.A.‐.what?..said.Harry..
.Your.Patronus.had.a.clearly.defined.form?.I.mean.to.say,.it.was.more.than.vapour.or.smoke?..
.Yes,..said.Harry,.feeling.both.impatient.and.slightly.desperate,..it.s.a.stag,.it.s.always.a.stag...
.Always?..boomed.Madam.Bones...You.have.produced.a.Patronus.before.now?..
.Yes,..said.Harry,..I.ve.been.doing.it.for.over.a.year...
.And.you.are.fifteen.years.old?..
.Yes,.and.‐..
.You.learned.this.at.school?..
.Yes,.Professor.Lupin.taught.me.in.my.third.year,.because.of.the.‐..
.Impressive,..said.Madam.Bones,.staring.down.at.him,..a.true.Patronus.at.his.age….very.impressive.indeed...
Some.of.the.wizards.and.witches.around.her.were.muttering.again;.a.few.nodded,.but.others.were.frowning.and.shaking.their.heads..
.It.s.not.a.question.of.how.impressive.the.magic.was,..said.Fudge.in.a.testy.voice,
.
.in.fact,.the.more.impressive.the.worse.it.is,.I.would.have.thought,.given.that.the.boy.did.it.in.plain.view.of.a.Muggle!..
Those.who.had.been.frowning.now.murmured.in.agreement,.but.it.was.the.sight.of.Percy.s.sanctimonious.little.nod.that.goaded.Harry.into.speech..
.I.did.it.because.of.the.Dementors!..he.said.loudly,.before.anyone.could.interrupt.him.again..
He.had.expected.more.muttering,.but.the.silence.that.fell.seemed.to.be.somehow.denser.than.before..
.Dementors?..said.Madam.Bones.after.a.moment,.her.thick.eyebrows.rising.until.her.monocle.looked.in.danger.of.falling.out...What.do.you.mean,.boy?..
.I.mean.there.were.two.Dementors.down.that.alleyway.and.they.went.for.me.and.my.cousin!..
.Ah,..said.Fudge.again,.smirking.unpleasantly.as.he.looked.around.at.the.Wizengamot,.as.though.inviting.them.to.share.the.joke...Yes..Yes,.I.thought.we.d.be.hearing.something.like.this...
.Dementors.in.Little.Whinging?..Madam.Bones.said,.in.a.tone.of.great.surprise...I.don.t.understand.‐..
.Don.t.you,.Amelia?..said.Fudge,.still.smirking...Let.me.explain..He.s.been.thinking.it.through.and.decided.Dementors.would.make.a.very.nice.little.cover.story,.very.nice.indeed..Muggles.can.t.see.Dementors,.can.they,.boy?.Highly.convenient,.highly.convenient….so.it.s.just.your.word.and.no.witnesses…..
.I.m.not.lying!..said.Harry.loudly,.over.another.outbreak.of.muttering.from.the.court..There.were.two.of.them,.coming.from.opposite.ends.of.the.alley,
.everything.went.dark.and.cold.and.my.cousin.felt.them.and.ran.for.it.‐..
.Enough,.enough!..said.Fudge,.with.a.very.supercilious.look.on.his.face...I.m.sorry.to.interrupt.what.I.m.sure.would.have.been.a.very.well‐rehearsed.story.‐..
Dumbledore.cleared.his.throat..The.Wizengamot.fell.silent.again..
.We.do,.in.fact,.have.a.witness.to.the.presence.of.Dementors.in.that.alleyway,..he.said,..other.than.Dudley.Dursley,.I.mean...
Fudge.s.plump.face.seemed.to.slacken,.as.though.somebody.had.let.air.out.of.it.
.He.stared.down.at.Dumbledore.for.a.moment.or.two,.then,.with.the.appearance.of.a.man.pulling.himself.back.together,.said,..We.haven.t.got.time.to.listen.to.more.tarradiddles,.I.m.afraid,.Dumbledore..I.want.this.dealt.with.quickly.‐..