Another LV Blunder - was Fudge is a DE

[Jim Ferer]

No: HPFGUIDX 79053

Jazmyn:" They {the DE's in Azkaban] escaped because the Dementors
RETURNED TO LV!  As I said before, the MOM only thought they could
control the Dementors. Dumbledore WARNED Fudge to remove the Dementors
from Askaban and find different guards before, but Fudge didn't
believe that LV was back or that the Dementors would return to LV's side.
 
Fudge couldn't send the Dementors to look for the 10 DEs cause the 
Dementors had already deserted Azkaban to return to LV, which was what 
allowed the 10 DEs to escape.  The MOM tried to cover up the fact the 
Dementors left, fearing a panic would sweep through the WW if people 
found out the MOM didn't have control over them, like they thought."

This has to go down on the ever-longer list of Voldemort's blunders,
actually.  Voldemort naturally is compared to Hitler often enough, but
one of the things he has most in common with the Fuhrer is his
megalomaniacal screw-ups.  

There was never a need to stage the Azkaban breakouts.  With the
Dementors on his side, Voldemort should have continued to operate
Azkaban as his base.  So, if a DE is captured and brought to Azkaban,
the Dementors are waiting to lead him away.  If that moron Fudge shows
up for an inspection tour, he finds the Lestranges in their cells –
and nobody is the wiser.

It's actually another argument against Fudge being an active Death
Eater.  If I was Voldemort and had as prominent an agent-in-place as
Fudge, I'd avoid embarrassing him and making him look bad compared to
Dumbledore. Outing himself at this stage is a huge reversal for
Voldemort, who needed more time to gather strength, and he lost most
or all of his Ministry spies, including Lucius Malfoy.

AFAIC, the vindication of Harry and Dumbledore this early in the War
was by far the biggest surprise of the book.

Jim Ferer