From here, one could go to the Wizengamot seats above.
"Alright, go in quickly." Dumbledore said.
Hagrid could only nod, then turned to look at the door. His heart felt like it was in his throat.
Dumbledore walked around to the side.
Hagrid turned his head, hoping to see Howl arriving on the other side of the corridor.
"Go quickly."
There was no Howl, only Perkins's urging.
Hagrid turned back, swallowed, then resolutely pushed open the door and stepped inside!
It was a wide room, with walls made of stacked black stones.
On either side of Hagrid were rows of gradually rising empty benches, and on the highest benches in front of him, many dark figures appeared.
It was too dim in there; he couldn't make out the specific features of those figures.
Only gazes filled with a sense of condescension fell upon him, as if he were an ant held in someone's hand.
This made him feel even more helpless.
It wasn't until he saw a robed figure with half-moon glasses reflecting light appear behind him that Hagrid finally relaxed a bit.
Yes, Dumbledore was there, and there was nothing he couldn't do!
Bang—
The door closed, and the entire courtroom fell silent.
A cold man's voice echoed in the courtroom.
"You're late."
"Sorry." Hagrid quickly said: "We just found out the time was changed."
"That's not the Wizengamot's fault." The voice said: "An owl was sent this morning to inform you, sit down."
Hagrid was immediately angry and scared, looking left and right, but only finding an empty small chair.
He was about to sit on it, waiting for their condescending judgment.
Hagrid quickly walked over, his heavy footsteps echoing in the courtroom, abrupt and harsh.
Then, Hagrid carefully sat down on the seat.
Once in the middle, he could finally barely make out the people above.
There were about twenty or thirty people, wearing magenta robes, with an exquisite silver 'W' embroidered on their left front chest. They all looked down at him, some with stern expressions.
Only a few had gentle expressions, or were deep in thought.
And the person in the main seat, he was even more familiar with.
The current Minister for Magic, Cornelius Fudge!
"Trial of January Sixth." Fudge said in a booming voice, a young clerk below him busily recording everything.
"Second hearing of the case of [1 Elizabeth Warren Hogwarts' death].
"Interrogators: Cornelius Oswald Fudge, Minister for Magic; Amelia Susan Bones, Head of the Law of Magic Enforcement Department; Lovelay Yaxley, Senior Undersecretary. Trial Recorder: Paul Lawson."
Croak—
A toad's croak suddenly came from in front of Fudge's long table.
Fudge's voice paused for a moment, then he continued to read: "Defendant Rubeus Hagrid."
"Defendant's witness: Howl Capton Jones."
As he spoke, rustling sounds appeared.
"Who is this guy?"
"It's the new Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor at Hogwarts…"
Just as he was speaking, suddenly—CRACK!!
Immediately, the chair under Hagrid's bottom shattered into pieces, and he sat down on the ground.
At the same time, bursts of laughter erupted.
"Haha, this big oaf."
"He broke the chair, haha!"
Hagrid's face turned beet red, and he couldn't even lift his head, only looking helplessly at the shattered wood beneath him.
"Enough, just sit on the ground like that." Fudge said, seeming to be in a hurry, as if Hagrid's case was just a quick table-wiping during morning coffee.
"I…" Hagrid's face flushed, and he could only lower his head, no longer looking at the people above.
"Hmm~" Fudge continued: "Has the defendant's witness arrived?"
Then, Fudge looked around, a triumphant smile on his face.
"Aha… It seems someone is late."
"But the Wizengamot won't waste time, now, let the trial begin!!"
Hagrid's heart seemed to leap from his throat, and he just wanted to howl to the sky.
"Howl!"
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