Hogwarts: I'm Harry's older cousin

Chapter 409, Section 403: Change to a different Fuji

After Amelia took on the temporary leadership of the Ministry of Magic, Dumbledore, along with Dudley, Percy, and other trusted individuals, took the elevator to the tenth basement level of the Ministry.

"Where's Fudge? Is he really injured?"

Mr. Weasley spoke up. He had come with the main group and, as an elder of the Order of the Phoenix, was one of the few wizards Dumbledore trusted.

He knew very little about the operation.

"Dead, dead beyond dead, killed by Voldemort."

To everyone's surprise, the person who answered him was none other than Scrimgeour, who had just confronted Dumbledore. The Auror's office director, who had been at odds with Dumbledore for half a day, was actually with them.

At this moment, he had changed from his previous dejection and fear, but there was still some solemnity between his brows.

Mr. Weasley, who was already puzzled as to why Scrimgeour was following them, was even more confused after hearing this: "Percy, didn't you say Fudge wasn't dead?"

Percy did not answer Mr. Weasley directly, but said, "You'll find out when you come with us, Father."

Mr. Weasley was even more bewildered after hearing this, and seeing that Percy had no intention of explaining, he could only suppress his doubts.

"Scrimgeour, you were being a little too deliberate just now."

Dumbledore said kindly, "Of course, Dudley, you are too."

Scrimgeour has always been one of us; they were just putting on an act.

Scrimgeour glanced at the other man without saying a word, while Dudley explained on Scrimgeour's behalf: "In times like these, you should be more deliberate. If you conceal it too well, no one will know what happened."

"Amelia will become suspicious," Dumbledore continued. By this time, the elevator had reached the tenth basement level. He stepped out first and then added, "I don't want the next Minister for Magic to continue to be suspicious of me. You know, I really don't want to be in that position."

"Ms. Burns already saw it coming, Professor, believe me she won't mind," Dudley said, pushing open the door to the First Trial Chamber. "Besides, it's still a long time before she becomes Minister for Magic, at least until after Tom's matter is settled."

Dumbledore referred to Voldemort as Tom on more than one public occasion, so it was not surprising that Mr. Weasley knew that Voldemort's name was Tom.

Inside the courtroom, the Fudge faction wizards lay sprawled on the floor, all of them dead, having been taken by the Killing Curse.

Voldemort was quite adept at leaving no survivors.

Percy walked slowly, 'accidentally' stepping on a wizard in red. Looking at his 'old leader' lying on the ground, his eyes completely unfocused and his body growing cold, he said without a trace of emotion, "He's as dead as can be."

"Merlin's beard, what's going on? Why didn't anyone tell me before?" Of the others present, only Mr. Weasley exclaimed in surprise; the others all looked as if they had expected it.

"Percy, you just lied? How could Fudge be dead? He..."

You could tell from his slightly panicked tone that Mr. Weasley was completely bewildered.

"No," Dudley interrupted Mr. Weasley before he could finish speaking, saying firmly, "Fudge is still alive."

Mr. Weasley's eyes widened in bewilderment as he pointed at Fudge's body: "Look, he's dead, right in front of us!"

Dudley shook his head: "That's not the Fudge I was talking about."

"Are there several more Fuji?"

Mr. Weasley was even more puzzled, as he had never heard of Fudge having any brothers or sisters.

Of all the people he knew, there was only one Fudge.

Dudley didn't rush to explain to him, but instead took out a bottle of potion and handed it to Dumbledore.

Dumbledore took the bottle, unscrewed the cap, and drank it down without hesitation. After the potion was ingested, his originally black arm gradually returned to normal.

He then took off the ring from his index finger, returned it to Dudley, and said with great emotion, "Honestly, this thing is exactly the same as that one."

"If they were placed together, I'm afraid I'd have a hard time distinguishing them; I almost wanted to use it myself."

"Your skill in alchemy is probably only comparable to that of Nicholas Lemaître."

This is a counterfeit, an alchemical replica made by Dudley based on the aura of the genuine article. Just as Dumbledore just described, it is a top-quality replica.

Unless Voldemort observed at close range, he wouldn't have been able to detect the other Horcruxes given his almost nonexistent connection to them.

It's fake, fake, fake, it's all fake.

The ring is fake, the injury is fake.

It was applied by Dali when he just rolled up his sleeves; it looks scary, but it's actually nothing.

Voldemort and Dumbledore weren't engaged in close combat; they were so far apart that the other couldn't even see clearly.

Mr. Weasley's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets when he saw this, and his doubts grew. Seeing that Dudley had no intention of telling him, he couldn't help but turn to his son, Percy, and say, "Percy, tell me."

Percy looked at Dudley with some embarrassment after being singled out by his father.

"Mr. Weasley, before I tell you the truth, please answer one question for me."

"How did you feel about meeting Senior Tom this time?"

"He's gotten stronger again." Dumbledore's expression turned serious again at the mention of the Earth Demon.

"We can't beat him." Scrimgeour's answer was straightforward. He wasn't faking it when he faced Voldemort; he really did his best. Even with a group of Aurors, he couldn't stop Voldemort from casting a single spell.

"I'm no match for him," Percy said bluntly.

"More powerful than any wizard I've ever seen," Mr. Weasley replied after a moment's thought. Voldemort's strength was undeniable, beyond human capability to contend with.

Dudley nodded, agreeing with their description: "Yes, he is very strong, and he is constantly getting stronger. Even now, Dumbledore is starting to find it increasingly difficult to face him one-on-one."

The duel between Dumbledore and Voldemort appeared to be evenly matched, but in reality, Dumbledore lost.

"What if I were included?"

"We're already able to fight back," Percy blurted out instinctively.

In a one-on-one fight, Dumbledore, relying on the power of the Elder Wand, was evenly matched with Voldemort. However, with Dudley's assistance, Voldemort gradually found himself at a disadvantage, as evidenced by the tattered pieces of his clothes.

If Dudley had used some other powerful spell instead of the Shadow Word: Death, Voldemort's injuries would definitely not be what they are now.

"So, having only Professor Dumbledore as his nemesis isn't enough, is it? He's ultimately just a madman with immense power, but there are ways to deal with him. Don't you think everyone's fear of him is a bit excessive?"

"So what do you mean?"

"How about we change to a more powerful and assertive Minister of Magic, and have someone like 'Fudge' lead us?"

(End of this chapter)