Amelia sighed silently in her mind. Maybe Dumbledore was really getting old? She thought Fudge was like a crumbling house on the verge of collapsing, one that could be knocked down with a single kick. But it turned out that, although Fudge was a crumbling house, kicking it would unleash a bunch of burly men who would brutally beat you.
Amelia was certain that Fudge had solidified his position thanks to his energetic handling of Peter Pettigrew today. Even if an accusation were to be brought against Fudge, it wouldn't pose a real threat to him unless his reputation was truly shaken. It would only attract Fudge's furious vengeance afterward.
Amelia knew she had uncovered the problem, and she was sure that those who had allied with her had also figured it out. When the accusation started, there would be fewer people willing to follow her, making her power even weaker...
There would be no accusation anymore! Amelia made a firm decision, unless Fudge's reputation was seriously affected, she wouldn't intervene.
But how was it possible for Fudge, who was at the peak of his power, to suddenly see his reputation plummet?
...
Kingsley Shacklebolt, a veteran Auror, and Tonks, a rookie Auror, climbed into the carriage pulled by Thestrals. They placed Peter, whom they had forced to drink a potion, between the two of them. Outside the carriage, there were eight Dementors who would escort the carriage to Azkaban.
Once Tonks and Kingsley were inside the carriage, it began to move on its own.
At that moment, perhaps due to the presence of the Dementors, the weather in London worsened. The entire sky darkened, and instead of small raindrops, snowflakes began to fall.
Muggles opened their umbrellas and hurried to their destinations or entered nearby shops to shield themselves from the snow. Above their heads, an invisible carriage sped northward.
It would cross the clouds and head over the waves to Azkaban, an isolated island in the North Atlantic.
When the carriage reached the surface of the sea, a massive cloud of silvery mist suddenly enveloped the entire group. The Dementors surrounding the carriage scattered like insects exposed to light. When the silvery mist appeared, both Kingsley and Tonks realized that something was wrong.
"Get your wand out and aim it at that guy," Kingsley shouted at Tonks, while he himself drew his wand and looked out of the carriage window. However, by that time, the silvery mist had completely covered the window, preventing them from seeing the situation outside.
Just then, a huge cloud of smoke erupted from inside the carriage, obscuring both of their views.
"Oh no, quick - cough, cough!" Kingsley realized the enemy's target and moved towards the carriage door, trying to warn Tonks, but as soon as he opened his mouth, he inhaled a big gulp of smoke and started coughing.
Apparently, a cold wind had entered the carriage. Kingsley immediately sensed that something was amiss; the situation was critical and he had no other option. He used non-verbal magic and pointed his wand towards Peter's remembered position and cast the Reductor Curse (Reducto).
However, there were no scenes of flesh and blood flying everywhere. His spell exploded at the rear of the carriage, creating a large hole through which more cold air from outside entered, dispersing the smoke inside the carriage.
When the annoying smoke cleared, the place where Peter had been sitting peacefully asleep was no longer there; only Kingsley and Tonks remained inside the carriage, looking at each other.
...
"Cornelius, today is truly a good day, even if the weather isn't so great. Why don't we take advantage of the break between trials to have a drink and discuss the matter of Sirius Black's rehabilitation and Peter Pettigrew's Order of Merlin recovery request?"
Trials at the Ministry of Magic didn't occur back-to-back. There were periods of rest in between, whether long or short. After Fudge sentenced Peter to life in Azkaban, he announced a temporary recess. The wizards present grouped into small clusters to smoke, drink tea, and chat. Fudge was no exception; he was looking for a quiet place to get some fresh air when he saw Dumbledore approaching him.
Fudge displayed a surprised expression upon receiving Dumbledore's invitation and promptly accepted.
"Professor Dumbledore, it's hard to imagine that Peter Pettigrew really betrayed the Potters. I always thought it was Black. His entire family is from Slytherin, right?" Dumbledore and Fudge found a secluded spot, took out a flask filled with wine from beneath their robes, and engaged in conversation.
Dumbledore produced a small bag of chocolates and offered two to Fudge.
"The Sorting Hat can sometimes make mistakes when sorting students into houses. Among that group of four, I always thought that Black was sorted incorrectly, but it turns out the Sorting Hat didn't make a mistake." Dumbledore expressed a certain nostalgia. He admitted that prejudices often posed a significant barrier.
During the latter part of the Wizarding War, Dumbledore had always suspected that there was a traitor in the Order of the Phoenix. The prime suspect was Sirius Black, hailing from the Black family.
Dumbledore personally trusted Sirius, but out of caution, he avoided giving him overly important tasks. Sirius's background had caused him many problems. His parents were pure-blood followers, his brother Regulus Black was a Death Eater, and his cousin Bellatrix Lestrange was a veteran Death Eater. With such relatives, how could the members of the Order of the Phoenix fully trust Sirius?
Even one of his best friends, Lupin, was wary of Sirius, and ironically, Sirius also believed there was a traitor in the Order of the Phoenix, with the primary suspect being the werewolf Lupin...
"Perhaps something went wrong, like when it sorted Peter into Gryffindor, making him the only Death Eater from Gryffindor." Fudge shook the bottle of liquor in his hand and burped.
"Maybe, when he was sorted, Peter was truly a brave Gryffindor... People change..." Dumbledore's eyes revealed undeniable sadness.
The Sorting Hat at Hogwarts rarely makes mistakes. It can sort young wizards into their respective houses. But what happens to them during their growth is no longer under the hat's control.
And isn't Peter truly brave? Of course, he is incredibly brave. Not just anyone can infiltrate for twelve years disguised as a rat, and after his resurrection, he alone crossed the English Channel and traveled across the European continent to find Voldemort in Albania. The hardships he faced can only be imagined.
Wasn't that bravery?
While Fudge and Dumbledore conversed, a paper airplane flew into Fudge's hand.