Harry Potter 05 - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

misunderstood you, Professor Dumbledore,’ she said, with a simper that left her big, round eyes as cold as ever. ‘So silly of me. But it sounded for a teensy moment as though you were suggesting that the Ministry of Magic had ordered an attack on this boy!’
    She gave a silvery laugh that made the hairs on the back of Harry’s neck stand up. A few other members of the Wizengamot laughed with her. It could not have been plainer that not one of them was really amused.
    ‘If it is true that the Dementors are taking orders only from the Ministry of Magic, and it is also true that two Dementors attacked Harry and his cousin a week ago, then it follows logically that somebody at the Ministry might have ordered the attacks,’ said Dumbledore politely. ‘Of course, these particular Dementors may have been outside Ministry control –’
    ‘There are no Dementors outside Ministry control!’ snapped Fudge, who had turned brick red.
    Dumbledore inclined his head in a little bow.
    ‘Then undoubtedly the Ministry will be making a full inquiry into why two Dementors were so very far from Azkaban and why they attacked without authorisation.’
    ‘It is not for you to decide what the Ministry of Magic does or does not do, Dumbledore!’ snapped Fudge, now a shade of magenta of which Uncle Vernon would have been proud.
    ‘Of course it isn’t,’ said Dumbledore mildly. ‘I was merely expressing my confidence that this matter will not go uninvestigated.’
    He glanced at Madam Bones, who readjusted her monocle and stared back at him, frowning slightly.
    ‘I would remind everybody that the behaviour of these Dementors, if indeed they are not figments of this boy’s imagination, is not the subject of this hearing!’ said Fudge. ‘We are here to examine Harry Potter’s offences under the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery!’
    ‘Of course we are,’ said Dumbledore, ‘but the presence of Dementors in that alleyway is highly relevant. Clause Seven of the Decree states that magic may be used before Muggles in exceptional circumstances, and as those exceptional circumstances include situations which threaten the life of the wizard or witch him- or herself, or any witches, wizards or Muggles present at the time of the –’
    ‘We are familiar with Clause Seven, thank you very much!’ snarled Fudge.
    ‘Of course you are,’ said Dumbledore courteously. ‘Then we are in agreement that Harry’s use of the Patronus Charm in these circumstances falls precisely into the category of exceptional circumstances the clause describes?’
    ‘If there were Dementors, which I doubt.’
    ‘You have heard it from an eyewitness,’ Dumbledore interrupted. ‘If you still doubt her truthfulness, call her back, question her again. I am sure she would not object.’
    ‘I – that – not –’ blustered Fudge, fiddling with the papers before him. ‘It’s – I want this over with today, Dumbledore!’
    ‘But naturally, you would not care how many times you heard from a witness, if the alternative was a serious miscarriage of justice,’ said Dumbledore.
    ‘Serious miscarriage, my hat!’ said Fudge at the top of his voice. ‘Have you ever bothered to tot up the number of cock-and-bull stories this boy has come out with, Dumbledore, while trying to cover up his flagrant misuse of magic out of school? I suppose you’ve forgotten the Hover Charm he used three years ago –’
    ‘That wasn’t me, it was a house-elf!’ said Harry.
    ‘YOU SEE?’ roared Fudge, gesturing flamboyantly in Harry’s direction. ‘A house-elf! In a Muggle house! I ask you.’
    ‘The house-elf in question is currently in the employ of Hogwarts School,’ said Dumbledore. ‘I can summon him here in an instant to give evidence if you wish.’
    ‘I – not – I haven’t got time to listen to house-elves! Anyway, that’s not the only – he blew up his aunt, for God’s sake!’ Fudge shouted, banging his fist on the judge’s bench and upsetting a bottle of ink.
    ‘And you very kindly did not press charges on that occasion, accepting, I presume, that even the best wizards cannot always control their emotions,’ said Dumbledore calmly, as Fudge attempted to scrub the ink off his notes.
    ‘And I haven’t even started on what he gets up to at school.’
    ‘But, as the Ministry has no authority to punish Hogwarts students for misdemeanours at school, Harry’s behaviour there is not relevant to this hearing,’ said