Chapter 380

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"Is everyone here?" Fudge took a cursory look around the room. "Fine."

The minister took his seat.

"Mr. Weasley," he nodded to Percy, who activated several Quick-Quotes Quills that fluttered over the parchment.

"So," Fudge spoke in an important tone. "As Chief Warlock and Chairman of the Wizengamot, I declare a hearing on the case..."

The minister glanced at the table in front of him.

"... At number seven hundred and twenty-five. Please note the presence of all current members of the Wizengamot, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement Amelia Bones, Deputy Minister of Magic England Dolores Umbridge. The appearance of the defendants in the case?"

Mr. Guber rose from his seat.

"My clients, Maximilian Knight and Hermione Granger, are here."

Delphine stood up next.

"Daphne and Astoria Greengrass are here."

"My clients," the man stood up, "are all present."

"Fine," nodded Fudge. "Let's proceed to the consideration of the heart of the matter."

"Let me ask a question," the Slytherin lawyer interjected, and Fudge nodded. "Why is such an insignificant case being considered by the full Wizengamot?"

" As you should know," Fudge looked condescendingly at the lawyer. "Cases involving an active member of the Wizengamot are considered only and only in full."

"May I clarify, who?"

"Maximilian Knight, as the representative of the House of Black interests. Any more questions?"

A wave of quiet whispers swept through the hall but quickly subsided.

"No, Your Honor."

"Due to the presence of allegations from both sides, the case will be considered not in relation to two groups of wizards, but in relation to each, in particular, to clarify the severity of the crime, if the fact of such is found, in relation to each person involved in particular. Initial charges: the attack of twelve Hogwarts senior students on three Hogwarts senior students, with the use of spells that go beyond safe and conditionally safe, as well as with the use of two of the three Unforgivable Spells, with the purpose of physical and psychological violence. Counterclaim: significant excess of permissible self-defense with moderate and... severe..." Fudge looked at the Slytherins sitting behind me, who almost on cue pretended to be half dead, even groaning."...degree of severity..."

The look on Fudge's face said, "You serious?" In fact, it was about the same expression on the faces of the rest of the Wizengamot. Hermione took on an even prouder look.

"So," Fudge returned a serious look to his face. "The floor is given to Daphne Greengrass or her representative."

Delphine got up from her chair and quickly and clearly told the story of how in the corridor of Hogwarts dungeons, Mr. Theodore Nott Jr., who is a classmate of Daphne Greengrass, called the girl away for a private conversation, during which he tried, walking behind the girl, unnoticed to impose Imperio on her. Daphne managed to turn around and draw her wand, but no more than that. Later on, there was a description of the psychological state from Daphne's words, and after that, she woke up tied up in the office. The rest of the story was already known, and Delphine didn't skimp on the details, describing everything that happened, albeit from Daphne's words. Then a story on behalf of Astoria, in which Daphne asked her sister to come to the office for a conversation, and she came, having received Incarcerous in the face. Only after that did Astoria see that Hermione, paralyzed by Petrificus, was also in the office.

"... All certified materials and examinations are attached to the case," Delphine finished and sat down with a nod from Fudge. It is worth saying that as Delphine's monologue progressed, the members of the Wizengamot actively studied the folders with materials that lay in front of them.

Next, they heard Hermione's testimony, but it was Mr. Guber who gave it - we had agreed that the simple legal questions and subtleties would be left to him, and the tricky, but not legal, questions would be left to me. We would only answer questions addressed directly to us personally. In general, Hermione's situation was even simpler - Daphne asked to come to one of the rooms for discussion and practice in the runes, in which they have been discussing a lot together for a long time. She came, got a non-verbal wandless Petrificus, and for a long time tried to take it off herself just as nonverbally and without a wand while listening to everything that was going on around her. She succeeded at the very end, and Hermione was able to dodge a Crucio sent to her by Selwyn.

"We have listened to the testimony of one of the parties," concluded Fudge. "Now, let's move on to the second side..."