— — — — — —
"Cornelius, stop."
Those words hit Fudge like a bolt out of a clear blue sky. His mind went completely blank.
The others were just as stunned, staring at Dumbledore in disbelief.
So... Dumbledore too was one of Riddle's reinforcements?
Didn't that mean they were basically allies with Dumbledore now?
The feeling was strange, to say the least. Lucius Malfoy had never imagined there would come a day when his interests would line up with Dumbledore's.
It was not just Lucius who felt the absurdity. The other pure-bloods were equally unsettled.
"Dumbledore, even you are helping that brat?" Fudge tried one last desperate struggle. He refused to believe Dumbledore didn't know exactly what Tom was doing. "His so-called Astra Abyssum is seizing the Ministry's authority! Huge numbers of transactions bypass legal oversight. He's using money and rewards to buy loyalty, to make wizards sell themselves to him! Dumbledore, can't you see any of this?"
"Riddle wants to control this country!"
Faced with Fudge's dire accusations… well, this time it was hard to call them hysterical exaggerations. For once, Fudge had stumbled onto the truth and laid bare Tom's ultimate ambition.
In this world, some are born to comfort, others to crime. Some inherit gold, some the gallows. Some are meant to savor life, others to defy it.
That saying was not really about fatalism, but about reality. People start from different places, with different talents.
What really matters is the second half: your actions. The future belongs to those who shape it from the present. Your deeds guide your fate... but the higher you climb, the farther you aim.
Naturally, Tom aimed for the peak.
At first, Tom's starting point had been low. But now, he had the right to demand more. So he chose a path that looked troublesome, yes, but also inevitable.
Not everyone was like Dumbledore, suppressing their own nature. That kind of self-denial was practically inhuman. Admirable, perhaps, but Tom had never thought it was some great virtue.
What he wanted was freedom. Complete freedom.
Not just in form, but freedom of the mind. Absolute, unrestrained freedom.
"..."
"Cornelius, these are nothing more than your assumptions," Dumbledore said calmly. "At its core, the Astra Abyssum Guild is a civilian organization. All of its activities fall within the boundaries of the law. If you have concerns or doubts, you can address them through legal means, not by acting like this."
"As for this incident, Tom is unquestionably the victim. His methods were… forceful, but throughout the entire process, he did not violate any laws."
Fudge stared at him in disbelief. "Tom Riddle used magic outside of school! He killed more than twenty people! And you're telling me that's not illegal?"
"Strictly speaking," came a composed voice, "it really isn't."
Amelia Bones walked in at that moment. Kingsley Shacklebolt followed behind her, his face dark and grim. And when he saw who was gathered in the office, his expression grew even worse.
He was not angry on Fudge's behalf. He was furious that these people dared to challenge the authority of the Minister for Magic. If they dared to oppose Fudge now, what would stop them from opposing him in the future?
A pack of unruly troublemakers, every last one of them.
"What did you say, Bones?" Fudge snapped.
"Minister, I'm saying that Riddle did not break the law," Bones replied evenly. "According to the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery, in special circumstances where one's life is under threat, the use of magic in self-defense is permitted."
"You call what Riddle did self-defense?" Fudge seized on the opening at once. "If killing people counts as self-defense, then there are no criminals left in society! Bones, is this how the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement twists the law?"
Fudge could see it clearly now. Not a single person here was on his side.
Bones paid no attention to his attack and continued calmly. "The law does not specify the degree of counterattack. As long as the victim believes they are still in danger, they may respond according to their own judgment. Mr. Riddle's choices are beyond reproach."
After all, the authority to interpret the law rested with her. In these gray areas, you could argue anything. Bones could produce a hundred precedents and rationales that would leave Fudge completely speechless.
The Minister for Magic was shaking with rage, his whole body trembling, the flesh on his face quivering in waves. "Fine… fine… you're all in this together. But I'm the Minister for Magic!"
"Enough, Cornelius!"
Dumbledore's voice rose sharply. The air in the office seemed to freeze. Several Slytherins instinctively edged toward the door, ready to make a quick escape, before stopping halfway.
Wait.
They were actually on the same side as Dumbledore right now.
So what the hell were they afraid of?
"Cornelius, who holds the title of Minister isn't the point," Dumbledore continued calmly. "What matters is that the wizarding world doesn't suffer pointless upheaval. Madam Bones has made it very clear. Tom bears no responsibility here. Don't try to seize this moment to attack him… you can't win."
"Do as he suggested. Apologize where you should. Clean up Knockturn Alley if it needs cleaning. That is the Ministry's responsibility too. If you can't even grasp that, then…"
He paused.
"I believe someone else would be better suited to the job."
"Hiss…"
Lucius Malfoy, Parkinson, Selwyn, and the others all sucked in a sharp breath. Dumbledore's broad back blurred before their eyes, almost overlapping with another familiar figure, one who favored green robes.
Dumbledore's words were restrained, even polite, but the tone and the sheer force of will behind them were more overbearing and unyielding than their former master ever was.
The White Dark Lord.
The thought rose unbidden in everyone's mind.
"..." Lady Greengrass quietly stepped back two paces, fingers turning the bracelet on her left wrist. Only then did she seem to relax.
Fudge met Dumbledore's calm blue gaze through the half-moon spectacles and clearly saw the old man's resolve. His shoulders sagged further, his voice hoarse.
"I understand…"
Pure-bloods. Dumbledore. Senior Ministry officials. None of them stood with him. Just as Dumbledore had said, he could not win.
In the original course of events, Fudge had been able to weaken Dumbledore's influence with surprising ease, but that had been the result of several factors coming together.
The news of Voldemort's return had come from Harry alone. He was the only eyewitness. Many people trusted Dumbledore, but far fewer were willing to trust a child, even if he was the Chosen One, the Boy Who Lived.
In the original timeline, when Fudge moved against Dumbledore, the Slytherins present today, even Lady Greengrass herself, had done plenty to fan the flames.
Whoever went after Dumbledore, they would happily lend a hand.
And lastly, there was Dumbledore's own inaction. No matter how absurd the Ministry's Educational Decrees became, he endured them. Had he taken a firm stand even once, at least half the Wizengamot would have voted them down, and the decrees would never have passed.
But with Tom in this world, everything had changed.
Albus Dumbledore had finally hardened his stance. With the attitude he showed today, even without anyone else backing him, Fudge had no chance of defeating Tom.
"Take care of yourself, Cornelius." Only after hearing Fudge's resigned words did the old man's eyes soften again. He nodded slightly.
Then he turned and left.
Did Dumbledore feel guilty about publicly crushing Fudge's authority as Minister in front of so many people? Of course he had.
He knew that from this moment on, Fudge was Minister in name only. Either he would be replaced soon, or he would remain in the post as a figurehead until that replacement arrived.
But Dumbledore did not regret it. He was a man who could calculate even his own life. Once he made a decision, everything became a bargaining chip for the greater good.
Tom wants to establish a guild, a massive civilian organization independent of the Ministry and the International Confederation of Wizards? Fine. As long as it does not turn into a criminal syndicate that shelters Dark Wizards.
Tom wants to use the Minister for Magic as a warning, cut off the hand reaching for him, and prevent endless interference in the future? That was fine too. Given Fudge's abilities, the greatest contribution he could make to the wizarding world was to sit in that chair, stay put, and do nothing at all.
Personal humiliation meant little compared to the bigger picture.
So between Tom and Fudge, Dumbledore had chosen without hesitation.
And before coming here, the two of them reached an agreement: no matter what, the existence of the magical world must never be exposed willingly.
Dumbledore understood Tom's character. Despite the trouble he caused, he was still a good kid, which is why Dumbledore treated him with genuine kindness. Tom wasn't a monster like Voldemort, nor as radical as Grindelwald. So considering the future, that was all the condition he needed.
And to ensure it, Dumbledore even bound himself with Tom through an Unbreakable Vow.
Tom agreed readily. He had never intended to expose the magical world in the first place... at least not anytime soon. It would bring him no benefit, only endless trouble.
Once the vow was sealed, Dumbledore finally set his mind at ease. Willing to shield Tom from some of the pressure and keep him in check, he stepped forward. And so, today's scene came to pass.
...
After Dumbledore left, Lady Greengrass departed with the other pure-bloods. Bones followed, then Crouch. In the end, only Shacklebolt and Umbridge remained.
Fudge did not even look at them, lost in his own thoughts. Eventually, the two had no choice but to leave as well.
---
The next day, Fudge went to Hogwarts in an uncharacteristically low-key manner. In the past, he never traveled without an entourage. Even at his most restrained, he had two or three people with him. At times, he brought along two full Auror squads.
Today, he came alone.
Before many students were even awake, he arrived at Dumbledore's office.
Half an hour later, Tom was summoned.
As soon as they met, Fudge spoke first. His voice carried an indescribable weariness.
"You've won, Riddle."
.
.
.