Chapter 33: Fudge's Dilemma
In Hogwarts castle a certain headmaster was also having trouble sleeping, Minerva's news that she'd convinced the Potters to return was very welcome. The conditions they were imposing, while not unexpected were decidedly less welcome news to Albus Dumbledore.
That they refused to have potions taught to them by Severus was always going to be the case, given their very public decrying of the professor Albus expected nothing less. Black's apparent suggestion of a replacement almost brought a chuckle to the old wizard, he couldn't imagine Horace would reject an invitation to be the personal potions tutor to the boy who lived. Just the thought of being able to add Harry Potter and his young wife to his 'Slug Club' portfolio would see him beating a path to the Potter's door.
Minerva had also added accommodation at Hogwarts to sweeten the offered employment package. His deputy was obviously thinking it would be prudent to have a replacement already in the castle for when Severus eventually stepped over the very harsh line she was taking with him.
No it was the clause where they would only deal with their head of house, rather than the headmaster that really stuck in his craw. How was he supposed to start building a mentor relationship with the boy if Albus was specifically banned from contact with him?
Minerva left him no wiggle room with the description of what she found at the Grangers, the entire family studying prospectuses of Australian magical schools that the goblins had provided them with. She left Albus in no doubt what would happen if he interfered, or who would be shouldering the blame should they leave Britain. With the minister of magic as their new 'best friend', the headmaster understood he wouldn't survive the fallout if he was the one who hounded the Potters out the country. He wasn't totally sure he would survive the backlash of today's revelations at the ministry.
He was losing allies at an alarming rate, Severus and the Weasleys were damaged beyond repair, Minerva and Amelia were clearly on the side of the Potters while the young couple's endorsement of Cornelius left them practically untouchable at the ministry. Their backing of the minister and his administration would mean Fudge moving Heaven and Earth to retain that golden endorsement. This not only stripped Albus of allies but left him standing alone as a target for the public's anger, he didn't need Sibyll's tea leaves to accurately predict tomorrow was going to be very bad.
...
Lucius was having a bad morning as he left the minister of magic's office without what he came for, this was a new experience for the blond Slytherin.
Black's comment in the newspaper focused unwanted attention onto his past, a past he had so carefully spent years glossing over. Fudge had been no help whatsoever.
"Lucius what would you have me do? The article clearly stated that the man had been held incognito for the last decade. It's also a record of fact that you were involved, though under the duress and command of the Imperius curse. That it further mentions you never stood trial nor faced questions under truth serum is also a fact, whether you would choose to forget it or not. As far as I can see there is not one word of lie in that story, so how do you expect me to support your proposed charges of slander?"
Lucius was seething, well aware that had the same paper not printed in bold headlines that the Potters supported Fudge, Cornelius would have no qualms about backing his proposal. At the moment everything in the garden was rosy for the minister and he wasn't about to give the press any excuses to go digging for dirt.
Lucius had heard from Draco that the Potter brat had openly ridiculed his death eater family, publicly stating that he wasn't afraid of the Malfoy name or those who carried it. His first instinct had been to head to Hogwarts and make sure Severus dealt severely with the arrogant little shit, now he was glad he didn't.
The boy's actions had seen dramatic changes and not all of them bad, from the Malfoy point of view. Severus being forced to behave was no more than an annoyance at the moment, but losing influence at the ministry could be serious. On the other hand the Potter brat had practically destroyed the blood traitor weasels, and a certain old muggle-loving fool was unquestionably in far deeper shit than Lucius was.
That arse Fudge had casually mentioned truth serum and trial to put Lucius in his place, giving Potter any reason to demand such a thing would be a really bad idea. He could just imagine the minister, like an eager puppy waging his tail as he complied with the boy's request.
The Slytherin thing to do would be to wait and see how this played out before making any moves, he would have to owl Draco to keep his eyes open and stay out of trouble, especially with Potter. He was aware his son had the very un-Slytherin habit of shooting his mouth off at the wrong time, Lucius was hoping the boy's attendance at Hogwarts would teach him some restraint.
Lucius was unaware that the owl would be too late to avoid Draco's latest episode in stupidity.
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