— TERRY
Every government had its defining moment, and Terry supposed this one had gotten away without having one for long enough. Hermione probably wished for one a little less damaging or challenging, but - well, the world isn’t so kind. But neither was that name. “Guard Dog.” The words sound twisted, tainted, and ugly when they fall from his lips, he disapproves, “Not much of a rework. You may want to reconsider the name with your Cabinet.” He doesn’t waste time on the subject of names and moves on to more pressing details. “I’m glad to hear it.” Terry gives a mark of approval upon her explanation, her promptness reminds him of a simpler time at Hogwarts. He stifles a nostalgic smile, the corners of his lips twitch imperceptibly.
“While I welcome the addition of your reforms, I must warn you against the principle on which the Magical Watchdog Program was founded upon and the discord in the wixen community that ensued when it was last in use.” Neighbour turning on neighbour. Fear and uncertainty spread throughout the nation, and subsequently anger. Terry continues, in a matter-of-fact tone: “We, on the other side of the bench, would vehemently lobby against it.” We, he says, not I. That is an important distinction. He hopes she reads between the lines, there are some people even he can’t so openly betray. “We are slow,” He concurs. Aged he thinks, “And I agree with you on that note. We need to be proactive.”
“Have you considered a more covert approach?” It is a series of unfortunate events that have coalesced to form the threads of this Gordian Knot. And all of them in the public eye. Some matters were best dealt with privately. “We have a problem and the world knows it. There is chaos now, but it’s still controllable. Enact anything reminiscent of the Magical Watchdog Program and that control vanishes. We show our hand – not only to the Wix of Britain but to the world. The trust in our institution both home and abroad will diminish if we look like we can’t do our jobs quietly and effectively. That affects our trade deals, our imports and exports, the economy will plummet, so will the Galleon.” Terry makes his points honestly, even if it rubs her the wrong way she needed to hear it. “I suggest you implement the reforms, but not under the Guard Dog framework. Create your own, less stringent policy with less public effects. One that strengthens and fosters trust home and abroad, not uncertainty.” She speaks of the Purists, he can only think of her alluding to the darker cohort of the British Wizarding Front. “I don’t like their politics either, Hermione. But I fear a policy like this would only bolster them – the Wixen Rights campaigns will be unforgiving and may even recruit more numbers. Policies that directly affect the lives of wix are often galvanizing enough for even the politically unbothered to have an opinion and take a stance.”
“If you want to rid a problem, you must cut it out from the root.” He shrugs asking lightly, “Simple, no?” She asked for a proactive solution, and he was going to give her one. “Now remember, open mind.” Terry stresses again with a tight-lipped smile, before continuing, “The root of the problem is that Muggle Technology is outwitting us. This institution will never recognise it, but it is true. They are getting better at what they do, and the magic they wield is mechanical and electric. Something we haven’t been able to harness or understand. But it’s time we should.” He pauses for a moment, allowing for the weight of his words to be processed. “I propose a new research-led department which should be kept strictly clandestine. A need to know basis. The Technomagical Initiative – a working name – would study how magic can be better concealed from Muggle technology. Incorporate it under the existing body of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement or Magical Accidents or Department of Mysteries. We may be an equal opportunities employer, but I would say Muggle-borns like yourself should lead here.” He smiles his best politician smile. “We need to stay ahead of the curve, no matter how controversial the solution is. And this is coming from a Pureblood.”
Hermione rolls her eyes at his sharp words, though it’s not without fondness. ❝ Working title, remember? When we get through this, we’ll have a nice, shiny, professional one that won’t make anyone grit their teeth. Well, I hope not, at least. ❞ Hermione already has several ideas on that front, but she didn’t call Terry to her office to discuss the title of the project. Not with so many other parts of it raising hackles already.
She sighs, well aware of that discord. Merlin, she was a part of it to some degree, though she never opposed the Magical Watchdog as seriously as Harry did. When there are rules in place to help ensure people are not wrongfully accused, neighborhood watches can be a deterrent, even if most of the crimes reported never come to full prosecution. In the end, it’s about creating a sense within the community that you will be held accountable for harming those who can’t defend themselves. That idea will always be upstanding to Hermione, even if it leaves a bad taste in the mouths of many wixen. They haven’t read her proposal, after all, and can therefore offer little critique.
Terry’s decision to ally with the minority party has always seemed, to Hermione, a fickle decision, but it’s one she’s understood since she first became aware of it. A truly political animal, Terry has merely shifted with where he thinks the tides are going. Hermione understands them more than she admits, but she also knows that by leading from the center, she can more readily interact with all parties. She cordially lunches not only with Former Minister Shacklebolt, but with Blaise Zabini and even the leader of the Non-Humans. Her seat is at the head of the table, and from this vantage, she can see them all and decide among them which solution is best. Now, she wrinkles her nose slightly at the idea of a covert style of governance, almost imperceptibly so.
❝ I have to admit, I prefer transparency, ❞ Hermione points out. Part of the reason Fudge and even Scrimgeour were able to operate as they did was because they valued secrecy over the truth. They played their cards too close to the vest, and that is not a mistake Hermione intends to repeat. She may never be a woman that wears her heart on her sleeve, but she understands the value of honesty, and she knows that it can be wielded as a weapon just as easily as falsehood. Still, she hears him out because she trusts him to some degree, and he doesn’t disappoint her, reasoned and well-spoken as ever.
That doesn’t mean she agrees with his view, however.
❝ I find that being seen doing nothing would be a far greater threat to the citizens’ trust in our abilities, ❞ she points out. Too little secrecy may be naive, sure, but too much will lose them entirely. ❝ There is not a sole result to either of these actions. I say that if we don’t at least put our hands on the table and show we have cards, we will be well on our way to a revolt, if we aren’t already. ❞ There are whispers in the air that never would have been there if a pure blood was running the show, but she can’t do anything about that. Luckily, Terry doesn’t want her to hide everything, as he’s quick to point out.
Taking her quill in hand, because this question is essential, she dips it into the ink well. ❝ How does your proposal differ from what I’d like to implement? It will be far less severe a policy, and with far more safeguards, than the Magical Watchdog of yore. Uncertainty will grow, not cease, if the policy is broad and ill-defined. Concrete and publicized consequences for breaching secrecy and breaking the trust we’ve worked so hard to establish with the Muggle government provides clarity that can be universally acknowledged. If I water it down, I will merely be accused of being weak-willed and refusing to commit to keeping everyone safe. Not, ❞ she finishes with a sigh of regret, ❝ that I will be heralded for this policy. I know it will cause unrest. I don’t see how any way to address the situation avoids unrest, however, so we must soldier on. ❞
Ah, yes, the time has come. Hermione does indeed keep an open mind, and is surprised to find out that Terry’s idea is less revolutionary than she would’ve thought, given his delivery. Perhaps it seems mundane to her as a Muggle-born, who mixes the two worlds in her own personal life as often as necessary, much to the chagrin and sometimes consternation of her husband. She mulls it over, turning it again and again in her mind and looking at it from all the angles she can think of. ❝ It’s an innovative idea, one that would put us on the cutting edge as a country, but it will be severely unpopular, and it will be far, far too slow to out-pace the current crisis. What solutions would you offer to those flaws? I’m not — ❞ she holds up a hand, a peace offering of sorts, ❝ saying no. I’m saying show me how. ❞