Chapter Nine- The Ministry Changes Its Mind

At headquarters, I find Kingsley Shacklebolt and Mad-Eye Moody. "Good." Kingsley says in a deep voice. "Your back. Tonks, we have to go get Harry. There was another dementors attack on him." He turns to me. "Stay here. Dumbledore's trying to work something out with the Ministry." I nod. He, Mad-Eye, and Tonks quickly leave, as Sirius pulls me into an Order meeting with Remus, Snape, and Mr. Weasley.

"What did you find?" Remus asks. "Some footprints and a dementor." I say. "Dementors don't leave footprints." Snape points out rudely. "The footprints could have been the Muggle's." I say. "That's true." Mr. Weasley agrees. "Can we get back to the point?" Snape snaps. "Yes, of course." Mr. Weasley replies.

"How is Dumbledore's schedule done?" I ask. "You and Tonks are always together. The rest of us are in our own." Remus says. "Mondays are my days, and if it's a full moon, you and Tonks' day. Tuesday is Arthur, Wednesday is Snape during the summer, Thursday is Kingsley, and Friday is you and Tonks. Saturdays and Sundays are split." I nod. "Okay." "It may have to be just Tonks for a while." Sirius points out as an owl flies in, dropping a letter in front of me. "It's from the Ministry." I say, opening the letter.

Carina Malfoy

The Ministry has decided to allow you to keep your wand and has suspended you expulsion from Hogwarts until a Ministry hearing on August Twelfth.

Yours Truly,

Mafalda Hopkirk

"At least it's better than getting expelled." I say. "There's no way we can win this hearing, though." Sirius says. "Sirius is right. The Ministry will be biased." Remus points out. At this point, in walk Harry, Kingsley, Tonks, and Mad-Eye. "We have to try." I say. "Hi, Harry."

"Hi, Carina." Harry says before Mrs. Weasley blocks him off, sending him upstairs. "Both your hearings are on the same day, at the same time." Kingsley says, sitting down. "The bigger problem is that somehow, Narcissa Malfoy found out, and is asking questions." Mad-Eye says. "That's to be expected." Mr. Weasley sighs. "The problem is that Dumbledore managed to convince her that Carina was at a friend's house, and" Kingsley starts. "And none of my friends are at the beach." I finish. "Correct. Dumbledore's worried she suspects Order involvement." Mad-Eye says.

"And she's not too happy about the expulsion either, last I heard. Someone forgot to tell her about the hearing." Kingsley adds. I sigh. "Do you want me to write to her?" I ask, quickly explaining about the last two letters I received. "I think we have no choice." Remus says. "How much do I tell her?" I ask. "Tell her you were staying with Andromeda, and went to the beach with her for the day." Kingsley says. I run off and write the letter.