HP Magic Biography

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Harry felt a tightness in his chest, and Fudge's fast-paced question caught Harry off guard.

Yes, said Harry annoyed, but I did the magic because we were—

The witch with the monocle interrupted Harry with a sharp tone.

You cast a full Patronus spell, didn't you?

Yes, said Harry, because...

A tangible Patronus spell, isn't it?

Once... what? Harry said.

Does your Patronus magic have a clear image? I mean, it's not a puff of steam or a puff of smoke, is it?

Yes, said Harry, feeling both impatient and slightly disappointed now, it was a stag, and it was always a stag.

Always? asked Mrs. Bowness aloud. Have you cast Patronus magic before?

Yes, said Harry, I've been able to perform this kind of magic for over a year.

So you were 15?

Yes, and—

You learned it in school?

Professor Lupine taught me when I was three years old, because that—

Impressive, said Mrs Bowness, staring down at Harry, to cast a real Patronus spell at that age . . . very impressive.

Some of the wizards and witches around her whispered again; some nodded, but others frowned and shook their heads.

Now it's not a question of how impressive the magic is, Fudge asked in a grumpy voice. In fact, the more impressive the worse, I think, the kid's magic has been captured by a Muggle. I see it clearly!

The wizards who had frowned earlier now murmured agreement, but Percy prodded Harry to speak with a feigned divine nod.

I do the magic because of the dementors! Harry said loudly before anyone could interrupt him. He had hoped for more commotion, but the jury was quiet, as if thicker than the previous one.

Dementors? Mrs. Bowness asked after a moment, her bushy eyebrows raised until her monocle almost fell off. What do you mean, child?

I mean two dementors showed up on the way and they attacked me and my cousin!

Ah, said Fudge again, smirking displeasedly and looking around at the jury members, as if asking them to share in the joke.

Yes, yes. I think we've heard something like that.

Dementors in Little Whinging? asked Mrs. Bowness in a tone of great surprise. I don't understand—

I also do not understand……

Don't you understand, Emira? Fudge was still smirking. Let me explain. He's thought this through thoroughly, and thinks Dementors could be used to make up a very real cover story .Muggles can't see dementors, can they, boy? Convenient, convenient... so that's just your side story, no witnesses...

I'm not lying! Harry's voice was loud over another burst of whispers that erupted in the Inquisition. There were two of them, coming out from both ends of the alley, and it was getting dark and cold, and my cousin sensed them and ran over—

Enough! Enough! said Fudge, with a supercilious look on his face. I'm sorry to interrupt, but I'm sure this is just a pre-made story—

Dumbledore cleared his throat, and the jury fell silent again.

Actually, we have a witness who saw a dementor appear in the alley, he said. I mean anyone other than Dudley Dursley.

Fudge's chubby face relaxed, as if someone had sucked the air out of it. He stared at Dumbledore for a moment,

Then, as if someone had pulled him back, he said: I'm afraid we don't have time for any more lies. I'm going to deal with that quickly—

I may be wrong, said Dumbledore happily, but I'm sure the jury charter is correct, and the defendant has the right to give witnesses to his case? Isn't that the policy of the Magical Ordinance Enforcement Office, Mrs. Bowness ?” He pointed to the witch with a monocle and continued.

Correct, said Mrs. Bowness, very correct.

Oh, good, good, said Fudge suddenly, where is this man?

I brought her, said Dumbledore. She's just outside the door. Can I—?

No—Weasley, you go, Fudge snarled at Percy, tell her to come here at once, walk from the Court Balcony to the Stone Steps, and pass quickly without looking at Harry and Dumbledore.

Soon Percy came back, followed by Mrs. Figg. She looked terrified, and even weirder than ever.

Harry hoped she hadn't forgotten to change out her slippers. Dumbledore stood up and gave Mrs. Figg his chair, and then magically changed it for himself again.

full name?

asked Fudge loudly as Mrs. Figg sat on the very edge of the chair in extreme tension.

Arabella Dowling Figg, said Mrs. Figg in a trembling voice.

Your exact identity? Fudge asked in a bored, haughty tone.

I'm a resident near Mr. Harry Potter's house in Little Whinging, Mrs. Figg replied.

Apart from Mr. Harry Potter, in our records there is only Valinair, who left a year ago. For the rest, there are no other wizards or witches living in Little Whinging, said Poe Mrs. Ness said immediately, That position is always too close to the monitor, offering...offering past events.

I'm a Squibb, said Mrs. Figg, so you didn't register me, did you?

A Squibb, huh? said Fudge, looking closer at Mrs. Figg. We'll investigate. You give the details of your parentage to my assistant Weasley. Squibb, by the way, can see Dementors? he added, looking left and right.

Yes, we can! said Mrs. Figg angrily.

Fudge looked down at Mrs. Figg, his eyebrows raised. Very well, he said nonchalantly, what's your story?

I went out about nine o'clock in the evening on August 2nd to buy cat food from the shop on the corner of Westeria Promenade, Mrs. Figg said quickly, as if she had learned the words by heart, But I heard a commotion in the alley between Magnolia Back Street and Westeria Promenade. As I approached the corner I saw a dementor running—

Run? said Mrs. Bowness sharply. Dementors don't run. They slide.

That's what I mean, said Mrs. Figg quickly, a tinge of pink on her withered face. They're gliding down the alley, looking like two children.

What do you think they look like? Mrs. Bowness's brows were furrowed so deeply that her monocle fell off her face.

Yes, one of them is very fat and the other is very thin—

No, no, said Mrs. Bowness impatiently, a dementor...describe a dementor.

Oh, said Mrs. Figg, the blush now creeping up her neck. They're big. Huge and caped.

Harry felt his stomach sink terribly at this moment. Whatever Mrs. Figg said, it sounded to Harry as if at best she had seen pictures of Dementors, and the pictures didn't convey what they really were: the horrible way they moved, floating inches above the ground ; or their rotting smell; and the horrible clicking sound they made sucking in the air around them... In the second row, a squat wizard was leaning over and whispering to his neighbour. The wizard had a huge black beard, and his neighbor was a witch with curly hair. The witch nodded with a smirk.

Tall and cloaked, Mrs. Bowness repeated dryly, as Fudge snorted derisively. I see. Anything else?

Yes, said Mrs. Figg, I felt them. It was cold all around, mind you, and it was a very hot summer evening. And I felt... as if all the joys were coming from the world. disappeared...and I recalled...horrible things... Mrs. Figg's voice was trembling and lifeless.

Mrs. Bowness's eyes widened a little. Harry could see a blush under Mrs. Bowness's brow where the single eye had once been pressed.

What were the dementors doing? asked Mrs. Bowness.

A glimmer of hope reigned in Harry.

They rushed at the kids, said Mrs. Figg's voice now louder and more confident, and the pink faded back into her face.

One of the children fell. The other stepped back and fended off the dementor as hard as he could. That boy was Harry. He tried twice to cast the spell, but only released a puff of silvery steam. On the third attempt , he finally cast a full Patronus spell, which repelled the first Dementor, and then, with Harry's efforts, drove the second Dementor away from Harry's cousin. Gone. And that's what happened.

Mrs Figg ended her statement somewhat incompletely. Mrs. Bowness looked at Mrs. Figg silently. Fudge didn't look at her at all, but he was flipping through the documents restlessly.

Finally, Fudge opened his eyes and said aggressively, That's all you're going to say, isn't it?

That's all that happened, repeated Mrs. Figg.

Very well, said Fudge, you can go.

Mrs. Figg glanced at Fudge and Dumbledore with fearful eyes, then stood up and walked slowly towards the door. Harry heard the door slam shut behind her.

That's not a very credible eyewitness, said Fudge haughtily.

No, I'm not sure yet, said Mrs. Bowness quickly. She has clearly described the effect of the dementor's attack very accurately. I can't imagine if the dementor hadn't appeared in Privet Drive. , why did she say that?

But a dementor wandering around a Muggle-populated area and meeting a passing wizard? Fudge sniffed contemptuously. That's very, very unlikely. Not even a salesman would bet against—

Oh, I don't think any of us would believe that the Dementors were there by chance, said Dumbledore softly.

The witch sitting on Fudge's left, that is, the one whose face was hidden in the shadows, moved uncomfortably, but the others still sat quietly and did not move.

What does this assumption mean? Fudge asked coldly.

That means I think the Dementors were ordered there? said Dumbledore.

I think we've got records to check to see if two Dementors have been ordered to patrol Little Whinging! growled Fudge.

It cannot be ruled out these days that the dementors are commissioned by someone other than the Ministry of Magic, said Dumbledore quietly. I have given you my opinion on the matter, Connelly.

Yes, you provided it, Fudge said aggressively, but I have no reason to believe that your point of view has any credibility. The dementors are now staying in the magic prison of Azkaban and faithfully implementing the orders we ordered. All orders.

Then, said Dumbledore calmly and clearly, we must ask ourselves why someone in the Ministry of Magic ordered the dementors to go to the alley on August 2nd.

There was silence in the Inquisition after these words, and the witch to Fudge's right leaned forward so that Harry could see her clearly for the first time.

He thought the witch looked like a pale, gigantic toad. She was almost squatting in the chair, a witch with a broad, slack face, a thick, short neck like Uncle Vernon's, and a wide, dull mouth. Her eyes are big, round and bulging. Even the black velvet bow in her short, curly hair gave Harry the impression that it was a big fly she was trying to catch with her long, sticky tongue.

This is Dorothy Jane Umbridge, Senior Undersecretary of the Ministry of Magic, Fudge said.

The witch spoke in a trembling, girly, high-pitched voice that gave Harry the creeps; it sounded like a toad's cry to him.

I sure didn't understand what you said, Professor Dumbledore, she giggled, but her big, round eyes were as indifferent as ever, but, oh... how stupid of me. But, if I didn't If you get it wrong, it sounds like you kind of think the Ministry of Magic ordered the attack on this child! She let out a crisp laugh, which made Harry's pores stand on end.

Several other members of the jury laughed at her. But it's more accurate to say that none of them actually laughed.

If it is true that the dementors can only take orders from the Ministry of Magic now, and it is true that two dementors attacked Harry and his cousin a week ago, then the next logic is that someone from the Ministry of Magic ordered the attack. said Dumbledore politely, of course, it is also possible that these additional dementors are outside the control of the Ministry of Magic -

There are no dementors outside the control of the Ministry of Magic! Fudge roared, his face turning red.

Dumbledore nodded slightly.

Then there is no doubt that the Ministry of Magic must conduct a full investigation into why two dementors stayed away from Azkaban, and why they attacked without orders.

It's not your turn to decide what the Ministry of Magic should and shouldn't do, Dumbledore! Fudge now roared with the fuchsia that Uncle Vernon was so proud of.

Of course not, Dumbledore said mildly, I'm just expressing my determination that this incident cannot be left alone.

Dumbledore stared at Mrs. Bowness, who adjusted her monocle and stared back at Dumbledore with a slight frown.

I want to remind everyone here that if the behavior of these dementors is really not the child's subjective imagination, then it is not the subject of this hearing! Fudge said, Our purpose here is to check Harry Potter's violation of the Minors' Magic Restriction Act.

Of course we are, said Dumbledore, but the appearance of dementors in the alley is a very critical issue. Article 7 of the Root House Magic Constitution Act stipulates that magic is allowed to be performed in front of Muggles under special circumstances. Exceptional circumstances include situations where the wizard's own life is threatened, or any other wizard's or Muggle's life is threatened—

We know what Article 7 of the Constitution says, thank you very much! Fudge said angrily.

Of course you understand, Dumbledore said kindly. Then we would have to agree that Harry's use of Patronus spells in these circumstances is fully within the constitutional statute regarding exceptional circumstances.

I doubt whether there were dementors at that time!

You have just heard from an eyewitness, Dumbledore interrupted. If you still doubt the veracity of her testimony, then call her back. Ask her again, and I'm sure Mrs. Figg won't object.

I--that--no--, said Fudge exasperatedly. There was that useless document in front of him. It's just - I wish I'd made it here today, Dumbledore!

But naturally, if you fear that this choice will lead to a serious miscalculation of the trial, question the witnesses as many times as you like, said Dumbledore. Serious mistake, my goodness! said Fudge in the highest voice. Do you even believe and be troubled by a child's cock-and-bull story, Dumbledore? Covering up and condoning the illegal casting of magic? I guess you've forgotten about his hovering magic three years ago—

I didn't do that, it was a house-elf! said Harry.

Look? growled Fudge, gesturing nonsense in Harry's direction. A house-elf! In a Muggle house! I ask you...