"I'm not wading into it by choice," he bantered back. She didn't need to tell him that the news was on everyone's mind, because he had experienced firsthand how the question was on everyone's lips, and since he had painted a target on his back with the August 4th announcement they were frequently directed at him.
He probably could have predicted Belle's response; he could have skipped right over asking her, or could have scripted her little speech himself by throwing in flowery references to grand notions of justice and equality. "Unfortunately the Ministerial election is about the numbers," he pointed out. "I don't think they award points for justice or equality. In fact, if those were weighted factors I'm sure our Wizengamot would look decidedly different than it does presently."
He leaned back in the chair and ruffled the newspaper as though he were refocusing his attention on reading it, though really he was taking a moment to chew over her words. He hadn't really been asking for her advice, he didn't think, but he considered it all the same. After a moment had passed, he folded the newspaper down and shot her a quizzical look. "You know, I don't think you need to be overly concerned with what Victor thinks of the protests. If he tried to bar your way to the picket lines, you could just walk through him." It was perhaps too early for dark jokes about the state of her husband, but Oz would have been surprised if Porphyria hadn't already beaten him to the punch... and it was nicer than the other thing he could have said, which was to wonder aloud whether Victor Daphnel was the sort of person to have any worthwhile opinions at all, much less any that ought to dictate how his sister behaved in her life as a widow.
He probably could have predicted Belle's response; he could have skipped right over asking her, or could have scripted her little speech himself by throwing in flowery references to grand notions of justice and equality. "Unfortunately the Ministerial election is about the numbers," he pointed out. "I don't think they award points for justice or equality. In fact, if those were weighted factors I'm sure our Wizengamot would look decidedly different than it does presently."
He leaned back in the chair and ruffled the newspaper as though he were refocusing his attention on reading it, though really he was taking a moment to chew over her words. He hadn't really been asking for her advice, he didn't think, but he considered it all the same. After a moment had passed, he folded the newspaper down and shot her a quizzical look. "You know, I don't think you need to be overly concerned with what Victor thinks of the protests. If he tried to bar your way to the picket lines, you could just walk through him." It was perhaps too early for dark jokes about the state of her husband, but Oz would have been surprised if Porphyria hadn't already beaten him to the punch... and it was nicer than the other thing he could have said, which was to wonder aloud whether Victor Daphnel was the sort of person to have any worthwhile opinions at all, much less any that ought to dictate how his sister behaved in her life as a widow.
MJ is the light of my life <3