Chapter 818 (1/2)

Harry is out of breath now; he has to save himself now.

He's been in a dungeon that's pretty scary. Harry has never seen it before. I haven't been here.

But, together with van Lim, he visited here in Dumbledore's memory bowl, where he saw little Barty crouch sentenced to life in Azkaban.

The walls are made of black stone, and the torch gives out dim light.

There were empty benches on either side, but there were many shadows on the top row of the highest benches.

They were all whispering, but the hall was filled with ominous silence as the door behind Harry slammed shut. A cold voice sounded in the courtroom.

”You're late.”

”I'm sorry,” Harry said nervously, ”I - I didn't know the time had changed.”

”It's not the jury's fault,” said the voice. ”An owl has been sent to your house this morning. Sit down. ”

Harry looked down at the chair in the middle of the courtroom, the arms of which were hidden with shackles. He had seen the shackles pop out like life to hold anyone in a chair.

He walked through the stone floor, and the echo of his feet was very loud. As Harry sat cautiously to the edge of his chair, the shackles clanged menacingly, but they didn't lock him.

Harry felt even more uncomfortable. He looked up at the people sitting on the row of benches above. From the number of people he could see, there were about fifty people sitting there, all dressed in plum colored robes with a fine silver ”W” embroidered on the left front of the robe. All gazed at him from under their noses, some with meticulous expressions, while others looked very curious.

In the middle of the front row sits Cornell fudge, the Minister of magic, the Minister of magic.

Fudge is a fat man, often wearing a gray green magic hat, but today he took it off; he also took off his usual indulgent smile when talking to Harry, which made Harry feel almost misplaced

A witch with a wide, square chin sat on Fudge's left, wearing a monocle with a terrifying expression. To fudge's right was another witch, but she sat very far back of the bench, so her face was hidden in the shadow.

”Very well,” said Fudge, ”the defendant has arrived - though it is the last - let's start. Are you ready? ” He asked all of you.

”Yes, sir,” said a warm voice familiar to Harry. Ron's brother Percy is sitting at the end of the front bench. Harry looked up at Percy, hoping to see something in him, but there was no response. Percy's eyes were hidden behind the horned glasses, with a piece of parchment in front of her and a large quill in her hand.

”The disciplinary hearing on August 2,” fudge said in a loud voice, while Percy immediately recorded, ”will hear Mr. Harry Potter's violations of the minor magic restrictions and international magic secrecy regulations. Mr. Harry Potter is a resident of 4 Privet Drive, little whinging, Surrey.”

”Questioners: Cornell Oswald fudge, Minister of magic; Emira Susan Bonis, director of the Department of magic regulations enforcement; and Dolores Jane Umbridge, senior vice minister of the Ministry of magic. Court recorder: Percy agnatis Weasley -- ”

” defense attorney, Albus Percival woolfrick Bryan Dumbledore, ”a calm voice sounded behind Harry, and Harry quickly turned his head and twisted his neck.

Dumbledore is quietly walking through the room, he is wearing a dark blue robe, a very calm expression. His long silver whiskers sparkled in the light of the torch.

Dumbledore stood next to Harry and looked up through the glasses at fudge, his half moon frame in the middle of his long hooked nose. The members of the jury began to whisper.