ywaspresidingoverthisasaspeialfavortoharry.ronthinkshe’srazy,buthehadn’tseenwhatharryhadseen—theguiltthatbuildsintheshadowsunderdrao’seyes,ahandshakingashewasforedtotortureorbetortured,aboythatwantedhisfather’slovebutonlygotpain.“nothingtoaddtotheourt?”

speakup,harrywantedtoshoutdownathim.besidehim,ginnyleanedforward,learlywaitingtoseewhatwouldome.eon,malfoy,showthemwhataharmlessguiltyouare.

“thenweproeedwiththesentening.”kingsleystood,hisvoiemagiallymagnifiedtoprojetarosstheourt,anddozensofamerasfshedatthesametime.theimageswouldfindtheirwaytothefrontpageofthedailyprophettomorrow.(whihdeanhadtakenoveraseditor,soitatuallyreportsthefatsindepeoftheministry.)“i’msenteningyoutoprobation,ontheonditionthatyouanstaywithsomeonewhoisingoodstandingwiththewizardingommunity.couldyougivetheourtthenameofsomesuhperson?”

apause,longandsilent,andthendrao’svoiesoquietitwasalmostawhisper.“no.”onesylble,butitwasdamnation.“there’snoone.”

therewasanothersilene,andthenkingsleysatdownagain.“thenyouleavemenohoiebuttosenteneyoutoazkabanforthefullsenteningperiod.”

atleasttherearenodementorsthereanymore,harrywasthinking,resignedtoalostause,butthenhelooksdownonesttimeandseesdrao,thispitiful,brokenthingomparedagainsttheshadowofwhatheusedtobe,andhefoundhimselfstanding,hishandslippingoutofginny’sfingers.

“heannameme,minister.”there’sasurprisedbarkofughterfromhisright,andheknewthatginnywasgrinning,thesmileshealwayshadonherfaewhenoneofthemdidsomethingstupid.thosesamereportersarenowtakingpituresofhim,andfetmalfoy,fetkingsley,thiswasgoingtobetheheadliningnew