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Author: DailyProphetReporting Story: The Season Rating: Young Teens Setting: Pre-HBP Status: WIP Reviews: 19 Words: 45,032
From the Daily Prophet of 26 August, 2000 Opposition scores another blow Werewolf hired over Fudge's objections By Cliotus Hearst LONDON -- In a summer of political setbacks, Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge took his heaviest blow yet Friday -- a successful policy challenge from the allies of his chief rival. Emboldened by a perceived decline in the government's popularity and spurred on by impassioned rhetoric, the pro-Harry Potter faction in the Wizengamot reaffirmed its strength by bringing an end to the Ministry's longstanding humans-only employment stance. The bizarre results are a werewolf on the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures and a Ministry in flux. Said Wizengamot member Hermione Granger of the controversial decision, "This is a first step toward correcting the cruel repression of Britain's magical creatures." It could also be the first step toward fundamental change on the First Level as Friday's vote is sure to be a cause of serious concern for Fudge and his supporters. It was the second time in two months that the Wizengamot has defied the Minister's wishes in favour of a position firmly backed by Potter. Werewolf Remus Lupin, 40, is the direct beneficiary. The long-time friend of the Boy Who Lived, an Order of the Phoenix member and former Hogwarts professor, will assume the open seat on the Dangerous Creatures Committee in October after a 27-23 vote of confirmation. "That's wonderful news," Potter said when told of the decision after his practice with the Puddlemere United Quidditch Club on Friday afternoon. "I can't think of anyone more suited to the position than Remus. I'm sure he'll do an excellent job." Fudge did not comment publicly after the tally was announced and he declined the Daily Prophet's request for an interview. According to Wizengamot sources, "This would be a terrible precedent. We cannot allow it to happen," was the Minister's only statement during the proceedings. That it did happen illustrates the fragility of the government's hold on power. Despite the contentiousness of the issue, Fudge couldn't keep his more progressive opponents from swaying several key moderate members. "Mr. Lupin's backers made the better argument," said Publius Muir, who cast one of the deciding votes. "If Minister Fudge had given me a legitimate reason to support him, I might well have. But he didn't." For most of his time in office, Fudge has been the unquestioned authority in the wizarding government. His administration went nearly five years without a Wizengamot defeat before the council outvoted him 29-20 in overturning the 1981 murder sentence of Sirius Black -- the Boy Who Lived's late godfather -- in June. It took the opposition just 65 more days to score their second victory and momentum seems to be building. "We showed that old curmudgeon," the most outspoken of Fudge's critics, Mundungus Fletcher, said in reference to the Minister. "This is the biggest thing we've done yet. He's got to know by now that he doesn't call the shots for the Ministry anymore." But the repercussions of Friday's vote could cost the Minister a great deal more than just influence. After two successful challenges, it appears increasingly probable the opposition can put together a strong enough coalition to declare no confidence in the sitting government. That would require just 26 votes in the Wizengamot. "I think I share the opinion of a lot of witches and wizards when I say that fool Fudge has been around more than long enough," Fletcher said. "We need a new government." That could be good political news for Potter. Fletcher has repeatedly encouraged the former Auror, who was forced to resign from the Ministry in May after a series of disagreements with Fudge, to seek the nation's top wizarding office. The Boy Who Lived dismissed questions about a return to public service Friday, saying, "The season starts in a week so I'm focusing really hard on Quidditch right now." Nevertheless, he remains the leading candidate to be the next Minister. While a number of Fudge supporters are believed to covet control of the First Level, none of the influential opponents have expressed interest in leading a new government. Still, Potter's allies looked like a ruling majority Friday as they pushed for Lupin's hiring with a surprising face leading the charge. Granger, one of the Boy Who Lived's closest friends and his former girlfriend, delivered the first passionate argument on the werewolf's behalf during the closed-door debate. "Professor Lupin is a good man," said the 20-year-old aspiring teacher, the youngest member elected to the Wizengamot since the 1850s. "He's intelligent, brave and entirely overqualified for this job. To deny him the position because officially he's a 'magical creature' -- because of a childhood accident, really -- would have been a terrible injustice." Lupin also received plenty of support from his other former Order of the Phoenix colleagues on the council. Counting Granger, eight of the 11 spoke on his behalf, attesting to his perseverance, work ethic and firm commitment to fighting Darkness in the last two wars. "I knew of very few witches or wizards who have endured as much suffering in a lifetime as Remus has been forced to bear," said Hogwarts Headmaster and Order leader Albus Dumbledore after Friday's session. "But he has always done what was needed of him skilfully and humbly. It has been an honour working with him." With that kind of supporting testimony, the Minister and his allies did not try to challenge Lupin's distinguished record. Instead, they focused on labelling the nominee as a "dangerous beast" and attacking their opponents as radicals who want to turn the country over to "monsters." "He's a werewolf, need I say more?" asked firm Fudge supporter Dolores Umbridge. "Do you really want a Dark creature deciding whether or not other Dark creatures are dangerous? Magical creatures, especially dangerous, intelligent magical creatures, need to be tightly controlled, not invited into the Ministry." It's an argument that probably would have succeeded two years ago. But with the widespread support for Order of the Phoenix members made clear by the February elections and the backlash against the Dark Side's divisive tactics in the recent war, it wasn't enough this time around. "I can't say I'm completely comfortable giving so much power to a werewolf, but I wasn't going to make my decision on fear alone," Muir said. "Based on what I've seen and heard, Mr. Lupin seems to have all the qualities needed for the job. As long as reasonable precautions are kept, I believe he'll do well." The specified precautions, set out by Lupin before his name was put forward, require the werewolf to take unpaid leave the day of and the day after each full moon. "Though I'm thankful to have such an important position," Lupin said, "I wish that so many people hadn't been forced into such a trying experience because of me. The last thing I want is to cause controversy." Yet, at least two of Lupin's former Order compatriots saw the hotly contested vote as well worth the effort. For Granger, it was a matter of rights. "The Ministry has been discriminating against magical creatures of all kinds from its very founding. It's our duty to make that stop. I'm not saying it's going to be easy, but we need to build on today's success and continue the fight because it's the right thing to do." Fletcher saw far greater importance in the political aspect of Friday's vote. "We sent another message today," he said. "I'm sure there are more messages to come too." The survival of the current government might depend on him being wrong. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Cliotus Hearst covers the Ministry of Magic for the Daily Prophet. Owl him at thedpreporting@yahoo.com
Without giving away too much, you can look for a couple of highly anticipated events in Chapter 21.>
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