A/N1: I’m basically playing around in the sandbox that is @esamastation’s Island of Fire ‘verse. The second section, specifically, is based on the information we get from the Battle for Atlantis arc–which is meant to be a doubly translated transcript of a conversation from William Laurence’s recollection of the events from several years previous. Also he probably made assumptions that aren’t even correct, so who knows how legit any of his info is.
Anyway, if you haven’t read it… this really won’t make any sense.
~
On Atlantis, the victim gets to choose the perpetrator’s punishment.
It is one of the few laws of the island–like “those who do not work, do not eat” (later modified to “those who do not contribute, do not benefit”) and “dragons are not allowed inside communal buildings”–and like those laws, it is brought about because of how small and tightly knit their society is.
In a country numbering in the millions, one person hurting another is unfortunate, yes, but ultimately insignificant. In a society of less than a hundred, such a crime is not tolerated. Repeat offenders are not something that exist on Atlantis.
And so, barring death or banishment, of course, or inflicting harm greater than what was originally done to them, the victim gets to choose the perpetrator’s punishment.
—
There is an exception to the law–all rules may be fluid, so long as justice is not–but not in the way one might think.
When the British Navy arrived and attacked, several Atlanteans had been wounded. For the most part, nothing major, nothing that their small infirmary couldn’t fix with a spell or two. Except for one girl who took a shot to the leg–Ophelia Michaelson.
The healers, themselves not having completed their training, didn’t know if they’d be able to save her. And then, after several hours of grueling spell and rune work, weren’t sure if they’d be able to save the leg. But she was alive, and the entire island had been so relieved that they wouldn’t have to make a sixth grave so soon.
But the Council had to think further ahead. They, too, were relieved that it hadn’t gone any worse, but they had to make a decision and act. How would they deal with the invaders?
Charlie’s idea had been to scare them off: use their numerous dragons as a show of force. Cedric’s suggested mass Obliviation–though it wasn’t a skill that any of the schools had actually taught. Viktor wanted to seize everything but the bare minimum the sailors would need to survive, and send them on their way. Fleur thought they should seize everything–the ships, the supplies, the weapons, even the people themselves–make them literally pay for and work off their crimes.
Harry stayed silent.
For this, they would make an exception to the law–more of a modification, actually. If Ophelia wanted all of the attackers executed, even those British remaining on the three warships, they would do it.
Harry would have done it.
But instead, she just wanted them gone; completely and as quickly as possible. The French Navy, too.
And so both groups were spared, unknowing of how insecure their fates had been.
—
On Atlantis, almost everything is communal–food, water, clothing, shelter, knowledge, even baths–so the idea that something can be stolen seems… unlikely. After all, in order for theft to happen, there has to be proper ownership first.
However, there are a few, rare things that are private and personal. Besides wands, of course, but no one would dare steal someone else’s wand. Wands and magic are what allow the Atlanteans to work, to function, to live. But there are other personal items, things that people managed to bring with them from the other world.
It’s mostly wearable things–for example, Hogwarts students treasure their House scarves, even if the weather is too warm for it, the Beauxbatons girls their cufflinks, the Durmstrang group the medallions which allowed them passage in a school they would never return to–but particularly jewelry, and gifts from family members at that.
Luna’s dirigible plum earrings probably set a bad precedent. She had given them to Neville of her own free will, only after the first greenhouse had been built, that is. And yet, everyone had been so angry at her–had felt entitled to it because even if they had been her earrings they were resources–potential food, wood that could one day be made into something.
Of course, that kind of reasoning could be extended into metals. Silver and gold, especially in the hands of some of the older islanders, the ones who could turn a necklace or a bracelet into something more with a few spells and runes. Creating devices to predict storms, as one such possibility. Couldn’t it be argued that, for such a cause, Atlantis was entitled to a mere shiny trinket.
And yet, Petra Eszes had not asked; nor had Anne-Laure Valluy assented. It didn’t matter that her father’s pocket watch no longer worked–salt water and a lack of magical engineers–it was still hers to keep and cherish. Now it was warped and destroyed and changed–it could not be returned to its original state.
This was not something that could or would be tolerated, regardless of whether or not Petra’s storm predictor worked, but the Council could not decide on a fitting punishment.
Anne could. She wanted Petra to forfeit her Durmstrang medallion as communal property. The Council agreed it was a fair decision and stood by it; and thus the Atlantean law for punishments was created.
~
A/N2: Anyway, some random thoughts:
I figure the five-person council is probably the four champions plus Charlie as the dragon “champion/representative.“
Ophelia Michaelson I made up because most of the Hogwarts sounding names were canon characters that would have been older than fourteen at the time of Battle for Atlantis, but Petra Eszes (probably Durmstrang) and Anne-Laure Valluy (probably Beauxbatons) are names pulled from different POV snippets in Island of Fire.
Truthfully, that last section dragged on longer than I wanted it to, but I couldn’t figure out what parts to trim. If anything I was going to go off in a different (longer) direction involving Luna and bullying but then I realized that bullying is really impractical and would be even more stupid in society like Atlantis. Also, it ended abruptly but… 
Anyway, esama, thanks for creating such a cool ‘verse. If you would like me to make changes or take this down, I totally understand and would be willing to do so. Just let me know.
JackSGreyson Says 