Sasuke Uchiha in Harry Potter

The Other Minister

A week later,

It was around midnight, and the Prime Minister sat alone in his office, reading a long memorandum that made no sense to him. He was awaiting a call from the president of a distant country while trying to suppress the unpleasant memories of what had been a terrible week.

The more he tried to focus on the memorandum, the more clearly he saw the mocking face of one of his political rivals.

That rival had appeared on the news that same day. He had spoken on national television about all the terrible things that had occurred in the past week and explained why it was all the government's fault.

How on earth was the government supposed to prevent that bridge from collapsing? The bridge was less than ten years old, and the best experts were baffled in trying to explain why it had split cleanly in half. And how dare anyone suggest that a lack of police officers led to those horrible murders and the escape of prisoners? Or that the government should somehow have foreseen the absurd hurricane that hit the western region of the country, causing so much damage to people and their property? And was it their fault that one of his subordinates, Herbert Chorley, had chosen this week to behave so peculiarly, that now he would be spending much more time with his family?

As he sat with his back turned, he heard a soft cough. He turned around and looked at the portrait, which had begun to move.

Prime Minister: Good evening, he said, trying to sound as brave as possible.

Portrait: To the Muggle Prime Minister, we must meet urgently. Please respond immediately. Sincerely, Cornelius Fudge.

Prime Minister: Uh... he said, surprised. Listen... now is not a good time. I'm waiting for a call from the president.

Portrait: That can be arranged, it said immediately.

Portrait: We will ensure that the president forgets about the call and phones again tomorrow night.

Prime Minister: Very well. I'll see Fudge.

Out of the fireplace emerged Cornelius Fudge.

Fudge: Ah, Prime Minister, it's a pleasure to see you again.

Prime Minister: What can I do for you? he said as they shook hands.

Fudge: Where should I begin? What a dreadful week.

Prime Minister: You had a bad week too?

Fudge: Yes, I had the same week as you, Prime Minister. The Brockdale Bridge... the murders... not to mention the uproar in the west of the country.

Prime Minister: You... uh... your... I mean, your people were... involved in this?

Fudge: Of course, they were involved.

Prime Minister: In the prison escape as well?

Fudge: No, we had nothing to do with that.

Fudge: The Brockdale Bridge didn't collapse, and what happened in the west wasn't a hurricane.

Fudge: Those murders weren't committed by Muggles. Your assistant is under the Imperius Curse, and we are arranging for him to be taken to St. Mungo's Hospital for treatment.

Prime Minister: What the...

Fudge: Prime Minister, I'm sorry, but He Who Must Not Be Named has returned. The point is, we are at war, and we need to take action.

Prime Minister: At war? he repeated nervously.

Fudge: He Who Must Not Be Named has been gathering followers and causing trouble. The Brockdale Bridge... that was his doing, Prime Minister. He threatened mass Muggle killings unless I sided with him.