Dark Lord Dumbledore

With Dumbledore's outing of being a suspected Dark Lord, mundane things like the Triwizard Tournament and the Yule Ball took a major back seat to the chaos erupting in the wizarding community.

Even Hogwarts was rife with conflict as people chose sides and lines were drawn in the sand of where people stood on the matter of Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore.

Things only got worse when Rita Skeeter released her latest book that put her last one to shame in controversial insights into Dark Lord Dumbledore's life. Funnily enough, even without Chad's influence over her latest book, it ended up being named the same as her hit piece in canon.

[ The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore.

'Stripping away the popular image of serene, silver-bearded wisdom, Rita Skeeter reveals the disturbed childhood, the lawless youth, the lifelong feuds and the guilty secrets Albus Dumbledore kept hidden from the world!' ]

The book covered everything from the destruction of his family in his childhood by muggles and using it as motivation for his turning 'Dark', to his present manipulations of Harry Potter to further his d.e.s.i.r.e for fame and power.

Even though Rita had used a lot of speculation, it was filled with enough facts to paint a very damning picture. And the wizarding world was not known for their loyalty to heroes, it was almost like they enjoyed seeing those they worshipped brought low and then destroyed.

But this time, it was not Harry Potter they turned on.

Though, just like how Harry Potter retained a few loyal 'Light' families to help him out in times of need, Dumbledore still had his faithful followers. It was pure coincidence that they were the same families that followed Harry Potter in canon, and surely not because Dumbledore told them to do so!

Chad had watched how even the Gryffindor House had turned on the Weasley siblings and a few other die-hard 'Light' families for sticking up for Albus 'I give children sweets' Dumbledore.

Hufflepuff had also been seriously affected as a quarter of their House was also included in the 'Pro-Dumbledore' faction. Hufflepuff's 'loyalty' seemed to be very selective.

The whole of Slytherin was positively gleeful and continued to throw fuel on the dumpster fire that was Dumbledore's reputation. They laughed happily as even people on the fence about the current situation were dragged into the collateral damage of their allegations.

If someone tried to defend Dumbledore or even just ask to wait for confirmation of his guilt, they were tarred with the same brush of veritable hatred aimed at the man that used to be worshipped as a hero.

It was a political cleansing, and the Slytherins were taking advantage of the situation to smear their political enemies or settle scores. The Durmstrang students just sat back and watched the entertainment, their Headmaster enjoying himself immensely from watching the turmoil.

The only House that was basically untouched by the drama was Ravenclaw. They were mostly unbothered by the events that had the wizarding world riled up since Dumbledore no longer had anything to do with their studies.

That was until Rita's book questioned his motives in cutting out a lot of the Hogwarts curriculum and subjects, 'dumbing down' what wasn't removed, and the selection of Professors to teach them.

Then they were decidedly Anti-Dumbles.

If Snape's behaviour hadn't changed and his teaching improved drastically over the last couple of years, he would have been dragged into the current sh*t-show hitting Hogwarts. It seemed to be gathering more momentum than Chad had ever thought possible with Dumbledore's previous vice-grip on the magical community.

But with backing from Slytherin alumni coupled with distance from Dumbledore after his removal from school, Snape had managed to deflect a lot of the resentment. Teachers like Binns and Trelawney were not so lucky, and parents and ex-students campaigned for their immediate removal.

Who wouldn't be upset at the imagined loss of power and knowledge after it was pointed out to them that Dumbledore had maliciously denied subjects to keep them ignorant?

Nevermind that the pure-bloods and the Ministry also had a hand in it, or that the average wizard or witch couldn't even cast the Patronus Charm because of lack of interest in schoolwork.

When Rita pointed out Dumbledore's nefarious schemes to influence their education, they were out for his blood, and nothing would persuade them differently!

To make matters worse, Dumbledore had yet to make an appearance to dispute the claims, merely using his Order of the Phoenix members as emissaries to plead his innocence. This could have had something to do with Fudge's arrest on sight orders.

Word had gotten out that he had been pushing for a kill order, but Bones had threatened mutiny if he didn't give suspects a fair trial. The last thing she wanted was sentencing more innocent people like Sirius Black to a lifetime in Azkaban. Or just killing them outright.

Not wanting to lose the support of the Aurors, Fudge could only grudgingly agree. Still, support for Fudge and his campaign against Dumbledore was at an all-time high, and Rita was fueling the flames with her book.

Muggle-borns had tried to rally for their most prominent supporter in the government. That was until they were made aware of his childhood views of 'Wizards rule over Muggles' and his hand in Grindelwald's rise to power.

The icing on the cake was when the Ministry released evidence of just how many proposals for muggle-born equality laws were squashed under his reign over the Ministry of Magic as Chief Warlock, and the voting block he controlled.

Many 'Dark' families happily came out to piss on the remains of his reputation by 'admitting' they were threatened by the 'powerful dark wizard' into voting his way on specific issues.

Rita and Fudge had started the Anti-Dumbles snowball rolling, and it had gathered so much momentum that it didn't ever look like stopping! Without something colossal happening, Dumbledore's political career was over.

Of course, when the all-powerful manipulator figured that out, it was the reason why Harry Potter received a knock on his door to be suddenly summoned to the Headmistress' office.

Professor Flitwick had personally come to get him late one night after a few of the top brass had used the Floo to have a meeting with McGonagall in her office.

"What's this all about Professor?" Chad asked his head of House.

"I'm not sure Mr Potter, some people from the Ministry have arrived and asked to speak with you. Come along quickly now, we shouldn't keep them waiting." The diminutive Professor of Charms replied.

Following behind Flitwick, it didn't take long before Chad found himself in McGonagall's office across from Cornelius Fudge, Amelia Bones, and a man he didn't recognise. McGonagall was also there.

"Thank you, Filius," McGonagall said, clearly dismissing the messenger.

"Ah, Harry, good to see you again." Said Fudge enthusiastically as soon as he walked in, even taking the initiative to walk over and shake his hand.

When Flitwick had closed the door on his way out, Chad went to work. He needed to find out what was going on and to try and steer himself away from whatever drama this clearly intended to suck him into.

"Minister Fudge, a p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e to meet you again. Is this about my families property, I thought my godfather was handling that?" Chad said, putting everyone off balance and drawing attention to the fact that his guardian was not present.

"Ah, not quite." Started Madam Bones, but Chad cut her off.

"We should probably wait for him to get here then, we don't want to have to repeat everything again once he arrives."

"This is a bit of a delicate situation, Mr Potter, it would be safer if fewer people knew about what we discuss here tonight," McGonagall suggested.

Chad could only curse in his thoughts, Dumbledore must have made a play to deflect all the hate for him at another target once again.

"I don't see what is so secretive about my school work. Sure, I'm at the top of my class, but others are doing just as well as me. Is this about some award?" Chad threw out some more word vomit to irritate everyone.

"Mr Potter, this is quite serious. We have come into some information that there are greater events than what we first thought regarding your childhood..."

Amelia Bones tried to start getting to the point once again, but Chad was having none of it.

"Wait a minute, if this is about my personal circ.u.mstances and has nothing to do with school. Why are we having this conversation in front of a school teacher and a man I don't know?"

"Mr Potter, I am your Headmistress..." McGonagall said with her authoritative tone before Chad cut her off as well.

"So? This apparently has nothing to do with Hogwarts and is so secretive that not even my godfather is included. What makes you so special?"

The old woman spluttered indignantly, and Fudge actually barked out a short laugh! No doubt he was unsure why he involved the Headmistress in the first place, other than it had become a habit with Dumbledore's tenure because of his other titles and positions.

"The boys right. I'm sure you do a fine job running Hogwarts, Minerva, but this is official Ministry business, even if it is a load of codswallop! Dumbledore is just trying to distract us from his crimes." Grumbled the Minister of Magic, taking p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e in putting down Dumbledore and a prominent supporter.

When even Madame Bones gave a grudging nod of acknowledgement to Chad's point, McGonagall's face scrunched up in disp.l.e.a.s.u.r.e, and she mimicked Flitwick's exit.

Bones' no-nonsense temperament had finally had enough, and she got straight to why this meeting was happening.

"Now, Mr Potter, if you are entirely finished, this is Dedalus Diggle. He has been Dumbledore's go-between in protesting his innocence and has finally offered proof of why he could not possibly be a Dark Lord and is being framed. What do you know of prophecy, Harry Potter?