Oz nodded thoughtfully, considering his notes. If Christabel had tried to give him advice about something he was doing in another context he would have met her recommendation with derision, even if he secretly thought it a good one, but the stakes were too high for that. He could go back to engaging in blind antagonism for the fun of it after October 19th.

"I like that," he pronounced, and scribbled down a few notes to that effect: don't hire engine; conductor. He glanced over it and added conductor (of train) — it was probably clear enough without it but he had so much in his mind at the moment that he didn't entirely trust himself to not get confused over his own notes later if they were vague. "You don't think that will alienate all the Ministry voters, if I compare them to machinery? It's a nice metaphor but a little dehumanizing, if they're paying attention."

That was a rather large if; most people did not have the Dempsey family training on recognizing and interpreting symbolism, he knew. One of his broader concerns with preparing for the debate (or any public forum generally) was that what he said would be too smart for half the people listening, and would go straight over their heads as a result.

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