Hogwarts: Harry Returns from Azeroth

Chapter 143 142. The trial without suspense and Fudge's ambush

Harry and Dumbledore spoke in low voices, and the people in the stands could only see that they seemed to say something, but they didn't know what they said specifically... But even so, the familiarity and relaxation between the two made the whispers even louder.

It didn't feel like being in the Wizengamot's courtroom at all, but rather like having afternoon tea in a sunny and breezy garden.

But it is also true that, in the eyes of many wizards in the Wizengamot, there is no need for this matter to have escalated to this point. It was originally just a very, very small matter, and no one would blame the young wizard for anything.

However, given the special identities of the parties involved, and the hype that has been fueled by the Daily Prophet for more than a month, the current trial of this case is more of an explanation to the vast majority of wizards in the British wizarding world than to Harry.

- Tell them not to bombard the Ministry with Howlers all day long, or to send their owls to shit on other people's desks, or to block the entrance to the Ministry for no reason.

It was just a formality, and everyone knew that it was impossible for a first-year wizard to use Apparition, so everyone in the Wizengamot looked quite relaxed, and some even waved at Harry.

But if there is anyone who is the most nervous in the entire Courtroom 4, it may be another party involved in the case.

"Ms. Mafalda Hopkirk?" Harry looked past Dumbledore's figure and towards the woman sitting on the chair.

His fluffy gray hair looked very messy. He was not tall, and there was no trace of blood on his pale face. Even his lips, which should have been rosy, had turned gray.

It can be seen that the director of the Department of Prohibition of the Abuse of Magic has not had a good time recently. The armrests of the chair she sits on have iron chains on both sides. When these chains suddenly jingle as if in protest, Hopkirk's whole body shakes violently.

He had been keeping his head down from the beginning, and finally raised his head when he heard Harry's voice. He stared at Harry with lifeless eyes for several seconds before his vision barely came into focus. He murmured something with his lips.

"...She won't be sent to Azkaban, right?" Harry asked Dumbledore worriedly.

"Oh, of course it's not that serious. After all, it was just a work error. No one was injured or killed, so there is no need to send Miss Hopkirk to Azkaban... Otherwise, there would be too many people in the Ministry of Magic who would need to be sent there." Dumbledore shook his head slightly and said, "I think it may be other pressures that Miss Hopkirk cannot bear."

Pressure from society.

To be honest, even standing at such a distance, Harry could vaguely smell a faint smell of... owl droppings from Miss Hopkirk.

Clang clang clang.

The sudden ringing of the bell made the whole audience silent. Fudge, who was sitting at the highest point of the stands, cleared his throat. Originally, Dumbledore, the chief wizard of the Wizengamot, was supposed to preside over the ceremony, but since Dumbledore was standing below, it could only be done by the Minister of Magic.

The entire Wizengamot's members include not only famous and prestigious wizards, but also the Minister of Magic and senior officials.

"Okay, silence," Fudge said, raising his voice. "Now that everyone is here, let's get started. Recorder, are you ready?"

"Yes, sir," said a woman sitting at the edge of the front row.

"The trial on August 24th," Fudge continued, "is the trial of Harry James Potter against Mafalda Hopkirk, Head of the Abuse of Magic Department, for negligence in her duties."

In fact, Harry sued the Department for the Misuse of Magical Objects, but somehow, when Fudge read it out, it became Hopkirk's fault alone... so that this woman seemed to be pushed out to take the blame.

A director should be enough to calm the boiling resentment in the British wizarding world - and even take on a lot of resentment for other departments.

"Interrogators: Cornelius Oswald Fudge, Minister of Magic; Amelia Susan Bones, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Trial reporter: Mia Smith - Go ahead, Bones."

"Okay, Minister," said a woman in black clothes and a black square hat sitting next to Fudge.

A few strands of gray hair hung down from the gaps in his hat, his whole face looked very square, and he wore a pair of monocles. The expression on his face was enough to scare the disobedient Ron into tears. At first glance, he looked even more serious and rigid than Professor McGonagall.

Harry didn't want to judge a book by its cover, but he had to admit that, in terms of appearance and temperament, this Ms. Bones fits the description Mr. Weasley had given her before he left this morning - a fair person.

"Please, the plaintiff Harry James Potter, state all the actions you took on July 30th until you received the warning letter from the Ministry of Magic," Bones said loudly.

"Yes, ma'am," Harry replied seriously, "There's nothing much to say. It was just an ordinary day for me. I wanted to go to a nearby park to relax for a while, but I suddenly received a letter like this."

No one had any doubts about this. After all, the matter had long been no secret. The Daily Prophet gave a comprehensive account of all the details before and after the incident - the kind that was exaggerated.

"…Do you accept that on 4th July the accused sent a warning letter to Harry James Potter, Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey, in response to an alert from the Trace, in the mistaken belief that Harry James Potter had breached section of the Reasonable Restraint of Underage Wizards Act? Mafalda Hopkirk?"

After questioning Harry, Bones turned to Hopkirk.

"I... admit it," Hopkirk finally spoke. Perhaps because she hadn't spoken for a long time, her voice was very hoarse, as if a blade was scraping across glass, stinging and painful.

"You didn't check the contents of the letter?"

"No." Hopkirk shook his head painfully.

"Then do you think it is reasonable for a child who grew up in a Muggle family and is also a first-year student at Hogwarts to use Apparition?"

"Of course not!" Hopkirk even gritted his teeth as he spoke these words, "But that was Trace's alarm! Who could have thought it would actually - Oh my God!!"

Hopkirk, who was sitting on the chair, bent over, hugged her head and started crying. Her words were intermittent, but everyone could understand why she looked like this... Before the incident really happened, who would have thought that the method of Trace, which has been used for hundreds of years, would have such a flaw?

The members of the Wizengamot were still whispering to each other, nodding or shaking their heads from time to time. Harry observed with interest these people who could be said to be at the top of the British wizarding world. He saw Fudge - the fake smile on the face of the Minister of Magic finally faded, and he fidgeted and moved his limbs, as if he was enduring something.

"So do you admit that you failed to do your job properly and caused a young child to suffer an unjust murder?" Bones continued.

But Hopkirk just covered her face and sobbed, unable to utter a word.

"Please answer the question, defendant!" Bones said sternly, completely undeterred by Hopkirk's crying.

"...Yes, I admit it." This time Hopkirk finally gave his answer, and the sound coming out from between his fingers was extremely dull.

"I think the truth of the matter is clear enough. Apparently, on July 30th, a wizard happened to make a brief stop at Privet Drive, and for some reason, the traces that only exist on underage wizards happened to react to the magic used by that wizard."

"Although we have been using the magic of Tracking Thread to monitor the activities of minors outside of school for hundreds of years, we have to admit that this magic does have some flaws that we did not realize before, and it still needs to be improved."

"--In any case, Ms. Hopkirk still committed serious dereliction of duty, and because of her irresponsible behavior, the Ministry of Magic is currently under severe public pressure." Harry noticed that the whispering sounds on the stands on both sides behind him near the exit of the courtroom suddenly became louder when Bones mentioned public pressure.

"If you have no other opinions, please raise your hands and vote now," Bones said in a loud voice, "Please raise your hands if you agree that Ms. Hopkirk is guilty."

All arms were raised in unison, even Fudge raised his hand with an annoyed look on his face. He was angry at Hopkirk for the trouble she had brought to him and the Ministry of Magic. In the eyes of ordinary wizards, there was something wrong with the Ministry of Magic under Fudge's leadership, which really gave him a headache.

——This made Harry even more curious about why Fudge was so restless just now.

"Please raise your hands if you think Ms. Hopkirk is not guilty," Bones asked, as is customary.

No one raised their hand.

It's not surprising. After all, no one wants to work in an environment full of noisy letters and owl droppings. Those who send letters don't care about the different powers within the Ministry of Magic. In their eyes, the Ministry of Magic is a whole, so everyone must die.

To be honest, it was only in the Wizengamot that Harry felt that the faint smell of owl droppings that he had been able to smell since he first entered the inner hall of the Ministry of Magic had finally disappeared.

It is no exaggeration to say that because of this incident, Hopkirk has offended all her colleagues this time. No wonder no one is speaking for her now.

"Minister?" After glancing around, Bones whispered to Fudge, saying that it was time for Fudge to make the judgment.

"Thank you, Bones." Fudge nodded and took a deep breath before saying, "As a punishment for your dereliction of duty and causing such serious consequences, even a director should bear the corresponding responsibility."

"I'm sorry, Hopkirk, you're fired. You should rest at home for a while."

When Fudge finished speaking, the atmosphere in the courtroom relaxed for a moment.

Click!

There was a crisp sound, followed by a strong flash of light. Harry turned his head sharply and saw that Rita Skeeter was also in the courtroom. She even waved at him as a greeting. She was the one taking the photo just now.

After a moment's thought, Harry understood why the Ministry of Magic would allow Rita Skeeter to appear in such a solemn courtroom - Fudge was probably hoping that today's events could be reported as soon as possible.

Only in this way can he restore his support rate and the reputation of the Ministry of Magic.

"Unfortunately, it seems that you won't be needed," Harry joked in a low voice, "Do you regret not sitting up there?"

"Ahem! Quiet!" Without waiting for Dumbledore to answer, Fudge's loud voice rang out again in the courtroom, "In addition to the Hopkirk case, there may be another matter related to this case waiting for the Wizengamot's judgment."

Harry looked up at Dumbledore and found that Dumbledore was looking at him too, the old man even deliberately tilted his head and blinked - as if to say, look?
"Something related to this case?" Bones' eyebrows furrowed sharply. Even when facing Fudge, her momentum did not slacken at all. "If it is evidence that will affect the verdict of this case, it should have been presented when the case was still under trial."

"Oh no, no, no, Bones, calm down. Of course, this is not evidence that will affect the outcome of this case." Fudge coughed and waved his hands repeatedly, "It's another piece of -"

"Excuse me, Minister," Bones said bluntly, "If it is another case, it should be reopened and tried on a fixed date. Courtroom 4 is open today only to try the Hopkirk dereliction of duty case."

"I know! I know! Bones! You don't need to teach me!" Fudge's face flushed red, and he waved his arm, almost knocking over the ink bottle in front of him. "Now, listen to me!"

"Harry James Potter!" After saying that, Fudge turned his head and asked Harry below without paying attention to Bones: "Do you admit that you have never used magic outside of school?"

"...I admit it," Harry replied with a raised eyebrow.

"Very good." Fudge nodded with satisfaction, and then ordered behind him: "Bring the people in."

The Wizengamot members and Ministry of Magic employees who were about to leave sat back down. They leaned toward the door of the fourth courtroom, trying to figure out what Fudge was trying to do.

The heavy door was pushed open again, and a tall and thin Ministry of Magic employee walked in with a child.

"...Terry Boot?" Harry whispered the child's name in a voice that only he could hear.

That was one of his apprentices, a child from Ravenclaw House, who entered Hogwarts in the same year as himself.

Why was he here? Was he brought in by Fudge?

Terry Boot obviously couldn't stand the atmosphere in the Fourth Courtroom, especially when he found that so many people were looking at him, including some people whom he had only seen in newspapers last year, who should be big figures in the wizarding world, and were looking at him. He felt even more stressed.

The area around his eyes was completely red, and it was obvious that Terry Boot had cried more than once. Compared with the calmness and composure Harry had shown since he came in until now, Terry Boot's reaction and nervousness finally made him look like a normal twelve-year-old child.

To be honest, this did make many people feel relieved. Harry's previous reaction made them a little nervous.

But why did Fudge suddenly ask such a child to come in? What did he want to prove?
"I know what you are all curious about." Fudge was satisfied with the feeling of everyone's eyes on him, and said loudly: "As I said to Bones just now, what I want to say is not unrelated to the Hopkirk case - because this case is essentially because Harry James Potter used magic outside of school."

"It's possible, Minister," Bones added, "It should be possible. We have proven that it is impossible for this child to use the magic of Apparition near his home. He is innocent, and even Hopkirk himself admits it."

"Yes, yes, it is indeed impossible for him to use the magic of Apparition." Fudge nodded repeatedly. He suddenly said, "But what if he used other magic?"

Fudge's words were like pouring a pile of red-hot charcoal into cold water. In an instant, the cold water began to boil.

Both the members of the Wizengamot and the employees of the Ministry of Magic were talking and discussing with the people around them. They were arguing about whether what Fudge said was true or false, and whether Harry really used magic - no matter what, Fudge made the atmosphere in the Fourth Courtroom become heated.

"It seems that I still have a chance to play today." Dumbledore walked up to Harry and said in a voice that only the two of them could hear.

"Have you heard the news a long time ago?" Harry asked in a low voice, but this time Dumbledore did not answer him.

Fudge did not call for silence. He was very satisfied with the effect he had caused. However, when his eyes fell on Harry, he frowned - there was no other reason. Even though he had said so, the child still did not show any panic or nervous reaction.

Still so calm, still so composed…as if no matter what happened it wouldn’t affect him, nor could it stop him.

Just like... Dumbledore.

(End of this chapter)