After the vote concluded, Dumbledore announced the result. "The vote on the motion to repeal the Prohibition of Goblin Wand Use statute has been tallied—68 votes in favor, 368 against."
Fudge was somewhat stunned when he saw the result. The number of votes against the motion far exceeded those in support.
This was the outcome one would expect without outside interference. The current Wizarding World still leaned toward conservatism.
Hadn't Lanlock sworn that they had made preparations?
It seemed their preparations were not much to speak of. Still, it was not his fault. Their contract only required Fudge to propose the motion and vote in favor of it.
Whether the motion passed had nothing to do with him. This way, the Ministry of Magic could take back Azkaban, right...
"The motion to repeal the Prohibition of Goblin Wand Use statute has not passed. This meeting is adjourned." Dumbledore could no longer wait; he wanted to get off work as soon as possible.
The Wizard legislators began to leave. Those closest to the doors of the Great Hall quickly reached the entrance. The first to arrive was a portly Wizard, who frowned. "Why hasn't anyone opened the doors?"
Under normal procedures, staff were stationed outside the door. Once they heard the meeting inside the Great Hall had ended, they would open the doors themselves.
"Young people these days have no initiative at all!" the Wizard legislator muttered as he twisted the handle and opened the door.
Yet when he opened it, what met his eyes was not some slacking young worker, but Goblins.
Moreover, the doorway was sealed off by a translucent black-and-red barrier.
"What are you trying to do?!" A sense of danger immediately welled up in the Wizard legislator. He staggered several steps back and crashed into someone behind