Dumbledore held the letter Fudge had sent, disappointment filling his eyes.
But beneath that disappointment was understanding—the Death Eaters' plans now overlapped almost perfectly with the Ministry of Magic's.
The letter Fudge had sent Percy was short. It praised Percy for driving Hagrid away and urged him to work closely with Macnair to oust Dumbledore as soon as possible.
Fudge also wanted Percy to pick up the pace. He planned to visit Romania himself soon to arrange a series of diplomatic agreements.
Fudge was going to Romania, and so were the Death Eaters. Dumbledore shook his head. That alone showed what the Ministry of Magic had become.
Percy did not know why Dumbledore was shaking his head. He shared his thoughts.
"Ever since the chaos at the international Quidditch match, the Ministry's diplomatic efforts haven't gone smoothly.
"Especially with Bulgaria. Minister Fudge—ah, Fudge—assumed Bulgaria's Minister for Magic couldn't understand English, so he said quite a few nasty things about him right in front of him.
"He's spent the past two years working on diplomacy and courting a number of Eastern European countries. Romania is one of them. Perhaps there's been some new progress, and he wants to go in person."
Dumbledore nodded. "I see..."
Thinking of the information Harry had provided, Dumbledore suspected Fudge was the "cargo" Tom had mentioned.
It was entirely possible. If Tom gained control of Fudge, he could use Fudge's position to set many things in motion. The Wizarding World, Hogwarts, and the Order of the Phoenix would all be in danger.
Especially the Order of the Phoenix's members inside the Ministry of Magic: Arthur Weasley, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Nymphadora Tonks, and the others...
For his plans to continue, and for the safety of his people, it seemed he had no choice but to go to Romania.