AN: Just a little tribute for Robert Hardy who portrayed Cornelius Fudge in the films, who passed away yesterday. (3rd August 2017)
Harry Potter sat in the middle of the booth he and his friends were sitting in the Leaky Cauldron.
It was the night of July 31st 2017, and it was Harry's birthday. He was now a ripe thirty-seven year old man.
Around him were some of his good male friends. It was him, Ron Weasley, Neville Longbottom, Rolf Scamander, George Weasley, Seamus Finnegan -who had come from Ireland for a few days- and Dean Thomas.
"And then just as I was coming out of a Muggle shop, I met him," Seamus was telling them about a famous Irish celebrity who neither of them had heard of.
As Harry drank his Firewhisky, he once again noticed the recluse in the corner of the bar, unseen by everyone.
The recluse was none other than the former Minister For Magic, Cornelius Fudge, who was now in his nineties.
The years had not been kind to the former Minister. After the war had ended nearly twenty years ago, Cornelius Fudge had been tried in wizarding court for Corruption and Aiding and Abetting Lucius Malfoy, a known but now former Death Eater.
Harry give damning testimony about Fudge's treatment of him during his Fifth Year at Hogwarts which was enough to ensure the man was imprisoned for at least five years. During the man's trial, it was revealed that he didn't know he was corrupt. Lucius Malfoy had manipulated the man for years that he wasn't aware that the 'donations' were actually bribes. Despite being once again cleared of Death Eater activities Lucius Malfoy received two years in Azkaban for bribing Government Officials.
While in Azkaban, Cornelius' wife had died and he wasn't even allowed out to go to the funeral. His only child died in an accident two months before he was released, and now the man mostly spent his time coming in to the Leaky Cauldron, sitting in the darkness in a quiet corner. No one said hello to him, and if he asked someone the time they would just ignore him.
Every time Harry came in to the Leaky Cauldron, the man would often look at him. Not out of smugness, not out of hatred, but rather of sorrow and distress. Harry ignored him every time he saw him.
As Harry was leaving the Leaky Cauldron he felt Cornelius Fudge's eyes on him once again, but it quickly went away when he was greeted with a "SURPRISE" when he got home.
The house was decorated in balloons on the inside and a large floating banner that said, HAPPY BIRTHDAY HARRY & NEVILLE. Harry smiled. He and Neville always had joint parties since they were only one day apart. Both of them were born less than sixty minutes between them. Neville had been born fifteen minutes before midnight July 30th 1980. He had been born thirty five minutes later at twenty past twelve on 31st July 1980. He later found out after Hogwarts that Neville's mother Alice was his godmother, and that his mother Lily was Neville's godmother. This connection had made them god-brothers and he loved it.
The party continued on for the night and he caught up with many friends who he rarely seen much of anymore.
All in all, he had a good night.
XXXXX
August 4th 2017
Harry yawned as he woke up on this morning. He put on his Dressing Robe and went downstairs. He smiled as he saw his wife Ginny making breakfast.
He went up behind her and put his arms lovingly around her from behind. "Something smells lovely today," he said, smelling her hair.
Ginny laughed. "For that, you get an extra egg and some Weasley made hash browns."
Harry smiled. Molly had passed down her culinary intelligence to her daughter and Ginny enjoyed cooking.
He sat down at the table. Just as he sat down, he noticed the speck of an owl in the distance outside. He watched as it came closer. The owl flew in the window with the Daily Prophet in his talons.
He paid the owl with a couple of sickles and it took off. He started reading the paper while he ate his breakfast Ginny laid before him.
There was nothing interesting on the front page so he turned it to the next page. The moment he saw the article he dropped his fork in shock.
"What's wrong, Harry?" Ginny asked.
Harry laid down the paper so his wife could see the article he was staring at.
Former Minister Cornelius Fudge Dead by Betty Gallant.
Harry read the article. Cornelius Fudge had died of old age the previous day. He was staying in the Leaky Cauldron and housekeeping had found his body.
As Harry read the article, he felt oddly sad, and he didn't understand why. He had never really liked Fudge, the man led a smear campaign against him in his Fifth Year and wouldn't accept the truth that Lord Voldemort had returned.
He just went on to the next article he could find which was just another Rita Skeeter article shaming the Auror Corps.
Great, just great.
XXXXX
Harry was sitting in the office of Maurbidd, Wills, and Deth.
He received an owl a few weeks after the death of Cornelius Fudge, telling him he was named in the man's will and was required to come to the will reading.
It turned out he was the only person named in the will. Cornelius Fudge had lost all of his friends over the years. Many turned their backs on him and his only friend had already died.
Cornelius Fudge turned over the remainder of his estate, fifty thousand galleons, to him. However it wasn't for him. Cornelius Fudge wanted his money to go to a charity and he wanted Harry Potter to select it.
There was one other item for him. An envelope with his name on it. Cornelius had instructed the will reader to give it to Harry Potter when he passed away.
Harry tucked the envelope in his pocket, intending to read it when he got home. In the meantime though, he had it arranged for the money to go to two charities. Twenty five thousand would go to the Children's Ward in St. Mungo's and the other twenty five thousand would go to Hogwarts. He didn't realise he had made the deceased Cornelius Fudge very happy when he saw his money would help out Hogwarts, as he tried to regrettably take over the school over twenty years ago.
XXXXX
After everyone had gone to bed that night, Harry was still in his study, doing paperwork on the new recruits in the Auror Corps. It wasn't until past two in the morning that he had finished.
When he finished, he targeted the item that had been on his mind since earlier. He picked up the envelope that Cornelius Fudge left him in his will.
He opened the letter and pulled out some parchment and started to read.
Dear Mr Harry Potter,
If you are reading this it means I am now dead.
There is something I always wanted to say to you that's been haunting me for years, ever since that fateful day I was carted off to Azkaban.
When I was taken away to Azkaban in 1998 I hated my life. I didn't like the fact I was taken away from my wife and son. Before the Dementors had been retired from Azkaban I was forced to live out my worst memories. It also made me think about the worst decisions I ever made, which were plenty during my disastrous tenure as Minister.
One of the ones that stuck with me though, is my treatment of you following the TriWizard Tournament back in 1995. It haunted me for nights in Azkaban, knowing I should have done something for Britain, and yet I did nothing.
Throughout the year of 1995-1996 I antagonised you in hopes you would find the Wizarding World unbearable and leave. The main reason I sent Dolores Umbridge to Hogwarts was to get her away from me. I thought that if I couldn't stand her then you couldn't either. I never liked that witch and my cell was right across from her. Those five years in Azkaban with her nearby was pure hell, I'd much rather the Dementors.
What I want to say for my behaviour is that I am deeply sorry. You do not have to believe this letter if you don't want to, but it has made me feel worse, remembering the mistakes I did that led to You-Know-Who's Second Rise to Power. I had not only failed you and the Wizarding World, but I had failed myself, succumbing to power and greed. I laid my hand on the Good Book when I became Minister and vowed to do everything I can to keep Britain safe. I have failed my people and myself by doing the opposite.
I was never cut out to be a politician. Politicians shouldn't lie and be uncaring or unconcerned towards other people.
I give you my apologies for how I treated you. You were simply just a boy growing up and I antagonised you. I am deeply ashamed of myself and I just hope you can forgive me. If you don't, I'll accept it. Knowing you have read this letter is good enough for me.
May my soul have mercy.
Signed,
Cornelius Fudge.
When Harry finished reading he was astounded. He had not spoken to Cornelius Fudge in over twenty years and had hated him the entire time.
But was his life so bad because of him. No. Harry loved his life now, but not because he was still adored by the Wizarding World. He couldn't give a damn if they all turned their backs on him tomorrow like many of his fellow students had done at Hogwarts.
Harry loved his live because he had a loving family.
Harry looked back at the letter that he was clutching with his left hand. In a calm voice he spoke:
"I forgive you, Cornelius Fudge."
AN: I actually liked the character of Cornelius Fudge. He wasn't evil and he wasn't against Muggle-borns. He just liked being around wealthy and famous people. Plenty of people do. And he had good reason to send Umbridge to Hogwarts, not as a teacher but as an investigator. A number of strange things have happened at Hogwarts from an outsiders perspective. The Philosopher's Stone, Chamber of Secrets, a three headed dog in a SCHOOL of all places.
And I don't think Dumbledore would have told anyone anything about them, least of all, Fudge, who had every reason to be suspicious.