Chapter 20: The Spineless Man
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Sirius and Harry met Tom in the lobby of the ministry at ten in the morning the next day. They were both dressed in their next best robes, which for Harry was something that wasn't his school robes. He had raided Sirius's old wardrobe from when he was younger. He didn't have any robes that weren't dress robes or school robes. He didn't want to buy any either. His robes were black with red stitching.
Tom was dressed to the nines in something that could have come straight from Slytherin's wardrobe. It was green with elaborate silver embroidery of snakes lining the sides.
"Whoa, Tom, aren't you looking spiffy," Harry said in a teasing tone. Tom was easily the most decked out of the three of them. He could have been going to a ball with how nicely dressed he was.
"And you are looking mediocre," Tom said with his nose in the air. "Please, call me Marvolo here," he added, looking sternly at the teen.
Harry just laughed; he didn't care what others thought of his clothes. He did nod at the name thing though. He had forgotten what Sirius had told him that morning. He knew it was Tom's middle name, so not quite a lie. Still, it was a weird name. Then again, most wizard names were. He wondered if his was a nickname, and he had some strange name on his birth certificate.
"Can we just get this over with?" Sirius said, looking at the two others, uncomfortable in his dress robes of red and gold. He didn't like dressing up. It reminded him of all the times his mother made him suck-up to the highbrow people as a kid.
They went to the registration desk. They all presented their wands and gave their names. "Where are you headed?" the man at the desk asked, not looking up. He did this all day every day, and he didn't even bother to listen anymore. He just checked and registered the wands, jotted down the names for each wand and handed them back.
"The Minister's office," Tom said, taking his wand back.
"Do you have an appointment?" the man asked, finally looking up and seeing the three men dressed in fine robes. He wondered if Fudge would see them. They looked like they had money to burn. He looked at the names he had mindlessly written and finally noted them. Black, Potter, and Slytherin-Gaunt. Those were some powerful names.
"I'm sure he'll see us," Tom purred, stepping away from the desk to the lifts. He wasn't going to waste time talking to the lackeys. He had better things to do.
"Bye," Harry said, waving to the man as they move to the lifts and took them down to the Minister's office. It was a short ride. One of Tom's Death Eaters was on the elevator, and he just ignored them, though Harry could tell it was hard for the man. He could see it in his eyes. It was taking all the man had not to bow to his master.
They got off on the first floor and made their way to the minister's office and noted that Dolores Umbridge's desk was still waiting for her. It was done up in pink, the color was everywhere, and it was so out of place in the drab surrounding. Even the chair was pink.
Tom cast a silent and wandless summoning spell looking for her vault key. It had not been on her when Greyback had brought her to him. It came flying to him and he pocketed it as discretely as he could. He was going to use it to empty her vault of all the bribe money she had accumulated over time. It was what was going to be donated to the DMLE today. Well, what he was going to be reimbursed. He was sure there was enough money in the vault for what he was going to offer.
Harry lifted an eyebrow and Tom just winked at him. The teen just shrugged and followed Sirius to the end of the isle of desks.
They made their way to the secretary's desk in front of the Minister's office.
"We're here to see Minister Fudge," Tom drawled in his best high-crust accent. He was going for posh, and he pulled it off rather well.
"Do you have an appointment?" she asked as she changed the color of her nails with her wand. Being the secretary to Fudge was easy. All she had to do was not let anyone in, unless she thought they would further the man's career.
"I am Lord Slytherin-Gaunt, and my companions are Harry Potter and Lord Sirius Black. We have some things to talk over with the esteemed minister," Tom said, still talking as if he was from money.
"Oh, excuse me, my lord," the woman said, getting up from her desk and rounding it. "I'll just see if he's free," she said, going to the door to the office.
They waited mostly patiently, though Sirius fidgeted quite a bit. Harry was laughing internally at his godfather's impatience. He was never one to sit still for long. Tom looked like he was going to smack Sirius across the head for being so childlike.
"Come this way," the woman said, ushering them into the office.
Fudge was a portly man, dressed in lime green robes. He was also smarmy; you could tell just by looking at him that you would not by a used broom from him. He just exuded slime. It was a wonder he had held onto the office for as long as he had. It had to be due to bribes. There was no other explanation.
"Ah, Lord Slytherin-Gaunt, I did not know there were any of your family still around," Fudge said standing and holding his hand out to be shaken. He was amazed to hear the name of one of the Founders of Hogwarts being bandied about after centuries of disuse. "I am sure you can validate your claim. The last person who made such a claim never did," he added with a jovial tone.
Tom took the hand and gave it a small shake, and then dropped it. "Of course," was all he said to the veiled accusation. He showed the man his ring, which made Fudge's eyes go wide.
"Harry Potter, in my office," the minister said, holding his hand to Harry. He was impressed that the Boy-Who-Lived was hanging around what could only be described as a 'dark' affiliated wizard. With the last name Slytherin, there was no doubt in Fudge's mind that the man was 'dark'.
Harry took it and said, "Minister, it's good to see you again." He was lying, of course. He never liked the man.
"Black," was all the man said to Sirius. They could hear the wariness in his tone. He sounded very concerned as to why the man who was exonerated was in his office. Last he had heard from the man, he was going to sue the ministry. He never did, but it was still on the backburner.
"Fudge," Sirius said, taking a seat on one of the chairs. He did nod his head in the man's direction. He was still upset with the man for trying to have him Kissed without cause.
"What can I do for you fine gentlemen this morning?" Fudge asked, nodding to his secretary to bring tea.
"I heard a nasty rumor that there is not enough Aurors to hold off an attack on Azkaban," Tom said as if an attack was eminent. Which it was, but the minister didn't know that.
"I don't understand, why would there need to be enough to hold off an attack on the prison?" Cornelius asked, retaking his seat, and folding his hands on his desk, trying to look important. This was not the topic he thought would come up. He thought they would be talking about Black.
"I also heard rumor that there is a Dark Lord running around," Tom said, adjusting his sleeve. "According to Dumbledore. While I don't put paid to rumors, or Dumbledore, and I don't believe that there is one. It did get me to thinking that if one were to pop up, so to speak, then the first place they would hit would be Azkaban," he finished, straightening out a wrinkle that wasn't there.
"I see," Fudge said, a frown on his face. He did wonder what the lord had against Albus. He, himself, had some issues with the headmaster. Were they the same issues? He somehow doubted that.
"So, I asked around and was told that the Aurors could barely do their jobs, let alone prevent an attack on the prison," Tom concluded, leaning back in his chair.
"I don't like it," Sirius said, putting his two knuts worth in. "I was in that prison. The inmates are crazy, and they will go after Harry in a heartbeat," he pointed out, looking at his godson and biting the inside of his mouth.
Harry was affecting a scared look. "Will they really come to kill me?" he asked in a scared little boy tone. "Sirius said they said they would if they ever got out," he said as timidly as he could.
"Not if we can talk the fine minister into coming up with some funds for the department," Tom said, trying to sound reassuring. He too was trying not to laugh at the playacting the teen was doing.
"Will you, Minister?" Harry asked, giving him the puppy dog eyes. He knew he was being overdramatic, but it seemed to be working. Fudge looked so wrongfooted.
"Well, um, you see," Cornelius said, looking at the different faces in front of him. One was like granite, one was angry, one was scared. He was unsure what to do in this situation. He had never been confronted without his advisors around. Now both Lucius and Dolores were gone. He was adrift.
"Will it help if we donate directly to the department?" Tom asked, crossing his right leg over his left. "I will be willing to place my funds directly into Madam Bones hands to help her expand her department." There was no way he was going to put money in this greedy fool's hands.
"That would be helpful," Fudge agreed, seeing it as a bonus that it didn't come out of the ministry's funds. Sure, he wouldn't be able to touch it, but he could syphon more from the regular funds.
"Fudge, we expect you to delegate more funds there as well," Sirius said, blowing his daydream away.
"Now see here, you can't tell me how to distribute my funds," Cornelius said, standing and slamming his hands on his desk. He wasn't scared of Black, even if the man threatened to sue.
"Sit down," Tom said with all his power behind his tone. His aura flared and encompassed the entire room.
Cornelius Fudge sat. He had never felt such power. The only person who came close was Albus Dumbledore, and even he paled in retrospect.
"You will match our funds," Voldemort said in a no-nonsense manner. "It is your responsibility to see that the Aurors are funded after all." He was still radiating power from his body. It was taking over the office and weighing down those that occupied it.
"Yes, my lord," Fudge said against his will. He had no idea why he addressed the man in such a manner. It just seemed the right thing to do.
"Good," Tom said, reeling back in his power. Soon everyone could breathe again.
Harry was not sure if he was happy Tom went full on Dark Lord over the man or not. However, it seemed to work, so maybe it was the right thing to do. Then again, did such a man deserve to be in office? They might be better off with someone who wasn't so easily intimidated.
The secretary came in with tea, unaware of the powerplay that just happened. She placed the tea service on the desk and started serving everyone, asking each how they liked it, and doctoring it to their taste.
When she had left, they tensed up again.
"I will be willing to give 100,000 galleons to the fund. Can you match that?" Tom asked, sipping his tea. He too had a ring on, and he was not worried about potioning.
"I am not sure," Fudge said, grabbing a green ledger from the side of his desk, and reading what was written in it. He would have to juggle some funds from other departments, but he could match it.
"Do not take anything from the Department of Misuse of Muggle Artifacts," Harry said, his puppy dog eyes nowhere in sight. He wasn't going to let this man cripple Mr. Weasley's department any further than it already was.
"Whyever not? They are ineffectual," Fudge said, looking at the numbers still.
"Do as the boy says," Slytherin-Gaunt stated, his aura growing again.
"Yes, of course," Cornelius muttered, looking at other departments to get cuts.
"Actually, I think it's time that perhaps you should take a pay cut," Sirius suggested, looking like he just ate the canary.
"I can't do that," the aghast man said, looking at Sirius like he had lost his mind.
"Oh, I think you can," Tom said, wandlessly taking the book from his hands and looking it over. He read how much the minister had been being paid and tutted at him. "Minister, how can you justify paying yourself this much. What would the people think?" he purred, running his finger down the columns of numbers. "And what is this? Your Undersecretary is being paid far more than she should be too? Shame, shame," he said, tutting some more. The sums that some were being paid were ludicrous.
"Can you copy that book?" Harry asked, trying for innocent.
"Why yes, I can," Voldy said, waving his hand and making a copy of the ledger. He tucked it into his robe and grinned at the minister.
"What do you want?" Fudge asked, seeing that he wasn't playing with the little boys. He thought that Black and Potter were small players. But this Slytherin-Gaunt was obviously a heavy-hitter. The aura he exuded was not to be messed with.
"I want you to do your job," Tom said, still looking over the budget. If he was going to take over one day, he needed to know what he needed to correct. This man had made quite a mess of things if these numbers were correct.
"I do, do my job," Fudge protested trying, and failing to call the ledger back to him. He was too weak of a wizard to overpower the man before him.
"Yes, badly. How are you faring now that Malfoy is gone?" Tom asked, putting the book on the desk. He pushed it back to the weak man. He didn't need it. He had the copy. He looked around the room and noted the many places where other ledgers could be hidden. He would have to have one of his minions come when the office was empty and look around. There had to be a secret ledger of bribes here. He would find it and use it to out this man. Either by blackmail or via the Wizengamot.
"Lucius was a dear friend of mine," Fudge said, sadness in his tone. He was truly saddened when he heard of his friend's death. He had Bones look into it, but they never found the body. The only reason they knew he was dead was because Gringotts informed them that he was.
"You really believe that he liked you? That is sad," Harry said, looking at the man with pity.
"What do you mean by that, boy?" Cornelius said, snapping at Harry. That was a mistake on his part.
Tom stood to his full height, which was quite impressive. "Do not ever speak to Harry Potter in that fashion again," he snarled, leaning over, and getting into Fudge's face. "I will rip your lungs from your chest and make you eat them," he threatened. This time his aura flared enough that those outside the office felt it and were wondering if they should call the Aurors.
"Marvolo," Harry said, putting his hand on the man's back. "Don't," was all he said, his tone gentle. He didn't want any trouble right now.
Sirius, on the other hand, was ready and willing to help the man eviscerate Fudge. He never liked the man.
"Consider yourself warned," Tom said, standing back up and straightening his robe. He reined in his aura, and everyone retook their seats. "As to what Harry meant, Lucius was just using you to get laws passed. Anyone who has to pay you to get things done is just using you," he pointed out.
"No, he came to my parties," Cornelius denied as he tried to get his wits about him. Slytherin-Gaunt was just plain scary. "He donated to my causes. He came for tea," he continued pointing out all the nice things Malfoy had done for him.
"To stay in your good graces, you fool," Sirius said, glad he didn't have to do any of these things. He had been worried about that all day. He didn't think he was up to it. He was glad Tom had decided to go the intimidation route.
"Back to our concerns," Tom said, not willing to beat his head against a wall. "You will match our donations, and you will not pull the funds from any department that concerns muggles."
"Yes, my lord," Fudge said, still not sure why he was answering in such a way.
"Do not make me come back," Tom said, standing up and looking at Fudge as if he were a nasty smell.
"I will not," Cornelius completely agreed that he didn't want to meet the man again. He would do anything to prevent that meeting from happening.
"We will make our way to the DMLE and give Bones our donation. I expect yours to follow shortly," Voldemort said, going to the door. Harry and Sirius followed, both with shit-eating grins on their faces. This went much better than what they had planned.
The three of them went to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and went to Bones' office. They waited until she wasn't busy. All three were surprised when the door opened, and Moody walked out.
Moody immediately drew his wand. "Tom Riddle," he said, leveling his wand to the man's face. "What are you doing here?" he asked, not sure what was going on, or why he was with Harry Potter or Black.
"Go back inside and we'll talk," Tom said, not the least bit concerned that he had a wand aimed at him. Well, he was a little bit. Alastor Moody was a formidable man with a wand. However, he was quite a bit disadvantaged with all his disabilities. Still, he was not one to be trifled with.
Alastor didn't even turn around, he just awkwardly walked backwards into Amelia's office. He moved to the far end of said office never once lowering his wand. "What the blazing hell is going on here?" he asked, leaning against the wall, his wand still pointed at Tom.
"Madam Bones, if you will," Tom said, looking to her to get the man's vow.
"I have a vow you need to take to find out what's happening. I swear on our friendship that it is for the best," Amelia said, holding out the same paper she had Tonks swear the night before.
Moody was much more paranoid than Tonks. He read the vow and thought it over for quite a while. The others just watched him. He asked, "This has to do with Albus, doesn't it?"
"Yes, and more," Sirius answered.
"Fine," he said, lowering his wand and reading the vow again. Finally, he said it aloud with his wand lifted. It took and he was told what was going on. He listened in with a stony face. His eyes, both human and magical, never left Tom's face. "I don't like you, Tom Riddle. I will never trust you. You killed too many good people in the last war. However, I know that Albus has lost the plot, and I agree that he is to blame for creating you in the first place. I will be keeping both my eyes on you," Moody said, looking at the other adults in the room.
Black nodded his agreement.
"I agree with you on that, Moody," Amelia said, making sure the man knew he wasn't alone in his thoughts.
"We can meet up again," Alastor told Black with a nod, and he stormed out of the office.
"Will he keep his vow?" Harry asked, worried about their group.
"Yes, if only to protect the rest of the wizarding world, by killing me when the time is right," Tom said, grinning at the teen.
"I'm not sure if that is a good thing," Harry said, looking at the other two adults.
"I think it's the best we can get," Bones said, glad they had a backup plan like that in their group. If Tom went bad, then they had Moody to help put him down.
"It is for the best," Tom said, hoping to put Harry's worry at ease. "I don't plan on going bad again," he assured the teen. Well, not any worse than he already was.
"Okay. Hey, Madam Bones, guess why we're here," Harry said, then plowed on. "We got Fudge to pony up 100,000 galleons to match what we are going to donate each," he said, bouncing in his seat.
"You mean to say my department is getting 300,000 galleons?" she said, impressed. She didn't think they would be successful in getting any money from the minister. The man was quite tightfisted with his funds. Then again, there had never been a Dark Lord asking. She didn't want to know.
"No, 400,000," Harry said, counting himself among the donators.
"You are not donating that much," Sirius said, looking at his godson like he had lost his mind.
"Why not, you two are?" the teen said, pouting.
"Do you even know your balance?" Tom asked, wondering if the boy had ever even checked.
"Um, no."
"Then you aren't donating anything," Sirius said, not sure where Harry's finances stood. It was something they were going to have to do soon. Harry couldn't be ignorant of his funds like this. He might spend, or donate, too much and go broke. James was loose with his money too.
"Fine," Harry said, sitting back in his chair, still pouting, but he did understand what they were saying. He really didn't know what his account balance was.
"Thank you anyway, Harry. It is the thought that counts," Bones said. She was just glad her department was getting the funds.
"Now let's talk about the raid," Tom said, settling in for a long talk.