Understanding at last

Disclaimer: These people aren't mine, yadda yadda, you know the drill…

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Fudge was already agitated. His carefully constructed world was slowly tumbling down around him. Lord Vol… Lord… Oh, he couldn't even say it in his thoughts! You-know-who was back… right there in the Ministry of magic. Death eaters in the Department of Mysteries and Dumbledore… Dumbledore of whom he had fought so hard to oust out of office… had been right all the time.

He sighed heavily, flanked by his Aurors making a bee line for the department of mysteries. He was uncomfortably aware of the grim nature of the procession. He was more then uncomfortably aware of Dumbledore sweeping a long in their wake.

They came to a halt outside the golden grated lift, and someone evidently had pushed the button, because the little grill slid open and he certainly hadn't been able to reach. They all piled in.

He had called in a great many Aurors, so there was limited room. He frowned, wondering whether to leave a few behind to catch up, but decided against it. No, there were Death eaters down there… Anti Apperating spell or not, he still wanted as many people around him when he had them arrested.

He fiddled nervously with his dressing gown tie as the lift lowered down underground, heart pounding. He had never expected this. It was too much. Why him? Why did this have to happen just as he had created a nice, even balance in the ministry? He sighed miserably.

The lift halted. Fudge hadn't really been paying attention to it moving in the first place.  He squared his shoulders

"Alright, take them all quickly." He said, hiding the slight quaver in his voice "I don't want any mess or any fights. I want them all unmasked and identified." There, that sounded a bit firmer, more authoritarian. He straightened, and strode purposely down the corridor to the black door, pretending a confidence he really didn't have.

"Right men, the death room is it Albus?" Dumbledore nodded. Fudge couldn't help notice that there was something slightly melancholy about the way he did that "Let's get it over with. Death room please…" he said in a slightly raised voice. A door sprung open. Just as he started for it, Dumbledore piped up
"I shall be leaving you now Fudge" he said, moving to a door beside that of the Death room "There are some injured students in the thought room that need attention. I shall join you later to see to a few of my own men who have helped round up the death eaters. I fear some may also be injured."

"Very well" Fudge said brusquely, happy to be rid of the headmaster's towering presence. "The rest of you, with me." He jerked his head at the open door

Dumbledore vanished through the thought room door, as Fudge opened further the one that had creaked open at his request earlier

Sure enough, cloaked and hooded, a large group of people, some masked other's not, stood surrounded by several others- some Aurors, some unknown in the amphitheatre around the wavering arch

The death eaters were all huddled together, looking decidedly disgruntled and dispirited. 

"Take them." Fudge said, swallowing hard. McNair, the executioner… Crabbe, Goyle… He recognized some of them, and his mouth was dry. Some had worked beside him in the ministry.

More and more familiar faces as others were unmasked and magically handcuffed. His spirits sunk into his boots, but he squared his jaw. As wiley as they had been, he had them now. Most of them were minor officials anyway… then….

"Cornelius!" A laconic voice he knew too well… his insides froze in absolute horror.

Lucius Malfoy looked decidedly worse for wear. A scrape down one side of his face, his hair slightly dishevelled. An Auror was rather roughly restraining him, binding him with magical bonds.

"Malfoy?" Fudge whispered in disbelief

"Fudge! You'll regret this…" he hissed, looking quite furious. Fudge was gaping, wide mouthed. Lucius Malfoy- who had given so generously to so many funds, who had often chatted with Fudge, who had even on occasion brought his wife over to dine with them… who now stood amidst some of the most dangerous people Azkaban had ever held. Who had broken into the department of mysteries. Who now stood defiant. Who supported he-who-must-not-be-named.

"You'll regret this Cornelius! You can't keep us trapped forever! We have more power then you can ever reckon… I controlled you!" Malfoy snarled "You're a fool, Fudge! You will never stop the Dark Lord!"

"Take him out of my sight…" Fudge said, sounding sick. He put his hands over his face; the realization of how he'd been so easily duped stung him.

"So now you know…" Said a calm voice from over his shoulder. Fudge swung around from watching what had been one of the most influential wizards in the ministry being dragged away, cursing. Albus Dumbledore was peering sternly over his glasses

"Now I know what?" He said, a little more irritably then he intended.

"Now you know" Dumbledore continued "That there are more important things in this world then power and money- more then blood, even, Cornelius. What a wizard appears to be on the outside is meaningless."

Fudge looked at the headmaster for some time, ,then the door Malfoy had been dragged through and then nodded slowly.
Dumbledore smiled.