A/N The next two chapters are Ginny's POV. I'm a little nervous about her, it's not scenes that call for a strictly bad-ass Ginny Weasley, it's about her confronting something very painful, so I hope the true nature of her character manages to come through in many small ways.

Dear Ron and Hermione

Dumbledore told me he would make sure this letter got to you without going through Umbridge's security screening.

I know I was supposed to be back by now, but I won't be back until the start of next term. I'm sorry that you've had to stick with me all year and now I'm just ditching out. I know you won't admit this but without me around things will be easier on you. You both deserve a break from all the attention.

Ron, good luck with Quidditch training, don't let the Slytherins get in your head we both know you're a great Keeper. Hermione, I promise I won't fall behind, keep up the SPEW knitting. Say hi to Hagrid and Ginny for me. Give Umbridge hell.

Anything you write back isn't secure unless you send it through Dumbledore.

I'm okay.

Harry

Harry's abrupt departure from Hogwarts came as little surprise to those close to him, yet the knowledge that he was in such a bad state was confronting to say the least. Ron and Hermione had explained everything to Ginny and the twins the morning after he left, Hermione looking downcast while Ron sat quietly on the other side of Gryffindor table, glumly picking at him breakfast. It was only a few days later that more bad news came their way, McGonagall confirming something the three of them had already considered a possibility - Harry wasn't coming back until next term.

That was the extent of the information they got. No hint as to whether or not he was truly okay, for it seemed McGonagall wasn't fully up to speed either. Their only solace was the letter that Ron found underneath his pillow that night. Reading Harry's letter was a bitter pill to swallow, not only from the knowledge of how much this year had weighed on him, but for the harsh reality he had acknowledged. Ron and Hermione had struggled this year also, Ginny and the twins to a lesser extent…but Harry being gone would lessen the attention on them. He was right, none of them would ever admit to that, and nor would they ever wish for him to leave, especially like this…but he was right.

Hidden between his apology and deflection was another unspoken truth, one that was probably too painful for him to share right now. The truth that he was not alright, that this wasn't as simple as him not returning, but maybe that he couldn't return. Though she tried not to project her own history onto others, Ginny couldn't help but empathise. It didn't matter that she and Harry weren't as close as he was with Ron and Hermione, she knew enough to recognise the parallels to what he was going through because she herself had been through the same thing.

Regular life sure had a cruel way of piling up on top of trauma.

While Harry was gone the rest of them remaining at Hogwarts simply had to get on with things. The first few days felt like they stretched on for at least a week, hours dragging by sedately, cruel in the face of their anxiousness for Harry's return, for the reassurance that he really was alright. But there was nothing they could do but wait and get on with their lives at Hogwarts, and after a couple of days things began to feel normal again.

Quidditch training was kept up, Ron making small improvements here and there while Ginny watched the Chasers enviously, imagining herself in the midst of the chaotic fray of a game tossing the Quaffle back and forth. Classes too carried on, and by the end of the week the rumours and talk about Harry Potter's sudden disappearance mostly died down. Mean spirited questions about his whereabouts became old jokes, the resurgence of Potter Stinks badges losing momentum after a few Bat Bogey hexes. Even Umbridge seemed to have lost her steam when it came to him and was keeping her joy under wraps.

For the most part normal life resumed until a letter from Ginny's mum arrived. The letter was passed to her from McGonagall, not the morning post when letters usually came, and when she saw her mum's handwriting on the front of the envelope she was taken aback.

Dear Ginny

You must be surprised that I'm writing to you for the second time this week, but it's for an important reason. Madam Bones and the Head of the Auror Department have asked that they may speak to you about what happened in your first year with Tom Riddle's diary.

While it's not something you like talking about I ask you to give it some thought. I will be with you, and you don't have to say any more than you want to. Right now, the Aurors need all the help they can get.

Send your reply through Professor McGonagall.

With much love,

Mum

It was that last line, that the Aurors needed all the help they can get, that convinced her. Taking down You Know Who and Death Eaters wasn't something that could be achieved by any one person. Not by Dumbledore, not the Head of the Auror Department, not by Harry. Instead, they all had to do their part. Ginny read the letter in McGonagall's presence and then agreed before she could think twice, before she gave herself the chance to be afraid. Later McGonagall shared the arrangements with her. Hagrid's hut, eleven o'clock on Saturday…have an alibi.

Naturally she told her brothers and Hermione. Were it anything else else she would have told Demelza and Luna too, but right now this felt too close to share with even her best friends. She had never shared anything this personal with them, nothing to do with what Voldemort did to her. Even after all this time she couldn't help but keep most people at arm's length, overly cautious of letting anyone she didn't completely trust get too close to her. But Ron and Hermione understood, they'd supported Harry through everything of the last year, they would be there for her too.

It was a good thing that there were only a few days until the agreed meeting to talk about what happened in the Chamber of Secrets. She wasn't worried that she would lose her nerve and chicken out, she just didn't need any more time to dwell on what she had to do - this was something she needed to be done with so she could go back to normal life.

Everything was arranged. Not only would Ginny have a perfectly good reason to be out on the grounds, Umbridge and the Inquisitorial Squad would be kept busy. Hermione was going to pester her about the practical aspects of the O.W.L. exams no matter how many points it cost her, while Fred and George were gleefully testing a portable swamp to distract the Inquisitorial Squad.

Ron however was staying behind with Ginny, her escort. She didn't need him to walk her down to Hagrid's, but she was letting him. Ron seemed woefully lost without Harry, an absence that was felt by many of them who were still holding on for the hope that the truth would soon come out, especially DA members who whispered wonderings about whether or not they could ever get the group running again.

Up in her dormitory Ginny was deliberating. She had only ten minutes left to get down to Hagrid's hut…but they would wait for her. Anyway, her being late wouldn't be unexpected given she was meant to be dodging Umbridge and her goons. At this thought Ginny's expression soured. She was just about on her last straw with that wench.

She was filled with nervous energy, and she didn't quite know how to dissipate it. Ron was waiting for her but still she delayed. From the other side of the dormitory Romilda was watching curiously, glancing up over top of the trashy romance book she was reading, a book Ginny was impatiently waiting for her to finish so she could take her turn too.

Delaying she looked at her appearance in the mirror, her reflection feeling strange and distant. The person looking back at her seemed nervous, but not the kind of nervous energy that came from a Quidditch game. Those kind of nerves were productive, they helped her focus. But these nerves she felt now...they showed that she was scared…they proved she had spent all last night tossing and turning, unable to sleep.

She remembered how she used to do this in her first year, how she would stare at her reflection and feel unable to recognise herself. Even though she'd never truly laid eyes on Riddle until that horrible night in the Chamber she used to be convinced she could see a flash of him within her. Even now she worried she might see him around, that she might wake to find his shadowy form standing over her while he extracted the life from her.

Objectively speaking Tom Riddle had been a good looking boy, but she had seen only the dark, cold emptiness in his eyes. The eyes that lacked empathy, eyes filled with sinister malevolence. That night in the chamber she had been ill and desperately weak, knowing she was dying, and she remembered asking what was he doing to her. She had cried, pleading for Tom to help her. But he barely spoke….her best friend of nearly a year, completely indifferent to her pain.

With a deep breath Ginny began to gather her hair behind her head, neatly brushing the bumps and ridges until they were smooth, and then she tied a pony tail. Following a style Demelza had taught her she took a small section and wrapped it around the base, using her wand to secure it in place. She didn't normally spend this much time on her appearance, but today she needed to. She needed to feel put together and ready, and already the pony tail made her feel more like herself. This was how she wore it for Quidditch, and for one peaceful moment she imagined herself next year trying out for Chaser, the position she actually wanted.

From her schoolbag she took out a small tube of lipstick, one Tonks had given her for her birthday at Grimmauld Place. She'd never been interested in makeup until she met Tonks, finally realising that she could wear it without feeling overly girlish. Tonks was completely bad ass, and so if she could wear make up so too could Ginny, and with her pocket money she had started a small kit. Her mum had sent her a few pieces at Christmas, thrilled her daughter was finally showing an interest in it. And it had finally given her and Romilda Vane something to talk about.

But today called for only a little lipstick, applied sparingly. Finished Ginny smacked her lips together and then looked at herself confidently. Now she recognised herself. Ginny Weasley...bad ass in training...ready to help take down Lucius Malfoy.

'Going on a date?' Romilda asked.

Ginny faltered for a moment. Crap…Michael.

Recounting her worst experiences was probably the kind of thing she ought to share with her boyfriend, and it hadn't even crossed her mind. But she quickly decided this didn't bother her. Michael may be her boyfriend, but their relationship was just for fun, someone to hang out with and snog a little, a hand to bat away when it moved too close to restricted territory. He was a genuinely great guy, but it wasn't a relationship meant for sharing this kind of thing.

'Nope.'

Romilda turned the page in her book, smiling now. 'Good for you.'

The simple comment good for you emboldened her. Solidifying her new found resolve she hurried now, pulling on the trainers she wore for Quidditch and then grabbing her broomstick. After just buying Ron a new broomstick her parents had worried about being able to afford one for her too, but Charlie had stepped in, sending her his broomstick with a note thanking her for the excuse to upgrade to a new one. Naturally he enclosed a picture of his dragon hatchlings. She didn't mind the hand me down in the slightest - she had coveted Charlie's new broom since he got it four years ago, it was broken in already and perfectly maintained, and now it was hers.

She slung her schoolbag over her shoulder, completing her alibi by bringing a large bottle of water, a book on Quidditch strategy and her broomstick servicing kit. Downstairs in the Common Room Ron was waiting for her, his own broomstick on the couch beside him. He leapt up when he saw her, clearly anxious that they get going.

'What took you so long?' he asked expectantly, looking her up and down. He furrowed his brow, looking at her critically. 'Are you wearing makeup? For Scrimgeour?'

Ginny flushed. Trust this dunderhead to notice a little bit of lipstick today of all days. 'It's not for Scrimgeour you wanker, it's for me.'

He looked genuinely perplexed. 'Why would you wear makeup for you? You can't see your own face.'

Clearly he didn't understand, and she didn't care enough to try and explain it to him. Choosing to ignore him she headed for the portrait hole, feeling she ought to be rewarded for not rolling her eyes. Ron hastened to follow her, and out in the corridor they fell into step with one another, Ginny forced to walk at a quick but comfortable pace to keep up with her brother.

Downstairs on the second floor they caught up with Fred and George, and when they found a deserted corridor Ron slowed them to a stop, taking out Harry's Marauder's Map and unfolding it. In almost complete silence the four siblings consulted the map, checking on all the people who could get them into trouble today. There was little need to speak. They had been working on this plan for days now.

As planned Hermione was lingering near Umbridge's office. She would await a signal from Fred and George before pestering Umbridge for information about the practical O.W.L exam, doing her best to keep her occupied for as long as possible. Elsewhere trusted DA members like Neville, Luna, Padma and Ernie were luring the Inquisitorial Squad up to the fifth floor corridor, getting as many of them as close together as possible. They didn't know why they had been called to cause trouble, but they had happily agreed to a little mischief to help out fellow DA members.

'Is he here yet?'

At George's question they further unfolded the map to reveal the grounds, and inside Hagrid's hut they could see three names. Molly Weasley, Amelia Bones and Rufus Scrimgeour.

'I hoped Dad was coming too,' Ginny murmured, casting her eyes around the grounds in search of the name Arthur Weasley. But perhaps this was better done with fewer people.

'You got this, Ginnykins,' said Fred, playfully punching her in the arm.

'Don't forget to tell Scrimgeour he's a tosser,' said George, punching her too.

'I'll have to restrain myself,' she muttered darkly. None of them were over the fact that it was Tonks who took the blame for the mess made by the Auror Department raiding Ministry offices.

With everything going according to plan the four siblings split up and went their separate ways, the twins wishing her luck. She and Ron walked in comfortable silence, and together they narrowed their eyes as they passed Theodore Nott who went sprinting past them. No doubt he was just tipped off that Gryffindor's were getting up to something. She recalled what Harry said in his Quibbler article, that Theodore Nott's father had been there at Malfoy Manor and had to resist the urge to trip him.

Lurking about in the Entrance Hall was Professor McGonagall, who was no doubt lingering in order to make sure Ginny reached Hagrid's hut unimpeded. As they passed she gave Ginny a kindly smile, one that reminded her of the many visits to McGonagall's office in her second year. After everything that had happened to her student right under her nose Professor McGonagall had gone to great efforts to make sure she settled in for her next year of school, and Ginny fondly remembered the cups of tea and ginger nut biscuits she had enjoyed.

She and Ron stepped out into the morning sunshine, making it out onto the grounds without a single hitch. The sun was bright, its warmth at complete odds with what she was doing today.

'You don't have to walk me down to Hagrid's,' she complained. When there was silence she continued. 'Do you really want to miss out on the chaos that's about to go down on the fifth floor?'

Ron sighed loudly. 'Can't I just be a big brother sometimes?'

She stared at him as they walked. 'You're trying to get away from Hermione.'

'No!' he denied hotly. When he noticed her staring him down he faltered. 'Maybe a little,' he admitted. 'Sometimes you just need a break from your friends.'

On the inside Ginny cringed, both of them realising at the same time what he had just said. The comment felt a little too close to home given the current situation with Harry, even though they both knew perfectly well why he had left.

'He didn't leave because of you and Hermione,' she said kindly. 'He only lasted this long because of you.'

'Thanks.'

Feeling bad for him she quietened her complaints. Ron was an idiot dunderhead, but only sometimes. Other times, he was her big brother, the one she was closest to in more than just age. While Percy's brotherhood smothered her and the twins teased Ron was a middle ground, the two of them childhood allies who almost always took one another's side when their older siblings were ganging up on them.

It was easy to forget how Ron had been there for her after the Chamber of Secrets. In the summer at home she spent most of the nights slipping into bed with Mum and Dad, but when they travelled to Egypt she had been too embarrassed to do that in front of her brothers given they were all sleeping in Bill's lounge room. But after two nights away Ron must have figured out that she was missing them, that she was still scared and upset after what had happened, and so every night after that he moved his cot bed beside hers. Even in the Egyptian heat he held her hand all night so she wouldn't feel so alone.

They soon arrived at Hagrid's hut, only a few minutes late, and as soon as they were within sight Fang came bounding towards them. Like always he went straight to Ron who he adored, immediately rolling onto his back for a long awaited belly rub. Obliging he rubbed his belly vigorously before ushering Fang up and sending him back to Hagrid, but not before giving him a sausage he had taken from breakfast.

'You spoil that dog,' Hagrid called out, both laughing and admonishing him.

Using his wand Ron was cleaning smears of dog drool off the sleeve of his shirt. 'It was just the one,' he shrugged. It was abundantly clear to all why he was Fang's favourite.

Hagrid was standing by the edge of the Forbidden Forest, using a hatchet to split some logs of firewood. Knowing exactly why they were there he gestured towards his hut with a friendly nod. For a few moments Ginny stood outside in the morning sun, listening to the thud of Hagrid cutting wood. Waiting for her inside was a whole year of terrible experiences she didn't make a habit of dwelling on.

'Do you want me to stay?'

Ron's offer, genuine and kindhearted though it was, spurred Ginny to act. 'No,' she said emphatically. She started towards the back door. 'You're not listening either, alright?'

'Fine,' he said in exasperation, honouring their agreement. 'I can at least say hello to mum, can't I?'

They had been checking the whole walk down there, but before she stepped up onto Hagrid's back stoop she looked around, making sure there was no one around to see them. But their alibi was safe, and so summoning her nerve she opened the back door without knocking.

They were met by their mum, her warm and familiar smile instantly putting her at ease. 'Hey Mum.'

'Hello love,' she said warmly, ushering her inside and pressing a kiss to her cheek. 'Ron,' she uttered in delight. 'You walked your sister down?'

'Against her will,' he said plainly, accepting a kiss too. 'I'm not staying though.'

'He's just my alibi,' Ginny said lightly, gesturing to the broomsticks and Quidditch bag they both carried. 'Dad didn't come?'

Her mum shook her head. 'He wasn't allowed. He has to make his own statement about Mr Malfoy.'

Accepting this Ginny looked around the interior of Hagrid's hut. She could see Madam Bones and Rufus Scrimgeour in the living room, but for now she paid them no attention. Hagrid's hut had always been a place she was welcome, and she loved coming here for how much it reminded her of home. The cramped space was cluttered with an array of items and possessions, but it felt warm and cosy just like home did, and in the initial months of her first year she had enjoyed visiting. At least until Tom Riddle told her that Hagrid was the one who opened the Chamber of Secrets fifty years prior.

How ironic that three years later she was back in Hagrid's hut, making her testimony about who really opened the Chamber of Secrets.

'Love?' her mum said quietly, getting her attention. 'Do you want me to stay, or wait outside with Ron?'

At this question she hesitated, unsure of her answer. It wasn't unusual for her to bounce back and forth between the belief that she wasn't a child who needed to hold her mum's hand, and the absolute certainty that she couldn't do this without her mum. Compounding this was the knowledge of how much the entire incident had hurt her parents - not that they'd been ashamed of her, but how terrible they felt that it had happened to their daughter without their knowledge.

Even now she felt guilty for how upset her parents had been at the time, for making them feel like they hadn't protected her. But how could they have?

'You can stay.' At the very least her mum had earned the right to hear her tell the story again, to hear it all in one piece as opposed to the small chunks she had managed to share over the last three years. Besides, sometimes she did need her mum.

Ginny ventured into Hagrid's quaint living room, noticing that someone had set out a tea set on the coffee table. As she entered Madam Bones came forward to greet her, an extended hand accompanying her friendly smile.

'Miss Weasley, it's a pleasure to see you again.'

Almost in an instant Ginny felt herself relax just a little - it was easy to warm up to Madam Bones. Over the years she had met her a couple of times, mainly as a child when she accompanied her dad to the Ministry to get out of mum's hair for the day. As he had with all his children Arthur Weasley took great pleasure in introducing her to his various colleagues, and she had met several of them many times over.

'It's nice to see you too, Madam Bones. Just Ginny is okay.'

'Ginny, may I introduce you to Rufus Scrimgeour, the Head of the Auror Department.'

Scrimgeour, who until that moment had been looking out the window, turned to greet her. Just as Bones had he extended his hand to shake hers, and though she was meeting him for the first time she recognised him from the Daily Prophet. He had a rather stern expression that he seemed to soften as she came closer, yet she got the distinct impression he was not a wizard particularly keen on small talk.

'Miss Weasley, nice to meet you.'

His greeting was polite, and to the point. She shook his hand politely, trying to manage her own expression so that she didn't glare at him. Though equally polite she was yet to forget that it was Scrimgeour who publicly disparaged Tonks for an unauthorised Auror operation.

'Nice to meet you.'

Bones gestured for them to sit down, and she sank down onto Hagrid's couch beside her mum. While Bones took Hagrid's usual chair Scrimgeour conjured a plain wooden chair for himself, the two of them sitting on the other side of the coffee table from which the tea set was already pouring each of them a cup.

'That was your brother, was it?' Scrimgeour enquired, gesturing to the back door. 'Ronald Weasley?'

Ginny nodded. 'Yes.'

'Do you get along with your brothers?'

Her first impression that he wasn't one for much small talk was right. 'We get along mostly,' she replied, taking a sip of her tea for something to do. Her hands were getting shaky, and she wanted to just get on with it.

'I have two younger brothers myself.'

She nodded again only to be polite, and then sipped her tea again. The tea cup clattered when she put it onto the saucer, and annoyed with herself she set it down on the coffee table. Immediately she wished she hadn't, that she still had something to do with hands which now felt empty…what was she supposed to do with her hands? She glanced at Bones again, wishing that she would speak now, but it seemed the meeting was Scrimgeour's to run.

Possibly he could see how uncomfortable she was, for he wasted no more time before getting to the point of why they were there. 'Well, Ginny. We're here to speak to you about the events in your first year at Hogwarts. Specifically, any involvement there may have been from witches or wizards outside Hogwarts.'

'You mean Lucius Malfoy.'

'I mean any witch or wizard.'

It took her a moment to realise what he meant by that - he wasn't going to lead her into making any kind of statement. If she was going to accuse Lucius Malfoy she had to be the one who brought him up.

'Alright.'

'Thank you. Although you're expected to tell me the truth, I'm simply here to hear your story firsthand, in your own words, free from the fear of consequences. Is that okay?'

'Yes,' she responded tightly. That's why she was there, idiot.

'Is it alright if I make a transcript of this, so that I don't need to make notes?'

He gestured to a typewriter she hadn't yet noticed, one that sat right there on the coffee table. Looking at it she imagined Harry last summer, going to the Ministry and making a similar kind of statement but to five people. A transcript of his words had been made then too, and had prevented him from needing to repeat himself all over again. She nodded to indicate her consent, and almost immediately the typewriter jerked to life, ready to start transcribing the conversation.

From within a leather folder Scrimgeour withdrew a scroll of parchment. Her glimpse at it suggested it was blank, but he seemed to be consulting it. 'I'd like to start by recounting the Ministry's offical report of the events in question.'

The typewriter took down every word he spoke, though it wasn't noisy or obtrusive. Ginny watched as it continued typing, mesmerised.

'The report states that due to unknown circumstances you found yourself bewitched by a diary containing dark magic that had come into your possession. Throughout your first year this diary frequently communicated with you under the guise of befriending you and gaining your trust, but over time the interactions became malicious in nature. On multiple occasions this diary took full possession of you, and utilised you to commit serious crimes against Muggle-Born students.'

Ginny continued looking at the typewriter, studying the flurried movements of individual letters until it came to a stop. Goosebumps had erupted on her arms. It was always confronting to hear the events of her first year recounted so plainly, so black and white. In reality it was not so simple. It had been real. The diary's bewitchment of her was intimate and sinister, one that penetrated her heart and mind until she was completely under its control. Hearing it recounted like that did nothing to explain the truth. She was glad she let her mum stay.

'The report concludes that although you physically participated in these crimes, the bewitchment from the diary's dark magical properties meant you had no conscious awareness of what you were doing, while it's coercive control over you made it impossible to seek help. You did not commit these crimes of your own free will, thus, your responsibility is nullified.'

'Yes,' she confirmed. Her voice was hoarse, forcing her to clear her throat as she looked up at him. 'I guess that covers it…shall I go?' she laughed, forcing herself to sound lighthearted and amused.

Scrimgeour laughed too, though it wasn't remotely funny. But he tried, making an effort to set her at ease. He lowered the parchment and returned it to the leather folder. 'We'd like to hear the story from you directly. In your words. Can you start by telling us your full name and date of birth, just for the transcript.'

Ginny followed along and recited her information, waiting patiently while Scrimgeour and Madam Bones each made similar statements, as did her mum. When they were satisfied that had all the right information documented Scrimgeour turned back to her and held her gaze for a few moments. She wanted to look away but she didn't.

'In your own words, tell me how you came into possession of this diary.'

Ginny glanced at her mum before beginning, but she did not hesitate. 'Lucius Malfoy gave it to me.'

When she didn't continue Scrimgeour prompted her to go on. 'How?'

'We were in Flourish and Blotts buying our schoolbooks. Malfoy came over to us. Never misses a chance to be snob. I had my books in my cauldron and he took one out to laugh at it. Then he and Dad got into a fight.'

'What triggered the fight?'

'Malfoy was insulting Mr and Mrs Granger. They're Muggles.'

'What was the insult?'

She shrugged her shoulders. 'I don't remember. But then he and Dad were brawling, mum was yelling at them…they had to be pulled apart. After it was over Malfoy put my book back into my cauldron, and I found the diary that night.'

'Where was it that you found the diary?'

'In my Transfiguration book.'

'It didn't bother you?' Scrimgeour pressed. 'Accepting something given to you by a wizard who had insulted your friends and brawled with your father?'

'I didn't know at the time that Malfoy gave it to me. It was a second hand book, I thought someone had just left it there. That's why I didn't tell my parents.'

'Then how do you know with certainty that Lucius Malfoy is the one who gave you the diary?'

At this question Ginny paused, wishing he hadn't asked this. She was annoyed with Scrimgeour now, that he was questioning her like this, and annoyed with the truth as well. Because the truth was she had no proof that the diary definitely came from Malfoy.

'A cursed diary like that would not have been accidentally left in a book and then sold. But at the time, I just…I didn't know it was so dangerous. It had to have come from him.'

Taking a sip of his tea Scrimgeour nodded, and she got the impression he believed her even though he continued pressing and questioning her statement. 'You belief is that Lucius Malfoy gave you this cursed diary in broad daylight, without anyone seeing him do it?' When Ginny didn't respond he continued. 'Were he to possess an item of dark magical properties wouldn't it be quite unusual to carry it on his person to a place such as Diagon Alley?'

'He'd been to Knockturn Alley that morning, trying to get rid of all his illegal stuff. Harry saw him there, trying to sell things. So it isn't unusual behaviour for him.'

Bones furrowed her brow, looking at her intently. 'Harry Potter saw Lucius Malfoy in Knockturn Alley, selling dark artefacts?'

'Yes. You can ask him yourself.'

'Mr Potter must have been only twelve years old at the time? What was he doing in Knockturn Alley?'

Her mum cleared her throat and leant forward to speak. 'That morning was Harry's first time using the Floo Network, and I'm afraid he didn't quite make it to the right fireplace. We were frantic looking for him. When he found us he told Arthur what he had overheard.'

Scrimgeour looked between them, and it was hard to tell what he was thinking. 'Would Mr Potter testify to that were I to ask him?'

Ginny nodded. 'I'm sure he would.'

'And in your opinion, why do you think Lucius Malfoy would give you this dark artefact?'

'He wanted the Chamber of Secrets to be opened again. His House Elf Dobby knew what he was planning, he was definitely trying to open it again. He probably took the diary to Flourish and Blotts thinking he could plant it on someone there. On any student. But when he saw us...I think he saw an opportunity.'

'An opportunity to do what?'

'To get the chamber opened again, and ruin us at the same time. To ruin Mum and Dad.' Ginny smiled now, proud of what she said next. 'Weasley's are the biggest blood traitors around. Can you imagine? Arthur Weasley's daughter, caught killing Muggle-Born students. It would have ruined us.'

At her side she felt her mum pat the top of her hand, a small gesture of reassurance that she would never tire of receiving. The reassurance that her parents didn't blame her, that no matter what happened they would have believed her, would have stuck by her side against anything. Because of Tom she had lost faith in her family, convinced they would disown her.

'Tell me about your experiences with the diary.'

Ginny had hoped to avoid going into detail, that she could have kept her statement purely to a recount of Malfoy's involvement. 'What the diary did isn't really relevant to Malfoy.'

'What the diary did to you is the responsibility of You Know Who,' Scrimgeour acknowledged. 'But if we can prove that Lucius Malfoy is the one who gave you the diary, responsibility also lies with him. Especially if we can prove he intended to open the Chamber of Secrets and murder Muggle-Born students.'

Madam Bones was nodding in agreement, and she leant forward as she spoke. 'The consequences of what this diary did to you matters very much to our department.'

Though she was still uneasy she felt she understood enough. Malfoy was the one who set up her, who intended for the Chamber of Secrets to be opened. The diary was his tool for achieving that. Delaying for a moment she picked up her tea and drank, and when she set it down again she found her hands were still a little shaky.

She so very rarely spoke about Tom Riddle, rather she made a point of trying not to think about him, even though the impact of his betrayal still permeated aspects of her life even now. But she may not ever get the chance again.

Taking a deep breath, Ginny began to explain.

A/N For anyone hoping for Ginny/Harry I know I said I wasn't writing them…but her POV may have changed my mind. I'm rewriting about 15 chapters, but I make no promises that it will happen. What do you think?