the marriage stone (Discontinued)

Chapter 71 - The Things That Matter

Harry sighed forlornly as he watched the proceedings in front of him. The International Trade Chamber was crowded with men and women from all over the world, and if he thought a typical gathering of the Wizengamot was chaotic, it was nothing compared to this. The Chamber was set up much the same way as the main Wizengamot Court room - save that it lacked a high platform. While there were viewing galleries on either side, the majority of the delegates were gathered around an enormous table set in the center floor of the room. With the exception of Harry, Diana and Alrik, very few people were sitting.

The foreign delegates were milling about on the main floor, all talking over one another, some yelling, some shouting, many waving their hands to emphasis whatever point they were making. Harry could hear a dozen different languages being spoken - along with the steady murmur of various translation spells.

While Harry sat in one of the side galleries with Diana and Alrik sitting on either side of him, Dumbledore, Madam Bones and Lucius Malfoy were out on the main floor amid the insanity. Shacklebolt, Stark, Darmut and several other Aurors had remained near Harry, standing to either side of him, acting as an effective deterrent from anyone approaching.

As for the conversations going on before him - to say Harry was baffled would have been an understatement. The majority of the focus seemed to be which nation was at greater risk for an attack - and thus which country Harry should reside in to protect from further demonic attack. Some of the arguments went so far as to suggest which country was of more value to the world - which people most deserved to live. But amongst this main concern were issues of trade and commerce - apparently numerous nations believed that Harry could somehow boost their various economies. There were other countries who were in the midst of civil unrest - apparently there were dozens of small Asian nations who had been waring with each other for several hundred years. Harry was supposed to fix all of that as well.

Despite the crazy claims, it was almost amusing to watch Dumbledore, Malfoy and Madam Bones working the crowd. Madam Bones as the interim Minister seemed to see it as her duty to play peacemaker amongst those who became too heated. But Dumbledore and Malfoy appeared to have adopted a different strategy - by keeping the delegates yelling at each other, they paid little attention to Harry himself. The truth was the two men were a rather formidable team, taking unspoken cues from one another as they manipulated everyone around him. Not for the first time Harry had to wonder if Dumbledore had been in Slytherin.

It was strange though that here in this utterly alien environment he should be so strongly reminded of the Dursleys. The discussions were certainly similar - where was Harry going to go, what was he going to do, how were they going to make him work for them? Also similar was the realization that no matter what he did or how he did it, he would never be able to please anyone. The things they were asking were impossible.

"Is it always like this?" Alrik asked, leaning toward Harry so that he could be heard over the noise. They were busy watching a German Prince and a Spanish Ambassador fight over whose castle Harry would be spending the summer in - apparently getting Harry's permission was secondary to their argument.

"Pretty much," Harry agreed.

"I'm beginning to think the Winter Lands would be better off if we cut off all ties with the rest of the world entirely," Alrik remarked, the look on his face one of disbelief.

"You and me both," Harry sighed. He doubted there were very many disagreements or political intrigues in the Winter Lands that could not be solved easily with a simple fist fight. All this wheeling-and-dealing, the lies and manipulations, the plots and negotiations - it was all beyond Harry. He wanted nothing to do with it.

He wondered how Severus, Sirius and Remus were fairing? He knew Sirius and Remus had gone to the Department of Bloodline Inheritance to change the Black Family Conscriptus - he rather hoped to hear a marriage announcement soon from those two. Hopefully Sirius would find some romantic way of proposing to Remus - Remus deserved something like that after everything he had gone through. Or maybe Remus would propose - Harry wasn't really certain how that worked. He supposed it had something to do with their relative positions in society, but since Remus had just become a member of the Wizengamot and was going to be declared heir to the House of Volpine, his status surely must have risen. He also wondered if this meant that Remus would be receiving one of those Heir tattoos - like the one he'd seen on Severus' back. He'd have to remember to ask him about it.