Harry PotterYou are my Cosmic Connection.

Chapter : 23

"You deliberately arranged for Snape to be arrested during the school board meeting. This was done with the express purpose of embarrassing Lucius. You then used that embarrassment to have him voted off. Just what are you after, Dumbledore?"

Peering over his half-moon glasses, Dumbledore's gaze pinned Cornelius like the former young student this now Minister of Magic used to be. "Is there any point of me recounting what actually took place at that meeting? You've clearly already made your mind up, or should that be Lucius Malfoy has made it up for you?"

"Don't be preposterous, of course I want to hear your version…"

"This is not my version, Cornelius. That was a pretty full room, and included the Director of the D.M.L.E. You are of course welcome to ask any or all of them what version of events is the truth. Lucius was there with the sole purpose of defending Snape and his own son's behaviour, both of which were indefensible…"

"What has young Draco done to merit such a severe punishment for a first year?"

"That is an internal Hogwarts matter but I will tell you anyway, since it has bearing on this discussion. Draco seems to think it's okay to call Harry Potter's mother and girlfriend mudbloods. When Harry retorted that Draco's father was a death eater who used his gold to escape justice and punishment, he drew his wand and began firing curses…"

"That's perfectly understandable behaviour…"

Albus cut the minister off right there. "Yes, it's understandable behaviour, we can all easily see what he's up to. Draco tries to get Harry to magically retaliate against calling his mother a mudblood. Instead, Harry turned the tables on him. As I pointed out to Lucius last night, Harry's statement is also factually correct. Lucius Malfoy was never tried for any of the crimes he committed, nor was his 'under the imperius' defence questioned to any degree - other than accepting his word. Lucius was given the opportunity to settle that argument once and for all last night, with the Director of the D.M.L.E. and the Chief Warlock in the room. He couldn't refuse that opportunity quickly or strongly enough, and didn't care a jot that this left his son open to those type of verbal retorts. It was this downright refusal to even consider publicly clearing the Malfoy name that saw him voted off the board. If he won't put his own son's interests ahead of his own, there is no place for him on a school board."

"You doubted Lucius' word?"

"Of course I doubted it, and so should you. If Lucius Malfoy is as innocent as he claims, then surely he would welcome any opportunity to prove that innocence. Instead, he fled the castle like a scalded kneazle - terrified Amelia or I would insist he answered questions he certainly doesn't want to. He fled straight to you, the Minister of Magic. That's not a position that should be held by Malfoy's errand boy."

"How dare you, Dumbledore. I am the Minister, and no one's errand boy."

The force behind Dumbledore's reply to that had Cornelius finally sitting in the previously offered seat. "Well start behaving like a Minister of Magic then. I can't believe the shrewd Cornelius Fudge who walked these corridors for seven years has been taken in by Malfoy's silver tongue and golden touch. He's using you, and your position. That wizard is dark, Cornelius, and that darkness isn't very well hidden beneath that respectable veneer Lucius shows the world. When he goes down, and Lucius will, it would be a wise minister who doesn't get dragged down along with his so-called friend."

Cornelius sat there, bowler on his knee while his mind was currently as empty as that lime green hat. Dumbledore was once more relentless though as he piled on the pressure. "There were some powerful and influential people in that room last night, they all caught a glimpse of the real Lucius Malfoy - and that is why they voted against him. You don't invite a poisonous viper into your bosom and expect not to be bitten, they banished that viper last night. That story will also be doing the rounds, hence why he headed straight for his biggest supporter."

The pupils of Cornelius' eyes reminded Albus of an abacus as they flicked back and forth. It was also clear from his expression Cornelius didn't like the way those sums were adding up in his mind. After all the straight talking that had been done here today, the minister decided to continue with that theme.

"Lucius maintains this is your first move in a bid to oust me as minister, taking the position for yourself..."

Since Cornelius had been honest, Albus decided to answer in the same manner. "The Minister of Magic is not allowed to hold any official posts, other than that one. I would need to resign from being Headmaster of Hogwarts, that is something I will never do. This is my home, this is my calling. You know I've been offered the Minister's position on more than a few occasions, I've always turned them down. What does Lucius say is so different about this time?"

This seemed to take a weight off the Minister's mind, Albus though just piled a different load back on there.

"In my life, I've fought against two dark lords. My greatest regret is the social and political conditions that allowed those dark lords to flourish in our country still haven't been addressed. If I see another dark lord in the years I've got left to me, I guarantee you that Lucius Malfoy will be one of his main supporters. I can also guarantee you that I will be opposing that dark lord with everything that I am. The only way I see you and I in opposition is if you allow Malfoy to drag you into a situation where we end up on different sides of that battle. My position on this is clearly defined, Cornelius. I will always oppose the dark."

Since the entire country knew that last statement to be true, Cornelius really couldn't dispute Albus' claims that he stood firmly against the dark. That anyone could even consider Cornelius Fudge as 'dark' sent a shiver of fear down his back. That was not something he wanted associated with his tenure as Minister of Magic.

"You have given me much to think about, Albus."

"That is all I ask of you, Cornelius, think for yourself. There is nothing wrong with asking people you trust for advice, it's ensuring those who you ask are trustworthy that is the problem here. You have my trust and support, and I have clearly stated the conditions needed for those things to change. I want to spend my remaining years overseeing my beloved Hogwarts in a peaceful Britain, you desperately want to believe your friend is telling the truth. I really fear both of us are in for a severe disappointment, Cornelius. We can't count on another miracle like Harry Potter happening again, our country needs to be strong enough to stand up to any threat."

"What do you know, Albus?"

"It's just I can see the pattern starting to repeat itself. Take Severus as an example. I treated him as a young wizard who made a mistake, and then tried to pay for that mistake by helping others. That is why I spoke in his defence all those years ago. I really believed he had turned a corner and wanted to live a productive life teaching children. For him to fire that spell at Harry Potter, and then set up that ambush of the lad, the pattern repeats itself."

The minister who left the headmaster's office had lost his anger, that anger though was now replaced by worry. What Albus was suggesting was not something to dive right into, rather take a step back and try to look at the problem with fresh eyes. His immediate problem though was what to tell a Lucius Malfoy that was anxiously awaiting his return to the ministry.

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