"I knew it would be like this. The media is being manipulated, pressured by foolish politicians, and with your tacit approval, Dumbledore."
Dudley handed the newspaper to Harry and then bluntly criticized.
"Dudley, I didn't tell Fudge to do this. I warned him, but he..." Dumbledore quickly defended himself, feeling this wasn't his fault.
"He took matters into his own hands?" Dudley interrupted. "Dumbledore, you really need to reflect. Sometimes, you're too naive and soft.
Yesterday in Diagon Alley, when Harry and I were buying wands, Minister Fudge was shouting at you and Hagrid, wasn't he? He might have even threatened you, right?
He's already stepping all over you, and you're still letting him run wild. Isn't that tacit approval?
How much longer are you going to compromise? I can't understand why you don't deal with him immediately. Are you saving him for Christmas?"
Hearing this, Dumbledore was startled and quickly said, "Dudley, I don't think Fudge deserves to die, do you?"
"What are you talking about?" Dudley widened his eyes. "Don't think of me as that ruthless! Dumbledore, I'm just saying you should remove him from office!
A fool like him, blinded by power, shouldn't continue sitting in the Minister's seat. He's a danger to all British wizards!"
"Oh, I see."
Dumbledore breathed a sigh of relief. Removing Fudge from office was much easier to accept than killing him.
"But how do we remove Fudge? Should I use my magic and influence to force him out? That would face a lot of resistance!"
Agreeing with Dudley's idea, Dumbledore now worried about how to execute it.
"No need. Forcing it would be too much effort and too crude. Doing that would make you no better than Voldemort in a sheep's clothing!"
Dudley began laying out the plan. "You've been openly fighting Voldemort for nearly two decades. You must have people in the Ministry, right?"
"A few, yes. What do you have in mind, Dudley?" Dumbledore asked.
"Have your people dig up evidence of Fudge's crimes. Someone obsessed with power to the point of denying reality must have tasted the sweet fruits of corruption.
Do you really think someone like him hasn't taken bribes or abused his power?"
Dudley spoke calmly, exuding confidence. "Have your people act quickly. Or, Dumbledore, you do it yourself. Use Legilimency to extract all the evidence from Fudge's memories.
Then, have your people submit the evidence to the Wizengamot and formally impeach Fudge.
After that, as Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, you can preside over Fudge's corruption trial, remove him from office legally, and appoint a competent wizard who listens to you as the new Minister.
Honestly, with two of the three major power structures in the British wizarding world under your control—administration and judiciary—and your unmatched reputation, I can't think of anything that could stop you."
"Dudley, you... Thank Merlin you're on the side of justice. I can't imagine what you'd do if you weren't!"
Dumbledore was stunned by Dudley's plan.
"Dumbledore, you're wrong. I'm not on the side of justice. I'm on the side of my family. It's just that, to keep my family safe and well, I need a wizarding world that follows a relatively just order.
And no matter which side I'm on, what I'll achieve in the future is beyond your imagination!"
Dudley was confident, his words firm.
"I don't doubt that at all!" Dumbledore didn't think Dudley was exaggerating. "Then I'll get started right away. Voldemort is active again, and the wizarding world needs to be alerted.
Oh, here are the train tickets for you and Harry to get to Hogwarts. Platform Nine and Three-Quarters at King's Cross Station, the Hogwarts Express!"
Dumbledore stood up, pulled out two train tickets, and placed them on Dudley's desk. He was about to leave when Dudley stopped him.
"Why the rush? Dumbledore, you're over a hundred years old. Why are you acting like a reckless teenager? Don't you remember what I said earlier? This month, I have a lot more for you to do!"
"What? This month? I thought the other tasks would be handled after the school year started! Replacing the Minister is already a huge task for one month!"
Dumbledore, having rediscovered the impulsiveness of his Gryffindor youth after his self-reflection, was still adjusting and had lost some of his usual composure.
"Just sit down. Time is like water in a sponge—if you don't have enough, just squeeze it out!
Replacing the Minister only requires your direct involvement for the Legilimency and the trial. Leave the rest to others.
When Fuge falls, he and his cronies will leave behind a lot of positions. That's a huge opportunity for your people, so they'll be motivated."
Dudley's analysis was crystal clear, and he was about to lay out Dumbledore's tasks just as clearly.
"Dumbledore, besides dealing with Fudge, this month you need to visit Azkaban. Use Veritaserum or Legilimency to get the final details about my Aunt Lily and Uncle James' deaths from Sirius.
If Sirius betrayed them to Voldemort, cripple him and bring him to Harry and me.
If Sirius foolishly trusted Pettigrew and gave him the Secret Keeper role, get every detail about Pettigrew's abilities, especially those that help him disguise and hide.
Then..."
"If Sirius didn't intentionally harm my parents, Professor Dumbledore, please release him from Azkaban. He's been imprisoned for nearly ten years, and with his self-imposed guilt, he's suffered enough."
Harry naturally added his thoughts when Dudley paused. After all, this was about his parents' deaths, and he needed to voice his opinion on how to handle their betrayer.
"Harry's opinion is mine as well," Dudley continued. "Also, if you're going to release Sirius, Dumbledore, don't tell him about Pettigrew's likely survival yet. We don't want him doing something reckless and tipping Pettigrew off.
And it's best to release him a month after Harry and I start school. Let him cool off somewhere first.
The Dementors in Azkaban are experts at tormenting people. Being locked up for so long, he's bound to be mentally unstable."
"Understood," Dumbledore agreed, though he still seemed hesitant. "Dudley, I still hope you won't expose Harry to too much bloodshed so early..."
"Whether Harry is exposed to bloodshed isn't up to me, Dumbledore! If fate is messing with us, we have to face it head-on and be brave, unyielding fighters!"
Dudley forcefully dismissed the pity and weakness rising in Dumbledore's heart, adding with a grin:
"In Gringotts' vaults, we saw a two-faced man turn to gold and then to ash. That scene was no less shocking than a bloody event. Don't treat us like fragile children!
So, Dumbledore, set aside your pity. Let me assign your next task!"