.I.work.here,..said.Mr.Weasley.curtly..
.Not.here,.surely?..said.Mr.Malfoy,.raising.his.eyebrows.and.glancing.towards.the.door.over.Mr.Weasley.s.shoulder...I.thought.you.were.up.on.the.second.floor…
.don.t.you.do.something.that.involves.sneaking.Muggle.artefacts.home.and.bewitching.them?..
.No,..Mr.Weasley.snapped,.his.fingers.now.biting.into.Harrys.shoulder..
What.are.you.doing.here,.anyway?..Harry.asked.Lucius.Malfoy..
.I.don.t.think.private.matters.between.myself.and.the.Minister.are.any.concern.of.yours,.Potter,..said.Malfoy,.smoothing.the.front.of.his.robes..Harry.distinctly.heard.the.gentle.clinking.of.what.sounded.like.a.full.pocket.of.gold...Really,.just.because.you.are.Dumbledore.s.favourite.boy,.you.must.not.expect.the.same.indulgence.from.the.rest.of.us….shall.we.go.up.to.your.office,.then,.Minister?..
.Certainly..said.Fudge,.turning.his.back.on.Harry.and.Mr.Weasley..This.way,
.Lucius...
They.strode.off.together,.talking.in.low.voices..Mr.Weasley.did.not.let.go.of.Harry.s.shoulder.until.they.had.disappeared.into.the.lift..
Why.wasn.t.he.waiting.outside.Fudge.s.office.if.they.ve.got.business.to.do.together?..Harry.burst.out.furiously..What.was.he.doing.down.here?..
.Trying.to.sneak.down.to.the.courtroom,.if.you.ask.me,..said.Mr.Weasley,
.looking.extremely.agitated.and.glancing.over.his.shoulder.as.though.making.sure.they.could.not.be.overheard..Trying.
One.or.two.of.the.wizards.nodded.to.Harry.as.they.passed.and.a.few,.including.Madam.Bones,.said,..Morning,.Arthur,..to.Mr.Weasley,.but.most.averted.their.eyes..Cornelius.Fudge.and.the.toadlike.witch.were.almost.the.last.to.leave.the.dungeon..Fudge.acted.as.though.Mr.Weasley.and.Harry.were.part.of.the.wall,
.but.again,.the.witch.looked.almost.appraisingly.at.Harry.as.she.passed..Last.of.all.to.pass.was.Percy..Like.Fudge,.he.completely.ignored.his.father.and.Harry;.he.marched.past.clutching.a.large.roll.of.parchment.and.a.handful.of.spare.quills,
.his.back.rigid.and.his.nose.in.the.air..The.lines.around.Mr.Weasley.s.mouth.tightened.slightly,.but.other.than.this.he.gave.no.sign.that.he.had.seen.his.third.son..
.I.m.going.to.take.you.straight.back.so.you.can.tell.the.others.the.good.news,..he.said,.beckoning.Harry.forwards.as.Percy.s.heels.disappeared.up.the.steps.to.Level.Nine..Til.drop.you.off.on.the.way.to.that.toilet.in.Bethnal.Green..Come.on…..
.So,.what.will.you.have.to.do.about.the.toilet?..Harry.asked,.grinning..Everything.suddenly.seemed.five.times.funnier.than.usual..It.was.starting.to.sink.in:.he.was.cleared,.he.was.going.back.to.Hogwarts..
.Oh,.it.s.a.simple.enough.anti‐jinx,..said.Mr.Weasley.as.they.mounted.the.stairs,
.
.but.it.s.not.so.much.having.to.repair.the.damage,.it.s.more.the.attitude.behind.the.vandalism,.Harry..Muggle‐baiting.might.strike.some.wizards.as.funny,.but.it.s.an.expression.of.something.much.deeper.and.nastier,.and.I.for.one.‐..
Mr.Weasley.broke.off.in.mid‐sentence..They.had.just.reached.the.ninth‐level.corridor.and.Cornelius.Fudge.was.standing.a.few.feet.away.from.them,.talking.quietly.to.a.tall.man.with.sleek.blond.hair.and.a.pointed,.pale.face..