ALL NOVEL Chapter 404 Hearing
"you are late."
A man's cold voice echoed in the courtroom.
"I'm sorry," Harry said nervously, "I...I didn't know the time had changed."
There were people here, and Harry didn't know who made the sound just now. He could only defend himself as much as possible. He had just learned the consequences of being late from Mr. Weasley.
"That's not the Wizengamot's fault." The voice said, "We have informed you in advance, this is your problem..."
"We should be more tolerant towards minors. Okay, Harry, sit down." Harry had heard this voice before, it was from Fudian.
Harry lowered his gaze and looked at the chair in the center of the room. On the armrests of the chair were chains on the left and right. He had seen these chains suddenly jump up and tie the person sitting in the middle tightly. His feet echoed loudly across the stone floor. He sat carefully on the edge of the chair. The chain jingled menacingly, but it did not tie him up. Harry felt dizzy and sick, and looked up at the people sitting on the bench above.
All he could see were about fifty people, wearing purple-red robes with a delicate silver "w" embroidered on the left chest. They all looked down at him, some with stern expressions, while others did not hide their inner curiosity.
In the middle of the row of benches in front sat the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge. Fudge is a fat man who often wears a dark yellow-green round hat, but he didn't wear it today. In addition, the kind smile he always had on his face when talking to Harry disappeared today. To Fudge's left sat a broad, square-jawed witch.
He had gray hair cut short, wore a monocle, and had an intimidating expression on his face. To Fudge's right sat another witch, but she was sitting too far back on the bench, her face shrouded in shadow.
Although Fudge looks extremely serious now, he actually has a bitter taste in his mouth now. He didn't want to put up such a big showdown just because of something as trivial as casting a spell outside of school. If someone who didn't know the situation saw the current arrangement of people in the room, they would definitely think that Voldemort was being tried.
But what can Fudge do? It's true that he is the Minister of Magic, but he doesn't have the final say in everything. Just like this hearing, although Fudge is also a member of the Wizengamot, he has no say in whether to convene all members. The Wizengamot has its own system and is not subject to magic. Restricted by the Minister
As Fudge is both a minister and a member of the Wizengamot, he is presiding over this hearing. Fudge knew what those people were planning. This hearing of Harry Potter was not secret. It would be known to the public sooner or later. And when the public knew that the Ministry of Magic would use such a big battle to deal with a young wizard, At this time, Fudge can imagine their anger. If not unexpected, the voice for him to step down will sound again - Fudge himself has been prepared for this.
As a politician who has been struggling for so many years, Fudge may be a little cowardly and fearful, but he is definitely not a fool. He knew what situation he was in now. The fight between Dumbledore and Voldemort had begun, and he was the first victim.
Many wizards within the Ministry of Magic tend to be Death Eaters - after all, they are more or less related to each other by blood or interests, which is easy to understand. They took advantage of this opportunity to force people to take sides. At the same time, they also involved Dumbledore's time and energy, and continued to ruin the reputation of Minister Fudge. As long as they gave a little guidance in the newspapers, ordinary people would chant Let the incompetent Fudge step down and finally replace one of their own as minister.
Fudge saw all the above things clearly, but he had no means to solve them. There was no one he could use, and the woman he had lifted up was sitting next to him, with most of her body hidden in the shadows.
Dolores is no longer his own... Fudge sighed inwardly. Fudge was going to get over the current matter first.
"The trial of August 12," Fudge boomed, before Harry James Potter, of 4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey, for breaches of the Reasonable Restraint of Minors and the International Statute of Secrecy. 》A case. "
Only then did Harry realize that sitting in the seat in front of Fudge was Percy, his best friend's brother.
"Interrogator: Minister for Magic Cornelius Oswald Fudge; Director of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement: Amelia Susan Bones; Senior Undersecretary: Dolores Jane Umbridge. Trial Recorder :Percy. Ignatius. Weasley——"
0…Please give me flowers…
Ms. Bones is from Dumbledore's side, and Umbridge is from the Death Eaters' side. People on both sides have arranged people in important positions.
"Witnesses for the defense: Albus. Percival. Wulfric. Brian. Dumbledore."
Harry turned his head so sharply that he almost sprained his neck.
Dumbledore strode over calmly, wearing a black and blue robe, with an extremely peaceful expression on his face. He walked to a place parallel to Harry, raised his head, and looked at Fudge through the half-moon glasses on the bridge of his aquiline nose. His long silver-white beard and hair shone in the light of the torch.
The members of the Wizengamot were whispering among themselves. All eyes were on Dumbledore. Some people seemed annoyed, some seemed a little scared, while others expressed welcome, and many more had expressionless faces.
As soon as he saw Dumbledore, a strong emotion arose in Harry's heart, making him feel at ease and full of hope, just like the feeling that Phoenix Fawkes' song once made him feel.
The members of the Wizengamot were still whispering to each other, and they were all restless. Dumbledore pulled out his wand, shook it slightly, and a soft polished chintz armchair appeared out of thin air next to Harry. Dumbledore sat down, his long fingertips touching each other, and looking at Fudge from above.
"Mr. Minister, you can continue."
"Okay," Fudge said, moving the papers around in front of him, "Okay then. Now here are the charges."
He pulled out a piece of parchment from a pile of documents, took a deep breath, and read aloud: "The defendant is accused of the following crimes: The defendant had previously received a written warning from the Ministry of Magic for similar accusations, and this time he was fully aware of his actions. It is illegal to deliberately and knowingly cast a Divine Protection Charm in front of a Muggle in two Muggle residential areas at 9:23 pm on August 2. This act It violates the main paragraph of the "Law on the Reasonable Restraint of Minor Wizards" promulgated in 1875 and Article 13 of the "International Federation of Magicians' Statute of Secrecy."
"Are you Harry James Potter who lives at 4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey?" Fudge asked while glaring at Harry from above the parchment. .