ESE!Fudge

[arrowsmithbt]

No: HPFGUIDX 113423

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "eloise_herisson" <eloiseherisson at a...> wrote:
> 
> snip
> I think he really just does not *want* to believe that Voldemort if 
> back. In the first place, even if he is not corrupt, then the 
> consequences are just too awful to contemplate, all his cosy 
> assumptions have flown out of the window and his incompetence and 
> lack of foresight and preparation are going to see the end of his 
> career. 
> 
> If he *did* do dodgy stuff in his early days, in pursuit of 
> power, this might have potentially left him in debt to DEs or 
> Voldemort supporters. But having gained power and believing Voldemort 
> gone for ever, he is officially an enemy of the DEs and a supporter 
> of the current regime. If Voldemort and the DEs are back, then
> he's not going to be very popular with anyone on either side.
> 
> I think in the past, he's just looked out for himself without 
> thinking out the future consequences. If he *is* hiding stuff about 
> his past, then he is in danger of being found out and punished by the 
> wizarding establishment or of even worse from Voldemort. He can't win.
> All he can do is to stick his head in the sand and hope that if he 
> denies it enough the situation will go away.
>

Always willing to smell the reek of conspiracy, even if only to make things
even more complicated, I've wondered if Fudge wasn't deliberately placed
in the Minister slot by DEs and their friends.

Consider: Crouch Snr was trying to emulate Judge Jeffries - no-one  was 
assured of a fair trial or hearing. Worrying times for DEs now that Voldy
has gone.  They would very much like to have some-one less assiduous
in the Ministry, someone a bit more accommodating, who'll let bye-gones 
be bye-gones. A Voldy's vanished, the danger is now over, time to heal the 
wounds, sort of character -  because if they don't get some-one like that
Azkaban will be stuffed to bursting with some of the most ancient of
wizarding families.

How to get rid of Crouch? He's honest, upright, severe. 
So compromise him. 
Arrange it so that his son is picked up with a few fringe supporters.
Crouch  has two options - either go easy on his son, in which case cry
nepotism and force him to resign, or act as tough, if not tougher, with
his own son. Distasteful; start  a whispering campaign. His popularity, 
already low, plummets. He resigns, partly because of that and partly
through shame and grief.

And guess what? There's this other wizard - ambitious, emollient, not 
too bright, available to slip into Crouch's shoes. Willing to go easy on 
the War Crimes Tribunal front.  Suits Fudge fine - just so long as his 
backers and supporters don't start up again with their old tricks.
But they have, and now he's in a cleft  stick. He *owes* these people
and they're calling in their markers.

Chickens are coming home to roost.

Kneasy