PUBLIC SPEAKING 101

It was a lazy day for Harry Potter. Sure he had a lot to do, and he was due at a press conference in thirty minutes, but he just didn't want to crawl out of bed. For the first time that summer he was lying in bed, dreading getting up to leave the house. In his hand was a letter, but not just any letter, it was a letter from her. His godfather was right, a pretty redhead would make a great girlfriend, and although Hermione told him Ginny didn't have a crush on him anymore, he was going to do his best to win her back. He read it again for the third time, smiling at the end and at different parts throughout it.

Dear Harry,

We need to have a little talk. My father came home from work last night with a letter from you and he let me read it before he gave it to mum. I didn't think much about it until Ron and Hermione's, (yes she is here too and has been getting cozy with my brother since she arrived) hint-hint. I think they might have started going out but don't tell them I said anything, I think they want to see you before they tell you and not in a letter.

Well their O.W.L.'s arrived today and in them was a special dispensation to use magic outside of school, did you get one too? I also received one from a ministry owl and after the three of us were done hexing Fred and George for an hour, because we thought it was a prank of theirs, and not getting a warning from the ministry for our magic use, we realized they were real and have been practicing ever since. Their letters said that all students that received an outstanding on their O.W.L. in defense against the dark arts last year would receive this dispensation for their hard work and their excellent studies.

This doesn't explain to me why Luna and several others have also received the dispensation. I have talked with several fifth years and it appears that all of Dumbledore's Army has received one, even Dennis Creevy, the youngest of your group. So far I think I'm the only one that has put it together but I'm spreading the word fast and you have a lot of explaining to do about that and other things.

Percy has also returned and only after we all cursed him repeatedly did dad yell for us to stop and let him explain. He also had some things to say, and only after we had talked for hours did we start to forgive him for his poor choices in the last couple of years. He showed me the letter he received from you as well, because I knew there was something missing in the story he told us and I asked him about it at wand point. I can be very persuasive, I am told, when I want something from my brothers and I must thank you for the note, although we both don't know how you figured it out when not even Fudge did. I will be thinking about it until I can get it out of you the next time we meet. So be prepared to answer my questions willingly and no harm will come to you.

Now we come to the last question. Judging from my father's letter you have become an adept seer, what will be happening good in my fathers future that you hinted at? We received a letter from the ministry today requesting our presence at a press conference today. We will be there but the letter didn't have very many details in it so what is going on. Also I am not going out with Dean, although if you mention it to my brother I will kill you, because it still pisses him off when I steal pig to send a letter I say is for him. So I want you to predict my future love life and make it a good one, or you will be on the receiving end of my bat-bogey hex next time I see you. I had best receive a reply soon with answers to all my questions. Hope to see you soon.

Love,

Ginny

He smiled to himself as he wrote a hasty reply and gave it to Hedwig to deliver. Harry changed into a regal looking white cloak. On the back was a family crest he had created using both the Potter and the Black Family crests as a base. He disappeared only to reappear in Diagon alley outside the Leaky Cauldron.

He scanned the area to make sure it was safe before he walked towards the tent and platform that was sitting in front of Gringotts. Harry looked around and noticed several Order members as well as Auror's patrolling the area. He recognized Mad-Eye Moody standing in a corner scanning the area for threats and decided to have a little fun with him.

Harry waved his wand slightly and a small pebble shot from under the end of his sleeve. He turned himself invisible as he apparated behind Moody and whispered "Constant vigilance" in his ear just before the rock hit him in the back of his head.

"Potter! Where are you, and what did you just hit me with?" Moody whispered to the air as he felt a warm breeze on the back of his neck, and a voice said, "I am here, there and everywhere my old friend, but I must get ready for my speech after the minister does his bit. I hope you enjoy the show. Meet me at Gringotts afterwards and we can have a chat, ask for Griphook, he will bring you to me."

Moody smiled as he took a sip from his flask again and began scanning the crowd for threats. He didn't know what the boy was up to, but time would tell and he was glad Harry was around, just incase things went bad today.

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He remained invisible as he walked past the five guards standing in front of the door to the Minister's tent.

"It is a good thing you are retiring today Minister. If your guards don't even recognize a simple disillusion charm, I'm surprised you haven't been murdered in your sleep before now," Harry said as he became visible and sat down in front of the minister.

"Harry it's good to see you, I was beginning to think you weren't going to show up. I have everything ready and I plan to leave as soon as I'm finished making this speech. I will be going far away and I have already managed to create a new life for myself in America. Are you ready to finish this and get on with our lives?"

"This won't be finished until Voldemort is dead, Minister, but once the day is done I'm sure things will be easier for the both of us. Let's get stared shall we," Harry said standing up and walking to the stage entrance. "I will wait for you to call me before I come out."

"Very well," he said as he went up the stairs and a loud voice rang out announcing the minister of magic.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, members of the press, I thank you all for coming today as I have several important issues to discuss with you. First and foremost, yesterday, after many meetings, I passed a few new laws for the Wizarding people living in England. Starting today, the age restriction on apparition has been lifted and all those who can pass the test will be given a license to do so. In these troubling times I ask you to train your children and get them prepared, incase they need to escape an attack. War is coming and it is my duty as your minister to make sure we, as a people, are ready and prepared for it. Unfortunately, I don't feel I am the right man to lead the ministry down this road and so, it is with great regret that I am resigning my post as minister of magic. My last duty as minister was to appoint a successor for my position. After much debate with cabinet members, and going over personnel files, I have come to only one logical conclusion. This morning I appointed Arthur Weasley as your new acting minister of magic, until he can be sworn in fully by the Wizengamot.

Now I call on Mr. Arthur Weasley and his family to come up to the podium. While we are waiting for them to come forth another person would like to address you before you hear from Minister Weasley. I am proud to call Harry Potter to the front. He has asked to say a few words and I have his O.W.L. results here as well. I am happy to announce Mister Potter received the highest possible mark on his Defense Against the Dark Arts O.W.L."

"Thank you Minister Fudge," Harry said as he shook the man's hand and accepted his results, as well as the waivers he asked for. "I asked Minister if he would allow me to say a few words before Minister Weasley came up to speak with you. We are heading into dark and dangerous times. Over fifty years ago a half-blooded wizard was sorted into Slytherin house at Hogwarts, his name was Tom Marvolo Riddle. His mother died shortly after his birth and his father abandoned both of them when he found out about magic and what they were. He grew up in an orphanage in London and graduated Hogwarts with honors. After graduation he returned to the house of his muggle father to get his revenge. He killed him and changed his name to one you all are more familiar with, yet most of you are afraid to say."

He waved his wand and reorganized the letters for the crowd, just like Tom did in the diary and they gasped at the name they saw. He surveyed the crowd and looked out at all the many faces looking back at him, before he continued his speech.

"From that point on he began his crusade of hate and killing against all the muggles, half-bloods, muggleborns as well as the purebloods that stood in his way. My father was a pureblooded wizard and my mother was a muggle born witch. Tom's mother was a witch, the last of the Slytherin line, but his father was a muggle with no magical power. Tell me, does that mean I am better than Tom Riddle? Just because my parents were both magical and only his mother was? I don't think so, but what do the Death Eaters think? They are working to rid themselves and the world of people just like their master Tom Riddle himself. He tells his followers that only the pure will live through this war yet he himself is only a half-blooded wizard. I wonder what goes through some of his followers' heads as they kneel before him and kiss his feet, knowing that he is only a half-blood and will always be, no matter how much he changes the wording of his name.

During his first reign of power he used people and creatures. He offered them exactly what they wanted. In most cases it was freedom. The Wizarding world has a lot of laws against most of our magical and non-magical brethren. The centaurs, werewolves, giants, veela, fairies, dwarves, muggles, goblins and many more all are special and essential to our world, yet most people look at them as lesser beings. They are different from us but we all inhabit this world and if we don't learn to get along we will continue to face dark lord after dark lord for all of eternity. Tom Riddle will fall sooner or later but unless we change the way we are as a society we will always be fighting one another."

"I believe in this man standing before us. I believe he will lead our world into the next great golden age. If you look at his family you will see the love they have for one another and you will see what kind of man Arthur is through their eyes. The Minister of Magic is the father of our society and we are all his children, he will take care of us and guide us into the future. We will all prosper because love will always conquer over hate and Arthur Weasley has love in spades. We as a society will stand behind him and pass that love back to him. We will not always be happy and the war may continue for a long time but today is the day we must step forward. Today is the day we give up the hatred and stand as one. Today is the day I stand by Arthur Weasley and give him my full support as he has always given me his full support. I ask you to do the same. Today is the start of something new, something that will be talked about for the rest of time. Today is the day we choose to make a difference, today we stand as one. May I be the first to congratulate you and say, Ladies and gentlemen I present to you Arthur Weasley, Minister of Magic." Harry walked over to the man and wrapped him in a tight embrace and whispered in his ear, "I believe everything I just said; now you need to believe in yourself as I do, and by the cheers of the crowd you should know that the people feel the same way. Good luck, dad."

"Thank you, my boy," Arthur said as a tear rolled down his cheek and he hugged Harry back for all he was worth before passing him to Molly who hugged him twice as tight and cried into his shoulder.

"Thank you. Thank you all, I will do my very best to bring forth an end to this coming war. My first order of business will be to reach out to all countries and creatures asking for there aid and support. I will be going over the laws governing several of our magical brethren and making the appropriate changes to them. I ask for your patience as I make the transition into this new office and I would like to thank you again for your support. I believe that will be all for now, I now have a lot more work to do and I have two desks piling up with papers, I'm sure. Thank you all for coming."

Arthur bowed and walked into the minister's tent, followed by his family. As he walked in he noticed a black phoenix sitting on a chair with a note in its beak. He reached forward and took the note before it flew over and sat on Ginny's shoulder singing softly in her ear before leaving in a flash of fire.