She also saw with some surprise that Fudge was in the courtroom. She had thought this hearing was to be a closed to the public. Hermione was pleased to see though that he wasn't seated up in the area where the tribunal would sit and guessed he was just here as an observer. He was seated in the area behind Umbridge and his fingers were moving nervously over the rim of his bowler hat. Hermione was willing to bet the incompetent Minister was here to find out how much damage control he was going to have to do once the truth of Umbridge's crimes came out. Hermione glanced around the room and didn't see anyone else there, but she didn't take that at face value. Knowing that Rita Skeeter was a bug animagus, Hermione was willing to bet there was someone she couldn't see in the room.
As Hermione took a seat in the row behind Harry, Madame Bones along with two elderly witches and wizard and a young blond witch entered the courtroom. Hermione assumed the younger witch was the court scribe and not a member of the Wizengamot.
As soon as the tribunal was seated, Madame Bones began. "This hearing is called to review the charges that have been filed by Harry James Potter regarding the actions of Senior Under-Secretary Delores Umbridge, both before and during the time she was the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher during Mr. Potter's fifth year. The tribunal today is composed of Wizengamot members Gwendolyn Hill, Alisha Postern, and Martin Bellacote. Interrogator will be Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Amelia Bones. And Court Scribe, Marion Glendowling."
Looking at the assembled group in front of her, Madame Bones went on. "Are you Delores Umbridge of 15 Compton Mews in Stoughton-on-the-Thames?"
"Yes," Umbridge confirmed her identity.
Looking in Harry's direction, Madame Bones asked, "Are you Mr Harry James Potter of #4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey?"
"As of right now, yes." Harry confirmed.
Madame Bones looked at Hermione. "Are you Miss Hermione Granger of 35 Parkhurst Terrace Seven Oaks?"
"Yes," Hermione nodded.
"Also present are Minister Fudge, solicitor for Madame Umbridge; Mr. Graham Merkson, and solicitor for Mr. Harry James Potter; Mr. Alexander Boet. You do remember, Minister, that you agreed not to say one word during this hearing? You are here strictly here as an observer nothing more." The glare Madame Bones gave Fudge as she said this had the Minister squirming like an errant schoolboy. "All required parties appear to be present. Since there are a number of charges to deal with, we will be taking one at a time. Miss Glendowling, please read the first charge."
The court scribe read from the parchment in front of her. "On August 2, 1996, Delores Umbridge, then an employee of the Ministry of Magic, did send two Dementors to Little Whinging, Surrey with the intent of having them murder Mr. Harry James Potter by means of the Kiss."
Once the court scribe finished reading the first charge, Madame Bones asked. "Did you Madame Umbridge order two Dementors to attack the person of Harry James Potter in Little Whinging Surrey on August 2, 1996?"
"If you remember at that hearing we were never able to satisfactorily prove that Mr. Potter was even attacked by Dementors." Umbridge told her smugly.
"Based on the eyewitness testimony of the squib Mrs Arabella Figg, it was confirmed that there were Dementors in the area. We just never found out who sent them." Bones reminded her. "If you will recall the hearing was terminated by Minister Fudge when he found out he would not be able to expel Mr. Potter for using magic to defend himself and his cousin."
"So Umbridge, are you saying you did not send the Dementors to Surrey?" The elderly witch sitting to the right of Madame Bones asked the question again.
"I believe she has answered that question, Madame Hill." Umbridge's solicitor spoke up.
"I didn't ask you, young man." Madame Gwendolyn Hill sounded exactly like a crotchety old woman should as she berated the solicitor. "I asked Umbridge and she hasn't answered it. She evaded the question."
"No ma'am, I did not." Umbridge told her.
"We shall see," Madame Bones countered. "Miss Hermione Granger, according to information provided to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, you were present the evening that then Headmistress Umbridge admitted to sending the Dementors after Mr. Potter, is that correct?"
Standing up, Hermione said, "Yes Madame Bones, I was."
"Would you please tell this tribunal what you heard Headmistress Umbridge say?" Madame Bones requested.
Hermione took a deep breath wanting to make sure she had it right. "She said that what the Minister didn't know wouldn't hurt him. She said that he never knew that she had sent the Dementors after Harry, but that he was delighted to be given the chance to expel him all the same."
A quick glance at Fudge showed he was shocked by Umbridge's reasoning. She didn't know why he should be shocked given that he had spent Harry's entire fifth year up until the moment Voldemort had gotten in his face trying to discredit Harry.
"Did she by any chance say why she sent the Dementors after Mr. Potter?" The elderly wizard Martin Bellacote wanted to know.
"She said it was because somebody had to act." Hermione responded. "She said they were all bleating about silencing or discrediting Harry somehow and that she was the only one who actually did something about it."
Hermione noted with some satisfaction, that Fudge and Umbridge's faces had gone pasty white for a moment, but they quickly recovered.
"Surely, Madame Bones," Mr. Merkson inquired obsequiously, "you are not going to take the word of a child over the Undersecretary to the Minister are you? She is one of Mr. Potter's best friends after all."
"That is no longer the case," Mr. Boet spoke up, unintentionally sending Hermione's hopes for regaining Harry's friendship plunging to the ground, "and hasn't been since the trial that sent Mr. Potter to Azkaban on false charges."
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