In the beginning of HBP, when we learn about the new Minister of Magic replacing the incompetent and corrupt Fudge, we see the glimmer of hope that maybe things will change for the better in the Wizardling Britain.

Sadly, it wasn't the case. Rufus Scrimgeour, while being imposing-looking former Auror, makes the same mistakes as his predecessor, concentrating on making Ministry look good instead of real efforts to combat Death Eaters (keeping Stan Shupike in jail despite him having no link with the Death Eaters is something Fudge would do), and trying to enlist Harry Potter as Ministry poster boy (any capable politician knowing about Harry's problems with Fudge won't try to pressure Harry into anything, lest he wanted to be tarred by the same brush as Fudge and Umbridge).

So I'm looking for the stories that shows Scrimgeour as competent (not necessary 'Good' and 'Light' Minister of Magic). So far I found only two - Brave New World and To Fight the Coming Darkness.

 

I've personally always really adored the idea that Stan really was a death eater. Really puts that human "anyone could be evil" feeling into it and he'd make a good representative of someone low on the social ladder who desires change and revolution. Plus it makes the ministry look better and Harry like a twat for defending someone he basically didnt know and hadn't seen for years.

I think most of the competant Scrimgeour fics are basically him just listening to Dumbledore or Harry.

 

I totally have one in my story

 

1. Not Scrimgeour from To Fight the Coming Darkness. This version of Scrimgeour is a politician very capable of underhanded politics (especially in the last chapter when he is discussing post-War plans). For example,
2. Besides, any COMPETENT Minister of Magic will say that Dumbledore's decisions are questionable at best, and Harry Potter, Chosen One or not, is just a teenager with very scewed perception of wizardling world.

 

Scrimgeour isn't exactly inept in canon - he is generally portrayed in a negative light because Harry doesn't like him, but you can understand his perspective quite easily as well.

On the Way to Greatness keeps his canon characterization, but has Harry siding with him against Dumbledore's wishes, so his portrayal is more sympathetic than in canon.

 

...let's not discuss the merits of Dumbledore's warring all over again, please?

I suppose its a interesting premise, but I've always felt that Scrimgeour is actually being presented as a competent version of Fudge. By that I mean - Fudge is the bumbling leader, but Scrimgeour actually comes off as quite competent. The issue is, the goals of the minister (and the ministry) are different from what they really should've been. (I.e. maintaining personal and organisational power.) From that PoV, are the actions you listed even bad ones? Harry as a ministry poster boy is undoubtedly a positive thing for the ministry (which is seperate from the wizarding public), and keeping Shunpike in prison also works.

I think that falls down in some areas - been a while since I read those boons- but even in things like not arresting supposed Death Eaters - if the aim is shifted, that can still make sense (losing support in the ministry, gridlocked legally/within the organization, fear of accusations hurting morale). And it could be said that from the organizations pov it is a success - the ministry was overthrown, but the rule of "law" was maintained and one imagine many key figures remain largely unaffected. Scrimgeour obviously made bad choices, but one can see a competent auror getting their aims and focus twisted in such a manner, especially if as department head he'd had cause to be involved in some form of interdepartmental jockeying or politics.

 

If you are dealing with teenage celebrity who was treated unfairly by your predecessors and whose support you desperately need, wouldn't it make sense to offer some sort of compensation, at least? Not mention in his presence that you didn't sack the woman who tortured him? I remember Harry literally showing the scars from Blood Quill in Scrimgeour's face, and instead of thinking like Auror and investigating the blatant case of child abuse, Scrimgeour ignores it and keeps questioning Harry about Dumbledore's plans.
Surely you'll agree that his attempt of recruitment went just as badly as Draco Malfoy's 'let's be friends' ?

 

Aurors don't investigate cases of child abuse. They investigate dark magic and hunt down dark wizards. Harry would laugh in his face if offered compensation of any kind.

Dealing with Umbridge would probably be sensible, but do you really expect anybody to worry about a little child abuse in the past compared to the looming threat of Wizard Hitler?

We can all admit that canon is full of some fairly retarded shit, more so as we go along, but if we sit here and smugly try to fix everything because we're oh so much better, we're rapidly descending into MoR territory

And fuck that.

 

I'm pretty sure that the use of dark magical object on the minor warrants the investigation.

No, but if Scrimgeour wanted Potter on his side, dealing with Umbridge could be a good start. And unlike the offer of monetary compensation, something Harry can actually appreciate.

And if we don't change the canon, what's the point of fanfiction?

 

Since Umbridge invented the blood quill, and was senior undersecretary at the time, it may not be considered dark at all, at least legally.
And corporeal punishment in schools isn't against magical law, its just against Hogwarts rules.

 

There's a difference between adding things to canon, ot putting in a single point of divergence and then letting character development take the reins.

Even fics like Joe's which go hilarious AU don't piss on the source material the way you're suggesting. Every single fic that does what you want to do sucks.