"An internationally wanted criminal," Lucius stressed, "with the I.C.W. eager to nip at his heels."
"This is going to look very bad for me," Fudge said, collecting himself. "All those letters between the two of us. I wish you had never asked me to write for his advice."
"It's always good to know what your friends think," he replied with a smile, "especially when the friend is a rival and doesn't know it."
"I trust your friends in the Wizengamot will see it that way?" the Minister said practically pleaded. "For good or for ill, we can't have the association with Dumbledore continuing any longer. When this gets out it will make everyone question everything," the man exaggerated.
"One thing is true, we certainly can't have the man in a position of power within the Wizengamot," Lucius conceded. "We'll want the scandal to focus on him and his dealings outside of his governmental position. Unfortunately, this will make us look weak to the rest of the country," he pointed out.
"It-it will? But we will have gotten rid of the one responsible and the problem will take care of itself."
"Like it or not, Minister, Dumbledore has become the very image of British power and influence; he's better known around the world than you are," he said, tempering his tone to seem apologetic and kind. "Bringing him to justice has to be done," Lucius continued, "but it will be seen as weakness because it's the I.C.W. and the goblins who are doing it. If we allow the international community to fly through here and do whatever they want, how can we say we're a sovereign people who can manage our own affairs? How can we be a country others should listen to if we're being occupied by a foreign army?"
"Occ-occ-occupied?" Fudge said comically, his eyes bulging.
"That's how people will see it," he warned, and they would if Lucius wanted them to. "Dumbledore may be a fallen and tarnished wizard but he is our fallen and tarnished wizard," he pressed. "That means we cannot give him up to the I.C.W. without a fight."
"Fight them?" the Minister gasped. "The I.C.W.?"
"Not with wands, unless we must," he said placating, "but with words. The I.C.W. has no jurisdiction here, this is British territory and they should be beseeching us to bring this man to justice, not running off in secret with the goblins, and we must give the people of Britain a new hero to rally around, Minister."
"B-but the Agreement thingy he went on about-," Fudge said with a wave towards the door.
"Was written six hundred years ago between four institutions which no longer exist," Lucius said dismissively. "Why take a goblin's word it says what they say it says? And why should we hold ourselves to that Agreement when they're running about in violation of all international norms. Armed raids? Rallying points? Sneaking in through muggle means? What's to stop them from raiding the Ministry while they're at it? If we do nothing against this," he concluded, "then we are handing our sovereignty away without a fight."
"Yes," Cornelius said, pounding his fist onto the desk like he had actually made a decision about something. "They can't come in here and have everything their way, not while I'm Minister of Magic. We'll show them what England's made of."
Lucius smiled, pleased his little lapdog had taken to things so quickly.
"Flamel may be a special case," he said soothingly before ratcheting things up again. "But even then they should have gone through us; it is an insult otherwise. We should be the ones coordinating the attack, not some band of bankers. Dumbledore will be brought to justice, must be brought to justice, but it will be the British Ministry who takes him down, the British Ministry who tries him, and the British Ministry who imprisons him. Once he lives out the rest of his life in Azkaban then the I.C.W. can have him."
"I couldn't agree more," Fudge replied. "We'll call up every Auror and Hit Wizard we have and have them on-hand to protect the Ministry."
"The Ministry won't hold out long if the goblins rush out and take everything else," he pointed out. "It's not just the Ministry we must maintain but our entire way of life; you heard what the goblin said about their sense of justice. Presumed guilt and no ability to present your side? How is that a fair trial? It makes a mockery of everything Wizarding Britain stands for," Lucius said sorrowfully.
"If I were to make a suggestion," he continued. "We should have a strong presence at the Ministry - where Dumbledore will be - in Diagon Alley - where the goblins are strongest - and around Hogwarts itself."
"At Hogwarts?" the Minister asked confused. "Why would they need them there? Surely they wouldn't try storming the castle. It's the safest place in the country."
"And they are not from this country and know nothing about it," Lucius pointed out. "They're already raiding one highly protected compound to get to Flamel, so why would they stop there to get Dumbledore?"
"But… But why would Dumbledore be at Hogwarts?" Cornelius asked. "If he's going to be at the Ministry we can take him in hand then."
"Dumbledore will be at Hogwarts later on because this is about more than just him," he pressed. "It's about sending a message. We are in control here and things will happen the way we say they will happen. Dumbledore will be taken, he will be given all the rights and privileges afforded to such a notable scholar and war hero, and then he will be allowed to return to his school and prepare for the cases against him."
"The I.C.W. won't like that," the Minister said, anxiously tapping his fingertips against his mouth.
"Just as we don't like them being here in the first place," Lucius swatted back. "Let them take offense, they've offended us. Besides," he continued sorrowfully, "we can't let them take him now, there's a child to think of."
Cornelius blinked at him dumbfoundedly for a moment, his mouth still hanging open from the latest agreement he was about to give.
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