Fudge Is A Lunatic
Rose asked herself if she even belonged in the hospital wing where all whom Harry cared about were gathered after the Third Task. She finally resigned to accept the fact that Harry didn’t care for her when Ron Weasley was taken in the Second Task for Harry instead of her.
On the other hand, maybe everyone in the hospital wing were those who cared about Harry. Then she belonged here also. Despite how much she tried not to, Rose couldn’t help but care for her brother.
Rose was in the hospital wing along with Hermione, Ron, Bill, Mrs. Weasley, and a black dog waiting for Harry to awaken. Everyone was either completely silent or whispering softly. However, the quiet atmosphere was broken by the sounds of people shouting and running.
Mrs. Weasley whispered, “They’ll wake him if they don’t shut up!”
Bill questioned, “What are they shouting about? Nothing else can have happened, can it?”
“That’s Fudge’s voice,” Mrs. Weasley whispered. “And that’s Minerva McGonagall’s, isn’t it? But what are they arguing about?”
Rose could now make out what McGonagall and Fudge were saying as they got closer to the hospital wing.
“Regrettable, but all the same, Minerva-” Fudge was saying loudly.
“You never should have brought it inside the castle!” yelled McGonagall. “When Dumbledore finds out-”
The hospital doors burst open, and everyone watched as Fudge strode up the ward with McGonagall and Snape at his heels.
“Where’s Dumbledore?” Fudge demanded of Mrs. Weasley.
Mrs. Weasley fired back, “He’s not here. This is a hospital wing, Minister, don’t you think you’d do better to-”
Mrs. Weasley was interrupted by the doors opening and Dumbledore sweeping into the ward.
“What has happened?” Dumbledore demanded, looking from Fudge to McGonagall. “Why are you disturbing these people? Minerva, I’m surprised at you – I asked you to stand guard over Barty Crouch-”
“There is no need to stand guard over him anymore, Dumbledore!” McGonagall shrieked. “The Minister has seen to that!”
Rose backed farther out of the direct view of those involved in the conflict. There was going to be a fight, and Rose didn’t want to be accidentally hit if it came to blows. Dumbledore was angry, and McGonagall looked like she was one wrong word away from strangling Fudge.
“When we told Mr. Fudge that we had caught the Death Eater responsible for tonight’s events,” Snape provided in a low voice, “he seemed to feel his personal safety was in question.”
Rose thought to herself that Fudge’s personal safety was in question by angering Dumbledore, McGonagall, and maybe even Snape.
Snape continued, “He insisted on summoning a dementor to accompany him into the castle. He brought it up to the office where Barty Crouch-”
McGonagall seethed, “I told him you would not agree, Dumbledore! I told him you would never allow dementors to set foot inside the castle, but-”
This time it was Fudge who did the interrupting. Fudge roared, “My dear woman! As Minister of Magic, it is my decision whether I wish to bring protection with me when interview a possibly dangerous-”
But McGonagall was not finished. McGonagall screamed, drowning out Fudge’s protests, “The moment that - that thing entered the room,” she pointed at Fudge, trembling all over, “it swooped down on Crouch and – and-”
While McGonagall struggled to say what happened, Fudge blustered on, “By all accounts, he is no loss! It seems he has been responsible for several deaths!”
“But he cannot give testimony, Cornelius,” Dumbledore stated frankly. “He cannot give evidence about why he killed those people.”
“Why he killed them? Well, that’s no mystery, is it? He was a raving lunatic!” Fudge ranted stupidly. “From what Minerva and Severus have told me, he seems to have thought he was doing it all on You-Know-Who’s instructions!”
Dumbledore dropped the bombshell, “Lord Voldemort was giving him instructions, Cornelius. Those people’s deaths were mere by-products of a plan to restore Voldemort to full strength again. The plan succeeded. Voldemort has been restored to his body.”
Fudge looked like he had just received a Bludger to the face. He stared at Dumbledore as if he couldn’t believe what he had just heard. He began to sputter, “You-Know-Who … returned? Preposterous! Come now, Dumbledore…”
Dumbledore explained patiently, “ As Minerva and Severus have doubtless told you, we heard Barty Crouch confess. Under the influence of Veritaserum, he told us how he was smuggled out of Azkaban, and how Voldemort – learning of his continued existence from Bertha Jorkins – went to free him from his father and used him to capture Harry. The plan worked, I tell you. Crouch has helped Voldemort to return.”
Fudge strangely started to smile, which was proof to Rose that there was definitely something wrong in his head because no one in their right mind would smile after receiving that information. Voldemort and his loyal followers are not the exception to this since they’re undoubtedly not in their right minds; in fact, they are proof of this.
“See here, Dumbledore,” the lunatic started, “you – you can’t seriously believe that.”
Another point towards the conclusion that Fudge is insane: one look at Dumbledore would tell anyone that he was completely serious and believed what he said.
The lunatic stumbled on, “You-Know-Who – back? Come now, come now … certainly, Crouch may have believed himself to be acting upon You-Know-Who’s orders – but to take the word of a lunatic like that, Dumbledore…”
“When Harry touched the Triwizard Cup tonight, he was transported straight to Voldemort. He witnessed Lord Voldemort’s rebirth,” Dumbledore stated.
The smile was still on Fudge face after hearing what happened to Harry, so another point towards the conclusion that Fudge is insane.
Dumbledore continued steadily, “I will explain it all to you if you will step up to my office. I am afraid I cannot permit you to question Harry tonight.”
Fudge asked, “You are - er – prepared to take Harry’s word on this, are you, Dumbledore?”
Rose wanted to take after Snape and drawl, “Obviously,” in response to Fudge’s idiotic question. Fudge Is A Lunatic Count Total: 4.
The Grim growled at Fudge, raising his hackles and baring his teeth.
“Certainly, I believe Harry,” Dumbledore asserted with blazing eyes. “I heard Crouch’s confession, and I heard Harry’s account of what happened after he touched the Triwizard Cup; the two stories make sense, they explain everything that has happened since Bertha Jorkins disappeared last summer.”
Fudge was still smiling while facing Dumbledore’s intense look: Fudge Is A Lunatic Count Total: 5.
The lunatic glanced over to Harry’s bed and said, “You are prepared to believe that Lord Voldemort has returned, on the word of a lunatic murderer, and a boy who … well…”
When the lunatic once again glanced over to Harry’s bed, a voice from it responded quietly, “You’ve been reading Rita Skeeter, Mr. Fudge.” Harry had awakened and had heard the conversation.
Fudge reddened and his stupid smile slid off his face; however, a defiant and pigheaded look came over his face. “And if I have?” Fudge defended himself. “If I had discovered that you’ve been keeping certain facts about the boy very quiet? A Parselmouth, eh?”
Fudge believed that reading something in a rag means he “discovered” something, and Fudge thought that keeping personal information personal is a crime: Fudge Is A Lunatic Count Total: 7.
Fudge went on, “And having funny turns all over the place-”
“I assume that you are referring to the pains Harry has been experiencing in his scar?” Dumbledore coolly asked.
If Rose was Dumbledore, she would have asked Fudge if he was using the term “having funny turns all over the place” to refer to how Harry flies on his broomstick.
“You admit that he has been having these pains, then?” said Fudge quickly. “Headaches? Nightmares? Possibly – hallucinations?”*
Fudge thought that he’s a healer who can diagnose: Fudge Is A Lunatic Count Total: 8.
“Listen to me, Cornelius,” said Dumbledore, taking a step towards Fudge. Dumbledore seemed to radiate an indefinable sense of power that would make any sane person back down. “Harry is as sane as you or I.”
Rose was not even going to address that statement.
“That scar upon his forehead has not addled his brains. I believe it hurts him when Lord Voldemort is close by, or feeling particularly murderous.”
The lunatic had taken half a step back from Dumbledore but looked not less pigheaded. “You’ll forgive me, Dumbledore, but I’ve never heard of a curse scar acting as an alarm bell before….”
Fudge did not back down in response to Dumbledore’s radiating power: Fudge Is A Lunatic Count Total: 9. Fudge also believed that he’s an expert on curse scars and that if he hasn’t ever heard of something that it doesn’t exist. And yet Fudge believed Rita Skeeter’s rags. Fudge Is A Lunatic Count Total: 11.
“Look, I saw Voldemort come back!” Harry shouted. He tried to get out of bed, but Mrs. Weasley forced him back. “I saw the Death Eaters! I can give you their names! Lucius Malfoy!”
“Malfoy was cleared!” said Fudge, visibly affronted. “A very old family – donations to excellent causes-”
The lunatic believed that being of “a very old family” and making “donations to excellent causes” makes someone not a Death Eater: Fudge Is A Lunatic Count Total: 12.
“Macnair!” Harry continued.
“Also cleared! Now working for the Ministry,” defended Fudge.
“Avery – Nott – Crabbe – Goyle–”
“You are merely repeating the names of those who were acquitted of being Death Eaters thirteen years ago!” Fudge angrily said. “You could have found those names in old reports of the trials! For heavens sake, Dumbledore – the boy was full of some crockpot story at the end of last year too – his tales are getting taller, and you’re still swallowing them – the boy can talk to snakes, Dumbledore, and you still think he’s trustworthy?”
The lunatic thought that speaking a certain language made someone untrustworthy: Fudge Is A Lunatic Count Total: 13.
McGonagall said the two words that Rose has been desiring to shout at Fudge for the whole conversation: “You fool!” McGonagall cried. “Cedric Diggory! Mr. Crouch! These deaths were not the random work of a lunatic!”
“I see no evidence to the contrary!” Fudge shouted, now matching McGonagall in her anger as his face purpled. “It seems to me that you are all determined to start a panic that will destabilize everything we have worked for these last thirteen years!”
Rose had never met such an idiot, and she shared a commonroom with Vincent Crabbe and Greg Goyle. Fudge has been given evidence by Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Harry, and yet he claimed that he has not been given evidence. In addition, Fudge thought that everyone in this room wanted to disturb his comfortable world for no reason. Moreover, Fudge’s comfortable world had already been disturbed by panic last summer at the Quidditch World Cup when Death Eaters attacked then. A Death Eater attack after thirteen years of relative peace seems like reasonable evidence to support what Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Harry have been saying or to at least take precautionary measures. Fudge Is A Lunatic Count Total: 16.
“Voldemort has returned,” Dumbledore repeated. “If you accept that fact straightaway, Fudge, and take the necessary measures, we may still be able to save the situation. The first and most essential step is to remove Azkaban from the control of the dementors–”
“Preposterous!” Fudge shouted again. “Remove the dementors? I’d be kicked out of office for suggesting it!”
Fudge’s first concern is his position not the safety of everyone, including himself: Fudge Is A Lunatic Count Total: 17.
The lunatic bellowed, “Half of us only feel safe in our beds at night because we know the dementors are standing guard at Azkaban!”
Dumbledore countered, “The rest of us sleep less soundly in our beds, Cornelius, knowing that you have put Lord Voldemort’s most dangerous supporters in the care of creatures who will join him in the instant he asks them! They will not remain loyal to you, Fudge! Voldemort can offer them much more scope for their powers and their pleasures than you can! With the dementors behind him, and his old supporters returned to him, you will be hard-pressed to stop him regaining the sort of power he had thirteen years ago! The second step you must take – and at once is to send envoys to the giants.”
Finding his voice again, Fudge shrieked, “Envoys to the giants? What madness is this?”
“Extend them the hand of friendship, now, before it is too late, or Voldemort will persuade them, as he did before, that he alone among wizards will give them their rights and their freedom!”
“You - you can’t be serious!” Fudge gasped, shaking his head and retreating farther from Dumbledore. “If the magical community got wind that I had approached the giants – people hate them, Dumbledore – end of my career–”
“You are blinded,” said Dumbledore, his voice rising now, the aura of power around him palpable, his eyes blazing once more, “by the love of the office you hold, Cornelius! You place too much importance, and you always have done, on the so-called purity of blood! You fail to recognize that it matters not what someone is born, but what they grow to be! Your dementor has just destroyed the last remaining member of a pure-blood family as old as any – and see what that man chose to make of his life! I tell you now – take the steps I have suggested, and you will be remembered, in office or out, as one of the greatest and bravest Ministers of Magic we have ever known. Fail to act – and history will remember you as the man who stepped aside and allowed Voldemort a second chance to destroy the world we have tried to rebuild!”
Rose had never respected Dumbledore as much as she did right then.
“Insane,” whispered Fudge, still backing away. “Mad…”
The only insane person present in the hospital wing is you, Fudge, thought Rose, as proven at least seventeen times in this conversation.
Dumbledore spoke, “If your determination to shut your eyes will carry you as far as this, Cornelius, we have reached a parting of the ways. You must act as you see fit. And I – I shall act as I see fit.”
Dumbledore’s voice carried no hint of a threat, but Fudge bristled as though Dumbledore was advancing upon him with his wand.
“Now, see here, Dumbledore,” the lunatic said, waving a finger. “I’ve given you free rein, always. I’ve had a lot of respect for you. I might not have agreed with some of your decisions, but I’ve kept quiet. But if you’re going to work against me–”
Dumbledore interrupted, “The only one against whom I intend to work is Lord Voldemort. If you are against him, then we remain, Cornelius, on the same side.”
It seemed that Fudge could not think of an answer to Dumbledore’s logical statement. The lunatic rocked back and forth on his feet for a moment and spun his bowler hat in his hands. Finally, he said, with a hint of a plea in his voice, “He can’t be back, Dumbledore, he just can’t be…”
Fudge’s plea showed that he did believe Dumbledore but would refuse logic in order to make himself feel better. Fudge Is A Lunatic Count Total: 18.
Snape strode forward, past Dumbledore, pulling up the left sleeve of his robe as he went. He struck out his forearm and showed it to Fudge, who recoiled.
“There,” Snape said harshly. “The Dark Mark. It is not as clear as it was an hour or so ago, when it burned black, but you can still see it. Every Death Eater had the sign burned into him by the Dark Lord. It was a means of distinguishing one another, and his means of summoning us to him. When he touched the Mark of any Death Eater, we were to Disapparate, and Apparate, instantly, at his side. This Mark has been growing clearer all year. Karkaroff’s too. Why do you think Karkaroff fled tonight? We both felt the Mark burn. We both knew he had returned. Karkaroff fears the Dark Lord’s vengeance. He betrayed too many of his fellow Death Eaters to be sure of a welcome back into the fold.”
Fudge stepped away from Snape. He was shaking his head and didn’t seem to take in a word that Snape had said. He stared, apparently repelled by the ugly mark on Snape’s arm, then looked up at Dumbledore and whispered, “I don’t know what you and your staff are playing at, Dumbledore, but I have heard enough. I have no more to add. I will be in touch with you tomorrow, Dumbledore, to discuss the running of this school. I must return to the Ministry.”
Rose couldn’t believe the idiocy of their Minister. Fudge was presented with clear visual evidence that Voldemort had returned, but he still refused to believe it. Fudge Is A Lunatic Count Total: 19.
Fudge had almost reached the door when he paused, turned around, and strode back to Harry’s bed.
Rose discreetly drew her wand, ready to attack the Minister if he tried to harm Harry. Only an idiot would attack Harry in the presence of all his supporters, but Rose wouldn’t put it past Fudge to try since this conversation has proven Fudge to be an idiot.
Thankfully, Fudge simply gave Harry his winnings from the Tournament and left.
As soon as the door of the hospital wing closed, Dumbledore turned to look at those remaining. He said, “There is work to be done. Molly … am I right in thinking that I can count on you and Arthur?”
“Of course you can,” said Mrs. Weasley firmly. “We know what Fudge is. It’s Arthur’s fondness for Muggles that has held him back at the Ministry all these years. Fudge thinks he lacks proper wizarding pride.”
“Then I need to send a message to Arthur,” said Dumbledore. “All those that we can persuade of the truth must be notified immediately, and he is well placed to contact those at the Ministry who are not as short-sighted as Cornelius.”
“I’ll go to Dad,” Bill volunteered, standing up. “I’ll go now.”
“Excellent,” Dumbledore said. “Tell him what has happened. Tell him I will be in direct contact with him shortly. He will need to be discreet, however. If Fudge thinks that I am interfering at the Ministry-”
“Leave it to me,” Bill said. He clapped a hand on Harry’s shoulder, gave his mother a kiss, pulled on his cloak, and strode quickly from the room.
Dumbledore turned to McGonagall. “Minerva, I want to see Hagrid in my office as soon as possible. Also – if she will consent to come – Madame Maxime.”
McGonagall nodded and left.
To Madam Pomfrey, Dumbledore said, “Poppy, would you be very kind and go down to Professor Moody’s office, where I think you will find a house-elf called Winky in considerable distress? Do what you can for her, and take her back to the kitchens. I think Dobby will look after her for us.”
“Very – very well,” Madam Pomfrey complied, looking startled, and she left.
After Dumbledore made sure the door was closed and Madam Pomfrey’s footsteps had died away, he said, “And now it is time for two of our number to recognize each other for what they are. Sirius … if you could resume your usual form.”
The black dog looked up at Dumbledore, and then in an instant turned into a man.
Rose took a step back, and Mrs. Weasley screamed and leapt back from the bed. “Sirius Black!” Mrs. Weasley shrieked, pointing at the man.
Ron Weasley yelled back, “Mom, shut up! It’s okay!”
Rose wanted to question why everyone except her, Mrs. Weasley, and Snape seemed perfectly fine with having a mass murderer in their midst. But then Rose realized that it was like with most things in Harry’s life; since Rose was insignificant, they either figured that she didn’t need to know or forgot all about her.
Snape was looking at Black with fury and horror. Snape snarled, “Him! What is he doing here?”
“He is here at my invitation,” said Dumbledore, looking between Snape and Black, “as are you, Severus. I trust you both. It is time for you to lay aside your old differences and trust each other.”
Snape and Black did nothing but eye each other with the utmost hatred.
“I will settle, in short term,” Dumbledore said with a bite of impatience in his voice, “for a lack of open hostility. You will shake hands. You are on the same side now. Time is short, and unless the few of us who know the truth stand united, there is no hope for any of us.”
As they glared at each other, clearly displaying their dislike for the other, Snape and Black very slowly moved toward each other. They shook hands for less than a second and then quickly let go.
“That will do to be going on with,” said Dumbledore, stepping between the two of them once more. “Now I have work for each of you. Fudge’s attitude, though not unexpected, changes everything. Sirius, I need you to set off at once. You are to alert Remus Lupin, Arabella Figg,-”
Rose wondered if this Arabella Figg was the same Arabella Figg who lived on Privet Drive.
“- Mundungus Fletcher – the old crowd. Lie low at Lupin’s for a while; I will contact you there.”
“But–” Harry started to protest.
“You’ll see me very soon, Harry,” Black promised, turning to him. “I promise you. But I must do what I can, you understand, don’t you?”
“Yeah,” Harry said softly. “Yeah … of course I do.”
Black grasped his hand briefly, nodded to Dumbledore, transformed back into a dog, and ran to the door. He turned the door handle and was gone, all without a glance in Rose’s direction.
“Severus,” said Dumbledore, turning to Snape, “you know what I must ask you to do. If you are ready … if you are prepared…”
“I am,” Snape asserted strongly, though he was paler than usual.
Dumbledore sent Snape off with a simple, “Then good luck.” Snape swept wordlessly out of the room, and with a quick glance around Rose followed him out. If anyone needed her, which she doubted, they would know where to find her.
Rose quickly caught up with him and asked, “Sir! What should I do?” Rose knew that Snape knew that she was talking about the situation in the dungeons: all the Death Eaters’ children and sympathizers and her, Rose, the sister to the Boy-Who-Lived.
Snape met her eyes and answered, “Continue with how you’ve portrayed yourself thus far. I think that would be the best route.”
Rose gave him a single nod to let him know that she understood and would take that course.
Then the two Slytherins went down to the dungeons, physically together but mentally separately. Each were thinking of how they were going to survive with the least harm to themselves when they tried to convince the others that they were 100% on the Dark Lord’s side even though they were truly on the side of the Boy-Who-Lived.
Rose, holding her head up high, strode up to the dungeon wall, which was the commonroom’s door, and said the password, “Salazar.” When she entered, everyone in the room turned to watch her. Rose acted like she didn’t care about their fixation and walked straight to where Astoria, Theodore, Draco, Greg, and Vincent were sitting. Rose nonchalantly sat down next to them.
“Where have you been?” asked Draco.
Rose gave a sigh and replied, “Apparently, when Potter is injured, everyone who is associated with him, no matter how distantly, has to stay by his bedside until he awakens.” Rose rolled her eyes. “However, despite the annoyance, I did find out some critical information.”
Everyone’s ears in the vicinity perked up to listen to this “critical information.”
Rose’s eyes took on a gleam as she continued, “It has been confirmed that the Dark Lord has returned.” Rose held up a hand to stop any interruptions and resumed, “Before you start celebrating, I have even better news.”
The room was silent as everyone held their breath to hear.
“The Minister believes that Dumbledore and Potter are crazy, so he didn’t believe them when they told him that the Dark Lord returned. The Minister, despite McGonagall’s efforts, also had Barty Crouch Jr., who was posed as Moody this entire year on the Dark Lord’s orders, Kissed. Therefore, there is no proof to show the Ministry that the Dark Lord returned except for Potter’s word, which no one will believe. Thus, the Dark Lord has a huge advantage over the Light.”
With her words, the commonroom erupted into cheers, and Rose secured her place in the Dark as Rose Evans the Slytherin as opposed to Rose Potter the sister to the Boy-Who-Lived.