Harry and the other two looked toward the center of the courtroom.
At the center of the room were three armchairs, their arms wrapped in crisscrossing iron chains. At Fudge's words, the locks on those chains suddenly rose and swayed in midair like venomous snakes.
Harry heard Hermione let out another mournful cry, but he did not turn around. He merely dragged his heavy feet forward, still thinking about the cold indifference Professor Dumbledore and Professor Breen had shown.
Fortunately, after the three of them sat down, the chains only rattled menacingly instead of binding them.
From where they sat, they faced Professor Dumbledore and Professor Breen, seated in the front row. Hermione and Ron both looked toward them pleadingly, but the two men were still discussing something.
Dumbledore covertly glanced at the Dementor overhead, then looked at Amosta. Amosta merely blinked and gave an inscrutable shake of his head.
Harry gave up trying to get any hint from the two professors. He raised his eyes toward the Minister for Magic on the dais.
Cornelius Fudge was a very fat man. He usually wore a dark yellowish-green bowler hat, but he was not wearing it today.
Harry could no longer find even a trace of the kindly, benevolent smile Fudge had worn when he had found him after Harry blew up his aunt two years ago. All that remained was a chilling coldness.
Madam Amelia Bones, who had argued with Fudge moments ago, sat beside him. She wore a monocle, and under the interplay of light and shadow, her expression was equally intimidating.
Fudge signaled to someone in the shadows, and that person emerged from his hiding place.
Harry was shocked to discover that the Auror walking toward him with a wand in hand was Delix, the man who had