Wizengamot letters on Harry Potter's trial rescheduling

Wizengamot letter to Harry Potter
Letter information
Sender	Wizengamot (in the person of Mafalda Hopkirk
Addressee	Harry Potter
Date of writing	12 August, 1995
Subject	Announcement of the change of time and venue of Harry Potter's disciplinary hearing.

Cornelius Fudge: "You're late."

Harry Potter: "Sorry, I — I didn't know the time had been changed."

Cornelius Fudge: "That is not the Wizengamot's fault. An owl was sent to you this morning. Take your seat."

— Harry Potter arrives late to his disciplinary hearing in 1995.

The Wizengamot sent a letter to Harry Potter in order to notify him that the time and place of his disciplinary hearing had been changed to three hours earlier and in Courtroom Ten. As this owl was sent the same day as the hearing, Harry Potter missed it and arrived five minutes late when he went to work with Arthur Weasley.

The Wizengamot also sent a similar message to Albus Dumbledore, which Dumbledore also missed, but nevertheless arrived in time for the hearing due to what he claimed was a "lucky mistake", though, knowing Dumbledore, it probably wasn't a "mistake" at all.

Behind the scenes

• No reference to this letter is ever made in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, nor is the letter seen at any time. However, Harry Potter Limited Edition shows that a prop was, at some point, created to depict the letter. Going against the information presented in the novel, the letter is addressed to Arthur Weasley (who is referred to in the body of the letter as Harry's guardian, which is not the case) and was sent by Mafalda Hopkirk instead of by the Wizengamot Administration Services. The text of the letter is the following:

Dear Mr. Weasley,

Due to the current circumstances we are informing you as guardian for Harry James Potter, that the Disciplinary Hearing for the offences stated below will now take place on the 12th of August at 8am in the Courtroom 10 at the Ministry of Magic.

The charges against the accused are:

• The accused in full awareness of the illegality of his actions produce [sic] a Patronus Charm in the presence of a Muggle,
• The accused used magic outside the school while under the age of seventeen.

Hoping that you are well,

Mafalda Hopkirk

Commander-in-Chief

Improper Use of Magic Office

Appearances

• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film) (Cut from final film)
• Harry Potter Limited Edition (First appearance)