Screams

Thirty-Eight

Calliope couldn't bring herself to move to see what the source of the shouting was, that was until the doors of the hospital wing banged open, shocking her to her senses and making her sit bolt upright in bed.

"Where's Dumbledore?" Cornelius Fudge strode into the room, McGonagall and Snape followed close behind him.

"He's not here," Molly Weasley answered, "this is a hospital wing, Minister, don't you think you'd do better too-"

"What has happened?" Dumbledore asked Fudge sharply as he walked calmly into the room, he glanced over at McGonagall, "Why are you bothering these people? Minerva, I am surprised at you- I asked you to stand guard over Barty Crouch-"

"There is no need to stand guard over him! The Minister has seen to that!" McGonagall shrieked.

Dumbledore frowned, at looked at Snape for an explanation.

"When we told Mr Fudge that we had caught the Death Eater responsible for tonight's events," said Snape, "he seemed to feel that his personal safety was at risk, therefore he insisted on bringing along a Dementor to accompany him. He bought it up to the office where Bart Crouch-"

"I told him you would not agree Albus!" Professor McGonagall half shouted, "I told him you would never allow-"

"My dear woman! As Minister of Magic, it is my decision whether I wish to bring protection with me when interviewing a possibly dangerous-" Fudge's protests were quickly silenced by Professor McGonagall's steadily rising volume.

"The moment that- that thing entered the room," she pointed at Fudge accusingly, "it swooped down on Crouch and- and-"

"It kissed him," Snape finished where McGonagall's words failed her.

"By all accounts, it is no loss! It seems he was responsible for several deaths!"

"But he cannot now give testimony Cornelius!"Dumbledore was glaring at Fudge, "he cannot give evidence for why he killed those people."

"He was a raving lunatic! Seems to have thought that it was all on You-Know-Who's instructions!"

"Voldemort was giving him instructions," Calliope said quietly, however her words drew the attention of every single person in the room, "Voldemort possessed my body and used it to enact his plans to restore himself to his previous strength, which he has now done."

Everyone stared at her in silence, until Fudge let out a laugh. "You-Know-Who ... returned? Dumbledore you don't really believe this?"

"As Minerva and Severus have no doubt told you, we heard Crouch's confession, under the influence of Veritaserum," said Dumbledore, "he told us how he was smuggled out of Azkaban, and how Voldemort- learning of his continued existence from Bertha Jorkins- went to free him from his father, and used him to capture Harry. The plan worked. Crouch has helped Voldemort return.

"Dumbledore, Crouch may have believed himself to be acting on You-Know-Who's orders, but to take the word of a lunatic-"

"When Harry touched the Triwizard cup he was transported straight to Lord Voldemort," Dumbledore said slowly, "Harry, Calliope and Fred witnessed Voldemort's rebirth. I will explain it all to you if you step up to my office."

"You are prepared to take the word of three teenagers on this are you Dumbledore?" Fudged eyed Harry, who was awake, and had propped himself up on his elbows.

"Certainly," Dumbledore replied after a brief silence, "I heard Crouch's confession, Harry's account of what happened and I am sure that both Fred and Calliope with providing me with equally compelling stories. Nevertheless, the stories that I have heard make sense, they explain everything that has happened since Calliope Doge left Hogwarts at the end of last year."

"Look, I saw Voldemort come back, " Harry fixed the Minister with a stare, "I saw the Death Eaters! I can give you their names! Lucius Malfoy-"

"Malfoy was cleared!" snapped Fudge, "an old family, donations to excellent causes-"

"McNair!" Harry continued.

"Also cleared!"

"Avery, Nott, Crabbe, Goyle-"

"You are merely repeating the names of those who were acquitted of being Death Eaters thirteen years ago! 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! I've been reading the papers Dumbledore! The boy can talk to snakes and you still think that he's trustworthy?"

"You fool!" McGonagall cried, "Cedric Diggory, Mr Crouch! These deaths were not the random work of a lunatic!"

"I see no evidence to the contrary!" Fudged shouted back, "it seems to me that you are all determined to start a panic that will destabilise everything-"

"Minister," Calliope said, Fudge seemed taken aback that someone was addressing him politely, "are you really so stupid that you refuse to accept what you are being told by three different people? Fred and I have spent the year as Voldemort's captives, all of us witnessed him come back to life, yet you refuse to accept the truth that is staring you right in the face?"

"Don't speak of what you don't understand Miss Doge," the vein in Fudge's forehead was popping threateningly.

"Oh I understand it, even more than you do Minister," Calliope replied, "I understand the boundaries between life and death more than anyone, and Voldemort has crossed those boundaries."

There was a silence again, as the minister took in what Calliope had said. The whole room seemed to be holding their breath.

"Voldemort has returned," Dumbledore said slowly as if he was talking to a baby, "If you accept that fact straight away and take the necessary measures, we will be able to save the situation! If you do this you will be remembered, in office or out, as one of the bravest and greatest Ministers for Magic we have ever had- Fail to act, and history will remember you as the man who stepped aside and let Voldemort have a second chance to destroy the world that we have tried to rebuild!"

"Insane," whispered Fudge, "Mad..."

There was utter silence. Molly Weasley was stood beside Harry, as if ready to shove him back in bed if he tried to escape. The rest of the Weasley family had expressions that conveyed more than shock, Natalie was staring open-mouthed at the Minister -for once in her life- utterly speechless. Elphias and Remus both stared at Dumbledore, and the big black dog was standing beside Harry's bed with his teeth bared.

"If your determination to shut your eyes will carry you as far as this," said Dumbledore, "Cornelius, then I am afraid that we have reached a parting of the ways. You must act as you see fit, and I will act as I see fit."

Fudge swallowed, and turned his back on Dumbledore striding over to Harry, "your winnings," he said as he thrust a bag of jingling gold into Harry's hands, "one thousand galleons, there should have been a presentation, but in the circumstances..." he trailed off, then he turned back to Dumbledore, "I will be in touch Dumbledore to discuss the running of this school. I must return to the ministry!" 

With that, Fudge crammed his bowler hat onto his head, and walked swiftly out of the hospital wing, slamming the door behind him.