Percy Weasley knocked on the Minister's office door, carrying a parchment document envelope.
Fudge sat behind his desk, stirring a cup of Earl Grey tea with three sugar cubes in it with a silver spoon.
His eyes brightened when he saw Percy.
"Mr. Weasley."
"Good morning, Minister."
Percy placed the documents on the desk, drew his hands back, and stepped half a pace away, standing perfectly straight.
"Mr. Crouch asked me to deliver this proposal."
"He said the time was ripe. If we delayed any longer, many things that ought to move forward would be pushed right back to where they started."
Fudge set down his silver spoon, opened the envelope, and pulled out the parchment inside.
His gaze swept rapidly from the first line to the last.
Then he read it again from the beginning.
Much more slowly this time.
"Joint Committee for the Review of Ministry Employee Competence and Standards of Conduct."
"Does he want to bring the Hogwarts system into the Ministry?"
"Not copy it wholesale, Minister."
"Distill it."
"Mr. Crouch's intentions are quite clear."
Percy's voice was calm. His time undercover last year had taught him not to show the slightest apprehension before senior officials.
"Madam Umbridge accomplished something at Hogwarts."
"As long as the standards are clear enough, strengths and weaknesses that were difficult to pin down in the past can be distinguished immediately."
"When everyone is measured by the same yardstick, blood status takes a back seat, connections take a back seat, and seniority takes a back seat too."
"In the end, all that can be put on the table is ability."
Fudge put down the parchment and leaned back in his chair.
"Go on."
Percy took a fountain pen from his pocket and drew a simple flowchart on the notepad on the desk.