Then,..said.Dumbledore,.quietly.but.clearly,..we.must.ask.ourselves.why.somebody.within.the.Ministry.ordered.a.pair.of.Dementors.into.that.alleyway.on.the.second.of.August...
In.the.complete.silence.that.greeted.these.words,.the.witch.to.the.right.of.Fudge.leaned.forwards.so.that.Harry.saw.her.for.the.first.time..
He.thought.she.looked.just.like.a.large,.pale.toad..She.was.rather.squat.with.a.broad,.flabby.face,.as.little.neck.as.Uncle.Vernon.and.a.very.wide,.slack.mouth.
.Her.eyes.were.large,.round.and.slightly.bulging..Even.the.little.black.velvet.bow.perched.on.top.of.her.short.curly.hair.put.him.in.mind.of.a.large.fly.she.was.about.to.catch.n.a.long.sticky.tongue..
The.Chair.recognises.Dolores.Jane.Umbridge,.Senior.Undersecretary.to.the.Minister,..said.Fudge..
The.witch.spoke.in.a.fluttery,.girlish,.high‐pitched.voice.that.took.Harry.aback;
.he.had.been.expecting.a.croak..
.I.m.sure.I.must.have.misunderstood.you,.Professor.Dumbledore,..she.said,.with.a.simper.that.left.her.big,.round.eyes.as.cold.as.ever...So.silly.of.me..But.it.sounded.for.a.teensy.moment.as.though.you.were.suggesting.that.the.Ministry.of.Magic.had.ordered.an.attack.on.this.boy!..
She.gave.a.silvery.laugh.that.made.the.hairs.on.the.back.of.Harry.s.neck.stand.up..A.few.other.members.of.the.Wizengamot.laughed.with.her..It.could.not.have.been.plainer.that.not.one.of.them.was.really.amused..
.If.it.is.true.that.the.Dementors.are.taking.orders.only.from.the.Ministry.of.Magic,.and.it.is.also.true.that.two.Dementors.attacked.Harry.and.his.cousin.a.week.ago,.then.it.follows.logically.that.somebody.at.the.Ministry.might.have.ordered.the.attacks,..said.Dumbledore.politely...Of.course,.these.particular.Dementors.may.have.been.outside.Ministry.control.‐..
.There.are.no.Dementors.outside.Ministry.control!..snapped.Fudge,.who.had.turned.brick.red..
Dumbledore.inclined.his.head.in.a.little.bow..
Then.undoubtedly.the.Ministry.will.be.making.a.full.inquiry.into.why.two.Dementors.were.so.very.far.from.Azkaban.and.why.they.atacked.without.authorisation...
.It.is.not.for.you.to.decide.what.the.Ministry.of.Magic.does.or.does.not.do,
.Dumbledore!..snapped.Fudge,.now.a.shade.of.magenta.of.which.Uncle.Vernon.would.have.been.proud..
.Of.course.it.isn.t,..said.Dumbledore.mildly...I.was.merely.expressing.my.confidence.that.this.matter.will.not.go.uninvesti‐gated...
He.glanced.at.Madam.Bones,.who.readjusted.her.monocle.and.stared.back.at.him,.frowning.slightly..
.I.would.remind.everybody.that.the.behaviour.of.these.Dementors,.if.indeed.they.are.not.figments.of.this.boy.s.imagination,.is.not.the.subject.of.this.hearing!..said.Fudge...We.are.here.to.examine.Harry.Potter.s.offences.under.the.Decree.for.the.Reasonable.Restriction.of.Underage.Sorcery!..
.Of.course.we.are,..said.Dumbledore,..but.the.presence.of.Dementors.in.that.alleyway.is.highly.relevant..Clause.Seven.of.the.Decree.states.that.magic.may.be.used.before.Muggles.in.exceptional.circumstances,.and.as.those.exceptional.circumstances.include.situations.which.threaten.the.life.of.the.wizard.or.witch.him‐.or.herself,.or.any.witches,.wizards.or.Muggles.present.at.the.time.of.the.‐..