What none of them were aware of until later, was that Umbridge simply walked back into the Ministry, that morning, to return to work as if she'd done nothing wrong. Two aurors on guard duty in the lobby of the atrium immediately recognised her, stunned her and portkeyed her directly back to the cells, before she could even open her mouth in protest.
This time, Madam Bones made sure there was a senior auror on guard duty that was told if he released the woman, no matter how much Fudge demanded it, he'd better lock himself in the cell if he released her; because that's where she, Madam Bones, would stuff him as soon as she learned of it.
The three were still sitting at the kitchen table when Ant and Cele joined them for their own breakfasts.
After Winky laid a plate in front of him, Ant looked at Harry and said, "Promise me you'll be keeping these two safe today."
"I'll be doing my utmost to keep them safe all the time, Dad," Harry firmly replied. "You need not ask."
With a nod of acknowledgement Ant dug into his breakfast, while Harry returned to reading articles in the Prophet over Hermione's shoulder.
About fifteen minutes later, Sirius, Remus and Matthias entered from the garage and bid everyone a good morning.
"Ready, you three?" asked Remus. With verbal nods, the three stood and bid the Granger adults a good day before walking into the sitting room and being side-along apparated to the Ministry apparition point.
From there they immediately headed to Madam Bones's office for a quick meeting. They were ushered directly in.
"Morning Amelia," greeted Sirius, first in the door.
"Sirius," she nodded back. As everyone else filed in and greetings were exchanged she ushered everyone to chairs already in the room for the purpose of their gathering.
Looking to Harry with a slight smirk on her face she slid a document towards him and said, "Mister Potter, it seems you forgot to sign the demand for trial for Dolores Jane Umbridge you had cause to be sent to me." Cocking an eyebrow and smirking back, and knowing he had never done such a thing, he replied, "Did I? How careless of me."
While someone snorted in amusement from his side of the desk, Harry leaned forward over the desk and quickly scanned down through the form. Once he'd read through it he asked, "Would someone mind loaning me a quill? I believe I can rectify this oversight right now."
Almost with a flourish, Sirius quickly offered him a self-inking one.
Harry quickly signed the form and slid it back to Amelia.
"I trust this grievous error on my part will remain between us, Madam?" he asked. "I'd hate to be embarrassed by it, if anyone should ever find out."
"Of course, Mister Potter," she returned with a grin, dragging the form back to herself.
Once she had it back she quickly slipped it into a folder near her left hand. Harry immediately realised that it contained all the documentation for the trial the woman didn't want to be made public yet.
"Now that that small oversight has been rectified, shall we go?" she asked, rising from her seat beyond the desk and picking up the folder as she stood.
As they were walking back through the aurors' offices, Harry asked Remus, "Thanks for joining us today, Remus. It's appreciated."
With a smirk back, he replied, "Think nothing of it, Cub. My boss is a wonderful man, who willingly allowed me the day off to attend."
"Did he just?" grinned Harry. "I'll have to thank him for that, if I ever meet him."
With a chuckle, Remus said, "You do that."
On the way out of the office they met up with Stewart Ackerman, who had insisted he act as legal counsel for the three, even though they weren't on trial but were, instead, witnesses for the prosecution.
Taking two separate lifts, the group exited on the ninth floor and walked down the steps to the Wizengamot chamber. And, as they were witnesses, the three were escorted direct into the witness waiting room. They were also joined by Sirius as a fourth witness.
"How long are we likely to wait, this time?" asked Harry, once they were all ensconced on comfortable chairs.
With a slight shrug, Stewart replied, "That depends on how Madam Bones runs things. I would expect chronologically to the best of their ability.
"Are we the only witnesses?" asked Hermione. "I would have thought they'd have witnesses from when Umbridge ordered the dementors after us to appear first, then."
"There are," Steward replied with a nod and a small smile. "However, they're being kept in a different room."
Half an hour later, Daphne was called in to give her version of what happened, and Stewart accompanied her. Fifteen minutes later, it was Hermione's turn, and five minutes after that Harry was called in.
When he ascended the witness box there was quite a bit of grumbling from the assembled over his wearing his Wizengamot robes.
Amelia, chairing the trial, banged her gavel and sharply said, "Mister Potter is a peer. As such, he is fully within his right to wear his Wizengamot robes to this trial, as do you all."
While waiting for the grumbling to die down, Harry took a look around. Daphne and Hermione were now sitting with Matthias and Remus in the visitors' gallery; so they were safe now.
In the middle of the floor, on the accused's chair, sat Umbridge. She was deliberately not even looking towards his direction. Instead, she sat there as if butter wouldn't melt in her mouth and as if she hadn't a care in the world. However, Harry could see the slight shaking of her hands as they rested on the arms of the chair. And she did look a little pale.
Looking in the other direction Harry saw Dumbledore in his seat among the warlocks, and Fudge sitting alongside Madam Bones but slightly back. Both were scowling, which Harry thought was a good sign.
Once the assembled had settled down again, Harry's attention was drawn to Scrimgeour, who was acting as the prosecutor for the trial.
Scrimgeour's questions were simple and clear. He asked Harry to relate the events that happened in 'Muggle London' near Hermione's registered place of residence, his first sight of the dementors, recognising that all three were wearing gold control medallions at the time, driving them off with patronuses, and rushing back to the Granger residence to ensure they were alright.
Then it was the defence solicitor's turn.
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