Madam Marchbanks interjected. "While such an option is available in the event of a student not doing as well as their Professors think they could have, the Wizarding Examinations Authority has no record of any such request coming from you."
"You wouldn't," replied Bill. "The request was never submitted. Dumbledore insisted that he had contacts inside Gringotts. He said he could get me an apprenticeship without having to retake my exams. At the time I thought he only meant that he would write a letter of recommendation. It was only after I joined the Order that he revealed that he had forged a document of my exam results."
"Why did he feel it necessary to reveal this to you?" asked Madam Bones.
"Dumbledore decided that he wanted to place a communication block on Harry Potter. He encouraged Harry's friends to not write to him and then decided that when members of The Order were on guard duty outside Harry's muggle residence, they were to intercept any and all Owl Post messages that came to the house. We were then to bring them back to the Order's Headquarters so that Dumbledore could read them and either approve them or not.
"I told him that I was not comfortable doing so but he insisted that it was for Harry's own good. But when he decided to lock up Harry's owl, Hedwig, I threatened to quit The Order. That's when Dumbledore told me the truth about how I got my curse breaker apprenticeship and threatened to reveal it to my superiors at the bank."
"I presume that he also used this threat to get you to take part in the mass potioning of students at Hogwarts?" asked Madam Bones.
Bill nodded, an action which prompted much discussion in the audience.
Fudge called for order and said "Mr Weasley, this case is not as clear cut as that of your parents. This time we will have to open the matter up to a Wizengamot vote."
He turned in his seat and asked "Those in favour of conviction of William Weasley for his role in the mass potioning of students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry?"
Some hands were raised, others remained down.
"And those in favour of clearing the accused of the charges levied against him?"
It was close, but those in favour of conviction won the day.
"Very well," said Fudge. "William Weasley, you will remain in your chair while we hear the cases against the rest of The Order of the Phoenix. Once Madam Bones has presented all of her evidence, the Wizengamot will retire to deliberate all suitably punishments."
Bill nodded in acceptance as his seat was guided back into line with the others.
Harry had no idea just who Elphias Doge was, but Madam Bones revealing that the man was previously employed for fifty years as a Special Advisor to the Wizengamot meant that Harry paid close attention.
It quickly turned out that Madam Bones had more on Doge than she had on Bill.
A lot more.
Doge's reasons for joining The Order were simple.
Firstly, Dumbledore had gotten Doge the job of Special Advisor to the Wizengamot and, as such, felt that he owed Dumbledore for it.
Second, Doge and Dumbledore had gone to school together, where they had forged a strong friendship.
Third, Doge was a closet homosexual and didn't want anyone to know about it, out of fear that it would bring shame upon his family.
No prizes for guessing who did know.
As a part of The Order, Doge had, amongst other things, taken part in the potioning of the students and abused his position as Special Advisor to the Wizengamot in order to spy on the body for Dumbledore after the latter was dismissed from his position as Chief Warlock.
Madam Bones also had evidence that Doge had, at Dumbledore's urging, been influential in some of the more distasteful decisions taken by the Wizengamot at the end of the first war with Voldemort. She did not come right out and say it, but Harry got the distinct impression that Amelia was referencing the sentencing of Sirius to Azkaban without trial, the release of Snape without a trial and the decision to block the Abbott's claim of guardianship over Harry.
Fudge decided that the Wizengamot would refrain from casting a verdict for now. Meanwhile, Doge would remain in Ministry custody until a full investigation into Doge's actions during his time as Special Advisor to the Wizengamot was completed.
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