A Story of Mortality

Chapter 5

"Lord Potter," a familiar elderly voice greeted, as Dumbledore approached the pair, the Minister of Magic by his side. "I do hope you're not trying to turn one of my own against me?" He joked, the twinkle present in his eyes.

"Ah, Dumbledore, I would never dare do such a thing!" Harry laughed as he turned to greet both men. "But you and I both know, there is no honour in politics."

"You would make a good politician, Lord Potter," the Minister commented. "It always astounds me how you choose not to pursue a professional career in it."

"I truly am flattered, Minister, but I am a politician in my own sense. I find it far more effective to not be bound by party beliefs, and having to spend hours on subjects that I do not care for, such as economics." He pulled a face. "I am content to spend my days focusing on fighting for what I believe in. Political activism is far more entertaining for me."

"I must confess I am glad that you have such feelings," laughed Dumbledore. "I am having a hard-enough time with your fiery opposition to my current bill; I don't know if my greying beard could handle such aggression on a daily basis."

"The aggression, though, surely is because of me fighting very specific battles, and thus is more damaging to the colour of your beard."

"Indeed, indeed, you may be right," the greying man conceded. "On the topic of such matters, Lord Potter, I would appreciate it if we could make use of the private rooms available. I would like to have a good discussion over the issue of my bill, if you please."

"A grand idea; I beg your pardon" he said by means of farewell to the other two men in his company, and grabbed himself a champagne as he followed Dumbledore outside of the main ballroom.

They entered a small chamber, much like the one he had pulled Lord Voldemort into, with a plain fireplace and two comfortable looking armchairs. Harry and Dumbledore both sat down, and Harry took a sip of his champagne. He would let the older man speak first, seeing as he was the one to invite Harry in here.

"Lord Potter," Dumbledore started.

"Do call me Harry," he quickly interrupted. "We are already well acquainted, after all."

"Indeed," agreed Dumbeldore, "then you must call me Albus. Harry, you're a good man. I know you are, for the way you fought in the last wizarding war. I would not have allied myself with you if I did not see any good in you."

Harry nodded, urging the man to continue.

"It is with this in mind, Harry, that I plead with you to reconsider your opposition to my bill. I wholeheartedly believe that if this bill passes, the whole of wizarding Britain will be safer, including your own dark wizards. Surely you can see how possession of dark texts is putting lives at risk?"

"Actually, Albus," Harry contradicted calmly, "I am afraid I do not see your way of thinking on this matter. I fail to understand how censorship based on a prejudice does any good to any member of society."

Dumbledore frowned at this response. "Some of the Dark magic in these books are a threat to humanity itself, Harry. Rituals to torture, curses to mentally impair the strongest of minds, calling upon the most unstable of forces for greed and a hunger for power... these are not books that we should be allowing in the homes of average witches and wizards."

"But I fail to see how you would police this, Albus. The aurors are already strained from the recent cuts that have been made to their force, and you want to waste their time on, what, raiding innocent people's homes?"

"They are not innocent people, though, are they Harry?"

"They are innocent until proven guilty! Some of these books have been with families for centuries, it's a part of their history, of our history. Innocent people could be penalised for keeping hold of a book that they do not even recognise as Dark, just because their ancestors held it and passed it down. Which families are going to be affected by these raids? They're going to disproportionately hit traditionally Dark families who may well have no Dark artefacts or books in their home, just because of some blind fear towards an affinity that they cannot help. Do you not see how oppressive this bill is, Albus? Do you not fight for the oppressed, or is that only the oppressed who have your approval, the muggles and their magical relatives?"