Title: Denial
Author: Nikita-Lee
Summary: Cornelius Fudge's experiences of Harry's fourth year at Hogwarts.
Disclaimer: The Blast-Ended Skrewts captured the characters and ran away back to J. K. Rowling, I just borrowed them.
Blasted tournament. It should never have been held in the first place. I only agreed to it because all my advisors said I should encourage international cooperation, and the education sector was a good place to start. Given the history of the tournament, we had to make several drastic changes to ensure the safety of the students. The age restriction was one of the most important changes; however we discussed at great length the tasks that were to be completed, and increased security tenfold.
The age restriction should have prevented the boy from competing in the first place. It was only because of Dumbledore's blatant favouritism that he was allowed to break so many rules. How the man could ignore the unmistakable cheating is beyond me. Unfortunately, those names that come out of the goblet are magically bound to compete, so once the names were out there was no other alternative. To break a magically binding contract would have disastrous consequences both for the boy and for the other contestants.
There were five judges as well as ten visible dragon handlers around the cage at the first task. Had anything gone astray there, it would have been resolved immediately and there would have been no harm done. There was no danger for anyone in the audience, and any danger the champions may have been in would have been rectified before any major damage had been inflicted.
The second task was conducted underwater, so the audience's view was not as clear. Of course the champions were not in any danger as both Barty and Dumbledore had spoken with the Merpeople, as well as other creatures, and gained their cooperation in protecting the students.
The maze itself was riddled with traps and creatures that the students should have been perfectly able to deflect by themselves. They have all had magical training concerning magical creatures and their defence training should have equipped them to deal with all sorts of experiences. Evidently the Defence Against the Dark Arts curriculum at Beauxbatons is in need of revising; Fleur Delacour lasted less than ten minutes in the maze!
Poor Amos. His son is dead with no obvious sign as to how he died. Obviously, I will mount a full enquiry as to how the poor child met his death. I must say it is a bit of a mystery, there are no obvious signs of any wounds from the maze other than a few scratches from the bushes, as well as those Bush-Nosed Newts, or whatever those pets of Hagrid's are.
Oh for Merlin's sake. That infernal headmaster has left me to deal with the dead boy's parents as well as the crowds. He's even taken his Deputy Headmistress with him, and Mad-Eye and the Potter boy left to go to the hospital wing as soon as the boy returned from the maze. Ah good, the Healers are here, they can take care of the Diggory boy and his family. Now just to subdue the crowds.
That horrid man that was on suspicion of being a Death Eater years ago, Snape I think his name was, is now saying that the Triwizard cup had been turned into a portkey. As if that isn't the most absurd thing I've ever heard. After all, Dumbledore requested Mad-Eye Moody to put that thing out last night and the maze has been guarded ever since by both aurors and Hogwarts staff. Unless Mad-Eye himself charmed the cup, that has to be a lie.
Barty Crouch Junior? He died years ago in Azkaban! There's no way people can come back from the dead unless they come back as ghosts. Surely he doesn't mean a ghost did this! Polyjuice? How ridiculous! Someone would have noticed if he was buying the ingredients for that potion – I've been told the ingredients are rather rare. No, no that simply can't be the case.
I should interview him? Yes. Yes I should. As the Minister I need to know what is happening in the community. That means I need to get to the bottom of this to prevent any false rumours circulating. Nevertheless, I am the Minister for Magic, I had best be careful. There are dementors here; as my personal safety is in question I shall summon one of those creatures to accompany me. Yes that should ensure my safety, Dumbledore simply cannot question that.
Well, Barty has been dealt with now. There is no need to fear, Diggory's parents can rest in the knowledge that their son's murderer has been apprehended and will no longer pose a threat. Now I must speak to Dumbledore, give Potter his winnings, and head back to the Ministry to write up the reports.
So Dumbledore is adamant that Barty's son is behind all this. The notion is ludicrous. A person who had spent as much time as he had in Azkaban could not possibly have come up with such an extravagant plan. Working for You-Know-Who? No. There's no way. You-Know-Who was destroyed by a rebounding Avada Kedavra curse almost 15 years ago. He's not back from the dead, that's not possible. That poor Potter boy has been confounded, or is simply suffering from the enormous stress placed upon him by this competition. After all, he has been suffering delusions over the past months, that is entirely plausible. The first sane theory of the night, really. Either that or this is just another attention seeking plot by the Potter boy for more publicity. It simply cannot be true.
I've been building up this community for years, and now Dumbledore and his minions want to ruin it all. The old fool will not consider that the boy simply wants attention; that the boy is feeding the headmaster a cock and bull story in order to gain his sympathy. Well I won't stand for it. I've finally managed to overcome the community's fear of Voldemort – the last war injected so much fear and terror into the community it has taken over twelve years to diffuse it. And now that doddering headmaster wants to incite the same panic back into wizarding society.
He must be stopped.