One or two of the passing wizards nodded to Harry as they passed, and a few, including Madam Bones, sad, "Good morning, Arthur," to Mr. Weasley, but most averted their eyes. You keep a careful watch until Hades begins to pass you by - you almost miss him, simply because now that you're standing on the same floor as he is, his figure is overwhelmingly tall. The only taller man you've ever met in your life is Hagrid, who would have a hard time fitting into these stooped tunnels; Hades isn't to that scale, but he stands well above the other wizards exiting the courtroom, closer to six and a half feet than six. Up close, he has an angular face, with a substantial nose and a brow with a built-in scowl that reminds you, unpleasantly, of Snape.
You feel very small as you step out in front of him. He comes to a stop, his floor-length robes rustling as they fall around his feet, and before you can say anything, he says, "There's no need to thank me or any such thing, Mister Potter."
"Still, it's polite to thank you anyway, isn't it?" you say. "I don't think Fudge was very happy with what you said."
That earns you a lift in his eyebrows - they're no darker than his hair - in what might be amusement. "The Minister and I have been butting heads over the issue of Dementors for the past several years," Hades says. "If it did not occur to him that calling the full court to hear such a petty matter would have brought the matter to the forefront once more, that is his mistake and not mine."
You nod, somewhat automatically, and he nods at you in turn, giving only the slightest pause to acknowledge Mr. Weasley before he sweeps off on his way. Once he's gone, Mr. Weasley says, in an undertone so that the rest of the passing wizards and witches cannot hear, "Hades Solus spoke up in your defense? I would have had a losing bet on that. He's from as old and uptight a pureblood family as the Malfoys."
You shrug, not having any explanation other than the one the man himself just offered you. "He must really hate Dementors, then," you say.
"He was one of the loudest voices against their assignment to guard Hogwarts two years ago," Mr. Weasley says. "I suppose that's the only way it makes sense." He stops speaking then, to nod and return a greeting from a passing wizard.
Cornelius Fudge and the toadlike witch were almost the last to leave the dungeon...
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You feel very small as you step out in front of him. He comes to a stop, his floor-length robes rustling as they fall around his feet, and before you can say anything, he says, "There's no need to thank me or any such thing, Mister Potter."
"Still, it's polite to thank you anyway, isn't it?" you say. "I don't think Fudge was very happy with what you said."
That earns you a lift in his eyebrows - they're no darker than his hair - in what might be amusement. "The Minister and I have been butting heads over the issue of Dementors for the past several years," Hades says. "If it did not occur to him that calling the full court to hear such a petty matter would have brought the matter to the forefront once more, that is his mistake and not mine."
You nod, somewhat automatically, and he nods at you in turn, giving only the slightest pause to acknowledge Mr. Weasley before he sweeps off on his way. Once he's gone, Mr. Weasley says, in an undertone so that the rest of the passing wizards and witches cannot hear, "Hades Solus spoke up in your defense? I would have had a losing bet on that. He's from as old and uptight a pureblood family as the Malfoys."
You shrug, not having any explanation other than the one the man himself just offered you. "He must really hate Dementors, then," you say.
"He was one of the loudest voices against their assignment to guard Hogwarts two years ago," Mr. Weasley says. "I suppose that's the only way it makes sense." He stops speaking then, to nod and return a greeting from a passing wizard.
Cornelius Fudge and the toadlike witch were almost the last to leave the dungeon...