A.few.of.the.wizards.above.them.shifted.uncomfortably.in.their.seats..Fudge.turned.a.slightly.deeper.shade.of.puce..The.toadlike.witch.on.his.right,.however,
.merely.gazed.at.Dumbledore,.her.face.quite.expressionless..
.As.far.as.I.am.aware,..Dumbledore.continued,..there.is.no.law.yet.in.place.that.says.this.court.s.job.is.to.punish.Harry.for.every.bit.of.magic.he.has.ever.performed..He.has.been.charged.with.a.specific.offence.and.he.has.presented.his.defence..All.he.and.I.can.do.now.is.to.await.your.verdict...
Dumbledore.put.his.fingertips.together.again.and.said.no.more..Fudge.glared.at.him,.evidently.incensed..Harry.glanced.sideways.at.Dumbledore,.seeking.reassurance;.he.was.not.at.all.sure.that.Dumbledore.was.right.in.telling.the.Wizengamot,.in.effect,.that.it.was.about.time.they.made.a.decision..Again,
.however,.Dumbledore.seemed.oblivious.to.Harry.s.attempt.to.catch.his.eye..He.continued.to.look.up.at.the.benches.where.the.entire.Wizengamot.had.fallen.into.urgent,.whispered.conversations..
Harry.looked.at.his.feet..His.heart,.which.seemed.to.have.swollen.to.an.unnatural.size,.was.thumping.loudly.under.his.ribs..He.had.expected.the.hearing.to.last.longer.than.this..He.was.not.at.all.sure.that.he.had.made.a.good.impression..He.had.not.really.said.very.much..He.ought.to.have.explained.more.fully.about.the.Dementors,.about.how.he.had.fallen.over,.about.how.both.he.and.Dudley.had.nearly.been.kissed….
Twice.he.looked.up.at.Fudge.and.opened.his.mouth.to.speak,.but.his.swollen.heart.was.now.constricting.his.air.passages.and.both.times.he.merely.took.a.deep.breath.and.looked.back.down.a.his.shoes..
—.CHAPTER.NINE.
The.Woes.of.Mrs.Weasky
Dumbledore.s.abrupt.departure.took.Harry.completely.by.surprise..He.remained.sitting.where.he.was.in.the.chained.chair,.struggling.with.his.feelings.of.shock.and.relief..The.Wizengamot.were.all.getting.to.their.feet,.talking,.gathering.up.their.papers.and.packing.them.away..Harry.stood.up..Nobody.seemed.to.be.paying.him.the.slightest.bit.of.attention,.except.the.toadlike.witch.on.Fudge.s.right,.who.was.now.gazing.down.at.him.instead.of.at.Dumbledore..Ignoring.her,
.he.tried.to.catch.Fudge.s.eye,.or.Madam.Bones.s,.wanting.to.ask.whether.he.was.free.to.go,.but.Fudge.seemed.quite.determined.not.to.notice.Harry,.and.Madam.Bones.was.busy.with.her.briefcase,.so.he.took.a.few.tentative.steps.towards.the.exit.and,.when.nobody.called.him.back,.broke.into.a.very.fast.walk..
He.took.the.last.few.steps.at.a.run,.wrenched.open.the.door.and.almost.collided.with.Mr.Weasley,.who.was.standing.right.outside,.looking.pale.and.apprehensive..
.Dumbledore.didn.t.say.‐..
.Cleared,..Harry.said,.pulling.the.door.closed.behind.him,..of.all.charges!..
Beaming,.Mr.Weasley.seized.Harry.by.the.shoulders..
.Harry,.that.s.wonderful!.Well,.of.course,.they.couldn.t.have.found.you.guilty,
.not.on.the.evidence,.but.even.so,.1.can.t.pretend.I.wasn.t.‐..
But.Mr.Weasley.broke.off,.because.the.courtroom.door.had.just.opened.again.
.The.Wizengamot.were.filing.out..