Dumbledore's words left Cornelius Fudge speechless.
Heaven knew how long he had waited for Dumbledore to retire.
Fudge had thought the same thing at first: Voldemort was dead, so how much longer could Dumbledore keep going? But the man showed no sign of retiring.
At this rate, Dumbledore might outlast him and see him retire first.
The old man had a sly streak. Was he taking a quiet jab at him?
"Let's get down to business, Albus. Lockhart has some information about You-Know-Who. He insists You-Know-Who has returned from the dead."
As Fudge spoke, he kept his eyes fixed on Dumbledore. He was anxious to hear what Dumbledore thought of Voldemort's return.
"You-Know-Who? Forgive me, but You-Know-Who cannot come back from the dead," Dumbledore replied without hesitation.
"Professor Dumbledore?" Lockhart's hopes vanished. He stared at Dumbledore in disbelief.
Wait, you haven't even heard me out. You haven't looked at the memory I got from Werewolf Selwyn.
How can you say Voldemort can't come back from the dead?
Once Cornelius Fudge knew where Dumbledore stood, he relaxed. As long as Dumbledore did not oppose him, he feared no one.
"Why don't we look at the evidence Lockhart found?" Fudge even offered Lockhart a way to make his case.
"All right," Dumbledore agreed at once.
Percy soon had a Ministry of Magic employee bring in a Pensieve, and Lockhart placed a memory from his mind into it.
He did it all through Nonverbal Spellcasting, displaying his mastery of Memory Magic.
Dumbledore, Fudge, and Amelia Bones watched Lockhart's memory together. Then they spotted a problem.
Fudge spoke first. "That Dark Mark... I don't recall receiving a report about it from Scrimgeour."
He was not entirely sure. Scrimgeour knew which way the wind blew, but Fudge could not guarantee he would always act accordingly.