I know I may have made Fudge look more like an idiot in this chapter then he really is… or maybe not, anyway in this chapter he is really, really stupid.

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Chapter 10 Hem, Hem


Fleur cried often in the following days though less and less for every day that went by. Mrs Weasley to Harry's surprise acted as if nothing she was as nice as ever to Harry and Fleur, Harry was very thankful for this he didn't think he could have been able to persuaded Fleur to come down to the meals otherwise. Ginny seamed to accept that Harry loved Fleur but she wouldn't say anything more then hello to him, and she would still glare at Fleur especially if Harry wasn't watching. The days with Fleur went past very fast and before Harry knew it, it was the 23rd. He awoke early that morning he couldn't sleep he was too nervous about facing the Wizengamot but he was also curios about what they might say. He knew that many of the members of the Wizengamot had thought that he was mad. He wondered if Fudge would be there and if Fudge would be able to look him in his eyes.

He decided to get a shower in the honour of the day; he walked out of the room and down to the largest bathroom. He swung the door to the bathroom open and got the shock of his life. Someone was already in the bathroom someone with long red hair someone without clothes he couldn't see her face since she had her back turned at him but he knew it was Ginny. As Ginny heard the door open, she spun around and gave a very girlish shriek. Harry stood frozen to the spot, he had never seen anything like this in his entire life, he felt his heart beat painfully in his chest and all his muscles go rigid. It occurred to him more clearly then ever that Ginny was a full-grown woman, and she was beautiful. Harry came back to his senses before Ginny's shriek had died out; he turned around and slammed the door behind him. He could feel his heart still pumping so hard that it hurt him. He practically ran away from the largest bathroom and into the second largest.

As he stood in the shower, he started to wonder what had happened. He had just seen Ginny completely naked, he knew he would never again see Ginny as anyone's little sister. He got back into his room and started to pick out his best school robe, he was not going there the muggle way so he wouldn't have to dress in muggle clothes. It would be fun to face the people who had tried to expel him from Hogwarts in Hogwarts robes. He would enjoy rubbing it in their faces, he was right and they were wrong. He hoped that Umbridge was there too, he would love to rub it into her toad like face more then anyone else. He tried to flatten his hair but to no success, he finally gave up on it and went down for breakfast. Mrs Weasley and Ginny was the only one there. He blushed furiously at the sight of Ginny, he expected her to blush too but she didn't. Instead, she seemed to enjoy the fact that Harry was blushing and she wasn't.

"Good morning Harry dear" Mrs Weasley said and then as she saw his red facial colour "don't worry; you are not the suspect this time. You are doing them a service by witnessing against her" Mrs Weasley obviously thought that his blush was from pure nervousness. Harry avoided looking at Ginny during breakfast every time he dared to glance at her he could see her naked.

The kitchen door swung open and Albus Dumbledore entered, he was wearing sky-blue robes that matched the colour of his sparkling eyes.

"Dumbledore" Mrs Weasley exclaimed "how nice to see you"

"Good morning Molly, Ginny and Harry" Dumbledore said happily. To Harry's great relief Dumbledore looked him directly in his eyes and it didn't affect him whatsoever.

"Morning Professor" Harry said on his and Ginny's behalf.

"Would you like a cup of tea?" Mrs Weasley offered Dumbledore.

"Don't mind if I do" Dumbledore replied and sat down.

"I saw you managed to burn Mrs Black?" Dumbledore inquired.

"She made the mistake of calling a part veela who just had lost her family a 'filthy half-breed'" Harry explained fondly.

"Yes that would be very fatal indeed" Dumbledore chuckled merrily.

"Do you think we have a chance, sir?" Harry asked his Headmaster after a few moments.

"Yes, I think we do Harry" Dumbledore said thoughtfully. Harry had another question he was dying to ask Dumbledore but he restrained himself for the moment, he had plenty of time during the day to ask Dumbledore what Voldemort was up to.

"I think" Dumbledore said "that we better get going Harry"

"But I don't have to witness until 10:30" Harry said a bit surprised.

"I though you might like to attend the trial?" Dumbledore said.

"I can do that?" Harry asked hopefully.

"Yes, especially as we had no possibility to arrange for you to see Dolores first trial" Dumbledore explained.

"Right" Said Harry, he had wanted to say good-bye to Fleur before he left at that moment the door flung open and Fleur entered.

"Oh, good morning Mr Dumbledore" Fleur said surprised.

"Good morning to you too Miss Delacour" Dumbledore replied and bowed slightly to her from his seat.

There was a moment of silence as Fleur looked questionably at Harry.

"I arrived early to pick up Harry so that he can attend the trial from the beginning" Explained Dumbledore.

"Oh" Said Fleur a bit disappointed Harry knew that she felt very lonely without him.

"Harry you are entitled to bring a relative along as moral support" Dumbledore said seriously but his blue eyes sparkled mischievously.

"Can I bring Fleur?" Harry asked him hopefully, glancing over at Fleur to se if she approved. She smiled at him.

"Yes, I think that would be an excellent idea" Dumbledore exclaimed happily.

At these words Mrs Weasley started buttering toast frantically "You haven't had any breakfast dear and you are as thin as a stick" Mrs Weasley conjured a paper bag and summoned a bottle of pumpkin juice. Fleur conjured a mirror and started to make sure that she was decent. Fleur was as beautiful as ever something about her made her look good in whatever she wore. Today she was wearing a knee long white skirt and a pale pink blouse without sleeves it wasn't really any spectacular clothes just rather common summer clothes but on Fleur it looked as if it was made for her.

"You look fine dear" Mrs Weasley reassured her and handed Fleur the paper bag with her breakfast.

"Thanks, Mrs Weasley" Fleur replied, Harry could tell that she was a little surprised but also very happy that Mrs Weasley cared so much for her.

"Ready" Dumbledore asked and gestured them towards him.

"Yes" Fleur and Harry chorused.

"Good... DISAPPARATE" Dumbledore said. Almost at once Harry felt weightless; he couldn't see anything, everything was very bright or was it black Harry couldn't tell. He seemed to have lost the ability to see. After a few seconds, the fountain with the Wizard, Witch, centaur, goblin and house elf faded in bellow him. He realised that he was flying; no falling he tried to waved his arms out of instinct to land on his feet. He noticed to his horror that he had no arm's to wave with or feet's to land on. He was falling do the ground quickly he was going to crash onto the centaurs back but then something pushed him towards an empty spot of floor next to the fountain.

"APPARATE" Said Dumbledore's voice followed by a "CRACK" He realised that he was standing on his feet's next to the fountain with Dumbledore and Fleur. He stumbled slightly out of pure shock.

"What was that" He exclaimed.

"We just apparated" Dumbledore said.

"All three of us?" Harry asked bewildered, he had never heard that it was possible to apparate other people but then he figured that it wasn't possible for anyone but Dumbledore.

"Yes" Dumbledore replied "Now let's go and register your wands" He walked over to the security desk, Harry and Fleur followed. Fleur was looking around as they walked; he couldn't blame her it really was a splendid hall and even though the fountain didn't reflect reality it was very well crafted and well worth admiring.

"Professor Dumbledore, what can I do for you" The security officer said happily as he saw them.

"Good Morning Eric, we are here" He gestured towards Fleur and Harry "to attend the trial"

"Oh, right" Eric said he looked over at Harry and Fleur "Step over here and give me your wands" Fleur and Harry obliged and handed their wand to him. Harry noticed that he didn't bother with the thin golden rod that he had passed up and down in front of Harry last time he was here, maybe it had something to do with Dumbledore's presence.

"Right" Eric said and looked up at Harry's scar as he took his wand and then down of Fleur's body as he took hers.

He put the Harry's wand on the strange brass instrument and after a few moments, a thin a strip of paper appeared from the base of the instrument.

"Eleven inches, Phoenix core, used for five years, last time you visited the ministry was august the twelfths last year?" He asked Harry.

"Yes" Harry replied. The security officer handed Harry his wand back and then repeated the process with Fleur's wand.

"Nine and a half inches, veela hair!" The security officer said and raised an eyebrow. Clearly, Harry thought veela hair was very unusual "been in use for eight years?"

"Yes" Fleur answered.

"I see you haven't got any…" Eric said and then trailed off as Dumbledore waved his wand. Harry saw a silver badge appear on Fleur chest it read 'Ms Fleur Delacour' and then in a smaller text 'Relative to Mr Harry Potter'. He noticed that Fleur was looking on his chest and realized that he had a similar badge; it read 'Mr Harry Potter Witness'.

"Ah… have a nice day then" Eric said.

"The same to you" Dumbledore replied and stirred them off to the elevators. Loads of people greeted Dumbledore merely. Some people greeted Harry as well and wanted to shake his hand. Fleur too was receiving loads of curios glances especially from the males she looked very irritated.

"What an ugly place this is, have you Englishmen no taste at all?" Fleur asked Harry loudly so that every one could here her. Harry was shocked by Fleur's sudden rudeness. She had never been rude to him before. Harry glanced nervously around expecting people to be looking more intently then ever at them but instead he noticed that people started to look away from Fleur with embarrassing expressions only some witches continued to look at them. He understood what Fleur had done, she'd scared them off, Dumbledore must have realised what Fleur had done too because he chuckled merrily.

Harry smiled as they entered a strangely enough empty elevator. Then he realised that they were going down everyone else must be going up to their departments.

Fleur watched the elevator doors close and Harry knew she wondered how Tonks had managed lose a quill by getting it stuck between them. Harry couldn't help wondering the same thing.

"Are we staying for lunch?" Harry asked he hoped that maybe they could have lunch with Tonks's but then he realised that he wasn't supposed to know her and neither was Fleur.

"Yes, I expect the trials will go on the entire day" Dumbledore replied and then he added as if he was reading Harry's thoughts "Maybe we can get a tour of the auror headquarter I happen to know a very charming girl there called Nymphadora Tonks"

"Oh" Harry replied trying to sound happily surprised.

"That would be great" Fleur said enthusiastically "I've never met an auror"

"Yes, so you two got to know each other during the tournament?" Dumbledore asked. Harry knew that he was making sure that Fleur and Harry didn't say anything about the order.

"Yes, we have been writing ever since" Fleur lied quickly "and now that Harry was going to London he invited me to accompany him"

"How very excellent" Dumbledore said.

"Department of mysteries" The cool female elevator voice said and the elevator came to a halt. Dumbledore gestured them out of the elevator and to follow him.

"We are here in good time" Dumbledore said and then turned to Fleur "You will have time to eat your breakfast"

Dumbledore stopped outside a door that had a sign on it that read 'Courtroom 8'.

They all sat down on a bench that stood against the wall opposite the door. Fleur started slowly to eat her toasts and drink her juice. After a few moments, Madam Bones came walking down the corridor.

"Ah, Albus how nice to se you" She exclaimed.

"Good morning Amelia, it's great to see you too, this is Fleur Delacour and Harry Potter" Dumbledore greeted.

"Ah, the Tri Wizard champion from Beauxbaton" Said Madam Bones and shook Fleur's hand.

"Nice to meet you" Fleur said.

"And Harry Potter" Madam Bones said and shock his hand.

"Hello" Harry replied politely, he liked Madam Bones she had believed him when he had had his disciplinary hearing.

"Shall we get seated then Albus" Madam Bones asked Dumbledore.

They entered courtroom 8 it was much nicer then courtroom 10 it was brightly lit and the stone walls were smooth and polished. There was a chair in the middle of the room, but it didn't have any chains, in fact it was rather comfortable looking. At one side of the room, there was a long table with several chairs behind it and at the other side of the room were several rows of benches. Dumbledore gestured towards these benches and Fleur and Harry sat down at the far end of the front row. Dumbledore and Madam Bones sat down behind the long table. One after one the Wizengamot entered the room and sat down behind the table, some people also sat down on the benches one of them was Remus Lupin.

"Professor Lupin" Harry exclaimed as he saw him. He thought it would be best if he called him Professor Lupin in front of these people.

"Harry" Remus replied and walked over to them shaking his hand.

"Fleur, this is Remus Lupin, Professor this is Fleur Delacour" Harry introduced formally, they greeted each other as if they were complete strangers and Remus sat down next to Harry, they chatted merrily about Harry's third year when Lupin had been Defence against the Dark Arts teacher. After a few moments, Fudge and Percy entered. Harry didn't know what to think about Percy, he knew that Percy had apologized but he seemed as devoted to Fudge as ever. A few moments later Umbridge entered, the room followed by two wizards who Harry figured was her guard. Umbridge sat down in the chair in the middle of the room her face was even paler then usual and she was more toad like then ever. Harry glared at her, she had tried to kill him, she had tortured him and on top of all she had confiscated his Firebolt. She had also tried to arrest Hagrid and almost killed McGonagall. He hated her even more when he realised that three years in Azkaban was much too short especially when there were no dementors there. Fleur must have seen his furious expression because she grabbed his hand in an attempt to calm him it worked rather well. He felt his urge to curse her vanish and instead he decided to remain calm and do his best to make her look as evil as Voldemort himself. Fudge had just noticed that he was there and turned angrily to Dumbledore.

"What is Potter doing here?" Harry could hear Fudge say to Dumbledore over the noise in the room. Dumbledore opened his mouth to reply but Madam Bones jumped to his defence.

"Mr Potter is here to witness against Umbridge and is present in this room because he is personally involved and there by has the right to attend the entire trial" This shut Fudge up and he sat down in his chair and started to go through some papers. When everyone had settled down on their seats and the noise had died down Fudge rose from his chair.

"Ready, Weasley" Fudge grunted.

"Yes sir" Percy answered enthusiastically. Harry looked over at Percy and to his surprise; Percy met his eyes for a fraction of a second before he looked down on his parchment.

"August the 23rd Misuse of power trial, suspect: Dolores Jane Umbridge" Fudge said loudly and Percy scribbled it down.

"Interrogators: Cornelius Oswald Fudge, Minister for Magic; Amelia Susan Bones, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement" Fudge continued. There were loads of formalities to go through before the first accusation could be made but in the end Madam Bones called the first witness. Someone named Marie Laker a next-door neighbour to Umbridge had been threatened by Umbridge several years ago when she was working for the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. Then some other minor offences, people who had in different ways been threatened or abused because of her position at the ministry. Who ever had done the background research of Umbridge had done a very good job. Harry smiled widely at the way Umbridge turned uncomfortable in her chair.

"Witness number 5 Mr Harry Potter" Madam Bones read from a parchment.

Fudge looked over at Harry angrily "Potter" He snapped it seemed almost as if Fudge blamed Harry for Umbridge's law braking.

"Pleases stand up" Harry stood up "Are you Harry Potter of number four Privet Drive?"

"Yes" Harry replied.

"You are here today to give evidence regarding Dolores Umbridge eventual misuse of power?" Fudge asked.

"Yes" Harry replied again.

"Very well" said Fudge fighting his temper "how do you know the defendant?"

"She was my defence against the dark arts teacher last year" Harry replied calmly with a teasing smile directed at Fudge. Fudge looked murderous. Madam Bones seemed to sense this because she continued the inquiry.

"We understand that you have a scar" Stated Madam Bones.

"Yes, several" Harry replied and some whispers broke out in the room.

"You claim that the defendant caused one of these" Inquired Madam Bones in an emotionless voice.

"Yes, the one on my hand" He stated and saw to his pleasure that Umbridge turned more uncomfortable then ever in her chair.

"How did you get it?" Madam Bones asked.

"I got it in detention" Harry replied.

"Why did you get a detention?" Madam Bones asked.

"I got the first week for telling Umbridge that Voldemort was back" There was a shutter as Harry said Voldemort's name.

"I see" said Madam Bones "you got more detentions then that week?"

"Yes, I got one the second week, then one when I gave that interview and a night when I called" He looked strait at Fudge "Malfoy a liar" He omitted Draco's first name on purpose.

"Which Malfoy" Fudge barked irritably as if he had waiting for a chance to criticise Harry in any way.

"I thought you knew the Malfoy's" Harry said as innocently as possible he saw to his satisfaction that Fudge was a fraction away from cursing him "The one at Hogwarts Draco Malfoy" He added before anyone could ask him to answer the question.

"And what did you do to get a scar from the detentions" Madam Bones asked quickly, hoping to calm Fudge down.

"She had me doing lines" Harry replied and again not giving all the information at once.

"You got a scar from doing lines" Fudge said and smiled madly.

"Yes" Harry said.

"You expect us to believe that?" Fudge asked and smiled even more madly.

"Yes" Harry replied.

"And I suppose that you might have a scar for attending this court today?" Fudge asked a few wizard and witches started to murmur in agreement. Clearly everyone was not entirely convinced that Harry sane.

"No I don't think I will" Harry said still very calmly though he felt a bit irritated that some people still thought that he might be crazy.

"Oh, so you only get scars for doing detentions?" Fudge asked him as if Harry was completely mad, the wizards and witches that seemed to agree with Fudge whispered even louder now.

"No" Harry replied calmly, if only Fudge could see the grave he was digging for himself.

"Do you mind showing us your scar" Madam Bones asked a bit irritated, she clearly did not approve of the way Fudge was inquiring Harry.

Harry walked up to her and before he held out his hand to her he said "It's a bit hard to see" and gestured to her monocle.

"A bit hard to see?" Fudge laughed and was joined by the wizards and witches who had been whispering.

"Yes" Harry replied and smiled slightly at Fudge.

"And why would it be hard to see?" Fudge asked probably hopping that Harry had a wonderful story to tell about it.

"It was almost a year ago I got it" Harry said and then added "And please don't laugh at me"

Fudge's expression changed from gleeful to annoyed, in a matter of seconds "Don't waste our time like this then, I recommend a hundred galleon fine for wasting ministry time and resources. Those in favour"

"A moment" Madam Bones said angrily "Let's not make any rash decisions"

Harry held up his hand to Madam Bones while she corrected her monocle. Once she was satisfied, she took Harry's hand. He flexed it so that the scar would show more clearly.

"Hmm, she said" Emotionless and then sighted "Cornelius, you may want to see this"

She let go of Harry's hand and Harry walked up to the Minister of magic.

"I don't need to see any thing" Fudge roared "Those in favour of a hundred galleon fine and a warning"

"If I'm not mistaken Cornelius you have no right of disregarding evidence" Dumbledore said warningly.

"Dumbledore… I don't have time for any of this" Fudge said angrily.

"Then I suggest that you name someone to take your place in the Wizengamot who has time" Dumbledore said calmly.

"Take my place, I'm the minister of magic" Fudge exclaimed outraged.

"I am well aware that you are the minister of magic Cornelius" Dumbledore said and nodded towards Fudge.

"Very well, Very Well" Said Fudge trying to calm his temper.

"Potter give me your hand!" He snapped. Harry held out his hand and Fudge grabbed it hard.

"Can't see anything" He exclaimed after half a second and threw Harry's hand back to him.

"Would you like to show me?" Dumbledore asked politely, Harry walked over to Dumbledore and held out his hand. Dumbledore took his hand gently and Harry flexed it so that the text became easier to see.

"Hmm, yes" Said Dumbledore and gave Harry's hand to a blond middle aged witch with a huge hat. She too looked at Harry's hand and Harry could see her eyes reading the text. When she was done she passed Harry's hand along to an old Wizard with dark hair. This process continued. Even the wizards and witches that had laughed at him read what his scar said though no one read aloud. Harry looked over at Fleur she smiled at him and so did Remus. He looked up at Fudge who sat and leaned back in his chair, with a defeated expression on his face. Every now and then, he cast furious glances at Harry and the person who held his hand. When everyone had read his scar Harry walked back to his seat and gave Umbridge a triumphant smile; she glared at him.

"She used a blood quill on you?" Madam Bones asked.

"Yes" Harry replied calmly.

"She forced you to write 'I must not tell lies' with it?" Madam Bones asked.

"Yes" He replied and sighted slightly he could remember those nights all to well.

"Why didn't you contact an adult?"

"For the first I didn't know those quills were illegal and second I didn't want anyone to know" Harry explained.

"Why didn't…"

"Can you prove that Umbridge did this to you" Fudge interrupted Madam Bones.

"Yes" Harry replied "Lee Jordon had detention with her too"

Fudge sighted and lent back in his chair defeated.

"Very well, are we ready for the next witness?" Madam Bones inquired nobody said anything.

"Good, Mr Weasley would you go and fetch Minerva" Madam Bones commanded. Percy hurried away to the door opened it and a few seconds later Harry's head of house Minerva McGonagall entered, she wore forest green robes and seemed quite happy to be there.

"Witness number 6 Professor Minerva McGonagall" Madam Bones read from her parchment. Some off the wizards and witches nodded a hello at her, she had probably taught many of them transfiguration.

"Are you Professor Minerva McGonagall of Hogwarts" Madam Bones asked.

"I am" McGonagall replied shortly.

"You are here to testify against Dolores Umbridge"

"I am" McGonagall replied again.

"How do you know the defendant?" Madam Bones asked in a slightly bored voice.

"We both worked at Hogwarts" McGonagall informed them.

"Yes, and we understand that you were injured by her?" Madam Bones asked.

"Yes I was. I was stunned at Umbridge's command" McGonagall told them.

"Any witnesses to this?" Fudge asked her.

"Hem, Hem" Harry cleared his throat in the same way that Umbridge did when she wanted attention. Umbridge turned and glared at him harden then ever, McGonagall looked over to him too and Harry saw that she was fighting down a smile.

"If you don't behave your self Potter I'll have to send you out of this court" Fudge barked at him. Madam Bones looked reprovingly at Fudge.

"Yes Mr Potter?" Madam Bones asked him gently, totally ignoring Fudge.

"I am a witness" Harry said shortly. He could out of the corner of his eye that Umbridge was glaring even harder at him.

"Excellent" Madam Bones said and glared at Fudge "Would you like to tell us what happened?" Harry was almost sure that Madam Bones asked him and not McGonagall to tell what happened to gloss over Fudge's rudeness.

"Well, Umbridge and three others came to arrest Hagrid in is hut one night…"

"Dumbledore let's you run around outside at night?" Fudge interrupted Harry.

"I believe that it is common praxis to take you astronomy OWLs at night" Harry said calmly some of the wizards and witches snorted slightly.

"Anyway" Harry continued "All of a sudden Umbridge and her three friends started to shoot stunners at him. And then Professor McGonagall came running down towards Hagrid's hut yelling at them and asking on what grounds they were attacking Hagrid. The next thing I saw was all four of them stupify Professor McGonagall"

Some wizards and witches gasped.

"Can anyone verify this besides you Potter" Fudge asked in a defeated tone.

"Yes, Professor Hagrid of course and Professor Tofty and the rest of my class" Harry said.

"Hem, Hem" McGonagall cleared her throat Harry was surprised clearly Professor McGonagall detested Umbridge as much as he did, which was saying something since McGonagall barley ever showed any kind of emotions.

"Minerva" Asked Madam Bones gently Umbridge looked more even more furious, she was paler then ever and her mouth thin and wide.

"I can of course verify Mr Potter's testimony myself" McGonagall said sternly.

"Yes of course" Said Madam Bones "Does anyone wish to add anything?"

"Yes" said Umbridge, she hadn't spoken a word until now.

"Go ahead" Said Fudge.

"Hagrid is a known convict. We had to use force to capture him. God knows what he could have done, he is half giant" Umbridge said in a poor attempt at her usual high pitched girlish voice.

Harry felt his vision narrow, he was furious before he knew it he was standing up.

"Harry please sit down" Fleur hissed at him and tried to pull him down but Harry didn't want to sit down he shrugged her off.

"Yes Mr Potter" Madam Bones said gently before Fudge could bellow at him to sit down.

"Hagrid is innocent" Harry said through gritted teeth.

"Yes, a note will be made that Hagrid is innocent. It was proven by this court. Weasley" Madam Bones commanded. Percy scribbled frantically.

"He is a filthy half-breed" Umbridge shrieked momentarily loosing her temper.

"Umbridge please control your temper" Madam Bones snapped "If Hagrid is half giant or not is not an excuse to attack him in the middle of night. Add a note Weasley that the Defendant used the term filthy half-breed to describe a respectable Professor" Harry could tell that Fudge wanted badly to say something but couldn't think of anything to say so he sat back in his chair. Umbridge glared at Madam Bones but Madam Bones didn't seem to notice.

"Does anyone wish to add anything else?" Nobody said any thing "Good time is now… 11:35 court is to gather here again let's say at two sharp so that we all have plenty of time to make up our minds. Dismissed"

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So what do you think, they are out of Grimmauld Place at last even if it just is for the day. I made Minerva a bit more evil then usual but we have to remember that now she knows that Dolores sent Dementors after one of her Gryffindors!

Please… R… never mind do as you wish ; )