Harry Potter: The Making of a Dark Lord

Harry wasn't aware of it, but Malfoy had chosen this time to reveal Harry's disappearance to Fudge. His plan was to remove Dumbledore from his positions of influence before the revelation of the Dark Lord's return. Dumbledore's lack of official power, coupled with the assassination of his Wizengamot allies, would strike a mortal blow to Voldemort's opposition.

I wonder what Parvati can tell me about all this, Harry thought, leaving the room to track down his communication mirror.

October 10th, 1995 – Ministry of Magic, Wizengamot Chambers

"Chief Warlock, what have you to say about Lord Malfoy's accusations?"

Dumbledore stood wearily from his throne-like chair at the center of the assembly. Malfoy and his allies in the Wizengamot had just taken him to task for concealing Harry Potter's disappearance, and now they were likely about to call for his head. He had known the 'contagious disease' excuse would only work for a few days, but he had hoped to recover Harry before his lie could be exposed.

Dumbledore's eyes moved slowly across the assembled faces in the formal chambers of the Wizengamot. In this room were representatives of the so-called "Old Families," the small group of 77 pureblood families who had consolidated power 500 years ago from the remnants of the old Wizard Council. His allies among these families had slowly been dying of old age, and at present he was unsure whether he retained enough support to maintain his position as Chief Warlock.

Dumbledore himself was not descended from one of the old families, but no Chief Warlock ever had been. The position of Chief Warlock had been established as a way to check the power of any single faction of families, one of the few nods the council made toward checks and balances in government. While Dumbledore's neutral status allowed him great influence, the position was essentially created to stop rival pureblood families from murdering one another.

Dumbledore cleared his throat. "Lords and Ladies of the Wizengamot, the claims made against me are slanderous in the extreme. I have kept nothing of importance from your eyes, including the location of Harry Potter. Are we to believe the claims of the Daily Prophet over my own? Do you truly believe that I would protect a criminal from the justice of the law? I assure you that Mr. Potter is simply ill, and until we can determine the nature of his illness, it is best that he remain quarantined. While it is true that he is not in the care of St. Mungo's, I thought it best to conceal his true location to prevent unnecessary harassment of the boy."

Minister Fudge, who presided over Wizengamot meetings when the Chief Warlock was unavailable or on trial, responded angrily. "Poppycock, Dumbledore. Dolores Umbridge has informed me that the boy was in perfect health until he suddenly went missing. You are covering up for the boy's obvious guilt, and it's time you and he both be made to answer for Cedric Diggory's death."

There were murmurs of agreement from among the assembled group. Dumbledore had possessed enough influence to quash an investigation into Harry's role in Cedric's death, but that was now months ago and his influence was waning.

"I assure you, Cornelius, that I have the best interests of the wizarding world at heart, and there is no conspiracy to protect Mr. Potter from justice. He did not kill Cedric Diggory, and I resent the implication that I am involved in concealing the truth of the matter," Dumbledore responded coldly.

"Then where is Mr. Potter, Headmaster, and why will you not allow us to question him?" inquired Lucius Malfoy smoothly. "You have not answered the accusations against you with evidence. You have merely asked us to trust you."

There were more murmurs of agreement among the members.

Malfoy continued after a dramatic pause. "I for one grow weary of the incompetence with which you are running Hogwarts. Perhaps it is time for a person of your advanced age to relinquish some of your responsibilities? Surely Hogwarts would benefit from having your undivided attention."

Here it comes, thought Dumbledore bitterly.

"I propose," said Malfoy regally, "that Headmaster Dumbledore be removed from his position as Chief Warlock, effective immediately. It is time for a younger and less—compromised—wizard to take the position."

"I second the motion," spoke Damian Snodgrass, an elderly wizard whose family had been allied with Malfoy's for generations.

"Very well," spoke Minister Fudge, unable to conceal his smile. "Dumbledore, as per custom, you are to be absent from the room while this motion is debated. You will be summoned when a decision has been reached."

Dumbledore looked once more upon the assembled crowd. "I ask only that you think carefully about your decision," he said gravely. "There are dark times ahead for our world, and it would be a grave mistake to remove me from my position because of hearsay and slander. Thank you," he said, and swept imperiously from the chamber, fully aware of the smug smirk that Lucius Malfoy had sent his way.

Dumbledore walked furiously through the Ministry corridors toward his office as Chief Warlock. He had expected a power play soon, but could only hope against hope that it would fail. His delicate plans had been unraveling frighteningly fast over the past few days, and there was little he could do to stop it. Even Minerva, his loyal deputy, had inquired sharply this morning about just what was happening, and he had been forced to politely brush her off.

He had planned everything so thoroughly that it never should have come to this. Harry had been in a position to die at Voldemort's hands several times now, and each time the boy had escaped in some miraculous fashion. He should never have been in a position to discover the necessity of his own death. Now he had run, and the situation grew more ominous with each passing day.