What a cobbled-together collection of oddities here. To think anyone thought of him as an outlier here – half of the others here were eccentrics and dangerous fools. None of the Ministry men were best inspired, either – though Emerett fancied he might be able to work with one or two, if it came to it.
“What is the most important change you hope to offer magical Britain?”
“Governance in the last decade or two has been – to some extent, confused,” Emerett said, in his ‘academic lecturing’ tone, with just the barest touch of condescension about it. Well, he had had nothing to do with it, so he could afford to criticise the present state of things. “Messy. Bans and repeals, failed bills and reforms. Mixed successes and endless vacillating, despite the Minister’s best efforts. It is difficult to know what the Ministry stands for. Were I elected, I should like to bring a clear vision for our future. One that I hope begins with a new sureness of purpose, a sense of security in a firm, safe pair of hands.”
“Mr. Emerett Picardy. You are historically very focused on the question of werewolves. What would you do to make your running of the Ministry more holistic?”
“My work on werewolves has perhaps taken precedence in the public eye – which is entirely understandable, given the notable spate of werewolf attacks and turnings over the last few years – but my years of research have covered a much broader focus.” (Vampires, hags, goblins; he had disparaging opinions of lots of things, and it was a shame people forgot that.) “In fact, I began my career as an Auror – so I have experienced more than one department of the Ministry myself, and understand something of their different perspectives. However, I believe society’s problems can only be solved if all areas of the government are properly aligned – internal cooperation is of the utmost priority, if the Ministry intends on any sustainable improvements to the wizarding world. Our laws must reflect our practices; departments should work in tandem, and so on. On a particular issue, I would draw up committees with representatives from each relevant department to work jointly on a resolution.”
To demonstrate his extraordinary self-restraint and holistic attitude, here Emerett did not even leap for the opportunity to answer the easy question on the marriage ban. (And never mind that everyone already knew his answer.)
“What do you feel is the most pressing matter for the Minister's office both a) domestically and b) internationally?”
“On both fronts, in fact, security must be at the forefront. How can we prosper and succeed as a society until we are entirely safe? Everyone in this room has no doubt lost a loved one to an avoidable disaster. We have suffered far too much in the last decades – from plague and fire to even disaster hosting the Quidditch World Cup. Disaster at sea aboard the Santa Antonina cruise; chaos at the World Market, unsolved serial killings on the streets of Hogsmeade. It is imperative that we do whatever it takes to eliminate all unnecessary tragedies.” He would run a tighter ship. Throw more people in Azkaban if he had to. “I am prepared to reassess the current workings of Law Enforcement and restructure if necessary,” Emerett silently snubbed Maxime and Lupin beside him as best he could, and then took a haughty dig at Crouch for good measure, “and simultaneously to begin to repair our international reputation so that we are not considered, by the rest of the magical world, an unfortunate liability. We are Britain, after all: we ought to be amongst the leaders of the world.”
He was satisfied that he, at least, had spoken nothing but sense. He only hoped that some people could see it.
“What is the most important change you hope to offer magical Britain?”
“Governance in the last decade or two has been – to some extent, confused,” Emerett said, in his ‘academic lecturing’ tone, with just the barest touch of condescension about it. Well, he had had nothing to do with it, so he could afford to criticise the present state of things. “Messy. Bans and repeals, failed bills and reforms. Mixed successes and endless vacillating, despite the Minister’s best efforts. It is difficult to know what the Ministry stands for. Were I elected, I should like to bring a clear vision for our future. One that I hope begins with a new sureness of purpose, a sense of security in a firm, safe pair of hands.”
“Mr. Emerett Picardy. You are historically very focused on the question of werewolves. What would you do to make your running of the Ministry more holistic?”
“My work on werewolves has perhaps taken precedence in the public eye – which is entirely understandable, given the notable spate of werewolf attacks and turnings over the last few years – but my years of research have covered a much broader focus.” (Vampires, hags, goblins; he had disparaging opinions of lots of things, and it was a shame people forgot that.) “In fact, I began my career as an Auror – so I have experienced more than one department of the Ministry myself, and understand something of their different perspectives. However, I believe society’s problems can only be solved if all areas of the government are properly aligned – internal cooperation is of the utmost priority, if the Ministry intends on any sustainable improvements to the wizarding world. Our laws must reflect our practices; departments should work in tandem, and so on. On a particular issue, I would draw up committees with representatives from each relevant department to work jointly on a resolution.”
To demonstrate his extraordinary self-restraint and holistic attitude, here Emerett did not even leap for the opportunity to answer the easy question on the marriage ban. (And never mind that everyone already knew his answer.)
“What do you feel is the most pressing matter for the Minister's office both a) domestically and b) internationally?”
“On both fronts, in fact, security must be at the forefront. How can we prosper and succeed as a society until we are entirely safe? Everyone in this room has no doubt lost a loved one to an avoidable disaster. We have suffered far too much in the last decades – from plague and fire to even disaster hosting the Quidditch World Cup. Disaster at sea aboard the Santa Antonina cruise; chaos at the World Market, unsolved serial killings on the streets of Hogsmeade. It is imperative that we do whatever it takes to eliminate all unnecessary tragedies.” He would run a tighter ship. Throw more people in Azkaban if he had to. “I am prepared to reassess the current workings of Law Enforcement and restructure if necessary,” Emerett silently snubbed Maxime and Lupin beside him as best he could, and then took a haughty dig at Crouch for good measure, “and simultaneously to begin to repair our international reputation so that we are not considered, by the rest of the magical world, an unfortunate liability. We are Britain, after all: we ought to be amongst the leaders of the world.”
He was satisfied that he, at least, had spoken nothing but sense. He only hoped that some people could see it.
