"These law-related books are so tedious, how long have I been reading them…" Harry pursed his lips, his eyes growing dizzy with the details.
"But you've been reading for an hour… an hour! I didn't even need half an hour to memorize all this! Ivan only took fifteen minutes!" Hermione's voice was rising, and she thought Harry must have been wasting his time by not reading properly.
"Don't you read the papers? Sirius's trial is tomorrow! You only have one night!" Hermione reminded her.
Harry could only cover his face with his book and shiver at Hermione's rebuke, knowing that his time was limited.
However, Peter Pettigrew had at least twenty laws, and due to the complexity of the add-ons, it took him an hour to grasp the general meaning of each.
"How could anyone possibly recite these terms in fifteen minutes…" Harry muttered.
Seeing that Harry was not convinced, Hermione turned to Ivan.
Ivan, who was reading the book, looked up. He had, of course, heard Hermione talking to Harry, and was quickly recounting Peter Pettigrew's various crimes.
"Clause 3, Clause 27 of the Muggle Protection Act states that any wizard should refrain from performing magic in public in the Muggle world… Clause 9, Clause 12… Clause 43…"
"See! I was right, wasn't I?" Hermione said to Harry when Ivan had finished.
Harry was devastated …
He was there when Ivan read the books.
Harry's impression of Ivan, however, was that he read very casually, turning the pages and glancing at them for half a minute at most.
He looked like he was just putting on an act, but Ivan had already memorized everything.
Harry suddenly felt that the world was a cruel place for a slacker like him!
He strongly suspected that Yvonne had not sneaked out of bed the night before to memorize the book. How else could she have learned so quickly?
Ivan was unaware that Harry was defaming him behind his back, and although he often got up in the middle of the night to sneak into the library to check on banned books, he was not so bad as to memorize certain legal provisions.
Perhaps it was due to learning Occlumency and the repeated use of the Academic Genius Experience Card, but Ivan was keenly aware that his memory had improved substantially.
Under normal circumstances, one would not have a photographic memory, but to be able to remember ordinary things after reading them a few times could be considered a talent…
Hermione's use of him as a template for Harry's life was certainly pushing it…
Besides, there was no need to recite the legal terms if you were to appear as a witness; Hermione was taking them too seriously.
It was just that Ivan had no intention of interfering, and there was nothing wrong with learning more about it for a brat like Harry.
Perhaps he would hesitate slightly the next time he sought death.
…
Early the next morning, Ivan was roused from his sleep by Harry.
Ron got up early in the morning and was still yawning.
"What are we doing up so early?" Yvonne asked, glancing at the dawn sky, wanting nothing more than to get back to bed.
"It's getting late. The court session starts in three hours!" Harry's face had changed from its previous night's sigh to one full of energy and nerves.
"Perhaps we'll have to get ready and bring something? And where is the courtroom? Have you been there?"
Flustered, Harry searched under his bed for the Cloak of Invisibility, wondering if he should put it on.
If things went badly and Sirius's case failed, he might be able to get out of this alive.
"Don't worry, we won't have to bring anything. We'll be back by evening at the latest! And Professor Dumbledore is the Chief Wizard of the Wizengamot Tribunal, so we're going to win!" Ivan said reassuringly.
The Wizengamot is the name of the highest court in the wizarding world.
Due to the small number of wizards and witches in the wizarding world, courts sometimes go months without a case, so there are no separate courts, and the entire trial takes place in the Ministry's courtroom.
The proceedings were brief, taking the form of an interrogator asking a question, the clerk taking notes, and the verdict by a show of hands.
Ivan was filling Harry in on what he had read in the books as they walked towards the Great Hall.
It was not yet six o'clock and the Great Hall was empty, but the hardworking house-elves were on hand to serve them a hearty breakfast.
While Ivan leisurely enjoyed the food, Harry ate his breakfast while glancing at the Muggle Protection Act, thinking that he had a few more important points to remember, and that it was not too late to start sharpening his skills…
An hour later, Dumbledore entered the Great Hall.
In contrast to his usual casual style, Dumbledore was dressed in a set of magenta robes with ornate carvings around the edges and a delicate silver "W" embroidered across the left breast.
Ivan knew that it was a Wizengamot wizarding costume, representing Dumbledore's status as Chief Wizard.
"Professor Dumbledore, will you be the Praetor?" Ivan asked curiously.
As Dumbledore was nominally the highest-ranking official in the Wizengamot, it is likely that he presided over this trial.
Harry looked expectantly at Dumbledore, waiting for his reply.
"No! Unfortunately… I did not receive such a notice." Dumbledore shook his head as the two men stared at him.
He had only returned yesterday and did not have enough time to influence the other members of the Wizengamot to make a decision, so the presiding judge was most likely from the Ministry.
Harry's expression turned disappointed.
"Don't worry, we have very strong evidence of Sirius's innocence…" Dumbledore reassured them, then stressed the rules of the court and suggested that Hermione and Ron tag along.
They were both surprised to learn this.
"But I haven't done anything to prepare for it?" Hermione was flustered, as this was not part of her plan.
"You know so much more than we do! What need is there for preparation?" Yvonne complained, reading more than she or Harry, Hermione!
Ivan even suspected that Miss Know-it-all could probably recite all the laws and regulations of the wizarding world…
Hermione regained some of her confidence and suddenly turned to Ron. "What about Ron? He doesn't know anything yet?"
Ron angrily tried to retort, but when he opened his mouth, he didn't know what to say.
Well, he really didn't seem to know anything…
(PS: If you can't finish the title, you can write it here…)