?"
Harry ignored the boy as he wiped his face with the sleeve of his robe instead of using a napkin.
"You think a snake like you can match me, Potter?" the redhead growled.
Harry nodded his ascent.
"You're on, half an hour so I can get my set from the dorm. Here or in the library?"
"Here is fine."
Harry's birthday present to himself had been a wizarding chess set. He'd played one game against Neville but had dominated the game. The chess pieces had irritated him at the time by shouting advice in their tiny voices. He told them to shut up or he would deliberately send them into danger even if it meant he'd lose. They hadn't spoken in the two games he'd played against Blaise, which was just the way Harry liked it.
Harry was surprised when Ron Weasley let him be white. He took it for a mark of over confidence, but five moves into the game, both boys smiled because they both recognized that the other would give them an actual challenge. Five minutes later the pace of the game slowed as both boys spent more time considering their moves. A half an hour later Harry smiled as he moved his bishop, "Check".
Ron Weasley scowled because he could see how in four more moves Harry would win. He looked hard at the board. Was there anything he could do? Then he saw it, it would make the game end in a draw, but better that than a loss. Ten minutes later he did something he thought he would never do.
He extended his hand to a Slytherin. "Good game. We'll have to do this again."
"Same time, two weeks?"
"You're on."
.....
Stephen Corner tagged along behind behind Jamieson Fawcett, this was what he hoped would be the only meeting with members of the ministry before Sirius Black was finally tried. When he had met with Mr. Fawcett back in August, Stephen had explained his concerns about what might happen opening this can of worms.
"Mr. Fawcett, thank you for meeting with me, Tiberius Ogden recommended you to me."
"What laws have you broken? I'll tell you what it will cost you."
"I haven't broken any, but I have evidence that several were broken at the end of the last war. I need a barrister of your caliber and knowledge to set things right. The fundamental right of a trial was denied someone. We suspect it was mostly politically motivated for control. The person in Azkaban may even be innocent of what he was charged with, unlikely but it's possible."
"Control? If you're involved, that would mean control over Harry Potter would it not? Which would mean… Sirius Black never got a trial?"
"Very quick.."
"Yes, it helps I was only three years ahead of those four hoodlums and my mum was best friends with Dorea Potter nee Black. Hmm. I guess our biggest questions are going to be who, why, and what did they gain. If we know that then we will know what leverage we can offset with."
"Well, so far my firm has discovered that Albus Dumbledore wanted control of Lord Potter and placed him with his muggle aunt without asking. Sirius Black was the first named guardian in Lord Potter's parents' wills. Other potential reasons include he is Lord Black the Black Family fortune is substantial and were Sirius Black to die in Azkaban other Family members say Narcissa Malfoy might be able to claim it."
"Why is Albus Dumbledore so interested in controlling Lord Potter?"
"That would require an oath."
"To you or to Lord Potter?"
"To him and I am authorized to accept it on his behalf."
"By him?"
"By his magical trustees, of which I am one."
"Hmm. So you wish for me to do what exactly?"
"See that Sirius Black receives a fair trial. My client and nominally magic ward wants answers about what happened years ago. But other than a fair trial Lord Potter has no other agenda. If Black is guilty by all means may he continue to rot in that hellhole, but otherwise…"Stephen trailed off.
"And those that wish for things to remain as they are?"
"Hardly deserve the title Englishman, after all, what sort of Englishman doesn't believe in due process of law."
"In other words kick over some stones and see what crawls out."
"Exactly."
"Any ideas who we're talking about other than Dumbledore and the Malfoys?"
"Bartemius Crouch, Bagnold's dead, I'm not sure who else."
"Who were the arresting officers?"
"Alastor Moody, Kyle Brown, who died two years ago when he saved a couple kids from a nutcase looking for immortality, and a rookie John Dawlish."
"Moody would have been personally motivated. James was his godson; if he thought Black was guilty, he might not have asked as many questions as he should have. Dawlish is still one of the dimmer bulbs in the box… And we can't exactly query a dead man.
"Allies?"
....
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