The only question of any significance the slimy looking man asked was. "Mister Potter, when you, in contravention of the Statute of Secrecy, cast..."
"Objection!" both Stewart and Scrimgeour shouted. "Sustained!" Madam Bones barked. "Mister Pennybaker! That is the third time you've been called to accounts for that line of questioning. Another such and you'll be spending the next forty-eight hours in the holding cells upstairs. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, Ma'am," the man said, a little contritely. But, it was clearly an act.
After that, the man asked only one other question to do with how Harry was walking through 'Muggle London' at that time of night before the questions were wrapped up and he was able to join his wives in the visitors' gallery.
Of their group, last came Sirius. He spoke quite eloquently about what had happened from his point of view. Harry even heard a few things Sirius hadn't mentioned when he returned to the Granger residence on the night of the attack.
Next was Kingsley Shacklebolt, who had been one of two aurors sent to find the control orders for the dementors. They testified finding the other pairings of the three dementor control medallions in Umbridge's locked office, inside the drawer of her locked desk. And their forensic charms examination showed that they were put there by Umbridge.
He was then asked about whom he interviewed relating to the matter, but was not required to speak on what they'd said.
From Remus, he found out that the people Shacklebolt named and identified as having valid information were required to testify before Daphne was called in. Unsurprisingly to the three bondmates, the forensic examination also found three unregistered blood quills. That had led to further charges.
Lastly, when Madam Bones asked Scrimgeour to call his next witness, Scrimgeour called out, "The prosecution calls to the stand, Minister Cornelius Oswald Fudge."
The shocked man gaped back in shock for a few moments, while the hubbub of noise from the tiers rose a bit, before he suddenly surged to his feet and loudly exclaimed, "What?!"
Madam Bones had to bang her gavel a few times before she restored order.
Once she had it, she turned to Fudge and said, "Minister Fudge, you have been called to the stand. Please take yourself there, now."
"I will not!" he roared.
"You will, sir," Madam Bones ground back out forcefully. "Or, I will have you treated as a hostile witness and have you forced!"
Fudge and Bones engaged in a staring contest, for a long few moments, before Fudge gave a huff and stormed down to the witness stand.
Pennybaker rose to his feet and firmly stated, "I object to this witness being called. I have not been notified of him being called and, therefore, am not prepared to question him."
"Overruled," said Madam Bones. "You were aware Minister Fudge was called. His name appears on the list of those required to attend, this day." "I believed his name was only included on the list as, as Minister, he sits on the Wizengamot," tried Pennybaker.
"Then that is your error, Mister Pennybaker. It is not for the court to ensure you haven't made incorrect assumptions."
Pennybaker glared back for a moment before his expression changed to a calm one and he gently sat down again.
Once he was ready, Scrimgeour began his questions.
From the questioning it was determined Fudge did not know Umbridge was planning on sending dementors to deal with Harry or the Grangers or both, did not know she had in her possession three unregistered blood quills, or a couple of other matters. "Minister," said Scrimgeour. "The woman is supposed to be your Senior Undersecretary - your most trusted confidante and advisor her behaviour reflects directly back on you how could you not know these things?"
Now Harry understood why Fudge was on the stand. It had nothing to do with providing further evidence against Umbridge; and everything to do with making the man look incompetent.
Fudge almost muttered an answer where he said he could not be expected to know everything that went on in the Ministry, as he was a busy man and trusted in others to do their work and keep an eye on things for him.
"Such as Scrimgeour.
Dolores
Umbridge?"
asked "Yes," glared Fudge.
"Then it appears you placed your trust in the wrong person, is that not so?"
"Yes," the Minister gritted out.
"After your error of placing your faith in Lucius Malfoy, who was only a few weeks ago positively identified as a willing Death Eater, why did you not take steps to ensure everyone else you've placed your trust in was worthy of it?"
Straightening up his posture, Fudge pretty much declared, "I've known Dolores for more than twenty years. In all that time I've not had cause to lack faith in her."
"Do you not think that, if you did not have blind trust in the woman, you would have spotted her crimes earlier?"
"Errr... no," blustered Fudge.
When Pennybaker stood to question for the defence he tried to get Fudge to admit that he was responsible for ordering Umbridge to take at least some of the actions she took. And, from her expression, it was clear Madam Bones anticipated this. She looked almost eager.
On one such question Fudge managed to can his Ministership, right then and there, with an ill-thought answer.
"No, I did not want to know she was doing something wrong..." Realising what he said, he immediately snapped his mouth shut. However, it was already too late.
Harry looked to Madam Bones and grinned. Then, looking further into the tiers, he spotted Ogden. The man was openly scowling at Fudge. Checkmate.
Turning to his wives, Harry whispered. "Fudge just sunk himself. He might hang on to his post over the weekend, but he'll be gone by Monday morning."
Both girls were happy to agree.
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