Harry's question was followed by a few moments of awkward silence as Arthur tried to form a proper response.
Hermione perked up, her curiosity too was evident. She too had noticed Percy's choice of words, terminology which she had never heard, and had been intrigued by them. Though she had not voiced her doubts immediately, she had decided to ask Harry later about it. But it seemed that even Harry was not aware of these things. But now that Harry had voiced the very same doubts, she was eager to hear the explanation.
Arthur's expression was both contemplative and uneasy. He knew full well that his son had made a blunder, and now he was the one who had to tread carefully. Still, he felt a measure of relief that Harry had asked him directly instead of trying to find out on his own. This way, Arthur could choose what to reveal and what to withhold.
"Harry," Arthur sighed, taking a deep breath. "You are a bit too young to know about all this and ideally I should not be discussing these things with you but since you have asked, I suppose I can tell you a few things."
Harry nodded. Even if Arthur had refused, he had not planned to push. The question had been more of a test, a way to gauge Arthur Weasley's willingness to speak.
"The Wizengamot," Arthur began, "is a special kind of wizarding council. It is where many of the most influential members of wizarding Britain gather to make and frame laws and decide how our world is to be governed."
He paused briefly, then continued, "Coming to your second question, a Lord of a House is the head of a magical family. Every old wizarding family has one, the person who controls the family's wealth, businesses, and affairs. He is the final decision maker in the family and his words are considered final."
"For example," Arthur said with a small smile. "You could call me the Lord of the Weasley family."
Harry wanted to roll his eyes at the explanation. Even a toddler from an old magical family could have given a better one than Arthur Weasley just did. It was clear that Arthur was just trying to maneuver around the issue and did not want to provide a clear answer.
Hermione, meanwhile, could not keep her curiosity in check.
"Mr. Weasley," she began eagerly, leaning forward, "how are the members of the Wizengamot selected? What are their specific functions? And what kind of powers do they wield?"
Without pausing, she continued in the same breathless excitement, "You might know or maybe not but in the Muggle world, we have something called Parliament, and this Wizengamot sounds a lot like our Parliament."
Harry watched with mild amusement as a flicker of awkwardness crossed Arthur's face. It was clear that this was far beyond what the man had been prepared to discuss.
"Hermione, Harry," Arthur said finally, his tone turning serious as he looked directly at Hermione. He knew all too well that, if her curiosity was not satisfied, she would start digging on her own and she would find answers. And she had to be reigned.
"I am not against you both learning new things," he said carefully. "But I would advise you not to chase after matters like these."
"When the time comes, you will learn about it naturally," he added, his voice taking on a somber edge.
Then his gaze shifted toward Harry.
"It is not the right time," he said firmly. "When the time does come, Dumbledore himself will guide you through all this. Heed my advice on this."
Harry gave a polite nod, but his mind was already wandering through countless possibilities. The way Arthur had spoken, it felt as though Dumbledore had expressly forbidden him from discussing such matters.
Was Arthur part of the larger scheme that surrounded Harry? Or was Arthur merely a pawn, unknowingly being used by the puppet master pulling the strings? Was he one of those who moved the chess pieces or just another piece being moved? Arthur's way of framing his answer had piqued a curiosity in Harry's mind.
After that exchange, very few words were spoken. The silence stretched as the first light of dawn began to spill across the horizon, marking the beginning of a new day.
"Mr. Weasley," Harry finally said, breaking the silence, "I think it is time for me to leave. My uncle would be waiting."
"I would go too," Hermione added quickly.
Arthur nodded, though his expression was tinged with concern.
"Are you sure your guardians would not agree to let you stay at the Burrow with us?" He questioned. "I could speak with them personally, if that would help…"
"No, Mr. Weasley," Harry shook his head. "My uncle has made his final decision."
He hesitated briefly, then added with a small, sad smile, "And… it would not be good for you to meet him. He hates anything magical."
"My parents also did not agree," Hermione said softly. "And they are not going to change their minds. They want to spend the vacation with me."
Arthur sighed but nodded. He took out a small handkerchief.
"Very well. Come, let me drop you to Diagon Alley," he said.
Harry extended his hand for the handkerchief.
"Do not worry, Mr. Weasley," he said gently. "Hermione and I will manage."
Arthur hesitated. He wanted to insist. He wanted to keep an eye on them at least till they were in the magical world, but his thoughts were too clouded, too restless with the questions spinning in his mind. Finally, he relented and handed the handkerchief to Harry.
"Stay safe," he said quietly. "My house name is the activation word."
Harry nodded, took Hermione's hand, and whispered, "The Burrow."
With a faint twist in the air, the duo vanished.
Arthur stood frozen for a few moments, lost in thought. Then, all at once, his expression hardened. He turned sharply, grabbed Ron by the back of his collar before the boy could react.
"Dad! what are you doing?!" Ron yelped in protest.
Arthur ignored him completely, dragging his son into the tent and into one of the smaller rooms. He practically pushed Ron down onto a chair and sat opposite him, his face grave.
Before Ron could even speak, Arthur's voice cut through the silence. Deep and firm.
"Ron," he said, "tell me exactly what happened after I told you and Hermione to run."
"Do not leave out a single thing."
Ron swallowed hard, seeing the seriousness in his father's eyes. Then, taking a deep breath, he began to tell his tale.
#
#
#
[Add the book to your collection. Send it some power stones. Leave a rating and a review.]
[Access advanced chapters.]
p-a-t-reon.com/veil_writer