Summary: When Dolores Umbridge was a young girl, she pledged loyalty to one man: Cornelius Fudge. After a lifetime of service, the bounds of that loyalty are tested when the world comes crashing down around them.
Won Second Place in: The Dolores Umbridge Chaptered Fic Challenge.
Categories: Dark/Angsty Fics Characters: None
Warnings: Character Death, Violence
Challenges: Series: None
Chapters: 3
Completed: Yes
Word count: 4425
Read: 7174
Published: 04/15/07
Updated: 04/22/07
1. Betrayed by Gonz
2. A Profitable Relationship by Gonz
3. Confrontations by Gonz
Author's Notes:
Thanks to Ron x Hermione for being a wonderful Beta!
“I, Cornelius Oswald Fudge, hereby do resign the position of Minister of Magic and forfeit the powers and responsibilities accorded to that office.”
Dolores Umbridge sat silently behind her desk, hearing the words from Cornelius’ resignation speech in her mind as she looked at the Ministry Official standing in her office. Part of her was still standing next to Cornelius on the podium as he announced his resignation. The other part of her could barely even believe that it had happened.
With his resignation, Cornelius had gone from the one of the most powerful men in the Wizarding World to one of the most disgraced, and now it was happening to her.
Where had it all gone wrong?
Two years ago she had had all she had ever wanted. All of her years of hard work had come to fruition. She had been Headmistress of Hogwarts, and Cornelius was still Minister of Magic. The two of them had held the Wizarding World in their fists.
They had been two of the most feared and respected people ever to run the Ministry. Now, she worked silently, clinging to a slim hope that she could bring those days of glory back, and Cornelius was now only the shell of the man she had once known.
In the two years that had passed since his resignation, Cornelius had changed beyond recognition. Every day of those long years, Dolores watched the man she thought she had known die a little more inside. Now, Dolores could barely even recognize him as the boy she had once followed around Hogwarts, as the man whom she had pledged her loyalty to, and as the Minister whose work she had helped carry out. They had spent their lives chasing a dream, but Cornelius had stopped believing. Dolores, however, still had hope that their dream could live on.
She had held onto that hope until a few moments ago when a Ministry Official walked into her office and spoke words she could scarcely believe.
“Dolores Umbridge, you are hereby ordered by the Wizengamot to appear before the court on the morning of the twenty-seventh of July to answer for crimes against the Wizarding Community.”
Dolores had only allowed one eyebrow to rise in shock, before silently reaching out her hand for the parchment the Official was carrying. He quickly handed it over to her.
Quickly glancing through the parchment, Dolores confirmed that the summons were legit. It appeared that the court had managed to gather a list of only a few of many times she had crossed the line of legality during her time at the Ministry, but it was still enough for her, if convicted, to be sent to Azkaban for the rest of her life.
Even now, two years later, it appeared that her enemies were still determined to move against her and Cornelius…. except, Cornelius’ name was nowhere on the parchment.
Dolores looked up from the parchment and asked, “Am I the only the only one being charged?”
“Yes, Senior Undersecretary,” the Official answered timidly. “Charges were originally filed against you and the former Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, but those against Fudge were dropped.”
“When did this occur?”
“About a week ago.”
“Do you know why these charges were dropped?”
“I’m sorry, Senior Undersecretary, but I’m not at liberty to say.”
How odd.
Dolores turned back to the parchment and tried to figure out the puzzle laid down before her. Most of the crimes listed had been accomplished under the orders or with the help of Cornelius Oswald Fudge. If Wizengamot was so determined to prosecute her, than why would they drop the charges against Fudge?
A moment later, she answered her own question. For in the list of charges, one read:
“The illegal use of Dementors against Edward Lennings.”
There were only two people who knew that she had ordered the Dementors to perform the kiss on Lennings three days before his trial. One was dead”had been for years”the other was the man she had sworn to serve.
Dolores rose and crushed the parchment in her hand so hard that her nails pierced her skin. It was then she realized that Cornelius had betrayed her.
Blood was running down her hand, but she didn’t even notice. She was frozen in shock; she could hardly comprehend that Cornelius must have struck a deal with Wizengamot in order to save his own skin.
How could he have done this to her?
“Senior Undersecretary, are you all right?”
Dolores glared at the fool of an official standing before her. “Out!” she yelled.
“Senior Undersecretary, I understand if you are distraught, but you may not treat a person of my stature in this manner.”
Dolores swept around her desk until she stood mere centimetres from the frightened Official, who had raised his wand in response. “Very well,” she said.
Then, in one movement, she pinned the Official against the wall and whispered in his ear, “Tell Cornelius that he will rue the day he betrayed his most loyal servant.”
Dolores released the man, who ran quickly from the room, and turned toward the lone window.
As she stood there: the parchment remained crushed in her hand, the drops of blood were creating a small puddle by her feet, and memories of Cornelius filled her mind.
How could he have forgotten all that she had done?
A Profitable Relationship by Gonz
Author's Notes:
Much thanks to Ron x Hermione for being patient with me.
Dolores had meet Cornelius a long time before that fateful day at the Ministry. She had been a young girl; a third year at Hogwarts, and was sitting quietly in the Hufflepuff Common Room when it all began.
Anyone looking at Dolores Umbridge would have assumed that she was working diligently on her Transfiguration essay, but that was what she wanted. She was hoping to mask her true intention, which was listening closely to the discussion of two sixth year boys sitting just within earshot.
“No, we can’t do that!” declared one.
“Than what do you purpose we do? Let Crouch’s insult stand?” cried the other.
“I’m thinking!”
“You’re the one who keeps saying that we have to do something.”
“I know, Dillion! There is just the small problem of him being Head Boy, and if I get caught, I could lose my Prefect status.”
“Not to mention, Merlin forbid, it could cost you Head Boy next year,” mumbled Dillion.
“What did you say?”
“Nothing,” Dillion said quickly. “Cornelius, I think we are approaching this problem from the wrong angle.”
Dolores sighed to herself; everyone in the school knew about the feud between Cornelius Fudge and Bartemius Crouch. Crouch was a Slytherin, Head Boy, and not afraid to use the power he received with his position. Fudge was a Hufflepuff, Prefect, and envied Crouch for his position. As a result, the two clashed constantly, only holding back in order to keep themselves out of trouble, but that had changed at a Prefect’s meeting yesterday.
At the meeting, Crouch had publicly berated Fudge for his lack of leadership. He called him incompetent and irresponsible, and threatened to talk to the Headmaster about taking away his badge. Crouch’s reasoning: Fudge had failed to control members of his own House when a Hufflepuff first year had accidentally managed to flood the dungeons, which include the Slytherin Common Room. By the next morning, the whole school had heard about Crouch’s comments and Fudge was furious.
Dolores knew that if there was one thing Fudge hated more than anything else, it was being made to look like a fool. So now, Fudge was plotting to find a way to get back at Crouch without losing his badge or his chance to be Head Boy.
That’s the problem with power, Dolores thought to herself.
People with power should be given the tools they need; they should not be forced to deal with rules that don’t really mean anything and just get in the way. Why is Fudge a Prefect if he can’t do anything about Crouch?
Dolores tried to turn her attention to her Transfiguration homework, but she couldn’t keep her mind from the overheard conversation. It just didn’t seem right that Fudge couldn’t do what needed be done.
But she could.
Dolores gasped aloud when that thought crossed her mind. She didn’t really think that a third year could teach the Head Boy a lesson about messing with Hufflepuff’s Prefects? However, no seventh year ever paid any mind to anyone under fifth year, but her magical abilities were definitely lacking when going up against Crouch’s skill.
Then find someone who can.
That was it, but whom? Then looking at perfectly cleaned fireplace, Dolores had an idea.
The next day, sitting in the Great Hall, Dolores waited impatiently to see if her plotting had paid off.
Dolores’ heart was pumping madly as she watched for Crouch’s entrance. Then the big doors began to open, and a group of older Slytherin boys entered. Yes! Dolores silently cheered, for Crouch was among them, and Fudge was sitting nearby with his friend.
Dolores eyes tracked Crouch’s movements. Just as he was about to sit down, Dolores tapped out a specific rhythm on the underside of Hufflepuff’s table.
After the sound of the last tap had faded, the food from the Slytherin Table disappeared, and on each of their plates was a dead snake. Screams and cries of outrage filled the air, which was quickly followed by laughter from the other Houses.
Crouch, his face twisted into anger, reached a hand out and grabbed a piece of parchment next to his plate.
Dolores smiled as she watched Crouch face grow redder and redder as he read the note. It appeared the Crouch didn’t like the note she had written, which read:
“Head Boy,
A gift for you;
So the whole school can see
That all the respect you deserve
Is none.
Crouch crushed the parchment in his hand and walked over to a laughing Fudge and declared, “Fudge, I will get you for this.”
“What? I didn’t do this.”
As the school turned to watch the confrontation, Dolores noticed the Transfiguration teacher, Professor Dumbledore, making his way down to the two boys. She quickly tapped the Hufflepuff table again, and a moment later the snakes had been replaced with the proper food.
“What seems to be the problem, Mr. Crouch?” asked Dumbledore calmly.
Crouch paused to regain his composure then stated, “Snakes, Sir. We were served dead snakes for breakfast.”
“Snakes?”
“Yes, sir,” Crouch answered gesturing toward the Slytherin table. His eyes then widened as he saw the table laid out with the usual breakfast foods. “They were there, just a minute ago! See this note.”
“Very curious,” Dumbledore replied after reading the piece of now-crumpled paper. Then, looking sternly at Fudge he asked, “Did you have anything to do with this?”
“No, sir,” Fudge whispered.
“Do you of know of any plans about this event?”
“No, I was as surprised as you are now.”
Dumbledore studied Fudge for several seconds before stating, “Fudge is not the culprit; the Heads of House and myself will continue to look into this matter. Good day.”
Dolores had a large grin on her face as she watched Crouch stalk off in disgust. Her little plan had worked marvelously. After Crouch had left, she noticed Fudge and his friend watching her. She gave Fudge a wink, picked up her bag, and walked out of the Great Hall, knowing that Fudge would follow.
When she was in a deserted corridor, she heard Fudge cry out, “Excuse me?”
Dolores turned and replied sweetly, “Yes?”
Fudge lowered his voice. “I noticed you were in the Common Room last night. Did you have anything to do with… with that?”
“Yes.”
Fudge looked taken aback. “But, why?”
“Why?” Dolores calmly stated. “It was because of your position as a Prefect you were unable to anything. So, I felt it was my duty to do so.”
Dillion was shaking his head. “But you’re just a second year…”
“Third year, actually, but that would have had no bearing on my ability to perform this task.”
“No bearing…” Fudge said amazed. “Tell me, how did you do it?”
“I found someone to do it for me.” Then smiling at the boys’ confused faces, Dolores continued, “Hogwarts is home to hundreds of house elves whose duty is nothing more than to serve this school and the people in it. They consider it an honor to be asked to perform a task. So, it was simply a matter of making the elves believe that were doing this for the benefit of the school.
“Professor Sprout has been complaining for weeks about an infestation of snakes near Greenhouse Three. So I told the house elves that Sprout would be eternally grateful if they removed them for her. Then I told them about all the good work our Head Boy has been doing lately, and how I was wishing that there were some way that I could honor him.
“The elves were practically begging me for a way they could honor Crouch. So I lied and told them that there is no greater honor for a Slytherin than to be given a dead snake, saying it was an acknowledgement of their greatness.”
“They believed you?” Fudge gasped.
“Every word,” Dolores agreed. “They insisted on doing it to all the Slytherins. I just reminded them that the Slytherins still needed to eat so they agreed to make the snakes appear and disappear at my signal.”
Fudge was shaking his head in disbelief. “Well…um…I’m sorry, what’s your name?”
“Dolores Umbridge.”
“Well, Dolores, you can call me Cornelius, and this is Dillion Riane. I just wanted to thank you for what you did back there.”
Dolores felt her cheeks blush as she said, “It was no problem.”
Cornelius debated privately within himself before asking, “If such actions ever became necessary, would you be willing to do this again?”
Dolores pursued her lips as she thought about Cornelius’ question. Would she be willing to do the things that Cornelius could not because of his position? Was she willing to risk her own reputation for another man?
Then she thought about Cornelius; he was a good man. He believed in hard work, and encouraged the members of Hufflepuff to do the same. He had dreams; all of Hufflepuff knew he was hoping to go into Ministry and work his way up the ranks. It really wasn’t fair that his dreams could be denied because he had to play by a certain set of rules.
“Yes,” she answered.
“Great!” Fudge smiled and patted her on the shoulder. “We are going to make a great team: you, me, and Dillion.”
“There he goes again,” Dillion laughed.
Cornelius gave Dillion an exasperated look before declaring, “I do believe that this is going to be the start of a profitable relationship.”
He couldn’t have been more right.
Author's Notes:
Thanks to all my readers, and to the lovely Ron x Hermione.
“Dolores!”
Dolores Umbridge looked at the visibly blustered man standing before her. “Yes, Cornelius?” she asked calmly.
Cornelius Fudge glanced around the office to where Dolores was sitting before gesturing to Dillion Riane”who had followed him into the room”to close the door.
“We have a problem. Edward Lennings has been arrested.”
“Indeed,” Dolores agreed. A couple of months ago, Cornelius, in his position as Junior Minister in the Department of Magical Catastrophes, was called to investigate a magical fire that had burned down several buildings in London. No one had died, but several Muggles had been sent to the hospital with severe burns. Cornelius’ report had stated that the fire had been started by Lennings’ wand backfiring, and that he had left Lennings off with a small fine.
Dillion, clearly confused, asked, “Why is Lennings a problem?”
“Crouch arrested him for aiding and abetting Death Eaters,” Cornelius replied.
“So you were mistaken.” Dillion shrugged. “We’re in the middle of a war; the Aurors can’t even tell who is on whose side anymore.”
Cornelius shook his head. “It’s more complicated than that.”
“For the sake of Merlin, Cornelius, tell me what the problem is! If this is nothing more than your old jealousy against Crouch then I don’t want anything to do with it.”
Dolores saw Cornelius send her a pleading look so she stepped in. “Dillion, Cornelius couldn’t arrest Lennings because he is a close relative of the Malfoy family.”
“What has that got to do with the price of Butterbeer in America?”
Dolores sighed and said sweetly, “The Malfoys are one of the most influential families in the Wizarding Society, and one of the most highly connected within the Ministry. By helping Lennings out, Cornelius gains invaluable contacts.”
“You mean Cornelius took a bribe.”
“Yes.”
After Dillion had exhausted a long list of four letter words, he collapsed into a chair. There he sat silently, his eyes staring at his best friend as if he was a total stranger.
“Dolores,” Cornelius said, breaking the uncomfortable silence. “Crouch is personally conducting the trial in three days.”
Nodding, Dolores answered, “Don’t worry. That won’t be a problem.”
“Won’t be a problem! Have you forgotten that Crouch makes deals with prisoners for names?”
“I have not forgotten, but I assure you that Lennings will not testify against you at the trial.”
“How are you going to do that?” Dillion demanded.
Looking directly at Dillion, Dolores stated, “Some things are better left unsaid.”
“Good,” said Cornelius smiling, “Dolores, I’ll leave you to settle the details. I must be off; I’m meeting Elizabeth’s family for dinner.”
Dolores kept the contempt off of her face when she heard Elizabeth’s name. Elizabeth Bagnold was the niece of Minister of Magic Millicent Bagnold, and Cornelius had been courting her for over a year.
Instead she politely asked, “Will her Aunt also be present?”
“Yes, so you understand that I must hurry.” Cornelius was blushing as he replied.
“Then why are you so nervous?” inquired Dolores. “You’ve met the Minister many times.”
“Please, Dolores, I must leave. I’ll tell you tomorrow.” With that statement, Cornelius swept from the room.
Dillion, mumbling a quick goodbye, followed Cornelius, but not without shooting a suspicious look back at Dolores.
Once the door closed, Dolores moved quickly. She grabbed a pinch of Floo Powder from above the fireplace and threw it into the fire. Thrusting her head into the flames she called, “Department of Mysteries, Record Room.”
After a few moments of disorientation, Dolores could see a small stone room. All of the walls were covered in bookshelves filled with parchment. In the middle of the room, she found a small man hunched over a large desk chewing absentmindedly on a quill.
“Edwin,” she called.
The man jumped up, then seeing Dolores he smiled. “It’s been awhile, Dolores,” he said flirtingly.
Dolores snorted. “I have a job for you.”
Edwin replied, “Of course. How can I be of service?”
“I need you to follow Dillion Riane; report back to me of his movements. If he sends any Owls, I need them.”
“That can be done… for the right price.”
Dolores tossed a bag of gold out of the fire. “You will receive the rest after I have your report.”
Edwin picked up the bag of gold, and after feeling its weight he slipped it in his pocket. “Agreed.”
Later that evening, Dolores was waiting in her office to see the results of her plans. She had spent the afternoon working through discrete channels to take care of Lennings, and was confident that her plan would work. The problem was Dillion, and whether or not he would snap.
The answer to the first problem came when a paper airplane flow into her office with the words: “It is done.”
Smiling, Dolores set the parchment on fire with her wand. As the flames licked the parchment, causing it turn into ash, she heard a quiet knock on her door.
Dolores opened the door and a hooded figure entered the room. Once the door was closed, the figure lowered his hood. Edwin’s face stared back at her.
“You have news,” Dolores stated.
“Yes,” Edwin said, handing over a letter.
Glancing at the letter, Dolores saw that it was addressed to Albus Dumbledore and she knew paying for Edwin had been worth it. Tossing Edwin another bag of gold she said, “Here’s your fee.”
Edwin accepted the gold and quickly left the room as quietly as he entered.
After reading the letter, Dolores brought out a quill, ink, and parchment and began to compose a reply.
That evening, Dolores found herself walking up an abandoned lane on the outskirts of London. Her eyes were focused on the man standing before her.
“Dillion Riane.”
“Dolores,” Dillion said smiling. “What are you doing here?”
“Confronting a betrayer.”
“Betrayer? Me?”
Showing the letter addressed to Dumbledore to Dillion, Dolores answered, “I have remained loyal; you have not.”
“Loyal! Loyal to what! Have you remained loyal to the ministry, justice, the Wizarding World or you only loyal to Cornelius’ agenda? Have you forgotten that we are at war?
“I’ve been doing some research. You have been breaking laws ever since you’ve joined the Ministry. Do you really think that Cornelius will approve when he finds out what you have been doing?”
Drawing her wand, Dolores stated, “What Cornelius doesn’t know won’t hurt him.”
His eyes were darting from Dolores’ wand to her face as he asked desperately, “What are you going to do?”
“Only what I have to.”
The next morning, Dolores was walking down the hallways of the Ministry. The Aurors had asked her to deliver the news of Dillion’s death to Cornelius. Standing outside Cornelius’ office, she knocked.
Entering at Cornelius’ call, she saw that he was positively glowing with joy.
“Dolores!” he cried. “I have wonderful news.”
“I can see that.”
Cornelius paused for effect, then continued, “Yesterday, Elizabeth agreed to become my wife.”
Those words hit Dolores like a blow to her gut. She forced herself to retain a calm expression, but she couldn’t stop the tears from coming as she said, “Congratulations.”
“Dolores, what’s wrong?”
Dolores’ mind was reeling as she tried to find an excuse for her tears, then she remembered why she had originally come. “Dillion…Dillion’s dead.”
Cornelius’ face turned white and he leaned against his desk to keep himself upright.
“How?” he asked.
“The Aurors said it was the Death Eaters; they found a Dark Mark above his body.”
Cornelius nodded to show that he understood, and Dolores quietly left the room; in part to allow Cornelius room to grieve, but mostly because she felt she would burst if she spent another moment in his presence.
Once back in her office, she let all the emotion she had been holding in loose. She kicked the chair over, then starting picking up various objects, throwing them across the room.
How dare he! How dare he!
Didn’t he know how much she loved him?
There, she had finally admitted it to herself. She was in love was Cornelius Fudge.
Could she tell Cornelius about her love?
No, Elizabeth’s connections were too important.
She would remain silent. She would remain loyal.
Her love would remain hidden.
A knock at her door brought Dolores back to the present.
She turned to see Cornelius letting himself into her office. They both stood silently looking at each other; the blood from Dolores’ hand still dripping onto the floor, Cornelius fidgeting with the bowler hat in his hands.
Finally, Cornelius broke the silence. “Dolores, please understand…I had to.”
Dolores exploded. “You had to! You had to! I gave my life to you! I fought for you, lied for you, and did your dirty work. Without a second thought, I broke laws and operated on the fringes of legality so you could never be implicated. Not once in all my years of service did I complain, and look at what I have received in return.”
“Dolores…”
“I killed for you, Cornelius! I killed for you!
Dolores paused as the shock of her statement played across Cornelius face. “You never knew,” she continued sweetly. “You never even wondered what happened to your old friend Dillion, did you? You just saw the dead body and the Dark Mark, and you assumed as the rest of our world did that his death was just another causality of the war.”
“Why?”
“Why, you ask? Because he was going to betray us. He knew that you were hungry for power, and that you were prepared to do anything to gain that power. He was going to betray us to Dumbledore. Your best friend was going to destroy you, just as you have destroyed me!
“Don’t look so surprised. After all you should know better than most of how to betray those who have loved you.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I loved you. I have always loved you. I still love you.”
“I never knew,” Cornelius whispered.
“I know. I never told you, because I knew the right thing was to remain silent and allow you to marry Elizabeth. We both needed the connections that came with that marriage.”
Cornelius slowly walked up to her. Dolores felt her heart stop when Cornelius’ hand reached up and touch her cheek. “You’re crying.”
Then the moment that Dolores had spent her life waiting for happened. Cornelius brought his face close to hers, his lips brushed against hers, and they kissed.
In that moment nothing else mattered: not Cornelius’ betrayal, not the murder of Dillion, not Dolores impeding trial.
Then their lips parted, and the moment passed.
Now, Cornelius was crying as he said, “I’m sorry.”
Overcome with emotion, Dolores turned her back on Cornelius as she steeled herself for what she knew she had to do.
“Don’t worry, Cornelius. It is not entirely your fault. You were corrupted by the institution we once swore to save; by enemies who were determined to defeat us. The day you resigned was the day they killed you. But do not worry, for I am still loyal to the man you once were, and the dream we both believed in.”
Dolores turned back to a confused Cornelius with her wand drawn. “Goodbye, Cornelius.”
“No! No! Dolores!”
“Avada Kedavra!”
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters and settings are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.