The Hearing
chapter eight of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Harry is whisked into a courtroom, where the full Wizengamot tries him for a breach of the Statute of Secrecy. Cornelius Fudge presides, and clearly works very hard to get Harry convicted, disregarding dozens of laws along the way; fortunately for Harry, Dumbledore arrives to defend him and calls Mrs. Figg as a witness, and Harry is acquitted as Dumbledore sweeps from the room.
Feeling rather sick [Harry] looked up at the people seated at the bench above.
(by Sebastian Theilig)
There were about fifty of them… all staring down their noses at him, some with very austere expressions, others looks of frank curiosity.
(by thepolestar)
” – Witness for the defense, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore,” said a quiet voice from behind Harry, who turned his head so fast he cricked his neck. Dumbledore was striding serenely across the room.
(by Florence Minowa)
Harry felt a horrible sinking in the pit of his stomach. Whatever Mrs. Figg might say, it sounded to him as though the most she had ever seen was a picture of a Dementor, and a picture could never convey the truth of what these beings were like: the eerie way they moved, hovering inches over the ground; or the rotting smell of them; or that terrible rattling noise they made as they sucked on the surrounding air…
(by Drew Graham)
The witch spoke in a fluttery, girlish, high-pitched voice that took Harry aback; he had been expecting a croak. “I’m sure I must have misunderstood you, Professor Dumbledore,” she said with a simper…. “So silly of me. But it sounded for a teensy moment as though you were suggesting that the Ministry of Magic had ordered an attack on this boy!”
(by LMRourke)
“As far as I am aware, however,” Dumbledore continued, “there is no law yet in place that says this court’s job is to punish Harry for every bit of magic he has ever performed. He has been charged with a specific offense and he has presented his defense. All he and I can do now is to await your verdict.”
(by Amanda Grazini)
about the chapter
Something You May Not Have Noticed
We’ve already learned that Mrs. Figg is working with Dumbledore and the Order of the Phoenix, and it seemed to make sense that she would be the one to keep an eye on Harry, given that the witches and wizards in the order have more important work to be doing. But it’s clear here that there is another reason her status as a Squib is useful to the Order – because as Madame Bones mentions, any witches or wizards living close to Harry would have been closely tracked. By placing a squib nearby instead of a wizard, Dumbledore can have someone he trusts keeping an eye on Harry without the Ministry realizing he’s doing so – and it pays off in a big way when he’s able to call her as a witness to Harry’s trial.
The Wizarding World
The number of times and ways in which Cornelius Fudge appears willing to ignore and break laws to serve his own political purposes is so sickeningly disgusting I can hardly take it. The fact that the rest of the Wizengamot appears willing to let him do so, and doesn’t begin to discuss impeaching him the moment this trial is over, is equally disheartening. The corruption in the wizarding world appears to run very deep, as does the susceptibility of even the most powerful wizards to coercion and propaganda. Remember that all that’s happened to discredit Harry is a couple of articles written by a reporter known to make up facts, followed by a series of inappropriately snide remarks thrown into the Daily Prophet. And yet the Wizengamot lets Fudge carry on like this…. it just makes me sick.
Life at Hogwarts
Fudge’s attempt to overstep his bounds by expelling Harry from Hogwarts lends an interesting insight into the relationship between the Ministry of Magic and the only school within its jurisdiction. Dumbledore makes it clear that the Ministry doesn’t have power to punish students for things that happen at Hogwarts, which means that it’s not just the classes, but the entire school, which seem to be excepted from the laws regarding underage magic. And while we’ve heard before of a Board of Governors that controls the school (they are the ones with the power to fire the headmaster, not the Ministry), the Ministry seems to be in charge of testing students – though we don’t get any indication of ramifications for Hogwarts if the tests don’t go well. It’s an intricate relationship, but clearly one designed not to give anyone too much power. Not that that stops Cornelius Fudge from trying, of course.
Something to Remember
With Harry’s emotions running high, he doesn’t stop to think about everything Dumbledore says in the trial. But one of Dumbledore’s points is particularly ominous, and worth another thought. Specifically he mentions that there are really only two possibilities for why dementors would have been in Little Whinging: either they are beginning to move outside of Ministry control, and were ordered there by Voldemort; or someone at the Ministry ordered them there instead. I don’t like either of these two options even a little bit, given what they portend for Harry’s future….
The Final Word
“Squibs [like Mrs. Figg] would not be able to attend Hogwarts as students. They are often doomed to a rather sad kind of half-life (yes, you should be feeling sorry for Filch), as their parentage often means that they will be exposed to, if not immersed in, the wizarding community, but can never truly join it. Sometimes they find a way to fit in; Filch has carved himself a niche at Hogwarts and Arabella Figg operates as Dumbledore’s liaison between the magical and Muggle worlds. Neither of these characters can perform magic (Filch’s Kwikspell course never worked), but they still function within the wizarding world because they have access to certain magical objects and creatures that can help them (Arabella Figg does a roaring trade in cross-bred cats and Kneazles, and if you don‘t know what a Kneazle is yet, shame on you). Incidentally, Arabella Figg never saw the Dementors that attacked Harry and Dudley, but she had enough magical knowledge to identify correctly the sensations they created in the alleyway.”–J.K. Rowling, jkrowling.com
That illustration of Umbridge by LMRourke just brings up all the emotions that I feel when I read about her. Ugh!
wizardinventor said this on November 3, 2009 at 6:46 pm
I agree with wizardinventor, that picture of Umbridge is wonderfully horrible. You can see the toad and that bow….. Ick. Thankfully the rest of the pictures give relief from “her”.
Loader Lady said this on November 3, 2009 at 7:24 pm
I don’t think Filch ever punished a student as horribly as he claimed to the children… i think he was just trying to scare them… Dumbledore would never allow that on a student and he was headmaster at Hogwarts long before Filch got there….although Apollyon was rough on Arthur
Amy Darlene said this on November 3, 2009 at 7:25 pm
hmm.;.. this chapter made me so angry. First because like you already said john, Fudge is bending his own rules so incredibly far, second, not one of the adult-wizards is stopping him, and third because this is the first time we see dumbledore acting indeed strange to Harry. Before this chapter, I assumed that it was partly in Harry’s head that he felt left out. Now you know as reader that he has a point.
No one is acting in this chapter as they should be… (mumblegrumble)
x-kim-x
kim said this on November 4, 2009 at 3:08 am
I have always liked LMRourke’s artwork. I agree with both wizardinventor and Loader Lady. Somwthing else to remember, I noticed these two lines from the US edition of OOTP.
“Oh, I don’t think any of us believe the dementors were there by coinsidence,” said Dumbledore lightly.
The witch sitting to the right of Fudge with her face in shadow moved slightly, but everyone else was quite still and silent.
The witch sitting next to Fudge is Umbridge. Keep that in mind at the end of the book.
Jeremy said this on November 4, 2009 at 2:13 pm
Umbridge’s gall always amazes me here – she accuses Dumbledore of making unfounded accusations of the Ministry, when she knows they’re actually true. Honestly, there isn’t a single character I hate more than Umbridge in these books.
hpboy13 said this on November 4, 2009 at 9:22 pm
The portrait of Umbridge is chilling. Since watching the film, Imelda Staunton has become the Umbridge in my head when I read the books. That’s great, because her “hem hem” is perfect, but her appearance just doesn’t scream “toad!” to me. LMRourke’s drawing brought all my first impressions back…
Poor Harry. This book depresses me more than any other, because he’s seeing for the first time how political agendas win out over common sense and basic ethics all too frequently. It’s such a bitter lesson.
Inky Squirrel said this on November 4, 2009 at 10:05 pm
Isn’t it a sad statement about Umbridge’s character that I’d rather spend time with Voldemort than her? Ugh, this book was so frustrating- this chapter in particular! I remember staying up to read it when it came out (23.5 hours!) and wanting to shout at the pages, “THAT’S NOT FAIR!” so many times!
Jessi said this on November 5, 2009 at 7:56 am
Yay, I’ve finally caught up with listening.
Great Final Word with the background information on Mrs. Figg.
Yes, there’s lots to be frustrated with in this chapter, but there’s also a lot of humor in the writing.
The Umbridge in my head looks very different from the one in the movies. I always picture dispatch manager Roz of Monsters, Inc.
Kim said this on November 5, 2009 at 10:47 am
I’d much rather be hanging with bad ol’ Voldy rather than Umbridge as well Jessi. Especially after seeing “A Very Potter Musical” on YouTube. Oh, it’s so hilarious.
Eliza said this on November 6, 2009 at 12:48 am
Could somebody slap Fudge?
Roonil Wazlib said this on November 6, 2009 at 9:17 am
Wait! “…Incidentally, can Squibs see dementors?” he added, looking left and right along the bench where he sat.
“Yes, we can!” said Mrs. Figg indignantly.
Then she goes on to talk about seeing the dementors. Is anyone else confused?
Roonil Wazlib – Gladly. *Jumps into book and slaps Fudge… then slaps Umbridge and throws Dungbombs in their faces for good measure.* Your welcome!
That picture of Umbridge is amazing, by the way. I think it’s better than the illistrations in the books, although both are wonderully horrible. I would also like to note that I love Imelda Staunton’s acting skills. I wanted to hit her the entire movie, so I know she was doing her job right.
And last comment… politics suck, if you’re a Muggle or a wizard.
Mickey said this on November 6, 2009 at 4:39 pm
Mickey: There’s a quote from JKR somewhere where she states Mrs. Figg did not see the dementors but recognized the effects they were causing. This is why she was able to describe the depressing feelings they caused better than her feeble description of their feeble appearance. And thank you for slapping Fudge! :)
Roonil Wazlib said this on November 7, 2009 at 12:57 am
*physical appearance. Really should proofread before hitting submit. Ha, ha!
Roonil Wazlib said this on November 7, 2009 at 12:58 am
Roonil Wazlib, the quote you’re referring to is on this page… right under ‘The Final Word’ ;)
John Kearns said this on November 7, 2009 at 8:42 am
Yay, found it! Ha, ha!
Roonil Wazlib said this on November 7, 2009 at 6:11 pm
John, the business of the Ministry controlling O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s is just the way the education system works in Britain. The Muggle government funds the schools, the exam boards and the O.F.S.T.E.D. inspectors. (I’ll write more about the latter at the appropriate chapter.) Having external exams is a method of quality control as well as a means of awarding qualifications to students. The wizarding government also finances the wizarding school and ensures some kind of external quality control. As you say, Fudge is clearly attempting to over-step the mark and take far too much control of the school. People who disapprove on principle may well support him in practice because they are worried about Dumbledore’s mad ideas.
Grace has Victory said this on November 25, 2009 at 9:42 pm
I think your comment about Fudge – and Umbridge, later in the book – being real dungheads (and getting away with it) sums up why book 5 is my least favourite in the series. It’s a show-stopping problem, in my opinion. Harry has consistently proven that he’s a good chap, and all it takes is a couple of bad articles and, boom, he’s Britian’s biggest bad boy? And Dumbledore, who everyone (except maybe the Slytherins) seemed to think was the best wizard since Merlin himself, was also labeled a nut just because he backed up Harry?
Like I said, it’s a critical error for me, something that would reappear (to a lesser degree) in book 7.
Sean said this on January 11, 2010 at 2:44 am
Kim- I find your Umbridge/Roz comparison to be great. Though I can’t decide if that is at all an insult to Roz….
Chelsea said this on April 26, 2010 at 10:50 pm
Public opinion is often easily swayed. No one wants to believe Voldemort is back and the Daily Prophet offers a way out – Harry (who has already been publicly, repeatedly discredited) is making it all up with Dumbledore, who everyone knows is getting on in years. Fudge has always been intimidated by Dumbledore – Voldemort coming back on his watch would (and, in the end, does) spell the end of his career, so he believes Dumbledore created this story to discredit him and gain the Ministry. As Hermione points out later, the Prophet has had all summer to poison people’s mind against Harry and Dumbledore – because Harry doesn’t read the Prophet himself, we don’t see the full extent of their vitriol against him.
As far as we know, the Prophet is the only newspaper in the Wizarding World (excepting the highly-dubious Quibbler), thus giving them a complete monopoly over the flow of information. All the Ministry would have to do is bribe a few higher-ups and any story contradicting the current narrative about Harry or Dumbledore never sees the light of day.
Heather said this on May 6, 2010 at 5:28 pm
Heather – you said everything that I was thinking.
As far as the Wizengamot goes, all of these folks have been through at least one, some of them two serious and bloody wizarding wars. They are (presumably) well educated, prominent members of society who keep up with current events (aka The Prophet) staring down at this young boy who can’t POSSIBLY be quite right, you know. Just think of all the TRAUMA he’s been through in his short life. And who KNOWS what kind of long term effects that curse scar of his has left behind? And wasn’t he somehow mixed up in the Chamber of Secrets nonsense a few years back? And wasn’t he found with that Diggory boy’s body last spring? Whisper, whisper, whisper, long before the possibility of a trial fell into Umbridge and Fudge’s laps, whisper, whisper, whisper.
Do you think they did a dance when he cast that Patronus?
Amanda said this on May 23, 2010 at 4:12 am
I wonder if Umbridge intended for the dementors to attempt to Kiss Harry (and Dudley). The dementors did act outside Ministry orders in attempting to Kiss Harry in Prisoner of Azkaban.
Jonathan said this on May 23, 2010 at 6:08 am