Harry's Patronus and DEs Entering the Ministry

[Phyllis]

Kaitlin wrote:

> I don't think he had his Patronus fully developed at the point of 
> the Gryffindor-Ravenclaw match.

I think it was fully developed then, because Dumbledore told Harry 
later that he recognized it as a stag.  I think the reason it's not 
identified as a stag during the match is because Harry didn't look at 
it – he was focusing on catching the Snitch instead.

Monika wrote:

> What bothers me more about it is that anyone seems to be able to 
> get into the ministry at any time, be it day or night, provided 
> that he knows which number to dial. You dial, you say your name, 
> and you're welcome. I guess that's how the Death Eaters got
> in, too...

I assumed the DEs Apparated into the Ministry, since there don't 
appear to be any anti-Apparition charms (Arthur Apparates to work 
each day and Harry sees witches and wizards Apparating on his way to 
his hearing).  I don't think anyone would have stopped Lucius Malfoy 
from Apparating into the Ministry anyway, since he's in league with 
Fudge.  The laughable lack of security is intentional, IMO, and is 
meant to point out Fudge's complete denial of Voldemort's return.

Although I wonder what it was that brought Fudge to the Ministry 
after the Voldemort-Dumbledore duel.  There must have been something 
that triggered his arrival armed with his Aurors – perhaps when a 
prophecy is removed from a shelf after hours, it triggers some sort 
of alarm?  Or perhaps whatever the DEs did to neutralize whatever 
after-hours security existed triggered an alarm?  Dumbledore told 
Voldemort the Aurors were on the way – how did he know?  Fudge seems 
surprised to see Dumbledore there, so presumably he wasn't acting on 
a tip-off from Dumbledore – given Fudge's distrust of Dumbledore, he 
never would have acted on his advice anyway.  Perhaps Dumbledore 
tipped him off by disguising himself as someone Fudge would trust?

~Phyllis