"And You-Know-Who doesn't seem to have caused much harm now, does he? Mainly because..." Cornelius Fudge glanced at Dumbledore.
"Headmaster Dumbledore stepped in and stopped You-Know-Who's atrocities in advance. Even if he was like that more than ten years ago, who can guarantee..."
"That You-Know-Who, more than ten years later, will still be so... well... insane? Think about the ideas he has put forward—they're very different from those of over ten years ago."
Cornelius Fudge voiced everything he had been keeping bottled up. He was still the Minister for Magic, after all, so it would inevitably fall to him to deal with the other Ministers for Magic.
Making a firm statement of position... He truly did not want to do that sort of thankless, exhausting work.
Voldemort had no way of dealing with Dumbledore... or Wizet Lovegood, but what if Voldemort went after someone else?
Perhaps Amelia Bones, Rufus Scrimgeour, and Barty Crouch Sr. could hold out for a while, but he had no way of facing Voldemort!
It was more than simply being unable to hold out for a while. Whenever he thought of Voldemort's snake-like face, he instinctively felt afraid...
If he acted tough while the other Ministers for Magic refused to cooperate, Voldemort would inevitably turn his wrath on him. It was easy enough to see that.
He could even imagine Voldemort's thoughts: I can't deal with Dumbledore and Wizet, but do you think I can't deal with you?
Thinking of this, Cornelius Fudge hurriedly added, "Anyway, if I were them..."
"Before I truly saw Voldemort cause any destruction, I certainly wouldn't take the initiative to cooperate. It's completely thankless work."
While Cornelius Fudge was engaged in intense mental deliberation, Dumbledore let out a long sigh and took several Lemon Sherbets from his pocket.
Dumbledore offered the