Author's Note: This was a present for Peculiar Pixie, whose current political affiliation is Dumbledore for Minister. It's also partly for a Civics and Economics assignment, so that's why the dialogue is kinda , I know that Fudge was thrown out of office, and Dumbledore was most definitely not a ghost, but for the sake of the story, just pretend. Also, if anyone needs a beta, I'm volunteering. Please.
"A fierce race is on for the office of Minister of Magic" proclaimed the newscaster, as though he were revealing something completely different instead of stating the obvious. "Cornelius Fudge, the incumbent candidate, is bound, fit, and determined to reclaim office but Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, although new to politics, is giving him a run for his money. If he wins, he shall be our first ghostly Minister. It is rumored that Dumbledore's campaign is being headed by…"
Hermione stepped in front of the T.V. to flick the switch and the screen blinked off. Immediately Ron sat up protested, but she silenced him with a look. "I don't know why you're still watching this rubbish" she huffed. "It's the same old thing, day after day, and we still haven't agreed on what stance to take on the upcoming election. I still think we should be impartial."
"Come on, Mione, I don't see why we can't just vote a straight ticket for Dumbledore and the Order of the Phoenix and be done with it. I mean, just about everyone knows that we think Fudge is a bumbling idiot after what he did fifth year." Ron said from his place on the beaten mango-colored couch. "I don't know why you aren't heading his campaign yourself, since he's made spew one of his public policies."
"For the last time, Ronald, it's S.P.E.W., not spew, and as for messing up school, some of the parents are still on about Dumbledore letting Hagrid keep Fluffy in the school building. And I never said we couldn't vote a straight ticket, I just said that we couldn't be really public about it. Especially not you, Harry." This was directed towards the opposite end of the couch, where Harry had been sleeping through both the news and his best friends' bickering.
Hearing his name, he sat up and adjusted his glasses, which were slightly askew. "Huh?" he said blearily, but then seemed to process what was going on and asked "Hermione, why can't I be public about it, again? I'm an electorate just like everyone else over the age of seventeen who bothered to register."
Hermione heaved an exasperated sigh, and began to explain, again, why she didn't think they should be involved. "That's just it, Harry. You aren't just like anyone else. You're the Boy Who Lived, the Boy Who Defeated You-Know-Who. If you let people know how strongly you support Dumbledore, then they won't so much be voting for him as voting with you. The constituents should be able to make their own decisions about what is best without your influence."
"But Hermione…" the boys chorused. "Nobody likes Fudge," whined Ron, quickly followed by Harry's agreeing "It's mostly a grassroots campaign anyway. It seems like the constituents have decided for themselves who they want for Minister and they're working for it with or without us."
"You know what? Fine! You guys do whatever you want and forget why I'm referred to as the brains of the group. Just like you did when we were in school and I told you that you had a test on Friday and that you should study and you just wanted to play Quidditch instead. Oh, speaking of Quidditch, Ginny sent me up here to ask if you guys wanted to play a round."
"You couldn't have just told us that first, instead of nattering on about politics?" asked Ron as he and Harry grabbed their broomsticks and Quidditch gear. Hermione opened her mouth to reply, only to shut it as she realized that they had already dashed halfway down the hall. She sighed, picked up her book on Animagi, and followed them at a calmer pace to find a shady patch of grass from which to alternately read and watch them play.
AN: Oh, and who caught the Monty Python reference?