Chapter 379 - 379

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After walking through the hall, we had to check in at the guard post, where they weighed our wands and gave us the appropriate passes, and then we got to the elevators, one of which we had to go down almost to the lowest level. Although, as I know, this is the lowest level for general access, with only the Department of Mysteries below.

We followed the headmaster again, and there were not many people in these corridors. At the door of one of the offices stood the slightly hunched old man I knew, in a business suit, robe, and a small black hat - Mr. Guber.

"Hello," I said to the lawyer, and Hermione gave a slight curtsy.

"Hello, young man, lady. Albus."

"How are things?"

"Basically, you can come in and sit down. The rest of the defendants did so. I'll tell you right away, Mr. Knight, and you, Miss Granger, are assigned chairs in the center of the room. On behalf of all the other defendants in the case, Lady Greengrass, as responsible for her daughters, and Mr. Morris, as a lawyer representing the interests of the others, will be present."

"And you?"

"Usually, the defense side does not take the place of the person involved in the case, but in cases where there are more than four people on one side, exceptions are made."

"Then," the headmaster looked at the wide doors of Hall number ten, "let's not waste any time."

The headmaster opened the doors and stepped inside the hall, and we followed. I could tell at once that it was a different hall, and it was already clear before. The Wizengamot has not only a judicial function, but also a parliamentary one, and the courtroom is not at all where organizational meetings are held, which to me is nonsense.

The center of the hall was the lower level in a large oval shape as if two circles were joined by lines. In fact, these two imaginary circles were displayed by the intricate floor tiles, as if dividing the hall into two halves - for the judges and for the audience with the defendants, witnesses, and other participants. Up from the oval were several rows of bleachers, and where about fifty whispering wizards in plum robes with the letter "W" embroidered on them now sat, there were three other prominent seats: for the chairman and Chief Warlock, for the head of the DMLE, and for the minister or his assistant. Only two of them were currently occupied, and they were taken by Amelia Bones and Dolores Umbridge.

Dumbledore led Hermione and me to two of the four chairs that faced the members of the Wizengamot. Lady Greengrass was already sitting in one of them, wearing a navy blue dress and a black robe. An important man in his forties hurried to the second seat when he saw us and somewhat fussily took it. Hermione sat down, full of dignity, shaking her mane of hair a little, holding her head high, proudly. The old Wizengamot men stared at her with surprise and mute shock, but I could understand them. Equally surprised looked the few of the parents who came along with their very dickish but beloved offspring, who figure in this case. But I wouldn't be me if I hadn't noticed a completely unfamiliar woman next to Narcissa, who was looking at us with all her eyes and didn't hide her surprise. Interesting…

After looking around the hall, I took my seat, looking at the members of the Wizengamot. A lot of old ones, a lot indeed. But there were some relatively young ones among them, and even some I knew. Here, for example, if I'm interpreting the face that has changed with age correctly, sits Hannah Abbott's grandfather - I've seen him in magic photos from the old days. There's Augusta Longbottom— a flinty grandmother with the appearance of a "quiet and harmless lady." However, this appearance is radically changed by almost a military posture. Rowley, Travers, Parkinson... of course, not all of the "sacred" ones were here — some families were suppressed, some I don't know at all, and others are wanted from young to old.

Somewhere behind us were suspiciously bad-looking guys from Slytherin with their relatives. On the sides were several spectators, among whom Skeeter could be seen, and another place was occupied by Percy Weasley, and, apparently, now he will be a secretary.

There was another exit from the hall, but now it was closed, and at the very top, along the perimeter, if you look closely, you can see Aurors. If my memory serves me correctly, they were obliged to be here after the cases in the early eighties when criminals ended up directly in the courtroom, and the case of Barty Crouch Jr. was not the only one. By the way, I don't know if he and his father are alive. Though, what can happen to the Junior in Voldemort's camp?

Fudge entered the hall at a brisk pace in a robe with the letter "W" and proceeded to the place of Chief Warlock. Now it is clear who took the vacant place after Dumbledore…