Harry Potter and Shafik

Chapter 88

"Go ahead and open the door, Harry."

Harry's beating heart pounded against his Adam's apple.He swallowed hard, twisted the heavy iron handle on the door, and walked into the courtroom.

The surrounding walls were made of black stone, and the light from the torches was dim and gloomy.On both sides of him are rows of empty benches that gradually rise, and in front of him, on the highest benches, there are many dark figures looming impressively.They had been whispering to each other just now, and when the heavy door closed behind Harry, an ominous silence fell.

Hilbert and Harry bowed slightly to the people around them as a courtesy, and then sat down on the two chairs in the center of the hall.Next came two Aurors in uniform.Harry Potter kept panting nervously, but Hilbert lazily raised his legs.

At this moment, the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, who was the chief wizard of the Wizengamot, was sitting on the presiding judge's seat in a black robe, surrounded by members of the Wizengamot who were equivalent to the jury of the Muggle world, They wear fuchsia or black robes with a delicate silver W embroidered on the left breast.They all looked down at him, some with stern expressions, others with undisguised curiosity.Hilbert glanced at the other seats. There was Amelia Burns, Director of Legal Enforcement at the Ministry of Magic, the aunt of his classmate Susan Burns.

To Fudge's left sat a broad, square-jawed witch with gray hair cropped short, wearing a monocle and a forbidding expression on her face.To Fudge's right sat another witch, but she sat so far back on the bench that her face was in shadow.

"Very well," said Fudge, "the defendant is here at last, let's get started. Are you ready?" he called out across the bench.

"Yes, sir," said a voice familiar to Harry eagerly.Ron's brother Percy sat on the far end of the front bench.Harry looked at Percy, expecting him to show recognition, but there was none on his face.Hilbert thought that if there was no law, it would be a death curse right now.Percy's eyes, hidden behind horn-rimmed glasses, were fixed intently on the parchment in front of him, a quill in hand, ready to write.

"Trial on August 8th," said Fudge boomingly, and Percy hurriedly began to take notes, "for the trial of Harry James Potter, 12 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey, for breaching the The Reasonable Restraint of Wizards Act and the International Act of Secrecy and Hilbert Shafiq, who lives at the Shafiq Manor, 4 Ralph Street, London, violated the Reasonable Restraint of Underage Wizards Act and the International Act of Secrecy "A case."

"Interrogators: Cornelius Oswald Fudge, Minister for Magic; Amelia 'Susan' Burns, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement; Dolores Jane Umbridge, Senior Undersecretary. Transcript of trial Member: Percy. Ignatius Weasley—"

"Witness for the defense: Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore," said a calm voice behind Harry.Harry turned his head so sharply that he almost sprained his neck.

Hilbert had long thought that with Headmaster Dumbledore around, at least Fudge would not be too presumptuous. After all, most of the people present were almost former students of the headmaster.

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 Hilbert Harry, looked up at Fudge through the half-moon spectacles on the bridge of his hooked nose, his long silver beard and hair in the light of the torch sparkling with light.

"Ah," said Fudge, looking quite dissatisfied, "Dumbledore. Yes. So you - er - er - you received our letter - knew that the time and place of the trial had changed. Already?" "It seems that the police did not receive it," said Dumbledore cheerfully, "however, I made a lucky mistake and arrived at the Ministry of Magic three hours early, so there was no hindrance." "Yes. .—well—I think we need to get another chair—I—Weasley, can you—?”

Dumbledore said "Don't bother, don't bother." Dumbledore said mildly.He drew his wand, gave it a little flick, and a soft, burnished chintz armchair appeared out of nowhere beside Harry.Dumbledore sat down, butting the tips of his long fingers together, and looked up at Fudge from above, with a polite and interested expression on his face!

"Now the hearing begins!" Fudge slammed the small hammer.

He pulled out a piece of parchment from a pile of documents, took a deep breath, and read aloud: "The defendant has been charged with the following crimes:" The defendant had previously received a written warning from the Ministry of Magic for similar charges, and this time he was fully aware of his own crimes. Under the circumstances that the behavior is illegal, intentionally and knowingly cast a magic spell on August 8 at 2:23 p.m. in the presence of a Muggle in the two Muggle residential areas. The third paragraph of the "Reasonable Restraining of Minor Wizards Act" promulgated in 13 and Article No. 4 of the "International Federation of Magicians' Secrecy Act". "Are you Harry of [-] Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey? James Potter?" asked Fudge, glaring at Harry from above the parchment.

"Yes." Harry replied. "You were formally warned by the Ministry of Magic three years ago for illegal use of magic, didn't you?" "Yes, but—" "And you magically conjured a Patronus on the night of August 8nd?" Fudge said. "Yes," said Harry, "but—"

"Wait! I have something to say."

"It's not up to you yet..." "I don't understand one thing. As far as I know, the hearings of the Ministry of Magic are usually held to judge the heinous Death Eaters. A student who violated the school rules?" Hilbert said while playing with the ring in his right hand.

The wizards next to them began to whisper to each other.Indeed, it would be as if the Muggle Prime Minister personally tried two students who violated the school rules.

"Harry Potter, do you admit that you used the Patronus Charm?"

The witch with the monocle interrupted him with a loud, deep voice. "You conjured up a fully fledged Patronus?" "Yes," said Harry, "because—" "A physical Patronus?" "A—what?" Harry asked. "Your Patronus has a definite form? I mean, it's not just steam or smoke?" "Yes." Harry felt irritated and a little desperate, "it's a stag, every time it's a stag." A stag."

"Every time?" asked Ms. Burns in a booming voice. "Have you conjured a Patronus before?"

"I learned it in my third year, Professor Lupine taught me. It was a stag."

"It's remarkable," said Ms. Burns, watching him from above. "It's really remarkable that he can conjure a real Patronus at his age." Some of the wizards around her began to whisper again.Some nodded, while others showed displeasure and shook their heads again and again. "It's not a question of how great the magic is," said Fudge in an exasperated voice, "actually I think the more great the worse, because the kid did it in front of a Muggle!"

"I did that because of the dementors!"

He said so loudly that no one had time to interrupt him again.He thought that people would whisper to each other again, but he didn't expect that there was no sound in the surroundings, it seemed even quieter than before. "Dementors?" said Ms. Burns after a moment, her bushy eyebrows raised high, her monocle seeming to be slipping off, "what do you mean, child?" "I mean, at the time Two dementors popped up in the alley, coming right at me and my cousin!"

"Yeah, I made up an excuse to explain why I used the spell," Fudge said with a sneer.

Dumbledore cleared his throat.Wizengamore fell silent again.

"Actually, we have two witnesses who can prove that the dementors did appear in that alley," he said, "except for Dudley Dursley, I mean."

"And me and Mrs. Figg, who used to be a Squib."

"Is what you said justified?"

"Yes, Ms. Director Burns. First of all, congratulations on your promotion to the Director of the Law Enforcement Department. I hope you will not follow an old dog dominated by fear." Hilbert stood up and said, shaking his arms.

"Watch your words, kid!"

"Who did I say? Or whoever thinks it is whoever it is!"

Hilbert understood that Cornelius Fudge wanted to use himself to make an example of others, and his fear of Voldemort made him pay more attention to the rights in his hands, so he did not allow anyone to challenge the dignity of the Ministry of Magic headed by him.

"As far as I know, the Ministry of Magic has banned underage wizards from using magic outside of school. But it seems that this law has not been enforced?"

"Go on, Mr. Shafiq."

"However, the Ministry of Magic also allows minors to use magic in certain specific situations, such as self-defense when life is in danger. In addition, children who are preschool or do not have a wand are not subject to this law. Because most of them can't control their own magic. In general, the Ministry of Magic generally uses this law to restrict minors from using magic in front of Muggles."

"And I have many practical examples to prove that this law issued by the Ministry of Magic is not enforced. Harry's mother, Mrs. Lily, once turned teacups into mice when she went home for holidays. Still, there is no letter of expulsion. So whether Can it be explained that this provision is not valid? And it was also said that when wizards are in danger, they can defend themselves against Muggles? The Ministry of Magic also allows it?"

Seeing most of the wizards around him nodding their heads in unison, Hilbert was ecstatic in his heart, "Small, memorize the law, at least you are your ancestor!"

Fudge sarcastically said: "I have long heard that Mr. Shafik is a very smart student. Muggles cannot see dementors. This is really a perfect lie."

"How do you know Harry used the Patronus Charm if you know Muggles can't see Dementors?"

Fudge was stunned for the nth time!

"I just want to ask if you were there at the time? Did you send someone to check on the scene? Did you ask other witnesses about this matter besides me?"

"no!"

"Then I'm sorry, but can Harry Potter's accusation be dismissed?"

Headmaster Dumbledore stepped forward and said, "If everyone here doesn't believe me, can we let another witness appear?"

"Yes, the law says yes," said Ms. Amelia Burns.

Soon Mrs. Figg came to the hall led by Dumbledore, Harry hurriedly stood up and said apologetically, "I'm so sorry, Mrs. Figg!"

Mrs. Figg shook her head nervously. As a Squib and her character, the magic world is different from insulation for her. This is the first time she came to the Ministry of Magic or a hearing, which made her a little nervous.

"Please describe what happened."

"Okay...Okay!" Mrs. Fig said nervously: "One of them is big, one is of medium build, and the other is thin and wears glasses!"

"It's not a child, it's a dementor."

"Oh! Yes! Yes!" Mrs. Figg also reacted, and said hastily: "They are big, yes! Very big, and they wear black capes. Everything is getting cold, like all joy Being out of this world...that feels really bad."

"Hehe!" Fudge laughed suddenly, as if he had heard some ridiculous joke, and said, "Listen, I have enough reasons to doubt the evidence you said, it is impossible for dementors to get lost and enter the Muggle area. And The possibility of meeting a wizard just by chance is too small."

"I don't think Mr Minister I think those dementors happened to be there..." said Dumbledore.

"Ahem..." A light cough interrupted Dumbledore, and a voice pretending to be tender said: "I may have misunderstood you, Professor."

　The first important scene at the beginning of the fifth part is staged.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)