That tiny little something Fudge lacked might have been a hurdle he would never manage to overcome in his entire life.
Even if Anton could explain it all to him, what Fudge couldn't do, he still couldn't do.
Magic was the power of the mind. Every mind was equally great. Wizards as Gods... Every one of Anton's research findings spoke to that truth.
By delving deep into the power of their minds, drawing on the love they felt, understanding the pain they endured, and tapping into every other kind of mental strength, any wizard could unleash tremendous power.
Perhaps after Fudge crossed that hurdle, the Bone Shield spell he cast could even withstand an attack from Voldemort or Dumbledore.
Anton wasn't sure. In his eyes, every mind held infinite possibilities.
But crossing that hurdle was clearly extremely difficult.
Professor Lockhart, for instance, also faced a hurdle. If he got over it, he'd go straight to the level of a top-tier wizard. If he didn't, any Young Wizard in the school could play him for a fool.
Anton had explained it all to Lockhart long ago, but even when people understood the truth, they still couldn't manage to put it into practice. And Lockhart wasn't the only one this happened to.
Most ordinary people struggled with the same thing. They understood the principles, but couldn't put them into practice.
Anton had once advised Lockhart to "free his mind, open his heart, stop shrinking away from the world, and have the courage to take on more challenges." That way, he could "transcend the limits of his mind, reach into the minds of others, and master the Memory Charm to perfection."
It hadn't worked.
Or rather, he was missing a little opportunity.
Take Professor Snape, for example. He'd kept using a Time-Turner to