PER-I-LOUS,, jp-jw/hp

Chapter 8

"Mister Hammond, they're here."

Harry looked grim at Mullins announcement.

"Be strong, my boy. Be strong." John leaned over from his armchair and patted Harry's knee as he sat in the matching one next to him. "Show them in Mister Mullins, then find yourself a suitable position."

A minute later and a tall man in a charcoal grey suit entered carrying a briefcase, behind him was a familiar and unwelcome man. Cornelius Fudge, in his bottle-green suit, pin-striped cloak and carrying his lime green bowler hat. He looked very unhappy.

"Mister Hammond, Mister Potter, I'm Donald Parks from the office of the Prime Minister. I'm sure you know Mister Cornelius Fudge."

"Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge." The portly little man said importantly. "And again, I must object to more muggles being present."

"What did you call me, sir?" John raised an eyebrow.

"A muggle." Fudge said patronisingly as he sat down on the couch, despite not being invited to. "A person that cannot perform magic."

"And what is the scientific etymology of such a ridiculous word?"

"The what?"

"How did the word come about?"

"I can hardly be expected to know that." Fudge said dismissively. "Now, Mister Potter, you are in a lot of trouble. You refused to cooperate with the Spanish magicals and have been casting spells outside of school.

"You were unavailable for your trial and were tried and convicted of breaking the Statute of Secrecy and the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery.

"You will need to hand over your wand and accompany me to the Ministry where you will be transported to Azkaban prison to serve out your five year sentence."

"Let me stop you right there, Mister Fudge." Mister Parks stepped between them. "Mister Harry James Potter is a legal citizen of the United Kingdom, the United States of America and Costa Rica.

"None of that really matters as he is also only fifteen years old and is therefore underaged and not eligible for a prison sentence."

"Irrelevant! As a British wizard he is compelled to obey British magical law!"

"As a British citizen, he is protected, like all the other children and magicals born and registered with the United Kingdom."

"Do you know what you are doing, man?" Fudge demanded as he stood. "You are stepping perilously close to war with the magical world!"

"No sir. You have already committed acts of war. You have conducted countless attacks on the citizens of the United Kingdom, wiping their memories, committing criminal acts and then covering them up.

"And do not delude yourself, sir. This is not just the stance of the United Kingdom, this is being discussed by many countries who are aware of your callous disregard for human life and free will.

"No longer shall we stand for it."

"Y-You don't have the right!" Fudge spluttered.

"Fudge, we are well aware of how corrupt you and your government are. Allowing a fourteen-year-old to be forced into a dangerous tournament, ignoring the rights of a person to a fair trial and having them sentenced to death on sight when they escape.

"Rest assured, over the past few months my government has contacted the magicals born and registered in our world. We have told them that they are bound by our laws and that they are protected by our laws."