Chapter 35.
The day of the vote arrived and the members of the Wizengamot gathered in the main meeting hall. Fudge took the podium "Ahh members of the esteemed wizengamot welcome to the voting for the next Minister of Magic."
No-one was able to see Harry, Hermione and Susan who were hiding under Harry's invisibility cloak. Harry couldn't help but think while hearing Fudge 'What a loud pompous git.'
'Harry, ignore the pompous idiot, remember the plan,.' Hermione chastised her husband.
Fudge smiled seeing the empty seats of the known missing members. "Why are we not all here?"
Lucius smiled hiding his hand with a single dragon skin glove "I believe the ones missing are those who are still in school where good children no matter their status should be, we should just start without them."
Sirius looked to where he told the kids to be and gave a nod and Harry removed the Invisibility cloak. The members of the Wizengamot gasped and Fudge paled, Harry smiled "Sorry for being late, had to get permission from the headmistress," Harry looked to Lucius "Like good children we got permission." Lucius tried to hide his spite, Harry sat next to Sirius smiling, Hermione and Susan joined them.
Fudge became nervous and wiped the sweat from his forehead, "Well now that were all present shall we begin." Fudge moved away from the podium and a woman took the stand.
"Alright before we vote both candidates, Cornelius Fudge and Amelia Bones will each give their statements then we shall vote. We shall begin hearing from our current minister Cornelius Fudge."
The room burst with applause and Fudge returned to the podium, he turned to the woman and said "Thanks Eleanor, hello everyone I'd like to thank you all for coming today. Now I believe I should remind you all of how well I have spent my time as Minister serving the community. Our streets are safe and we have had many years of peace, despite some peoples claims of a certain dark lord's revival." Fudge said looking directly at Harry as he spoke.
"If reelected, I promise you all fourteen more years of unbroken peace. As the people of the magical world your safety and wellbeing is my number one concern. I thank you all for the years I spent in office and hope for many more."
Harry thought 'Not if we can help it, you load of dragon dung.'
Cornelius returned to his seat pleased with the applause, Eleanor took the podium. "Thank you Minister, We will now hear from Amelia Bones. Everyone applauded and Sirius whispered in Amelia's ear "Give 'em hell Amy."
Amelia made her way to the podium and gave Fudge a glare that sent shivers down his spine. She took the podium, "hello members of the Wizengamot, like my opponent I would also like to thank you for taking the time to listen to us. However, unlike my opponent, you know me. Not because I work behind the desk, but because I go out in the field and do my part in the magical community. I walked the streets of Diagon Alley when I was an Auror and even now as the head of the DMLE. Cornelius says the streets are safe only because he gets the reports of the DMLE from hard working Auror's. What he doesn't tell you is how he awarded himself Order of Merlin first class for their work. He speaks of our safety, lets reflect on that. Many of you remember how, allegedly, Lord Black had a hand in killing the parents of the current Lord Potter and murdering fifteen people and one Peter Pettigrew. He sent Lord Black to prison without a proper trial, I know this because Lord Potter brought it to my attention and I looked into the archives. All prisoners before going to prison are supposed to be given a trial before you, the members of the Wizengamot. A law that was passed former Minister Millicent Bagnold. He sent a pureblood, the then scion and now Lord of an Ancient and Noble house to prison without a trial!" This caused murmurings among the assembled members.
Fudge began to sweat bullets, he wondered how Amelia had found out these things. Harry turned to see his Godfather smirking, "Sirius what did you do?"
Sirius smiled watching Amelia "Last week I went to the pub and ran into Cornelius, I bought him whiskey and I may have slipped him Veritaserum which can't be detected by taste."
"Brilliant," Harry said enjoying the sight of Fudge trembling. They watched Amelia continue speaking with fire.
"He had Dementors guard the grounds of Hogwarts where many of your children including my niece reside. I don't think I have to remind you they drain peace, hope, and happiness out of the air around them... Get too near a Dementor and every good feeling, every happy memory will be sucked out of you, yet this man deemed it right to let them patrol the same grounds as our children. The Minister sent his senior undersecretary to teach our children in the ways of defense. I was shown the text book used and I couldn't believe what I saw, they were not even taught the basics of defense and were not allowed to practice their spells and techniques. Furthermore, the same woman accused Lord Potter of slander and even used an unforgivable on not only a member of an Ancient and Noble house but the heir to one of the four founders. This representative of the minister also tortured students with a blood quill! If the Minister allows that then what will he do next? If elected, I promise to use the time in my office to make our world safe for all generations to come."
Everyone stood and applauded, Amelia and she returned to her seat. Eleanor walked up "Thank you for sharing that Amelia, my niece started this year in Hufflepuff. You all heard them speak now I ask you to show your votes who is in favor of Fudge being reelected?"
Five people raised their wands and a red spark appeared Eleanor raised her hand and the members lowered their wands. Eleanor smiled "Thank you, everyone now who is in favor of Amelia." Sirius, Harry, Hermione and Susan raised their wands as well as a few others and their wands glowed blue.
Eleanor smiled "Alright then it's been decided, Amelia Bones is our next Minister of Magic."
Everyone applauded, Cornelius snuck out of the room during the commotion. Lucius felt a chill down his spine as he thought of what the dark lord would think.
Eleanor walked away from the Podium and brought a large book, "Would Amelia please stand and come over here." Amelia rose and walked over to the podium, Eleanor held the book in front of her. "Amelia Bones , do you swear on this grimoire to uphold the laws and rules of the Ministry?"
Amelia placed her hand upon the book "I so swear."
Everyone stood and applauded, Amelia bowed before them.
She raised her hand "Now that I am Minister, I believe we all have another order of business we need to address."