Chapter 482: Sirius Retrial
After promising Fred and George he'd take them to the suitcase after lunch, Kyle finally managed to get some peace and quiet. Not wanting to risk Kyle sneaking off, the twins opted to stay close, forgoing the Gryffindor table to sit with him at Hufflepuff instead.
Having been at the Hufflepuff table many times before, Fred and George casually took seats on either side of Kyle, greeting everyone nearby with familiar ease. They felt confident that their plan was foolproof, but plans, as it turned out, could change.
Just as Kyle finished his last bite of tortilla, Dumbledore appeared unexpectedly in the Great Hall and headed straight for the Hufflepuff table.
"Kyle, could you come with me for a moment... if you're done eating," he said.
"Certainly, Professor," Kyle replied, waving goodbye to the stunned Weasley twins before following Dumbledore out of the Great Hall.
"I've just received some news," Dumbledore said as they strode briskly toward the doors. "Sirius's retrial has been set for one o'clock, and Cornelius has invited us to attend. We can go together, if that's agreeable to you."
"Of course I'll go, Professor, but... can I actually attend?" Kyle asked hesitantly.
"Yes," Dumbledore assured him. "Fudge specifically mentioned you. He said that as the one who first uncovered the evidence, you have every right to be there. He also noted that today's date was chosen because Hogwarts is closed for the weekend."
Kyle shrugged, unconvinced. He doubted Fudge would go out of his way for such a trivial reason. If timing were the concern, wouldn't it be more convenient to hold the retrial over the holidays?
"He probably wants a witness," Kyle muttered, "to add legitimacy."
"Cornelius is very thorough," Dumbledore replied, neither confirming nor denying Kyle's suspicion. "After all, we have you to thank for this discovery, and your presence will make the proceedings less controversial. Furthermore, as a second-class Order of Merlin recipient, you hold a place in the Wizengamot, even though you've yet to graduate."