After the gavel of judgment came down heavily, officially announcing Umbridge's sentence, a small number of the Wizengamot members who had participated in the trial gradually came to their senses.
Something was seriously wrong with this trial! With all the rotten things Umbridge had done, she deserved to die several times over, yet she had somehow been sentenced to life imprisonment? While it was the harshest sentence currently available, it would not necessarily satisfy everyone.
No, such a verdict was destined to satisfy no one, especially once the matter was officially published in the Daily Prophet. Heaven knew what kind of reaction it would provoke across the British magical world.
But why would Kingsley do something so thankless? Was he simply being stupid, or was there something else...?
Quite a few people turned their attention toward the two figures seated in the head seat.
If this was what Kingsley wanted, then the only one bound to suffer was... Their gazes shifted to the Director of Magical Law Enforcement beside Kingsley.
She was a pure-blood witch from an illustrious family, pushed into the position of Director of Magical Law Enforcement by certain people with ulterior motives as a means of keeping Kingsley in check.
Kingsley's position as Minister was temporary, but the Director of Magical Law Enforcement's was not. More importantly, she had presided over the entire trial. After all, Kingsley was only the temporary Minister; strictly speaking, he was not actually qualified to sit there. His participation in the trial had been more as a witness.
"Was this trial a trap from the very beginning, meant to get that unlucky Director kicked out?"
Bard looked suspiciously at Albert beside him.
"Kingsley isn't stupid. On the contrary, he's actually very clever," Albert said noncommittally.
"I thought you didn't like political struggles."