A Law of the Medes and Persians

Part 4: The Best-Laid Plans

The afternoon and evening proved extremely hectic for Harry, Ron, and Hermione, although Harry found time for a brief return to The Burrow to check how Andromeda was coping with the situation. Ginny was sitting with her when he arrived, and shot him a helpless look - she was clearly having very little success in reassuring the stricken grandmother, in whose presence Harry dared do no more than mutter vague platitudes about having the situation well in hand and there being no need to panic (while desperately hoping that the mission the other two were currently on would be successful).

The atmosphere when they all finally returned late that evening was calmer, but still strained. Andromeda was sitting on the sofa singing lullabies to Teddy, although Harry could still hear that fraught undercurrent that suggested she might crack up at any moment if she thought too much about what she was doing. Arthur and Molly were sitting with her and doing their best to keep her spirits up, while he found Ginny in the kitchen, rubbing soot off her face. She had the slightly dizzy look of someone who had just spent a long time making Floo calls.

"How is she?" Harry asked her, as Ron and Hermione joined the group in the living-room.

Ginny grimaced. "About as well as can be expected. In other words, pretty awful." She winced at the stiffness in her muscles and stretched luxuriantly, arms and head thrown back and chest thrown forward, and for a moment Harry totally forgot what he wanted to say. She caught sight of him staring and grinned. "You were being very mysterious when you Apparated back this afternoon," she said, tactfully ignoring his blush. "What exactly are you planning? And when are you going to actually tell me?"

"Right now," he promised. "But let's go in the lounge - there's a lot to discuss, and it's best if we have everyone there."

Mrs Tonks, Ginny, and her parents listened with increasing unhappiness as the three friends explained what Kingsley and Proudfoot had said. "So Kingsley's stuck in a dragon's nest without a wand," finished Ron. "If he starts interfering to close the case down, they'll probably suss out it's because he was there at the wedding, and if they can get proof of that they've got him over a cauldron."

"And if he doesn't interfere, no doubt they'd portray him as weak in the papers," added Hermione. "And use the issue to drive a wedge between him and the people from the Order he needs to be able to rely on."

"It's not going to work with me," said Arthur quietly. "Nor even Percy. I had a word with him today; he offered to write a memo to Amos personally." He sat back and sighed. "I actually have the greatest of sympathies for Kingsley. He has to consolidate his hold on the job before he can make sweeping changes, and that could take weeks or months. And he has to spend far too much time at the moment on diplomatic relations with foreign Ministries - not to mention the Muggle Prime Minister, of course. They all want reassurance that they won't have any more British Dark wizards making trouble for them. He's making an official visit to Germany, Austria, and Switzerland tomorrow - I believe he intends to have a strong word with the German Minister about their Black Forest facility just in case, Andromeda - and he doesn't need this sort of distraction. We both expected something would be thrown at him by his opponents, it's just the actual situation that's blindsided us --"

Andromeda Tonks broke down.

"I ... I ... I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" she forced out between sobs. "I ... I never m-meant ... I didn't want to cause all this t-trouble! I just want to be left alone with the only f-family I have left!" Molly mouthed helplessly over the sound of the tears to tell them she'd been crying off and on all day. "I ... I'll leave! I'll go abroad ... somewhere! A-anywhere! I could face Azkaban, but I c-can't face losing my g-g-grandson, not after all that's h-happened!"

"You won't have to," said Harry firmly. It was time to let her in on what they had in mind. "We have a plan ready in case Amos Diggory doesn't decide against that cow Umbridge." Like too many of their recent plans, they'd had to concoct it on the spur of the moment and it was practically held together with Spellotape, but Andromeda Tonks didn't need to know that. He turned to Mr and Mrs Weasley. "It's a bit - well, actually rather a lot - illegal, though. I don't want to get you into trouble. It might be best if you didn't hear what we're about to say."

Molly and Arthur looked at each other uncertainly. "Harry, we want to help --" he began.

"But the Ministry needs you too," he interrupted. "You can't afford to do anything they could use against you, not at the moment, right? And Mrs Weasley, would you really feel comfortable knowing if Mr Weasley didn't?"

Molly looked at Harry as if she hadn't quite expected him to understand that. "No, Harry, I suppose I wouldn't," she said after a long pause. She turned to her husband. "Arthur?"

Harry had the impression that the two of them were carrying on an in-depth conversation by means of raised eyebrows alone. "Er, yes," he said eventually. "I have another coat of paint to put on the bike before we turn in --"

"And I really must finish icing that cake. Come along, Ginny, you can help me."

"No way. I'm staying," said Ginny immediately. Harry had expected this, and had to struggle not to smile. He thought she deserved to know what was going on. On the whole, she'd shown remarkable forbearance in not demanding to be told before.

"You're only sixteen, young lady ..."

"And I've been fighting Death Eaters since I was fourteen." Ginny for once didn't sound particularly angry at being told to leave, nor even upset; she just seemed weary at the situation. "Does that really matter now, Mum, after all this? I'll be of age in a few months anyway, but I'm sure Harry could do with a bit of extra help now."

Harry wasn't sure, but he didn't want to say so. "There shouldn't be any problem, Mrs Weasley," he said in as reassuring a tone as he could manage.

Molly Weasley did not seem in the least convinced by this, but Harry held her gaze for a minute, with a look in which he tried to combine steely resolve and a plea for understanding (no easy task), until Molly coughed in embarrassment. She exchanged further glances with her husband, who gave her a resigned shrug. "Well ... I suppose ... all right, then. Andromeda, I'll only be in the kitchen if you need me. Come and talk to me any time you like."

"And I'll be in the shed," added Arthur. "If you really need my help, just come and ask for it. I owe it to Remus and Tonks; it could so easily have been me who was killed instead of them. Ginny ..." He hesitated. "Be careful. Stay safe. You're not of age yet, and we want you to be able to finish your N.E.W.T.s next year now you've got the chance. And I know I'm probably wasting my breath by saying this, but you three be careful too."

"Don't worry, Dad, we will," promised Ron. "We've had practice, remember."

They waited until Molly and Arthur were safely out of earshot, then Ginny asked, without preamble, "OK. What are you up to?"

Harry nodded to Hermione, who proceeded to explain in confident tones about the still-empty theatre near the visitors' entrance to the Ministry, and the way they'd used it to ambush Mafalda Hopkirk, Reg Cattermole, and Albert Runcorn. "Proudfoot will have to bring Teddy past it, and he won't put up much of a fight," she concluded. "We Stun him, take Teddy, and leave a sort of manifesto that suggests it was done by Umbridge's werewolf-hating friends. If she wants to use smear tactics, it's time she learnt that counter-smears can be just as effective as counter-jinxes. We then Apparate with Teddy directly to Heathrow --"

"Where?" asked Andromeda blankly.

"It's the biggest Muggle airport, very easy to hide yourself in the crowd. We hand him over to my parents --"

"Your parents?"

"My parents, Hugo and Jean Granger - or Wendell and Monica Wilkins, as they were known when they lived in Australia last year." Harry thought it a good tactic on Hermione's part not to give Mrs Tonks sufficient time to explore any of her objections. "They were horrified to hear the message Harry left when he phoned, and when Ron and I told them what happened today, they were only too willing to do anything they could to help. Anyway, once they take charge of Teddy they will board the next plane to Sydney and resume their already established Wilkins cover identity, claiming that Teddy is theirs and they wanted him to be born in England in case he grew up to be a Test cricketer." Harry suspected that he was the only other person in the room who understood that remark, and even he had to think about it now. "I'll put a Colour-Fixing Charm on his hair before they go, and I've already Transfigured some documentation for him - we've given him the alias 'David Wilkins'. For some reason, no-one in the wizarding world ever seems to be called David, so it'll sound more Muggle if anyone's on the lookout."

Harry grinned at her. The plan was once again largely Hermione's work, and this time he had remembered to tell her how much he appreciated it. Andromeda Tonks did not look convinced, however. "But I don't want to be parted from Teddy --"

"You won't be," said Harry. "Not for long, anyway. You quietly slip out of the country at the first opportunity, collect him from Hermione's mum and dad, and go and live anywhere you like under a new name. I know it's a wrench, leaving everyone behind --"

"I don't have anyone except him left!"

"Right ..." She'd meant what she said before, he saw. "Not a problem, then."

"But it's against the law, and they'll know you did it ..."

"Nah, we'll use one of the Death Eater wands from the Battle of Hogwarts," said Ron. "There are loads of them floating about - people took them as spoils or souvenirs. With any luck, it'll seem like one of their sympathisers did it, and even if they don't believe that, they'll never be able to trace the spells to us. You play merry hell with the old guard in the Ministry for a few months for 'letting him be taken', and then say, I dunno, that you can't face living here any more with all your family gone and you're off to some distant relative abroad."

"You could do with some backup, though," said Ginny, and Harry looked at her apprehensively. "When you were all away so long I thought you were probably planning something like this, so I got my head into the fire and started roping in the DA. Don't you think it would be best if you three and Andromeda were somewhere else while all this is going on?"

"I'm not going to ask anyone else to do it for me --" began Harry.

She shook her head impatiently. "You've still got some of that Polyjuice left, haven't you? I managed to get hold of Neville and Luna, and she knew how to get in touch with Dean. Give us some hair; when that Auror goes off with Teddy to kill time for a bit and let you get into position, we'll all use the potion and make sure we're seen - or rather, you're seen - in the Ministry. It can't possibly take you more than an hour, surely?"

Harry hesitated. He still couldn't pretend he was entirely comfortable with the idea of Ginny putting herself in danger - although he did seem to be getting more used to it - but he retained just enough common sense not to argue. He hastily focused on the other aspect that made him uneasy. "Why Dean, anyway?" he asked suspiciously.

Ginny's smile in response was almost a smirk, and Harry knew he'd judged this one right, at least. "I was sure he'd want to be the one to help," she told him. "He always liked Lupin, and he spent a few months with Tonks's dad, remember ... er, I mean, your husband as well, Mrs Tonks, obviously, um ..." She looked across at her. "He told me how much he liked him too," she added awkwardly. "If you wanted to talk to him ..."

Andromeda Tonks shook her head slowly. Indeed, she seemed almost stunned by the turn of events, but breaking down in tears seemed to have done her some good. "Maybe later," she said, sounding tired but much more in control. "Not now, Ginny. It wouldn't ... it would hurt too much." She shuddered. "It's a good plan. It'll be an upheaval, but it's better than losing my grandson. I suppose I'll have to look into selling our house - I won't be able to stay there anyway, and I'll need the money to pay for all of this. I only hope there'll be enough left to live on afterwards ..."

Harry had been expecting that kind of reaction. Fortunately, he had practice at dealing with it. "You won't need to worry about that, Mrs Tonks. The gold's coming out of my vault."

"Excuse me?" Andromeda Tonks sounded almost insulted at the idea of being a charity case. "Don't be ridiculous, Mr Potter, I couldn't possibly take your money --"

He already had his arguments rehearsed, and cut in. "Teddy's my godson. I owe him this. What sort of godfather would I be if I didn't help?" Ron and Hermione exchanged rueful glances. "And anyway," he added before anyone could interrupt, "it won't really be my money - it'll be Sirius's money. Black money. He left me everything, and you know from what you told me about him that he'd have been proud to see it used for this. Tonks was his cousin, and Teddy's her child, and the son of one of his oldest and closest friends. He'd probably have told you to hex me if I didn't help."

Andromeda stared at him for a minute or two without speaking. She seemed to have run dry of tears for the moment. "You know, I didn't trust my son-in-law for quite a long time," she said eventually, her voice soft and reflective. "All I knew of him when they married were the reports in the papers that he had put children in danger by transforming at Hogwarts, and I told Nymphadora to ask them if they thought he was worth caring about." Harry, Ron, and Hermione carefully avoided looking at each other. "I couldn't see how a man who had known little else but poverty and monthly urges to kill for most of his life could possibly be a suitable husband for her. I would have put a stop to it if I could - yes, even though my parents had wanted to prevent my own marriage, the way old pure-blood families always did. It took me a long time to get to know Remus Lupin better, and now I bitterly regret that I didn't have longer. And it seems that he was a man who made not one, but two groups of friends in his life who were willing to risk their education and their prospects and even their freedom to help. Such a man must have been something special. I'm glad my daughter saw that long before I did! I should have shown greater trust in her judgement from the start."

Harry felt a lump in his throat. Ron's voice was oddly thick when he answered her. "Yeah, he was a top bloke. One of the best."

"So was your Dora," added Hermione softly. Her eyes had also begun to glisten with tears "I know she loved him more than anything. And I know he was terrified by the thought he was going to be bad for her too. Don't torment yourself over that, Mrs Tonks. You weren't the only one who needed time to learn to trust your daughter's judgement of him."

Harry nodded in confirmation, although exactly why Hermione knew what Remus had thought was something else Andromeda didn't need to know. "Are we agreed then, Mrs Tonks?"

"Andromeda, please, Mr ... er, Harry. Thank you. Although I don't know how I ever can."

"Just bring up Teddy to know who his parents were and what they were really like," said Harry awkwardly. "Even if, well - he can't actually tell people about it. And if he decides to come back to Britain when he's older, you know he'll always be welcome to spend as much time at my place as he wants."

"And don't think we won't be working on it," added Ron in an encouraging tone. "I don't care if the International Confederation haven't changed their rules on werewolves since ... whenever it was they started it -" Hermione smiled, obviously recalling their feeble efforts in History of Magic "- because once Kingsley Shacklebolt is confirmed as Minister, we'll give him a kick up the ar -- the bum to get it sorted out and let you come back if you want."

"I think he'll try whether we give him a kick up the bum or not." Hermione suddenly sat up and looked at her watch. "We're going to have to be up early in the morning to get everything in place," she said briskly. "Andromeda, please think over everything we've told you and see if you can spot any problems. Ron, Harry, Ginny, time we all got some sleep, I think! Let's go."

Nobody dared to argue, although Ginny hung back with Harry as they all filed from the room. She'd been quiet for a while, and her smile for him was rather perfunctory, although her goodnight kiss wasn't - even if she did seem to be exaggerating it in order to see Ron's reaction. Harry wasn't quite sure what that would be (although he was willing to risk it), but Ron merely looked at her defiantly and then gave Hermione a kiss that was every bit as prolonged. Harry turned away hastily.

"Will you tell Neville and Luna - er, and Dean - what's going on?" he asked Ginny.

"Course I will. Leave me a few of those Ministry tokens. Although ..." She hesitated for a moment, to Harry's surprise. "I need to go up to Hogwarts too. Something Dad said ... I have to discuss it with the teachers. I'll tell them to meet me there."

"Anything to do with your N.E.W.T.s?" called Hermione from the door. She sounded rather out of breath.

"Er, yeah, actually ..."

"I wish I was taking them," she said wistfully. "We'd have started sitting them round about now, wouldn't we?"

Ron caught Harry's gaze over her head and rolled his eyes.

*****

By half past eleven the following morning, Harry was beginning to feel nervous. Possibly Hermione's attitude was transmitting itself; she was preparing for the resumption of the hearing as if she really were taking a N.E.W.T. exam. Fond of her as he was, her habit of keyed-up behaviour on such occasions made them more stressful than they needed to be. It didn't help that spectators had turned up again, including of course Rita Skeeter; she made a tentative approach to ask for an interview, but Ron's offer to snap her Quick-Quotes Quill and use it for an alternative purpose if she spoke so much as one more word to them was sufficiently forceful to leave even Rita discouraged.

Then again, the nerves might simply be due to the fact that there was still no sign of Ginny, nor the people from the DA she was supposed to be bringing with her. This was extremely annoying, as he wanted to talk through the plan with them in advance. He, Ron, Hermione and Andromeda each had two vials of Polyjuice concealed in their robes - one which would allow a DA volunteer to change into them, and one which would allow them to take on the appearance of random Muggles for purposes of disguise.

He checked his watch again and saw that it was now quarter to twelve, which only increased his level of tension. On the whole, he would be happiest by far if Amos Diggory saw sense and found some way to make the plan unnecessary, although he didn't hold out much hope for that - and more to the point, neither did Hermione after poring over the legal rulings one last time. For someone who had sneered at the idea of studying Magical Law when Scrimgeour had made the suggestion, she seemed to have taken to it like a Snitch to the wing.

He caught her eye; she was pale with nervous anticipation, and he attempted a hearty smile to project confidence he was far from actually feeling. Ron was also jumpy, and Andromeda looked as if she was having trouble breathing. Umbridge arrived at about ten to twelve, smirking at them in her most irritating manner, and Harry pointedly turned his back on her.

He had almost given up on Ginny when at about five to twelve, there was the sound of footsteps; she raced up to them and dropped a stack of parchment into the arms of a baffled Hermione.

"What's this?"

"I got it from Hogwarts. You've just about got time to read it now, before we go in. McGonagall sends her regards. Sorry I'm late everyone, it took longer than I thought at school ..."

Harry looked at Ron, who seemed just as puzzled as he was. "Did you see anyone else on your way in?" he asked. He didn't dare say any more with Umbridge listening.

She nodded. "A few friends. They might be along later. There's a witness coming too, if Amos allows it." She looked back down the corridor. "Er, eventually, anyway ..."

Before he had time to ask any more questions, the door opened and Boot, the scribe, called them in. Hermione was still rapidly scanning the parchment she had been given. Ginny hung back, waiting for her witness, and Harry saw her face light up; he couldn't see who it was. but didn't have time to wait and find out as he took his seat near the front.

Amos Diggory called the tribunal to order and read out the list of people present. "I'd just like to say for the record that this is one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to make," he began. He went into a waffly speech about the duties and responsibilities of the department towards the laws of the Ministry and the International Confederation, and Harry shifted uncomfortably in his chair; it seemed likely to go on for some time. Even Umbridge seemed glassy-eyed, so was at least getting a taste of her own medicine.

Eventually Diggory wound down and paused for a moment, and Harry ceased to watch for the door opening and brought his attention back to the tribunal. "However, I should announce a decision now," he said, and everyone nodded involuntarily. He gave a deep sigh. "It pains me to say this, but I haven't been able to find any 'service to the Ministry' exception to the law that would allow me to rule in favour of Mrs Tonks and allow her to keep the child, although I intend to recommend that any subsequent hearing be extremely lenient as regards sentencing for attending the illegal marriage - it's a thoroughly obscure law, and I think a small fine would be more than adequate as punishment."

Umbridge looked like the Kneazle who'd got the cream, even if her smirk flickered very slightly at Diggory's last comment. Harry, his heart sinking, exchanged resigned but determined glances with Ron, wondering where the hell the DA members were and hoping Ginny had briefed them well.

He turned to see what Hermione thought of it and was surprised to find her getting to her feet. "Excuse me, Mr Diggory."

"What is it, Miss Granger?" he said testily. "I don't particularly want to hear any more impassioned pleas."

"Not at all," she replied with equanimity. "But as I recall, you said yesterday that we could make any further relevant arguments that occurred to us when we reconvened. And I do believe that I have the right under Wizengamot procedural rules to present significant new evidence that may affect the decision before the ruling is made?"

Diggory looked annoyed, but also resigned. "Very well, Miss Granger. Go ahead. I hope this really is significant."

"Oh, I think so. It will probably be simpler if I call an expert witness. Madam Pince, would you step forward please?"

Ginny was beaming, and Harry could only suppose that this was the witness she had brought with her. He craned his head to watch her as she walked to the front of the room, and was relieved to see that Neville, Luna and Dean had now slipped into the back row of seats - if whatever this was about didn't work, they were going to need them. Unfortunately, Dawlish had also arrived, and taken a place next to a disgruntled-looking Proudfoot. Harry had a nasty suspicion that Umbridge had taken advantage of Kingsley being out of the country to arrange extra 'protection' for Teddy. He definitely hadn't bargained on having someone there who might fight back.

Madam Pince was carrying an armful of parchment of her own. She sat down in the chair on the raised platform, and Hermione addressed her. "Could you state your name and occupation for the record, please?"

Her nose jutted forward again as she spoke. "Irma Eleanor Pince. I have been the librarian of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for the past forty-seven years."

"Very good. I understand you have brought copies of certain documents with you; what status do these have?"

"Hogwarts is a library of record for wizarding law texts. These are official copies. I duplicate-charmed them myself, as is my task as librarian."

"Just so. May I ask you to quote from the -" Hermione glanced surreptitiously at Ginny's notes "- the provisions of the International Statute of Secrecy of 1692 regarding relations with Muggle governments?"

"Certainly." Madam Pince cast one look of loathing at Umbridge, adjusted her glasses, and began to read.

"'Notwithstanding the Provisions laid down elsewhere in this Statute for the due and necessary Separation of the Wizarding and the Muggle Worlds, this Confederation observes that it is vital to preserve a form of Relations between the several Authorities in each World, such that Matters of mutual Importance may be dealt with in an expeditious Manner. The Confederation hence decrees that each Ministry shall take such Steps as shall be necessary to maintain cordial Relations with the Kings, Grand Dukes, Margraves, or other such Forms of Ultimate Authority as the Muggle World may from Time to Time prefer, in the Region in which both are located. And such Muggle Authorities shall in every Case be recognised as being a sovereign Power, to make such Laws and take such Actions as they wish within their own Dominions, in full Equivalence of Status with the Wizarding Authorities of the same Lands, and without attempt by said Wizarding Authorities to prevent the same ...'"

She looked up. "There is more, of course, but as I understand the nature of this case these are the clauses most relevant to the matter at hand."

"Thank you, Madam Pince," said Hermione politely. "I think this establishes the point that a Muggle government, such as that of the United Kingdom under whose laws the marriage of Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks was solemnised, is fully recognised as a legitimate authority able to decide who it will or will not grant marriage rights to."

Harry felt vaguely deflated. Certainly it was a new approach, but in all honesty he wouldn't have wanted to stake more than a handful of Knuts on the chances of it changing Amos Diggory's mind. The man seemed mildly puzzled, but when Harry chanced a look to see how Umbridge was taking it, his heart sank further. Her expression was stony, but she didn't seem noticeably disconcerted.

"Well, that's certainly an interesting point, Miss Granger," said Diggory. "Are you arguing that --"

"Hem, hem."

"Yes, Madam Umbridge?"

Umbridge stood up, although it was as unimpressive a gesture as ever; Harry thought that maybe she should have brought a stepladder with her. "I have never disputed that the Muggles have the right to allow werewolves and other undesirables to marry, if they are foolish enough to wish to do so," she said sweetly, turning to Pince. "But I seem to remember, dear, that the part of the Statute of Secrecy you didn't read out to us makes it extremely clear that their laws shall not be considered binding on wizards unless specifically so authorised by the Confederation or the local Ministry. As a former Senior Undersecretary to the Minister I kept a record of all Statutes and Ministry Decrees, and I can assure you that there has never been one issued to allow werewolves to marry as Muggles." Diggory nodded. "So I am afraid, Miss Granger, that I fail to see that this reminder of the Statute changes the legal situation in any way."

Harry turned in disappointment to the back of the courtroom, where Neville caught his eye. Harry raised his eyebrows in enquiry and received a tiny nod in reply, while Luna smiled beatifically and Dean maintained a suspiciously detached expression. He estimated that they would have a window of no more than ten minutes after Proudfoot left with Teddy in which to take the Polyjuice, change clothes, and then get into position. They were going to need every minute of them, especially as he wanted to explain to the members of the DA that their best tactic for being widely recognised as 'Harry' and his party would be to storm up to the Ministerial offices again and demand to see Kingsley Shacklebolt.

He turned back to listen to what Hermione was saying, and blinked as he realised that for perhaps the first time in her life she was fully in agreement with Umbridge.

"... absolutely correct," she was saying. "I wouldn't dream of arguing that, Madam Umbridge."

"Well then, dear, why are you wasting our --"

"Hem, hem." Hermione seemed very pleased with herself for some reason. "There is one final point I would like to bring before this tribunal. Madam Pince, would you please describe the other document you have brought with you, and read the relevant clauses into the record?"

"Gladly." Harry could have sworn he heard a note of relish in Pince's voice. "This is the International Confederation of Wizards Marriage Recognition Statute of 1877. I believe it was introduced to settle questions that had arisen when the pure-blood son of a leading official in the French Ministry eloped to Spain in order to marry a half-blood he had met at Beauxbatons, instead of the girl his parents had chosen for him." She sniffed, as if to indicate disdain for such follies of youth. "His parents attempted to have the marriage declared null and void as he was under age in France, although not in Spain which allowed marriage at fifteen. After debating the matter, the Confederation decided that this would cause chaos and ruled as follows." She cleared her throat.

"'For the avoidance of doubt, it is decreed that any marriage solemnised according to the laws of any government recognised as a sovereign power by this Confederation, on its own territory, shall be deemed to be valid in all wizarding jurisdictions, and must be recognised as legitimate and binding by them, even if it would otherwise be contrary to the laws or policy of the government whose citizens contracted the marriage.'"

"Thank you, Madam Pince. So you see, Madam Umbridge, that while you are correct to state that no Statute or Decree specifically allows Muggle marriages for a werewolf, when these two are taken together they can have only one interpretation - that if a recognised Muggle government allows a werewolf to marry, since 1877 that marriage has perforce also been a valid one under wizarding law." Hermione smiled at a thunderstruck Umbridge. "I'm sure you don't need me to point out to you that since the Ministry is required to recognise the marriage as valid, the penalties mentioned in clause XVIII of the International Werewolf Agreement of 1741 that you so kindly quoted yesterday do not become operative." She turned to Amos Diggory. "And of course, since both of these laws are ICW Statutes - and moreover, the later one considerably post-dates the 1809 order that Madam Umbridge has relied upon to make her case - they clearly trump any Ministry Decrees there may or may not be on the subject." She paused to allow this to sink in. "In fact," she finished sweetly, "to use the phrase that seems to be in vogue, they are to us as a law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be changed."

Ginny's expression was triumphant. Mrs Tonks had half-risen from her seat, Neville, Luna, and Dean were chattering in excitement, and there was an increasing buzz of conversation from the other spectators at the back of the room. Amos Diggory looked nearly as astonished as Umbridge; the scribe Boot had brought him the documents for perusal, and he was comparing them side by side and nodding in agreement.

Umbridge began to splutter. It was a beautiful sound, and for once - at last! - she didn't seem to have a comeback prepared. "But Amos, you cannot allow this!" she said in desperation. "I'm sure none of us would want you to make a ruling based on some obviously contrived interpretation of the law. We all know that werewolves are dangerous beasts, after all!" That line of argument might have caught Diggory's attention, but then she made a mistake. "It is vital that the influence of this foolish so-called 'Order of the Phoenix' not be allowed to send completely the wrong signals! Of course we are all very grateful to them for fighting against You-Know-Who, even if they did not see fit to seek help from the recognised authorities, but allowing them to get away with this will undo all the progress we have made over the last year and undermine the efforts of those of us who are working together to ensure continuity and stability in the Ministry!"

"Progress, Dolores?" Amos Diggory's tone was icy, and Harry listened in glee. She had clearly forgotten that while Diggory might be sympathetic to her on werewolf questions, Death Eaters were an entirely different matter. Harry wasn't even sure it had occurred to her to revise her opinion of the official line that Cedric had died as the result of an accident. "Continuity? You think the nightmare we've endured at the hands of You-Know-Who's creatures this last year is something to be preserved?" The tribunal papers had been summarily pushed aside, and he looked down at Umbridge as if regretting that he had never before recognised her for what she really was. "I'm told there's a faction around who want to see things stay the same, but I don't see why you're assisting it. Not hard to tell who's right and wrong on this, is it?"

Harry sneaked a glance at Rita Skeeter; she was sitting bolt upright and listening avidly, and her Quick-Quotes Quill was flying across the parchment so fast it was almost a blur.

"But ... Amos ..." Umbridge seemed to be struggling to accept what had happened. "I merely wanted to point out that respect for the rules of the Ministry is of vital importance --"

"Yes, it is," he said triumphantly. "And the defence seem to have discovered what they actually are, so we'll follow them. Here's my decision: the marriage was valid, therefore Madam Tonks was entitled to attend it, and she can keep the damned baby if she wants!" He turned to the party surrounding Andromeda. "I'm relying on you people to make sure there's no risk to anyone on full moon nights. I want at least six months to go by to make sure it's safe before you let the baby out in public. Ron, Ginny, I'll expect your parents to help." He held up a hand to forestall another attempt to speak from Umbridge. "Boot, this tribunal is now closed. Write up the record and bring it to me to be signed." Diggory started to gather up the papers, then thought better of it and added, "You can get these in order too. I'll be in my office when you've finished." He disappeared through the door he'd entered by as fast as he could and slammed it shut behind him.

The room erupted.

Harry's party were immediately enfolded in a group hug as if they'd just won a Quidditch final. Andromeda Tonks was taking great gulps of air in an effort to steady herself, and Teddy Lupin seemed to have caught the mood; his hair was going through quite a repertoire of colour changes. Ron and Hermione were kissing in a manner that made Harry expect to see basilisk fangs falling at any moment, and Neville, Luna, and Dean were racing forward to congratulate them all. Proudfoot caught Harry's eye, winked, made a rude gesture in Dawlish's direction and strolled out whistling. Dawlish scowled and left quickly, while Pince nodded to Ginny and followed them through the door, as if this had been an entirely routine task that she performed every day of the week. Best of all, a purple-faced Umbridge was unsuccessfully trying to evade Rita Skeeter - who had wisely chosen not to approach Harry and his friends on this occasion, instead pestering the loser in the case for an interview on the subject of whether or not she was involved in a plot against the new Minister.

But the person Harry most wanted to congratulate was Ginny. "You did it, you did it!" he cried, as they hugged each other and danced around like Cornish pixies on the rampage.

"Brilliant, Ginny!" yelled Ron, breaking apart from Hermione for a moment, and Ginny's eyes shone with pleasure.

"Thank you, Ginny," added Andromeda Tonks faintly. "Thank you. You saved my grandchild!"

"I didn't do much," she said, for once blushing every bit as fiercely as she had when she was eleven.

"Yes, you did," contradicted Hermione with a touch of chagrin. "You found something I never even thought of."

"Where did you find that?" asked Harry. He thought that the bottles of Polyjuice in his pockets might have broken in the crush, but he couldn't care less now that he didn't have to worry about finding a time and place to use them. "Genius!"

"A couple of things people said last night gave me the idea!" she answered, as their gyrations came to a halt. "When Dad mentioned that Kingsley had to reassure the Muggle Prime Minister, it reminded me of what I told you that Carrow woman was banging on about last year - you know, how disgusting it was for the Confederation to let Muggle governments be treated as equals? Then Mrs Tonks said something about wanting to put a stop to the wedding if she'd been able to, and I remembered that marriage Statute - it was one of the things on last year's History of Magic O.W.L. we all complained about, Binns never covered it so no-one knew how to answer the question. I felt sure that if I looked them up and put them both together, there had to be a real chance they'd give us something to use."

"You didn't let me know what you were planning when you went up to Hogwarts!"

Ginny's smirk was decidedly pointed, and even Harry had to grin as he recognised the irony. Then again, if this was the sort of thing she came up with ... She took a deep breath. "I didn't dare say anything to get your hopes up until I'd had the chance to check. McGonagall gave us permission, and Madam Pince was a star, she knew exactly where to find everything. Told you she liked me!"

*****

"... The soon-to-be-confirmed Minister, just like the now-discredited former Head of the Muggle-born Registration Commission, refused to comment on the matter - contenting himself with releasing a statement from Geneva saying that he was pleased that the child of two personal friends, who sacrificed their lives to give us all the chance of a better future, would now be raised in a safe family environment. However, a source close to the seats of power in the new Ministry was of the opinion that it is likely Shacklebolt will be able to use the plot uncovered by your reporter as an example of the dangers of allowing prejudiced elements of the old regime to disrespect not only war heroes and Muggles, but even the ICW Statutes themselves ..."

"Changed her tune, then," said Harry cheerfully, as Hermione paused for breath.

"That's Rita for you," she said disdainfully. "Ever the opportunist. 'Uncovered by your reporter' indeed! All she had to do was take notes at the tribunal! And of course the Prophet has turned on a Sickle overnight again."

"Won't be the last time," Ron pointed out. "Anyway, everyone will have forgotten what the original line was soon if they keep this one up for a bit. Who's the 'source close to the seats of power', anyway?"

"Dad thinks it might be Kingsley himself, leaking snippets via his secretary," said Ginny, wriggling a bit to curl up more closely against Harry on the settee. "Skeeter would lap that sort of thing up, wouldn't she? He's pretty grateful to us for giving him the chance, anyway."

"That's true," said Harry. He glanced again at the note of thanks carried from Vienna by a rather tired Ministerial owl; it offered effusive praise for their efforts and again hinted strongly that they (and indeed Ginny if she was interested) might consider using the talents they'd displayed by joining his new Ministry to help him make it a success. Harry suspected that Kingsley had seized the opportunity offered by the Teddy Lupin problem to give them a nudge in that direction, but he couldn't feel annoyed with him - especially as the note also confirmed that all points of disagreement with the goblins on the subject of the Gringotts break-in had now been contractually resolved with surprising ease. He also reported that his colleague had overheard a few snide comments about Umbridge's case; in that light, Harry couldn't help but wonder if the 'private joke' the junior goblins had shared had been because they'd stumbled across the marriage statute and were amused that the wizards didn't know it. He rather wished that thought had occurred to him before the tribunal when it might have saved them a lot of hassle.

"Going to take him up on his offer?" Ginny was watching him closely.

He gave her an awkward smile. Just as had happened with the DA, even though he hadn't initially agreed to anything, over the passage of time he had found himself considering the possibilities and planning what he might do if he actually said yes to the suggestion. Then again, just as before, he wasn't at all sure he was up to it ... "I feel a bit of a fraud about that, to be honest. I mean, I didn't actually do much in all this, it was mostly you and ..." He broke off as his friends fell about laughing. "What's so funny?"

"You, mate," said Ron. "We knew you were going to say something like that."

"You did?" he asked, trying not to sound peevish.

"Yeah. Come to think of it, that's five Sickles Neville owes me."

"Haven't you got it yet, Harry?" said Hermione, shaking her head. "You don't have to do everything by yourself."

Harry glanced down at Ginny, who was clearly waiting to see what he was going to say. "Oh - yeah, right. I don't, do I?" She winked at him, and he took a deep breath. "What about you, Ron? Are you signing up as an Auror?"

Ron hesitated. "I'd like to ... but maybe not yet? I think George needs a bit of help. It can't be good for him trying to fix the shop all by himself, and, well ... it's going to be even harder for him to get used to Fred not being there than for the rest of us." He gulped and looked at Hermione, as if seeking approval. "Do you reckon that's a good idea? Or should I go with Harry?"

"I think it's a great idea," she said warmly, and Ron grinned in relief. "He needs you, Ron. And it'll keep the apostrophe in the right place!"

"Er ... yeah." Ron blinked. "What about you?"

Hermione didn't seem able to quite meet his eye. "I don't know ... I'd considered going into the Magical Creatures department to push for better treatment of non-humans, but after this I think Magical Law really needs work too. Despite what I said to Scrimgeour," she added with a wry smile.

Harry grinned. "You could do both. Start out in Magical Creatures - I'm sure it wouldn't take you long to sort them out - then switch."

"Yeah, and we'd all be near each other then, wouldn't we?" said Ron. He studied Hermione's anxious appearance, and a crestfallen expression slowly made its way across his face. "Oh. You want to finish at Hogwarts, don't you? Be Head Girl and take your N.E.W.T.s?"

"I would like to," she said guiltily. "I didn't realise how much I was going to miss it till we went back there. But I don't want to mess things up for us by being apart -" she turned slightly pink "- especially not now. And if I don't start with the Ministry straight away, there might not be a job afterwards ..."

"Right." Ron seemed to be making a determined effort to keep his ears from turning their usual cerise. It wasn't working. "Do it," he said abruptly. "I'll be fine, and I'm going to be busy anyway, and it's not like we haven't got the rest - um, you know. You deserve to do it if you really want to." He managed a smile. "Course, you must be mental wanting to do more exams, but we all knew that anyway, right?"

Ginny nodded, beaming. "Yeah, it'll be really cool with you and me in the same year!" She caught sight of Harry's quizzical expression. "Mum and Dad are right. I really should finish my education now I've got the chance. I can worry about the Ministry or getting a trial with the Harpies later."

"But if I go back instead of joining the Ministry now, while everything's in flux ..."

"Kingsley seems to think you can all write your own job descriptions," pointed out Ginny. "He'd be bound to hold a place open for you if you wanted him to."

"Right ..." Hermione suddenly turned to Ron. "Do you really think I'd be Head Girl?"

He snorted. "No, McGonagall would pick some other brilliant witch with a passion for school rules who spent a year fighting Voldemort. Of course it'd be you. Why?"

"Well ... the school rules say that the Head Boy and Girl have the privilege of visiting Hogsmeade at any time on Hogwarts business, not just at weekends." She paused to let that sink in and then gave him an impish grin. "Fred and George were thinking of buying Zonko's at one time, weren't they? If George opened it up as a second branch, he'd need someone on the spot to run it ..."

Ron looked as if he approved wholeheartedly of this business plan, and Harry and Ginny snickered. "Go for it, both of you," he said. "You could do with some time off after following me around all year. As for the Ministry, put Kingsley to the test. You can tell him what you want from him as soon as he gets back."

Ginny sat up and looked at him, and in her eyes was the blazing look he was coming to rather like. "And what about you, Harry? I notice you haven't said what you want yet."

"Well ..." He paused for a moment, but found that after having been reminded of what the old order was like by seeing Umbridge in action at close quarters again, it wasn't exactly a hard decision to make. "I suppose ... and I'm not sure it'll work ... I might as well give it a go? I don't know what Kingsley expects me to do, but the Auror Office certainly needs fixing so he can chuck out idiots like Dawlish --"

The other three cheered. "Brilliant!" yelled Ron. He jumped up and went over to the sideboard, poured four generous measures from a bottle of Arthur's best Firewhisky, and directed the glasses towards the others with airy flicks of his wand. Ginny caught hers eagerly, Hermione with a slight smile, and Harry raised his eyebrows at his friend.

"What are we drinking to this time, then?"

"To us!" said Ron. "And to, I dunno ... changing the world!"

That sounded encouraging. They all raised their glasses in salute. "Changing the world!"

As the Firewhisky burnt a trail down Harry's throat, he suddenly realised that he felt sure their decisions were the right ones. It was a good feeling to know they would at least be doing their best to change the kind of attitudes that had put Teddy Lupin's future at risk.

All was not yet well with their world. But they were working on it.

------------------------------------------------------------

Notes:

Originally conceived pre-DH as a much shorter fic in which Umbridge would attempt to prevent Remus and Tonks bringing up their child, by backwards derivation from the final twist (if such it was). Naturally, the early part of DH with the quick marriage and pregnancy fit beautifully, it was the bit where that callous murderess Rowling bumped them off at the end that put a spoke in the wheel. :(

That twist was inspired by a Perry Mason novel called The Case of the Dubious Bridegroom, in which Perry's client has obtained a questionable Mexican divorce and remarriage, and Perry confounds attempts to charge his client with bigamy by pointing out that a Californian law along the lines of the 'Marriage Recognition Statute of 1877' meant that he had two perfectly legitimate wives. (Not a huge spoiler for that book, as it's really an aside to the main plot.) Then again, just as I was finishing off the beta changes a similar sort of issue relating to the interstate status of same-sex marriages hit the headlines, so evidently this sort of thing has more real-life import than I thought.

I picked the title because it seemed appropriate to a law that couldn't be changed -- it only later dawned on me that the theme of using one such law as an end run to circumvent another one was rather reminiscent of the book of Esther, which (along with the book of Daniel) is where the concept of the title came from. Oops. No blasphemy intended!

The previously-mentioned In The Bleak Midwinter is actually derived from this fic rather than vice-versa -- I had the first section drafted with Hermione and Ron out of the way in Australia long before I wrote the other fic, and used the scenario to build upon.

Minor points: Kingsley's reference to the Muggle Prime Minister's 'inside the tent' comment recalls a notable occasion in which an exasperated John Major quoted Lyndon Johnson, apparently without realising the microphones were switched on. And David isn't a name used in the wizarding world because that's the name JKR gave her son. :)

Very many thanks to ladybug and for betaing in general, and especially to ladybug for getting me to prune away some H/G clichés that I hadn't managed to avoid despite trying!