Has LV already infiltrated the MoM?

[ftah3]

No: HPFGUIDX 30960

I was wondering...is Fudge really as dense as a brick, truly in 
denial about the possibility of Voldemort being back in power, at the 
end of GoF?  

Or could he possibly be victim of the Imperius curse?

The reasons I wonder...

~ I was really, *really* shocked to find that he'd up and 
*immediately* had a Dementor soul-suck Crouch Jr. as soon as he heard 
about the guy's existence.  Judging from the reaction of Prof. 
McGonagall, there was no warning.  Fudge heard the story, made a snap 
judgement about Crouch's state of mind, and had him zapped.  First 
time I read that I thought two things:  1) can he *do* that?  Does he 
have the authority? and even if he does, 2) why didn't he consult 
Dumbledore?  He's shown such a dependence on Dumbledore's advice in 
the past, and seeing as this event occurred on Dumbledore's turf, in 
regards Harry Potter and a man who had been posing as a Hogwarts 
professor for a year ~  why didn't he talk to Dumbledore before 
zapping Crouch?

~ When Dumbledore brings up the fact of Voldemort's return, Fudge 
gets a 'dreamy' sort of look in his eyes.  Then he poo-poo's the 
idea, and all but accuses Harry of being nuts based on Rita Skeeter's 
story.

His action, and then reaction, seem...too convenient.  Too pat.  I 
*can* see where, based on Fudge's personality, it all might be 
somewhat in character.  On the other hand...it also feels a bit 
wrong.  

And I wondered, what if someone is controlling him?  

There is a span of time between Voldemort's failed attempt to kill 
Harry in the duel/Harry's escape, and Fudge's appearance at Hogwarts 
with the Dementor.  Apparation takes no time at all.  And getting rid 
of Crouch Jr. as well as having control of the Minister of Magic 
would both be advantages to Voldemort ~ Crouch Jr. couldn't be pumped 
for more info, and Fudge could squelch any activity within the MoM in 
preparation against Voldemort.

I'm thinking, what if the very influential and not-to-be-turned-away 
Lucius Malfoy was sent post haste to Fudge after the botched duel?  
Malfoy either performs the Imperious curse, or lets Voldemort in to 
do it.  They prime Fudge to have Crouch 'kissed,' and to react in a 
specific way to reports of Voldemort's return.  It would explain 
Fudge's rash and nigh-on idiotic performance, and would be quite a 
scary little precursor for what's in store as Voldemort and his 
followers really get in gear to take over everything....  It would 
also make me very happy, because I felt that particular plot turn was 
a smidge weak and disappointing in its convenience.

Does any of this make sense?  Alternately, maybe you've all already 
discussed this, in which case, apologies for being a rambly bore....

Mahoney