It was only the next day that Harry realized he really hadn't needed to worry about the hearing. The biggest problem had been that Mr. Weasley refused to use Floo Powder and insisted on taking the Muggle Underground with him, nearly making them late.
They made it in the end. When Harry saw Dumbledore, he felt much calmer.
The hearing chamber was packed. Fudge sat in the high-backed chair at its center, his round face dark with displeasure.
"Harry James Potter," Fudge began, "you stand accused of using magic while underage—"
Harry spent the entire hearing feeling utterly lost.
Mundungus Fletcher's offer to take responsibility proved effective. Fudge couldn't convict Harry, but the moment he left, he sent people to investigate the shady business Mundungus Fletcher had done in the past.
Toward the end of the hearing, Amelia Bones spoke up for him at length. Harry was deeply grateful to Susan Bones's relative.
Harry was pleased with the outcome of the hearing.
But he had a new problem. He had planned to go to France in August, only to be told he had better not leave 12 Grimmauld Place. Harry didn't even get a chance to go out and buy books.
Lupin brought him the new textbooks, Defensive Magical Theory and Practical Defensive Magic and Its Countermeasures Against Dark Magic, himself.
All Harry could do was write to Sophie and apologize.
On the last day of the holiday, two letters from Hogwarts arrived for Ron and Hermione.
A few minutes later, George and Fred erupted. "Prefect? You made Prefect?"
"Prefect?" Will turned the letter over and read it twice. He couldn't understand why it had been sent to him.
If I remember right, wasn't Malfoy supposed to become Prefect?
*What did they want me as Prefect for? Taking points