The.members.of.the.Wizengamot.were.muttering..All.eyes.were.now.on.Dumbledore..Some.looked.annoyed,.others.slightly.frightened;.two.elderly.witches.in.the.back.row,.however,.raised.their.hands.and.waved.in.welcome..
A.powerful.emotion.had.risen.in.Harry.s.chest.at.the.sight.of.Dumbledore,.a.fortified,.hopeful.feeling.rather.like.that.which.phoenix.song.gave.him..He.wanted.to.catch.Dumbledore.s.eye,.but.Dumbledore.was.not.looking.his.way;.he.was.continuing.to.look.up.at.the.obviously.flustered.Fudge..
.Ah,..said.Fudge,.who.looked.thoroughly.disconcerted...Dumbledore..Yes..You.‐
.er.‐.got.our.‐.er.‐.message.that.the.time.and.‐er.‐.place.of.the.hearing.had.been.changed,.then?..
.I.must.have.missed.it,..said.Dumbledore.cheerfully...However,.due.to.a.lucky.mistake.I.arrived.at.the.Ministry.three.hours.early,.so.no.harm.done...
.Yes.‐.well.‐.I.suppose.we.ll.need.another.chair.‐.I.‐.Weasley,.could.you.‐?..
.Not.to.worry,.not.to.worry,..said.Dumbledore.pleasantly;.he.took.out.his.wand,
.gave.it.a.little.flick,.and.a.squashy.chintz.armchair.appeared.out.of.nowhere.next.to.Harry..Dumbledore.sat.down,.put.the.tips.of.his.long.fingers.together.and.surveyed.Fudge.over.them.with.an.expression.of.polite.interest..The.Wizengamot.was.still.muttering.and.fidgeting.restlessly;.only.when.Fudge.spoke.again.did.they.settle.down..
.Yes,..said.Fudge.again,.shuffling.his.notes...Well,.then..So..The.charges..Yes...
He.extricated.a.piece.of.parchment.from.the.pile.before.him,.took.a.deep.breath,
.and.read.out,.The.charges.against.the.accused.are.as.follows:.
That.he.did.knowingly,.deliberately.and.in.full.awareness.of.the.illegality.of.his.actions,.having.received.a.previous.written.warning.from.the.Ministry.of.Magic.on.a.similar.charge,.produce.a.Patronus.Charm.in.a.Muggle‐inhabited.area,.in.the.presence.of.a.Muggle,.on.the.second.of.August.at.twenty‐three.minutes.past.nine,.which.constitutes.an.offence.under.Paragraph.C.of.the.Decree.for.the.Reasonable.Restriction.of.Underage.Sorcery,.1875,.and.also.under.Section.13.of.the.International.Confederation.of.Warlocks..Statute.of.Secrecy..
.You.are.Harry.James.Potter,.of.number.four,.Privet.Drive,.Little.Whinging,
.Surrey?..Fudge.said,.glaring.at.Harry.over.the.top.of.his.parchment..
.Yes,..Harry.said..
.You.received.an.official.warning.from.the.Ministry.for.using.illegal.magic.three.years.ago,.did.you.not?..
.Yes,.but.‐..
.And.yet.you.conjured.a.Patronus.on.the.night.of.the.second.of.August?..said.Fudge..
.Yes,..said.Harry,..but.‐..
.Knowing.that.you.are.not.permitted.to.use.magic.outside.school.while.you.are.under.the.age.of.seventeen?..
.Yes,.but.‐..
.Knowing.that.you.were.in.an.area.full.of.Muggles?..
.Yes,.but.‐..
.Fully.aware.that.you.were.in.close.proximity.to.a.Muggle.at.the.time?..
.Yes,..said.Harry.angrily,..but.1.only.used.it.because.we.were.‐..
The.witch.with.the.monocle.cut.across.him.in.a.booming.voice..
.You.produced.a.fully‐fledged.Patronus?..
.Yes,..said.Harry,..because.‐..
.A.corporeal.Patronus?..