The.walls.were.made.of.dark.stone,.dimly.lit.by.torches..Empty.benches.rose.on.either.side.of.him,.but.ahead,.in.the.highest.benches.of.all,.were.many.shadowy.figures..They.had.been.talking.in.low.voices,.but.as.the.heavy.door.swung.closed.behind.Harry.an.ominous.silence.fell..
A.cold.male.voice.rang.across.the.courtroom..
.You.re.late...
.Sorry,..said.Harry.nervously..I.—.I.didn.t.know.the.time.had.been.changed...
That.is.not.the.Wizengamot.s.fault,..said.the.voice...An.owl.was.sent.to.you.this.morning..Take.your.seat...
Harry.dropped.his.gaze.to.the.chair.in.the.centre.of.the.room,.the.arms.of.which.were.covered.in.chains..He.had.seen.those.chains.spring.to.life.and.bind.whoever.sat.between.them..His.footsteps.echoed.loudly.as.he.walked.across.the.stone.floor..When.he.sat.gingerly.on.the.edge.of.the.chair.the.chains.clinked.threateningly,.but.did.not.bind.him..Feeling.rather.sick,.he.looked.up.at.the.people.seated.at.the.bench.above..
There.were.about.fifty.of.them,.all,.as.far.as.he.could.see,.wearing.plum‐coloured.robes.with.an.elaborately.worked.silver..W.on.the.left‐hand.side.of.the.chest.and.all.staring.down.their.noses.at.him,.some.with.very.austere.expressions,.others.looks.of.frank.curiosity..
THE.HE.A.RING.
In.the.very.middle.of.the.front.row.sat.Cornelius.Fudge,.the.Minister.for.Magic.
.Fudge.was.a.portly.man.who.often.sported.a.lime‐green.bowler.hat,.though.today.he.had.dispensed.with.it;.he.had.dispensed,.too,.with.the.indulgent.smile.he.had.once.worn.when.he.spoke.to.Harry..A.broad,.square‐jawed.witch.with.very.short.grey.hair.sat.on.Fudge.s.left;.she.wore.a.monocle.and.looked.forbidding..On.Fudge.s.right.was.another.witch,.but.she.was.sitting.so.far.back.on.the.bench.that.her.face.was.in.shadow..
.Very.well,..said.Fudge..The.accused.being.present.‐.finally.‐let.us.begin..Are.you.ready?..he.called.down.the.row..
.Yes,.sir,..said.an.eager.voice.Harry.knew..Ron.s.brother.Percy.was.sitting.at.the.very.end.of.the.front.bench..Harry.looked.at.Percy,.expecting.some.sign.of.recognition.from.him,.but.none.came..Percy.s.eyes,.behind.his.horn‐rimmed.glasses,.were.fixed.on.his.parchment,.a.quill.poised.in.his.hand..
.Disciplinary.hearing.of.the.twelfth.of.August,..said.Fudge.in.a.ringing.voice,.and.Percy.began.taking.notes.at.once,..into.offences.committed.under.the.Decree.for.the.Reasonable.Restriction.of.Underage.Sorcery.and.the.International.Statute.of.Serecy.by.Harry.James.Potter,.resident.at.number.four,.Privet.Drive,.Little.Whinging,.Surrey..
.Interrogators:.Cornelius.Oswald.Fudge,.Minister.for.Magic;.Amelia.Susan.Bones,.Head.of.the.Department.of.Magical.Law.Enforcement;.Dolores.Jane.
Umbridge,.Senior.Undersecretary.to.the.Minister..Court.Scribe,.Percy.Ignatius.Weasley.‐..
.Witness.for.the.defence,.Albus.Percival.Wulfric.Brian.Dumble‐dore,..said.a.quiet.voice.from.behind.Harry,.who.turned.his.head.so.fast.he.cricked.his.neck..
Dumbledore.was.striding.serenely.across.the.room.wearing.long.midnight‐blue.robes.and.a.perfectly.calm.expression..His.long.silver.beard.and.hair.gleamed.in.the.torchlight.as.he.drew.level.with.Harry.and.looked.up.at.Fudge.through.the.half‐moon.spectacles.that.rested.halfway.down.his.very.crooked.nose..