.We.are.familiar.with.Clause.Seven,.thank.you.very.much!..snarled.Fudge..
.Of.course.you.are,..said.Dumbledore.courteously..Then.we.are.in.agreement.that.Harrys.use.of.the.Patronus.Charm.in.these.circumstances.falls.precisely.into.the.category.of.excptional.circumstances.the.clause.describes?..
.If.there.were.Dementors,.which.I.doubt...
.You.have.heard.it.from.an.eyewitness,..Dumbledore.interrupted..
.If.you.still.doubt.her.truthfulness,.call.her.back,.question.her.again..1.am.sure.she.would.not.object...
.I.‐.that.‐.not.‐..blustered.Fudge,.fiddling.with.the.papers.before.him...It.s.‐.I.want.this.over.with.today,.Dumbledore!..
.But.naturally,.you.would.not.care.how.many.times.you.heard.from.a.witness,.if.the.alternative.was.a.serious.miscarriage.of.justice,..said.Dumbledore..
.Serious.miscarriage,.my.hat!..said.Fudge.at.the.top.of.his.voice...Have.you.ever.bothered.to.tot.up.the.number.of.cock‐and‐bull.stories.this.boy.has.come.out.with,.Dumbledore,.while.trying.to.cover.up.his.flagrant.misuse.of.magic.out.of.school?.I.suppose.you.ve.forgotten.the.Hover.Charm.he.used.three.years.ago.‐..
That.wasn.t.me,.it.was.a.house‐elf!..said.Harry..
.YOU.SEE?..roared.Fudge,.gesturing.flamboyantly.in.Harry.s.direction...A.house‐
elf!.In.a.Muggle.house!.I.ask.you...
The.house‐elfin.question.is.currently.in.the.employ.of.Hogwarts.School,..said.Dumbledore...I.can.summon.him.here.in.an.instant.to.give.evidence.if.you.wish...
.I.‐.not.‐.I.haven.t.got.time.to.listen.to.house‐elves!.Anyway,.that.s.not.the.only.‐
.he.blew.up.his.aunt,.for.God.s.sake!..Fudge.shouted,.banging.his.fist.on.the.judge.s.bench.and.upsetting.a.bottle.of.ink..
.And.you.very.kindly.did.not.press.charges.on.that.occasion,.accepting,.I.presume,.that.even.the.best.wizards.cannot.always.control.their.emotions,..said.Dumbledore.calmly,.as.Fudge.attempted.to.scrub.the.ink.off.his.notes..
.And.I.haven.t.even.started.on.what.he.gets.up.to.at.school...
.But,.as.the.Ministry.has.no.authority.to.punish.Hogwarts.students.for.misdemeanours.at.school,.Harry.s.behaviour.there.is.not.relevant.to.this.hearing,.
.said.Dumbledore,.as.politely.as.ever,.but.now.with.a.suggestion.of.coolness.behind.his.words..
.Oho!..said.Fudge...Not.our.business.what.he.does.at.school,.eh?.You.think.so?..
The.Ministry.does.not.have.the.power.to.expel.Hogwarts.students,.Cornelius,.as.I.reminded.you.on.the.night.of.the.second.of.August,..said.Dumbledore...Nor.does.it.have.the.right.to.confiscate.wands.until.charges.have.been.successfully.proven;.again,.as.
I.reminded.you.on.the.night.of.the.second.of.August..In.your.admirable.haste.to.ensure.that.the.law.is.upheld,.you.appear,.inadvertently.I.am.sure,.to.have.overlooked.a.few.laws.yourself...
.Laws.can.be.changed,..said.Fudge.savagely..
.Of.course.they.can,..said.Dumbledore,.inclining.his.head...And.vou.certainly.seem.to.be.making.many.changes,.Cornelius..Why,.in.the.few.short.weeks.since.I.was.asked.to.leave.the.Wizengamot,.it.has.already.become.the.practice.to.hold.a.full.criminal.trial.to.deal.with.a.simple.matter.of.underage.magic!..