Chasing Shadows || Draco Malfoy x OC

Year 4- Ch. 87

"You fool!" Cried Professor McGonagall, "Cedric Diggory! Mr. Crouch! These deaths are not random work of a lunatic!"

Céline looked away with Cedric's name. She felt her lip quiver again, but forced down the lump in her throat and composed herself. She removed her hand off of Harry and cradled her now aching arm. Harry glanced over but was drawn back to Fudge as he yelled back.

"I see no evidence telling me otherwise!" He shouted, now turning purple in the face, "it seems to me you are all determined to start panic and destabilize everything we worked hard to rebuild in the last thirteen years!"

Céline looked at the Minister in disbelief, so think he refused to accept the fact that Voldemort had been restored. She looked at this man completely differently now.

"Voldemort has returned," repeated Dumbledore, "if you accept that fact straight away, take the necessary measures, then we still might be able to save the situation. The first and most crucial step is to take Azkaban out of the control of dementors—"

"Preposterous!" Shouted Fudge, "remove the dementors? I'd be kicked out of office if I even suggested that! Half of us can sleep soundly at night knowing that the dementors are standing guard there!"

"And the rest of sleep less soundly, Cornelius, know you just put some of Voldemort's most loyal supporters in the hands of dangerous creatures that would join him the second he asks them." Said Dumbledore, "those creatures won't stay loyal to you Fudge!  They are stay loyal to the one who benefits them the most, the moment Voldemort offers them more scope for their powers and pleasures they will join him!"

Fudge was speechless, opening and closing his mouth.

"The second step you must take— and at once," said Dumbledore, "sending an envoy to the giants. Extend a hand of friendship, before it's too late. Otherwise Voldemort will persuade them like he's done before."

"You can't be serious! The giants! If I did that it would be the end of my career! People hate them!"

"You are blinded by the love of the office you hold, Cornelius!" Dumbledore's voice rose, emanating that power he had again. "You've place too much importance in that so called purity of blood, you always have done so. You failed to recognize that it does not matter what someone is born, but how they grow to be! Your dementor has 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!"

Once again Fudge was speechless,

"I'll tell you now, Cornelius, take these steps now and the people will forever remember you as the bravest and greatest Minister of Magic we have ever known, but fail to act, you will forever go down in history as the man to allowed Voldemort a second chance to destroy a world we worked hard to rebuild."

"This is insane." Muttered Fudge, taking a few steps back, "this is mad..."

There was a silence in the room, Céline looked around, Harry, Ron, Hermione and Bill just stared at Fudge, and Mrs. Weasley still had a hand on Harry's shoulder to keep him from getting up. Madame Pomfrey had a hand over her mouth looking horrified.

"If you are determined to shut your eyes and let it carry you as far as this, then this is where we will part ways. You act as you see fit, and I will do the same." He said calmly.

"Now see here, Dumbledore." Said Fudge, "I have given you a lot of free rein as the head of this school, though I don't always agree with your decisions, I still hold a lot of respect for you. If you work against me—"

"The only one I'm against is Lord Voldemort, if you are against him as well, then we are on the same side." Dumbledore said.

Fudge looked like he was brooding over everything, fidgeowith his bowler hat, then his looked changed to desperation, "he can't be back, Dumbledore... he just can't.."