Blooming in the Dark (Flora Weasley and Elwin Malfoy romance)

26. Neither Sun Nor Star

Reddening, Fudge retorted, "So what if I have? If I have discovered that you've been keeping certain facts about the boy very quiet? A parselmouth, eh? 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 remarked cooly.

"You admit that he has been having these pains, then?" Fudge said quickly. "Headaches? Nightmares? Possibly - hallucinations?"

"Listen to me, Cornelius," Dumbledore interrupted. "Harry is as sane as you or I. 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."

"You'll forgive me, Dumbledore, but I've never heard of a curse scar acting as an alarm bell before-"

"Look, I saw Lord Voldemort come back!" Harry shouted. "I saw the Death Eaters! I can give you their names! Lucius Malfoy-"

"Malfoy was cleared!" Fudge retorted, visibly affronted. "A very old family - donations to excellent causes-"

"Oh, please," Elwin scoffed.

"Macnair!" Harry continued.

"Also cleared! Now working for the Ministry!"

"Avery - Nott - Crabbe - Goyle-"

"You are merely repeating the names of those who were acquitted of being Death Eaters thirteen years ago!" Fudge interrupted angrily. "You could have found those names in old reports of the trials! For heaven's sake, Dumbledore - the boy was full of some crackpot 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?"

"You fool!" McGonagall shouted angrily. "Cedric Diggory! Mr Crouch! These deaths were not the random work of a lunatic!"

"I see no evidence to the contrary!" Fudge shouted desperately. "It seems to me that you all are determined to start a panic that will destabilize everything we have worked on for these last thirteen years!"

"Voldemort has returned," said Dumbledore quietly. "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 cried. "Remove the dementors? I'd be kicked out of office for suggesting it! Half of us only feel safe in our beds at night because we know the dementors are standing guard at Azkaban!"

"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 the instant he asks them!" Dumbledore shouted back. "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!"

"You - you cannot be serious!" Fudge cried. "Insane. Mad...He can't be back, Dumbledore, he just can't be!"

"I will be glad to discuss this further with you if you will step into my office. As for the moment, we are causing everyone present a great deal more distress than a few of them can take." After a stunned silence, he requested, "If you will kindly wait there while I have a word with the others here." Scoffing, he did so, but not before dumping Harry's winnings beside him on the table. 

The moment he was gone, Dumbledore looked around at them all before his eyes fixed on Elwin. 

"There is work to be done," he said. "Am I right in assuming you will oppose Voldemort?" 

"Until my dying breath," he replied, his voice hoarse and tired, but undeniably confident. 

Turning to Molly, Dumbledore asked, "Am I right in thinking that I can count on you and Arthur?" 

"Of course you can," she said 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," Dumbledore said. "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 shortsighted as Cornelius." 

Rising from his chair at Flora's side, Bill said, "I'll go to Dad. I'll go now." 

"Excellent," Dumbledore praised. "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 I am interfering at the Ministry-" 

"Leave it to me," Bill replied. Turning to Flora, he asked, "Will you be all right without me for a bit?" 

"Do what you need to, Bill," she replied softly. After embracing his sister, kissing his mother, and grabbing his cloak, Bill was gone. 

"Minerva," Dumbledore began. "I want to see Hagrid in my office as soon as possible. Also - if she will consent to come - Madam Maxime." Without a word, she nodded and left the room. 

"Poppy," he said, turning to Madam Pomfrey, "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." 

"Very - very well," she said in some surprise. Then, she too left.