"That's impossible!" Dumbledore frowned at Vaughn. "Amelia isn't the Minister for Magic. Even if Fudge falls, his influence will linger for some time."
"Unless you intend to extend the Potions Exchange into next term-"
Dumbledore's eyes suddenly widened as something occurred to him. "You're targeting Fudge?"
Vaughn smiled. "Why not?"
"If, after he steps down, Amelia, Barty Crouch, and even you and I are all willing to support his chosen candidate as acting minister, with the sole condition that he sign one insignificant authorization document before leaving office, I doubt the minister would refuse!"
Dumbledore gave him a very peculiar look. He felt that making an enemy of Vaughn had to be the most foolish decision Fudge had made during his time in office.
With nowhere left to turn, Fudge might not even care what the authorization contained. But once Vaughn's experiments on Muggles became public knowledge, Fudge, as the man who had signed the document, would become his shield, bearing the brunt of all the negative publicity.
By then, Fudge would have lost any chance of making a comeback.
Just like Barty Crouch Sr., a politician who had lost public support, or even become an object of scorn among wizards, could never become Minister for Magic.
The boys' dormitory in Gryffindor Tower.
Ron lay curled beneath his blankets with only his head showing. Looking at Harry, who lay facing away from him in the opposite bed, he whispered, "Harry! Are you asleep?" Harry rolled over. "Not yet. I've been thinking about some things. What about you? Why aren't you asleep?"
"I've been thinking about Scabbers. I wonder how he's doing now..." Ron sounded rather muffled.
Harry quietly tried to comfort him. "Maybe he just knew he was going to die and didn't want to make you sad, so he