Chapter Three
Umbridge's Hearing
"Welcome to the Ministry of Magic visitor, please state your name and business." The cool female voice rang out. After saying what they were there for and receiving the buttons the voice said, "Please check in at the security desk in the Atrium." The booth started to move and in a matter of minutes they were stepping out into the Atrium. They started toward the desk but Kingsley suddenly came out of one of the fires on the right.
"Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione welcome back to the ministry. I greatly appreciate you guys coming here to testify. I just arrived back from trying to find you four. We must get a move on the hearing is beginning in…" he looked down at his watch, "wow no time. Come on." Kingsley finished turned around and started walking away. The others looked at each other before following Kingsley to the golden gates to the elevators down to the court rooms.
"Um… Minister-"
"Please call me Kingsley, Harry."
"Alright, Kingsley are we going down to the courtrooms?" Harry asked rather quickly.
"Yes, Harry I know why you wouldn't want to but think of it this way you and Madam Umbridge's places are switched, right?"
Harry didn't answer and they continued down to courtroom ten. After awhile the cool female voice said "Level Nine Department of Mysteries." They got out and headed for the stairwell. "She's behind that door isn't she, Kingsley?" Ginny asked. Kingsley merely nodded. Harry stepped up to the door and pushed it open. Upon which they discovered the entire Order of the Phoenix around the benches and Umbridge tied up on the chair. Kingsley pushed Harry and the others toward the benches. "Harry you'll be sitting by Percy and me. The rest will sit around us."
"We will now begin the Hearing. Robert Earl Kingsley, Minster of Magic, hearing for Dolores Jane Umbridge. Madam Umbridge you are charged with misconduct while being a teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and misconduct of a ministry of magic employee. Do you deny this?"
"Yes, I do. I did not mistreat anyone while teaching or otherwise." Umbridge screamed. "I didn't and if I did you must have proof that I have done so. Do you have proof?"
Before anyone could say anything Harry had spoken up, "So the scar on the back of my right hand wasn't misconduct. Myself and others having detention every other day because we told the truth wasn't misconduct."
"Yes, that was just teaching lying children a lesson." Umbridge said starting out strong but getting softer with each word.
"Miss Umbridge, you confessed to Miss Granger, Miss Weasley, Mr. Weasley, and Mr. Potter that you sent, an unauthorized, command to the dementors, did you not?" Professor McGonagall asked scathingly.
Umbridge protested, "I demand to have a witness beside those you mentioned who was in the office."
Kingsly looked over at Professor McGonagall who spoke to those concerned. "Those who object to her proposal, speak now."
No one spoke for a minute but Hermione saw a danger with this and broke the silence, "I wonder Madam Umbridge, if we may chose the witness."
"No, you may not I will ch-" Umbridge began but was cut off by Kingsley. "Who did you have in mind Miss Granger?"
"Miss Luna Lovegood, Mr. Neville Longbottom, and also Mr. Draco Malfoy ex-member of the Inquisitorial Squad. Madam Umbridge is there any objections to that line up?"
"No Miss Granger I do not."
"Very well. Three of you," Kingsley shouted to the very top row where six Aurors were sitting. "go acquire the three Miss Granger mentioned. While we wait let's go on to the mistrials you conducted on Muggle Borns last year. We can call forth on one person you didn't even know was there." Umbridge looked Quiet puzzled by now, "Miss Granger, please describe the trail you heard while under the influence of the polyjuice potion."
Hermione hesitated but Ron urged her on. "Well I was here as Mafalda Hopkirk. Mary Elizabeth Cattermole was the case that stood out in my head possibly because that's when most of the muggle borns escaped with us that day. Madam Umbridge asked the appropriate questions at the beginning like Mrs. Cattermole's wand which was if the Eight-and-three-quarter inches, cherry, unicorn-hair core was the correct one. But she then started asking who she had taken it from, Mrs. Cattermole than started to refuse when I asked Madam Umbridge about the necklace she had on Harry stupefied her to take it. That's when all hell broke loose."
The court room was silent for a moment. Then the door banged open to reveal Luna Lovegood, Neville Longbottom, and Draco Malfoy. "Oh good they're here." Kingsley said. "Please come up here by us you three."
"Hermione what's going on? Bring us here for what; did you want us to testify?" Luna said in her dreamy voice like she could care less.
"Simple Madam Umbridge doesn't trust those of us here that were in the office. She was reluctant to accept you and Neville but did accept when I mentioned Malfoy." Hermione answered swiftly.
"Is that why I'm here? Granger." Malfoy said icily.
"Please stop Mr. Malfoy we just want you to tell us if Madam Umbridge said that she was the one to send an unauthorized order to the Dementors during the summer before your fifth year." Professor McGonagall intervened quickly.
"Yes, she did let slip that she did that and that Fudge didn't know but was glad of a reason to expell Potter."
"Thank you Mr. Malfoy. Mr. Longbottom, Miss Lovegood do you agree with Mr. Malfoy?"
"Yes." Neville and Luna answered. Luna continued, "She also threatened to use the Cruciatus Curse on Harry."
"Madam Umbridge," Kingsley began, "we came here today not with personal vendettas, but with facts proven by this jury and by this jury you will either be sent to Azkaban or you will be cleared of all charges. Who on the jury believes that Madam Umbridge should be cleared of all charges?" Kingsley looks around but no one raised a hand. "Those who believe her to be guilty please raise your hand now." He turned around to find the entire jury raising a hand. "I see that its unanimous decision. Please take her to Azkaban for the rest of her life doomed to serve the prisoners their food and herself last on everything. That concludes this trail. Good luck this year Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Weasley, Mr. Potter, Miss Weasley, Miss Lovegood, and Miss Granger."