Something wrong with this Fudge

[huntergreen_3]

No: HPFGUIDX 107010

meltowne wrote:
>> I've been thinking abou our friend from the ministry, Cornelius
Fudge. I can't quite decide what to make of him, but I know there's
something odd that JKR has been hinting at all along. <<

HunterGreen:
You know, I think so too. Evidence for an ESE!Fudge is ridiculously 
easy to put together. We all just accept that he's only out to get 
Dumbledore in OotP because he's afraid of Dumbledore -- that is of 
Dumbledore trying to take his job -- even though Dumbledore has NEVER 
shown any interest in it. AND its just accepted that he doesn't think 
that Voldemort is back, when at the end of GoF, he couldn't 
(decently) retort to Dumbledore when Dumbledore said "I am working 
against Voldemort, if you are too, we are on the same side." 
(paraphrased). But suddenly in OotP he's gung-ho to get Harry 
expelled, get Dumbledore discredited, and take over Hogwarts...why? 
(I know the reasons the book gives, they just seem a little weak). It 
just reminds me of the fact that Voldemort never dared attack 
Hogwarts during his first rise to power, with Umbridge there it would 
have been mighty easy...

>> 1 - He was the first on the scene when Wormtail disappeared.
Everything the rest of the wizarding world knows about what happened
there is based on his account. Why was Fudge there - and did he
maybe witness the event, not just the aftermath? Did he cast sme
sort of charm on Sirius to make him behave that way, making him
appear insane? <<

Since about my second read of PoA, I've thought that Peter tossed a 
cheering charm at Sirius right before he cut off his finger, which is 
why Sirius was standing there laughing. (it just seems so odd that 
cheering charms are specifically explained earlier in PoA and then 
never brought up again, almost as though she was writing it that way, 
but it got written out for some reason). I don't know, I suppose it 
COULD have been Fudge tossing a spell at Sirius, but I think he was 
already acting umbalenced enough already, what with the circumstances.

>> 3 - Fudge got the Minister job when it appeared that Crouch had a 
bad apple in his family. Was Barty really responsible for torturing 
the Longbottoms? Why did Fudge have the dementors kiss him so quickly?
I think Barty Jr knew something about Fudge that he wanted kept
hidden. <<

Or maybe he just wanted to make sure Barty Jr. didn't testify to 
anyone else about Voldemort coming back. I wonder about Barty Jr. 
though...from his reaction in the pensieve, I wonder how 'evil' he 
was before spending 10 or so years trapped under the imperious curse 
being forced to hide in the house under an invisibility cloak most of 
the time. We really can't know for sure *how* involved he was in 
torturing the Longbottoms (there were *four* people there, covering 
two people, who would have been incapacitated real quick). Barty Jr. 
really fascinates me, he was a pretty good teacher (the second-best 
of all the DADA teacher's we've seen), he was VERY good at 
impersonating Moody, and he had a knack for gaining people's trust, I 
wonder what sort of person he could have been if his life hadn't 
taken such a turn.

>>4 - in PoA, Crouch wants to make sure Harry stays in Diagon Alley. I
don't think it's to protect Harry, but to keep Sirious from being
able to contact him. Fudge may know why Sirious survived Azkaban -
he wasn't guilty. I think Fudge can't afford for Harry to talk to
Sirious.<<

There was a thread back in May concerning PoA and the dementers and 
all that (it starts here: 
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/98014 )
While responding to it, I realized how odd the dementers act in PoA, 
as though they are more interested in Harry than they are in Sirius. 
Also, Kneasy brought up Sirius' strangely easy escape from Azkaban, 
suggesting that he may have been helped (either directly or 
indirectly). It seems the person most likely to do that would be 
Fudge. Here's an exerpt:

HunterGreen previousy: (in msg 98042)
>So he helps Sirius escape, which accomplishes two things: 1-Sirius
might kill Harry, and 2-He has an excuse to dispatch the dementers to
Hogwarts and have *them* kill Harry. We don't know what is motivating
Fudge though, it could be a ESE!Fudge or just him being
influence/threatened by anyone. The case for an ESE!Fudge is right
there, its like its *too* obvious. (now I keep thinking about how odd
it is that the dementers not only attacked Harry at the end of PoA
but tried to perform the "kiss" on him, even though Sirius was lying
feet away).<

Its also interesting to note that Fudge *doesn't* contact Harry when 
Sirius escapes, nor does he encourage anyone (like the Weasley's for 
example) to go collect Harry from the Dursely's and keep an eye on 
him. Yes, Dumbledore doesn't do that either, and it doesn't occur to 
Arthur or Molly to go get Harry, but Fudge is in charge of all this. 
He is the one deciding to keep the fact that Sirius is going after 
Harry a secret (he tells Arthur not to tell Harry), yet he doesn't 
think to try and protect Harry. 
If Sirius had *really* been out to kill Harry, he would have suceeded 
(right before the Knight Bus shows up, there was enough time for Dog!
Sirius to grab Harry and maul him to death....but of course he didn't 
want to do that at all). And even after that close call, Fudge still 
doesn't think its important to tell Harry the REASON why he should 
stay out of muggle London. Why? Does he actually care about Harry's 
mental health? I just don't buy that. He hasn't even MET Harry 
before, why would it matter to him if he makes Harry a little 
paranoid? Even Arthur, who DOES know Harry thinks its more important 
for Harry to know the truth than live in blissful dangerous ignorance.

Fudge's priorites, at this moment, were damage control. Pretty much 
getting Sirius back as quickly as possible and before he harms 
anyone. If Harry was murdered by Sirius Black, it would be front page 
news, Voldemort's 'right-hand' man killing 'the boy who lived'(!), 
and what a nightmare for him. Yet, protecting Harry's happiness is 
more important. Sure.

And speaking of escaped convicts...Cho points out in OotP the absense 
of dementers in Hogsmeade after the disappearence of quite a number 
of frightening convicts. Now, she brings up a good point. (and it 
should be noted, that not only does JKR not have dementers stationed 
anywhere in Hogsmeade, but she has a character *point it out*). Of 
course, the dementers could have just been there in PoA because there 
was a good chance Sirius Black was lurking around that area, but you 
think with the number of DEs gone missing, there would be dementers 
*every where*. 
So either the dementers are getting apathetic (which is partially 
true), or no one ordered them to leave Azkaban to look for the 
escapees. Fudge is most likely the one in charge of this, and ESE!
Fudge may not care about catching the missing DEs. He's probably 
rather happy they're out. (on the other hand, with Sirius, the 
dementers gave him the chance to kill Harry Potter, by OotP, he knows 
that Harry can do the patronus charm, therefore its not worth the 
trouble). 

>> Fudge clearly holds some of the same beliefs as the death eaters,
regarding muggles and half-bloods. Is he a death eater, or does he
at least simpathize with them? Or is he just so power-hungry that he
will side with whichever side e thinks is most strong? <<

I think he sympathizes with their goal. I don't really see him as a 
DE -- I can't really see him working directly for Voldemort --, but I 
think he has his own aims which are very similar to what the DE's 
want. More cooperation than domination.