The Truth | Draco Malfoy

Chapter 15: Cornelius Fudge

A drawer opened, a hand reached in and took the Invisibility Cloak. It was Ron and Harry. All around them, the other boys slept. Harry pitched the cloak over himself and Ron. They disappeared from sight.

***

Harry and Ron, beneath the cloak, snuck by an unaware Snape.

"What the hell?" Severus yelled.

***

A knock. Hagrid swung open the door. Crossbow in hand. "Who's there?" He called out. Harry and Ron drop the cloak. Hagrid lowered the crossbow. Fang, Hagrid's enormous boarhound, thumped his tail at the sight of Harry and Ron. Harry pointed to the crossbow.

"What's that for?" Harry asked.

"Nothin', nothin'. I've been expectin'... Doesn't matter. Sit down... I'll make tea..." Hagrid nervously took the kettle which split the water.

"Why's he nervous?" Albus Severus asked.

"Because he knew he and Aragog would be blamed." Zoe answered.

"Are you okay? Hagrid? Did you hear about Hermione?" Harry asked.

"Oh, yea. I heard, all righ'." Hagrid nodded.

"Look... we have to ask you something. Do you know who's opened the Chamber of Secrets?" Harry continued.

Hagrid took a fruit cake, stopped, about to answer, when... there was a loud knock. The fruitcake smashed to the floor. Panicked, Harry and Ron threw the cloak over themselves. Sweating, Hagrid grabbed his crossbow, pointed it at the door. "C-come in." Hagrid stuttered.

The door opened. A grim Dumbledore entered, followed by a portly man in a pin-stripe suit and bowler: Cornelius Fudge. "Good evening, Hagrid." Dumbledore said.

"That's Dad's boss! Cornelius Fudge. The Minister of Magic!" Ron whispered to Harry, who elbowed Ron to shut him up.

"He's the Minister of Magic!" Lucius yelled. "He's a nothing in the office."

"Bad business, Hagrid. Very bad business. Had to come. Four attacks on Muggle-borns. Things've gone far enough. Ministry's got to act." Fudge said.

"I never... You know I never, Professor Dumbledore, sir..." Hagrid stuttered.

"I want it understood, Cornelius, that Hagrid has my full confidence." Dumbledore said.

"Look, Albus, Hagrid's records are against him. I've got to take him." Fudge said.

"Take me? Where? Not Azkaban prison." Hagrid panicked.

"For a short stretch only. Not a punishment, Hagrid. More a precaution. If someone else is caught, you'll be released with a full apology." Fudge informed him.

Just then, there was a sharp rap on the door. As Dumbledore opened it, Harry slumped. It was Lucius Malfoy. "Already here, Fudge? Good, good..." Lucius smiled.

"What're you doin' here! Get outta my house!" Hagrid yelled.

"My dear man, please believe me, I have no pleasure at all in being inside your - do you call this a house? I simply called at the school and was told the Headmaster was here." Lucius said.

"And what exactly did you want with me, Lucius?" Dumbledore asked.

"Dreadful thing, Dumbledore, but the governors feel it's time for you to step aside. This is an Order of Suspension. You'll find all twelve signatures on it. I'm afraid we feel you're losing your touch. What with all these attacks, there'll be no Muggle-borns left at Hogwarts and we all know what an awful loss that would be." Lucius faked sadness. He handed Fudge an official roll of parchment.