All Charges Dismissed, Moral Blackmail?

"Please describe the attack," Amelia said. "What did they look like?"

"Well, one of them is very muscular, while the other is very thin."

"No, no, I mean, I want you to describe what Dementor looks like."

Mrs. Figg realized what was happening, a hint of embarrassment flashing across her face. "Very large, wearing a cloak."

Then everything turned cold, as if all the joy in the world had vanished in an instant.

"You heard me right," Fudge said with a hint of sarcasm. "Dementor don't just wander around Muggle neighborhoods, and the chances of them running into a wizard are extremely slim."

"Alright, you can leave now. Your testimony isn't very convincing."

"Heh!" Aaron chuckled dismissively. "According to you, Minister, no matter how many witnesses come, it won't be enough, because Dementor don't just appear in Muggle residential areas for no reason."

"Mr. Gaius." Fudge's face was flushed, his fists were clenched, and he was on the verge of exploding with rage.

"Is there something wrong with what I said?" Aaron asked dismissively.

He really didn't take Fudge seriously. Putting aside his position as Minister for Magic, Fudge was just a Archmage, the kind he could suppress in a minute.

"No problem, but don't forget you're here to sit in on the proceedings."

"But I also have a say, don't I?" Aaron retorted.

Jeans nodded in agreement and said righteously, "Young Master is right. The Wizengamot Rights Charter clearly stipulates that everyone in the courtroom has the right to speak."

"Minister Cornelius, I specifically took time out of my busy schedule just to witness the trial of the highest court in the Magic World, but I must say I have some reservations."

The defendant and his defense attorney inexplicably missed the trial time, the defendant had almost no chance to defend himself, and the defendant's witnesses were... hardly convincing.

"Haha! I can't even think of how to prove Harry Potter's innocence. Should we just arrest those two Dementor who attacked him and question them?"

Hearing this, Harry nodded repeatedly, almost crying with emotion.

He was so damn wronged. Ever since receiving the letter from the Ministry of Magic, he had been living in constant fear, especially since the Minister for Magic was deliberately targeting him. The feeling of having no way to express his suffering was truly unbearable.

Fudge clenched his teeth, as if making a difficult decision. "Mr. Gaius, I know you and Harry Potter are friends, and I can understand speaking up for him, but..."

"Minister Fudge, please don't misunderstand, my relationship with Harry Potter is just so-so."

Therefore, my statement is merely because I did not witness any so-called fairness in the highest court of the Magic World.

After he finished speaking, the room fell silent.

The expressions of dozens of Warlock changed. Some nodded secretly, like Amelia; some looked displeased, like Umbridge; but most were bewildered and ashamed.

"I've heard Susan mention that Slytherin has a special student," Amelia said approvingly. "However, your statement was a bit too sharp. Whether Wizengamot can only be determined after the trial is over."

Aaron scratched his head sheepishly. "I think everyone here is a respected Warlock. They shouldn't stoop to the level of a fifteen-year-old like me!"

Everyone:...

"Does the defendant's witness have anything to add?" Amelia continued to ask.

No, that's all.

"And what about the defense attorney?"

Dumbledore stood before the altar and said calmly, "I don't think any of us would believe that the Dementor' appearance there was a coincidence, or that someone sent them."

Sitting to Fudge's right, Umbridge chuckled. "I hope I've misunderstood you, Professor. After all, all Dementor are under the control of the Ministry of Magic."

In my humble opinion, there was a fleeting moment when you seemed to be implying that the Ministry of Magic ordered the attack on the child.

"That would be a big problem, Madam Deputy Minister."

Therefore, I believe the Ministry of Magic will definitely launch a full investigation to find out why those two Dementor were away from Azkaban and launched an unauthorized attack.

"Yes!" Aaron nodded in deep agreement. "If the Dementor become disobedient, it means that Azkaban could be in trouble at any time."

"No Dementor is beyond the Ministry of Magic's control," Fudge roared.

"I was just saying it offhand, Minister, don't be nervous." Aaron said awkwardly, then changed the subject, "But we still need to be on the safe side. If possible, we should transfer a batch of Auror over."

"Mr. Gaius, it's not your place to meddle in the affairs of the Ministry of Magic."

"Of course, this is just my personal suggestion."

Whether you accept this answer or not is up to you, but... if Azkaban really does die from an accident while dealing with Dementor, that will be your responsibility.

Fudge's mouth twitched violently, and he felt a terrible discomfort in his chest, as if a large rock was blocking his throat.

He had sensed something was amiss when Jeans wrote to him a couple of days ago, but given the powerful influence of the Gaius family, he couldn't refuse.

It's just two seats for observers; it won't cause much of a stir.

But now he truly regrets it. If he had known that Aaron's mouth was so sharp, he would have preferred to save face for the Gaius family rather than let him into this trial room.

Dumbledore walked solemnly up to Fudge. "Cornelius, I implore you to be rational. There are undeniable signs that the Dark Lord has returned."

"He didn't come back at all," Fudge said through gritted teeth.

Dumbledore sighed slightly. Although he had expected it, he still couldn't help but feel hopeful after hearing Fudge say that.

He faced the crowd and said in a strong voice, "The law clearly stipulates that in cases like Harry Potter's, magic can be used in front of Muggle when one's life is threatened."

"The law can be amended for Dumbledore if necessary," Fudge said menacingly.

"It's obvious that I've only been out of Wizengamot for a few weeks, and a trivial matter like an underage person using magic is being tried in a criminal court."

"Dumbledore had been the Chief Warlock of Wizengamot for a long time, but he was dismissed a few weeks ago," Jeans said in a low voice.

Aaron couldn't help but click his tongue in amazement; the Triwizard Tournament had only ended a few weeks prior.

It seems that after Fudge and Dumbledore fell out, in addition to smearing his image and reputation in the newspapers, he was also trying to take back his power.

"Politics is so corrupt! No wonder no one in my family likes to be an official!"

As soon as he finished speaking, dozens of eyes fell on Aaron.

"Uh... just sharing my thoughts, please don't take it to heart."

I still have complete faith in the Ministry of Magic, and any abuse of power is absolutely none of your business.

Dumbledore shrugged. "I've said all I have to say as your defense attorney. Now, please proceed with the trial."

The crowd began to whisper among themselves, and a few minutes Amelia spoke up, "Those who convict me, please raise your hands."

Fudge was the first to raise his hand, followed by Umbridge, but even with the minister and deputy minister leading the way, less than one-fifth of the convicts were actually guilty.

"Raise your hand if you agree to withdraw all charges," Amelia asked again.

Hands were raised one after another, including Mrs. Figg's, creating a stark contrast to what had just happened.

Fudge swallowed hard. He was furious, but he had to suppress his anger. "Withdraw all charges."

With a single blow, the hearing abruptly ended.

"Excellent!" Dumbledore clapped his hands, then waved his Wand, and the chairs he had conjured vanished instantly.

"Aaron, are you free?"

I think we need to talk.

"I'm busy," Aaron said without hesitation. "I have other things to do!"

Dumbledore pursed his lips. "Alright, I understand."

"Professor." Harry rushed over impatiently, but Dumbledore interrupted him before he could speak.

"Harry, it's best if we don't have too much contact right now."

I can't tell you the reason, but please don't overthink it.

If you have any problems that you can't solve, you can ask Mr. Gaius. I don't think he would refuse to help his friend.

"Is that right, Mr. Gaius?"

Aaron:...

Damn it! You old geezer, you're really wicked.

What is this? Coercion, bribery, or moral blackmail?

Aaron gave Jeans a wink, hoping he would help him out of this predicament.

He simply looked up at the dark ceiling, seemingly indifferent.

"Heh!" Aaron rolled his eyes speechlessly, then looked at Dumbledore, who was waiting for his answer. "Professor, Slytherin never refuses to help their friends."

"That's good." Dumbledore satisfaction, and without giving Harry a chance to speak, quickly left the trial room.

"Um, I..."

"No need to say anything more," Aaron quickly interrupted him. "I think a responsible man would try to solve problems himself, even if he has them, and wouldn't bother his friends, right?"

Jeans' pupils dilated slightly, and he silently gave his young master a thumbs up in his heart.

This is a radical solution!

If you can't handle Dumbledore, surely you can handle Harry Potter!

Harry's lips twitched slightly, and he nodded blankly.

For some reason, he seemed to see a shadow of Dumbledore in Aaron.

"That's good." Aaron breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't have much faith in Harry Potter's character. If he could really behave himself, he wouldn't have had such a hard time these past few years.

However, Voldemort has been resurrected, and his greatest enemy is the headmaster of Hogwarts.

Unless he drops out of school now and stays at home obediently, it won't be so easy for him to remain unscathed.

He really can't live without Hogwarts right now, and has even thought about casually becoming a teacher at Hogwarts after graduation. After all, signing a contract for a day earns ten Magic Points, which would save him so many years of hard work!

The Wizengamot staff were organizing their files and documents, while Harry stood awkwardly in place, unsure if he needed their permission to leave.

"What are you standing there for, sir!"

"Can we leave now?"

"What about you? Are you going to stay and clean?"

Harry glanced guiltily at the numerous judges and quickened his pace toward the door.

As soon as he stepped outside, he bumped right into Arthur Weasley, who was standing there.

"Dumbledore was in such a hurry just now, he didn't tell me..."

"It's over," Harry said happily. "They dropped all the charges against me."

"I knew it, they couldn't possibly convict you." Mr. Weasley grinned, then looked at Aaron with surprise. "Perhaps it's a bit inappropriate to ask, but how did you all end up here?"

"Just sit in," Aaron said casually. "After all, this is a trial for saving Kaguya, so I'm quite interested."

Mr. Weasley paused for a moment, then quickly recovered, "How are you feeling?"

"Not good?" Aaron shook his head in disappointment. "Also, it's best not to stand here."

"What's the meaning?"

Before the words were finished, the doors of the courtroom opened again, and dozens of Warlock dressed in crimson robes emerged from them.

Mr. Weasley gaped in shock. "My Merlin! They're officially putting you on trial?"

I think so.

"Isn't it spectacular?" Aaron patted Harry on the shoulder. "The people who get judged by this lineup are all very famous. You can brag about this for a long time."

Harry smiled wryly. "I don't think there's anything to be proud of in this."

Mr. Weasley was quite famous in the Ministry of Magic, and some Warlock had made a point of greeting him.

However, Jeans was more popular than him. If it weren't for Aaron still being there, he would probably have been dragged to a bar by a bunch of people.

Percy nodded slightly to Aaron as he passed by, but completely ignored Harry and Mr. Weasley Mr. Weasley, who remained silent as well, showing no sign of a father-son relationship.

"What's wrong with them?" Aaron asked curiously.

"Percy is more inclined to trust the Ministry of Magic," Harry said helplessly. "He thinks we're making trouble out of nothing, and he doesn't even trust Dumbledore anymore."

"That was his own decision," Mr. Weasley said, pursing his lips. "But I know my son; he'll change his mind sooner or later."

Aaron nodded in agreement. Although the Weasley family were poor, their family education was quite excellent.

Finally, Cornelius and Dolores Umbridge emerged from the courtroom, but neither of them looked particularly well.

"Mr. Gaius, do you have a moment?" Fudge forced a smile. "I think we can talk."

"I'm busy," Harry said irritably. "Aaron has other things to do!"

"I'm free, of course I'm free," Aaron replied immediately.

"But what did you just do?" Harry blinked blankly.

"What do you know? It would be incredibly tactless to refuse an invitation personally extended by the Minister for Magic."

"But Dumbledore..."

"That's not important." Aaron waved his hand, as he felt that Fudge and Dumbledore were not even in the same league.

He could offend the Minister for Magic without any psychological burden, because he knew that no matter how dissatisfied Fudge was with him, he couldn't do anything about it.

He genuinely didn't want to associate with the headmaster of Hogwarts. Dumbledore hadn't lived a normal life for over a hundred years; he might accidentally be sold out and then have to count the money for him.

Moreover, from the day he decided to go to school, his family made it clear that his guards would not enter Hogwarts. This gave him a long-lost sense of freedom, but it also meant that his family background would not be of any help to him at Hogwarts, and he would have to handle everything himself.