The Marauders: Year Four

The Nomination for Minister for Magic

The Nomination for Minister for Magic

Flash bulbs flickered and blinked, brilliantly bright, as Harold Minchum walked down the staircase in the entrance hall of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Reporters from the Daily Prophet and every other wizarding publication in the world eagerly jostled and fought to get a clearer view of the auror, taking pictures and notes and shouting questions out of turn, their eyes all focused on the stern face of the ministry official as he adjusted his cufflinks carefully at his wrists and made sure the point of his pocket square was just so. He looked at his watch and at exactly noon, he walked up to the podium that had been magicked onto the stair and raised his wand to his throat, "Sonorous," he murmured.

If the reporters hadn't already been in a frenzy - they certainly were now.

"Good afternoon," Minchum said and his voice echoed around the room. A wizard with a large radio microphone aimed it closer to Minchum's podium, not wanting to miss a single word for the listeners of his station. "Witches, Wizards. First of all, I wish to welcome you to the grounds of Hogwarts School, a place that is very dear to my heart. Hogwarts was my home growing up, as it is, and has been, for many generations of witches and wizards, since the school was conceived of by the Founders. Since those days, Hogwarts has been a place of comfort and safety for millions of us.
"This year, the sanctity of the school was compromised by a dark wizard - a man that the Wizarding World calls He Who Must Not be Named - a Dark Lord who seeks to tear everything that we love and hold dear apart. The school was closed by order of the current Minister for Magic, Eugenia Jenkins, whose work as Minister for Magic has included many great, and noble deeds, including strengthening our relationship with the Mermish and MACUSA, passing protective laws for fair trial, and setting up a fund to assist witches and wizards who are in need. Eugenia Jenkins is not a bad Minister, she is not a bad woman. She is however under attack by a wizard whose powers she cannot compete with and has no experience defending herself against.
"In light of recent events, you, the Wizarding World, have chosen to hold an open election this summer to appoint a new Minister. I am honored that my name has come up among such distinguished options as Albus Dumbledore, Vanessa Bones, Adom Tutman, and all of the other nominees that have been put forward. Today, the Wizarding World has officially extended to myself and Adom Tutman the ballots for nomination and I am here today to officially accept the nomination for Minister for Magic and to describe to you what it is that I, Harold Minchum, would do as Minister for Magic.
"First, I would reopen Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as of 1 September as is tradition, reinstating Albus Dumbledore as Headmaster. Under Dumbledore's appointment, this school has risen to new heights of greatness, accepting more muggle-born and half-blood students in the past two decades than it has at any time prior in the history of the school. Albus Dumbledore belongs in these halls, and it is his protection that has kept the school safe. Prior to his rash sacking, the school and it's students were safe from attacks, and it was only when Dumbledore was removed that the children were ever in any danger.
"Next, I would actively seek out the followers of the Dark Lord to bring justice. Inspections of every suspect would be enforced. Rumors and whispers would no longer be ignored. The Dark Lord's networking must be put to an end. Right now, the Ministry - and by extension, the entire Wizarding World - is vulnerable, infiltrated as it is by You Know Who. I would put an end to that. No more crooked aurors, no more two-faced politicians and members of the Wizengamot. The Ministry for Magic will be stringently cleansed of all traces of Voldemort.
"Furthermore, those found guilty of following You Know Who will be strictly sentenced and sent to Azkaban for their deeds. The security measures at Azkaban will be tripled - more dementors to guard the prison, stronger cells built for high security prisoners.
"We must show He Who Must Not Be Named that we mean business. We must show him that he cannot make us fear him. We must stand strong, together, as a community, as a world, to show that Dark Lord that his ways are not to be tolerated. Fear mongering, torture, murder - prejudice, hatred - these things will be tolerated no more. Enough magical blood has been spilled these past years, enough lives have been destroyed or taken.
"I can see it in the faces of the witches and wizards I meet everyday. We've had enough. We're broken with worry, with oppressive fear.
"NO MORE.
"I WILL PROTECT YOU, UNTIL MY DYING BREATH... I WILL STAND UP... I WILL SAY ENOUGH. I WILL FACE THE DARK LORD HEAD ON AND TELL HIM THAT WE... HAVE HAD... ENOUGH!
"Voldemort can fire his best shots against me. I will not allow him to make me bow. I will not allow him to make you bow.
"WE WILL NOT TAKE THIS LYING DOWN.
"NO MORE.
"As Minister for Magic, I will strengthen us.
"As Minister for Magic, I will protect us.
"As Minister for Magic, I will avenge us.
"AS MINISTER FOR MAGIC, I WILL SHOW THE DARK LORD THAT WE... ARE... ONE... THAT MAGIC IS NOT MEANT TO BRING TEARS AND PAIN, THAT MAGIC IS MEANT TO BE LIGHT, IS MEANT TO END SUFFERING...
"AS MINISTER FOR MAGIC, I WILL SAVE OUR WORLD... EVERYTHING THAT WE HOLD DEAR ABOUT IT...
"AS MINISTER FOR MAGIC, I WILL END THE DARK LORD AND RESTORE PEACE!"