Schemes of the Minister

Cornelius Oswald Fudge, Minister for Magic of Great Britain, was grinning with excitement.

In just a few short days, the Girl-Who-Lived would be facing a full Wizengamot Trial for Breaking of the Statute of Secrecy. Sadly he couldn't also include an Underage Magic charge, as the girl had turned 18 just that day but he'd take what he could get.

And once the trial went the way he planned, Mia Potter would be given a choice. Either she could be sentenced to Azkaban for several years, or she could pledge her support and loyalty to Cornelius - complete with regular funding from the Potter Fortune.

There was just one small problem with Cornelius' brilliant plan.

Dumbledore.

Or rather, Dumbledore's Journal.

While, yes, he did agree with Dumbledore's plans for their world - a world free of the abomination that is Free Use and Lust - and in fact, the Fudge and Dumbledore families had been in an alliance to do just that for years.

Then Dumbledore went and got himself killed. This was bad enough. But then, as it turned out the idiot decided that it was a good idea to not only write down all about their plans, but had then decided to leave his journal OPEN ON HIS FUCKING DESK!!

Now everything was in jeopardy. Those named in the journal were now being interrogated for their actions. And, unfortunately for him, the journal had somehow found its way to both the DMLE and the Daily Prophet before it could be censored for the Greater Good of them all.

He just had to hope that Dumbledore had at least some sense not to mention Cornelius.

Still, could be worse.

"CORNELIUS!!" the high pitched ear-grating voice of his Under Secretary, Dolores Umbridge called his name as she barged into his office in a panic.

Fearing the worst - that the journal DID mention him by name - Fudge stared at the ugly pink toad of a woman-thing. "What in Merlin's Name is the matter, Dolores?!" He hoped that she wasn't going to be this frantic when he put her in charge of Hogwarts come September.

The Pink Toad had an expression of terror and shock on her face. "We have lost control of the Azkaban Wards!" she revealed.

Fudge shot up in complete shock. "WHAT?!" he demanded in complete horror.

Umbridge swallowed in fear as she explained. "The Ministry Ward Master says that the Ward Stone in the Ministry has been completely severed from its connection to the one at Azkaban." she told him.

"How the hell did that happen?!" he demanded of his under secretary. If the Azkaban ward was down then the Dementors could go on a rampage. Or inmates could stage a Mass Breakout. Or worse...

The public could find out!

They had to fix this!

Umbridge shook her head in complete bafflement. "We don't know." she told him. "The Ward Master says that the only way we could've lost control is if someone deliberately sabotaged the Stone at Azkaban itself, or if someone from the Founding Family retook control of the Prison." she told him in complete disbelief at the idea of the latter.

Fudge blanched at the idea. "You mean the Azkaban family? They were wiped out over a century ago!" He knew this because his ancestor had helped Albus' do the deed.

The Pink Toad nodded in agreement. "Yes, that's why we think the former is more likely." she said.

Cornelius was silent for a moment, placing his hands on his desk as he leaned forward in thought.

what happens next?

option 1: Fudge sends Amelia Bones and some Aurors to Azkaban to investigate. suggestions welcome.

option 2: Fudge does nothing and ignores the problem to focus on Mia's trial. suggestions welcome.

option 3: Amelia interrupts them to arrest the Minister and his Secretary after they are both named in Dumbledore's Journal. suggestions welcome

option x: something else. suggestions welcome.