Oz was nervous. He did not feel prepared to speak well on the subject of dragons (though it was such a loaded subject at present that even another week of preparation probably would not have left him feeling adequately educated). He was not looking forward to the possibility of rebuttals. He was good in an argument, generally, but arguments generally did not have rules preventing him from getting the last word in or leaving when he had the upper hand. He had determined to retain the intellectual high ground here and not be seen as someone who engaged in petty bickering... but if Whitledge leveled smug disdain in his direction he was not sure that he could manage it.

"Magical disasters that occur in muggle areas require collaboration with our partners, the Prime Minister and the Queen. How would you manage diplomatic relations with these partners?"

"If the Queen and Prime Minister trust us to keep their citizens safe, we are safe from their intervention. To that end, communication with them should be focused on their needs as a government first and ours second — and in situations like this one, on making all reasonable reassurances that we will return their community to the status quo as expeditiously as possible."

"How would you organize and work with multiple departments in the case of an emergency?"

"Being able to delegate tasks and trust that those tasks are carried out is key," Oz answered. "And that trust comes from establishing excellent working relationships with each department and building up department heads and squad heads to lead with confidence each and every day. I witnessed not just competence but extraordinary efforts from the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes after our last debate, and I'm sure other departments shone just as brightly during the disaster relief efforts. They should have the full confidence of the Minister to do their jobs to the best of their ability, and they ought to know from the outset that they have it."

"What adjustments, if any, would you make to our policy on the import and export of magical creatures, including dragons?"

"I would caution anyone against making hasty or reactionary changes to our policies based on recent events. A review of our protocols and their enforcement methods is certainly in order, and perhaps additional restrictions, but if we make it too difficult for importers to transport creatures legally we only open ourselves up to an increase in illegal transport and in incidents like these."

"What should the consequences be for those found to violate our import laws, and how would you handle working with foreign magical governments when their citizens are discovered to have committed a crime in Britain?"

"This depends heavily on whether the foreign government is willing and able to hold their citizens accountable. Every country has crime, to some degree, but if our allies are as committed as we are to the safety of international trade and magical communities everywhere, we can trust them to handle violations as we would. In cases where the government is not able or willing, we must be ready to penalize that country — through sanctions, restrictions, or even outright denial of shipping access — for the safety of our own communities."

"What did you learn from the September 14th incident?"

There was a voice in the back of his head saying something rash, which he had to quiet before he could answer. "I learned many things during the incident and the aftermath, but one that has stuck with me most of all is how efficient our public servants, at the hospitals and the Ministry, can be when the need is great. Our community demonstrated great strength and resilience in the face of the unimaginable, and despite the lingering effects of the tragedy I believe we should take pride in this."

"The role of the Minister involves guiding magical Britain through periods of mourning after a loss of life. How would you approach this, and what do you believe is the proper way to do so?"

"This is a difficult question," Oz allowed, with a hesitation. His thoughts were on his mother and Lycoris, and on the what ifs that his family had narrowly avoided. "Mourning is a deeply personal thing; it's hard to answer the proper way to approach any aspect of it. Personally... I prefer action," he said, swallowing. "So for those like me, I believe there should be positive momentum after a tragedy — something to which citizens can apply themselves in order to better prepare us for the next event, or to ensure one never happens again. Not as an obligation, for those who need time to grieve, but as an option for those who cannot sit still."

"Why should magical Britain listen to you in a disaster?"

"Because I'm not afraid to make decisions when it matters, but I'm also unafraid to acknowledge when the decision is best suited to someone with more expertise. There's no room for ego in a crisis, and I'll ensure the right people are in position to make the right decisions, regardless of circumstances."

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