Trial Concluded

As the trial began, Mr. Runcorn, acting as prosecutor, loudly announced the summons of the first witness—Dumbledore.

Dumbledore strode forward with perfect composure. He wore flowing black-and-blue robes, his face bearing an expression of profound serenity. Stopping level with Harry, he raised his head and looked at Fudge through half-moon spectacles perched on his crooked nose. His long silver-white beard and hair gleamed in the torchlight.

The Wizengamot members were murmuring among themselves. Every eye was fixed on Dumbledore. Some looked furious, some seemed rather afraid, while two elderly witches seated in the back row actually waved in greeting.

A sharp glint flashed in Skylar's eyes as he committed the two witches' appearances and names to memory. Though this seemed to be a plot point from the original story, he had not expected that, even with all his assistance, Fudge's attacks and slander would still fail to completely erase Dumbledore's influence in political circles.

Faced with the unruffled Dumbledore, Fudge, as chief adjudicator, appeared somewhat flustered, making Skylar shake his head inwardly from where he sat at the back.

The two first exchanged a few meaningless pleasantries. Then Dumbledore gently declined Fudge's stumbling offer, conjured himself a chair, and sat down. His refined and courteous manner looked nothing like the senile old fool described by the Daily Prophet over the past month, and the atmosphere in the chamber slowly began to shift—

Dumbledore's bearing unsettled the Wizengamot members present. If Dumbledore was not senile, not mad, then did that mean the news he had announced some time ago was very likely true?

That man had really returned!

Without question, it was a cruel reality that many people were unwilling to face.

Compared with Dumbledore, who had remained impeccably polite throughout, Fudge, fidgeting restlessly in his seat on the tribunal, looked