When did Fudge come to power?

[imamommy at sbcglobal.net]

No: HPFGUIDX 116598


imamommy:

I found some seeming inconsistencies with the timing of when Fudge 
became Minister of Magic.

When the trio meets Sirius in Hogsmeade (GoF, Schol. p.529-30), he is 
talking about what happened with Crouch Sr, shortly after his "son" 
died in Azkaban:

     "So old Crouch lost it all, just when he thought he had it made,"
Snip
     "So Cornelius Fudge got the top job, and Crouch was shunted 
sideways into the Department of International Magical Cooperation."

Then in OoP, this reference doesn't have any particular time frame 
attached, but here it is (Oop, Schol. p.93-4, Arthur Weasley 
speaking):

    "Of course he doesn't," said Mr. Weasley  "He's <Dumbledore> 
never wanted the Minister's job, even though a lot of people wanted 
him to take it when Millicent Bagnold retired.  Fudge came to power 
instead, but he's never quite forgotten how much popular support 
Dumbledore had, even though Dumbledore never applied for the job."
    "Deep, down, Fudge knows Dumbledore's much cleverer than he is, a 
much more powerful wizard, and in the early days of his ministry he 
was forever asking Dumbledore for help and advice," said Lupin.

Then later, as reported in the Quibbler (Oop, Schol. p.192):

Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic, denied that he had any plans 
to thake over the running of the Wizarding Bank, Gringotts, when he 
was elected Minister of Magic five years ago.


Hmm. If the attack on the Potter's was Halloween 1981, and the attack 
on the Longbottoms was later that year or early 1982, then the trial 
may have been a few months later, the person believed to be Barty 
Crouch, Jr. probably died in 1983 or '84.  "Five years ago" from the 
beginning of OoP would be 1990, or a year before Harry started at 
Hogwarts.  But my first example seems to indicate that the transfer 
of power occured not long after the death in Azkaban.  

Any thoughts?

imamommy
Who's well aware that the Quibbler can hardly be counted on for facts