OotP: Could Fudge fire Dumbledore? Evil!Fudge??

[jenny_ravenclaw]

No: HPFGUIDX 56793

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, ephilipbar at a... wrote:
 I 
> was getting concerned about all the "smiling" Fudge does at the end 
of GoF when he, DD, etc. are having the discussion about LV's 
return.  There are at least three occasions where Fudge is noted to 
be "smiling" or "hiding a smile".  As I was reading GoF for the 
upteenth time, this started to make me concerned for Harry and DD in 
subsequent books.  Fudge is definately in denial; could he be 
something worse????>

I'm sure this has been said many times before, but the beauty in 
Fudge's character would be if he was not actively allied with the DEs 
in any way.  To me, Fudge is a very typical beauracrat(sp?).  He 
smiles and denies simply because he does not want to deal with the 
work he'd have to do if he admitted that Voldemort has risen again.  
He is more concerned with his reputation and with keeping the WW in 
ignorant bliss than with doing what is right.  Unlike Dumbledore, 
Fudge is choosing what is easy (one of JKR's lessons as well).  It is 
easy to continue being the Minister of Magic who keeps Voldemort down 
than the one who let him rise again. 

While Fudge himself may not be evil, the consequences of his selfish 
motives may be very ugly.  He has trusted Dumbledore to run Hogwarts 
without MoM intervention because Dumbledore is trustworthy (and 
possibly because it was easy for Fudge to do so).  Dumbledore is 
largely respected throughout the WW and Fudge is ridiculous for 
refusing to listen to him, Harry, Snape... now.  Haven't we seen 
again and again in history that it is just as dangerous to stand and 
by and do nothing or to deny as it is to engage in 
criminal/violent/hateful behavior?  Fudge is a pawn and someone up 
there with Voldemort knows that and will use him well.

--jenny from ravenclaw *********************************************