By the time a panicked Arthur, Ron and Hermione had rushed into St. Mungo's, Ginny had already woken up and shaken off the effects of the Stunning Spell. Soon Harry found himself in between two separate struggles, as Arthur demanded entry into the ward to see his daughter and Ginny demanded release from the Healers trying to keep her in her bed. Eventually Harry managed to calm both parties and everyone was sitting in a quiet room – Ginny cross-legged on her bed, everyone else in the stiff chairs beside it.
"I'm fine, honestly!" Ginny said crossly as a Healer attached a heart monitor to her chest. "Not the first Stunner I've taken, thank you very much."
"That's not something to be proud of, dear," the Healer chastised her, and Ginny finally relented and allowed her to fasten the device before leaving the room.
"What on earth happened?" Arthur demanded, turning from Ginny to Harry and back to Ginny. "Who attacked you and why?"
"I dunno, some nutter just grabbed me and starting talking gibberish in my ear!" Ginny sighed. "Don't remember all the details; it all went fuzzy…"
"It's rare for Stunning Spells to knock the victim unconscious," Hermione noted quietly. "He must have been a strong spell-caster…"
"Don't patronize me, Hermione!" Ginny shot back at her. "I tried to draw on him first, but he was too quick. Won't happen again, I promise you that…"
"Did you see who it was?" Arthur asked Harry.
"Some brown-haired British bloke, that's all we know," Harry muttered. "Nobody recognized him."
"I did," said Ginny. Everyone turned to her in surprise.
"What? Who was it, then?" said Ron.
"Dunno," Ginny said. "But I've seen his face before, I'm sure of it. Just can't remember where…"
"Can we watch her memories back?" Harry asked hopefully, turning to Hermione. "View them in a Pensieve and see if we recognize him?"
"Memories don't work that way," Hermione frowned. "If Ginny doesn't know who it was, we won't either. He'll just appear as a blur...until she remembers, of course."
"What did Robards say when you left?" Arthur asked Harry. "Are the Aurors gonna investigate?"
"Doubt it," Harry said glumly. "He made it sound like it isn't worth the time."
"And he's right!" Ginny exclaimed. "It was just some weirdo who got too handsy, all right? Don't make this a bigger deal than it needs to be!"
"Ginny," said Arthur sternly, "you are my daughter, and I will not take your safety lightly. We will get to the bottom of this. I'm just glad Harry was nearby…"
"Yes," Ginny said with a sarcastic bow, "thank goodness the great Harry Potter is always around to save the day." Then, sensing the dark tone in the room at this statement, she added, "I'm only teasing Harry, I am grateful, really."
"I wasn't much help," Harry said. "I could've been there quicker...could've seen who it was…"
"Nonsense," Arthur reassured him. "You did what you could." Harry could only shrug in quiet acceptance, unwilling to argue the point further.
A Healer came by shortly after and informed Ginny that she would need to stay overnight for monitoring, despite her loud protests. Arthur checked his pocket watch and stood from his seat. "I'd best head home and tell Molly what's happened," he said. "Can you lot wait here with her until I'm back?"
"We'll stay with her through the night, Dad," said Ron adamantly, and the others nodded vigorously. "Don't worry about it; just go home."
"Trust me, once your mother finds out she'll be down here before you can say Accio," frowned Arthur. "I'll be back soon." And he strode down the hall towards the exit.
The other four sat and discussed the incident further. "The thing I don't get," Hermione said, brow furrowed in thought, "is why he singled you out, Ginny. I mean, you were in a crowd of people, right? What are the odds that a British wizard would randomly go after a British witch in broad daylight?"
"Do we have to spell it out for you, Hermione?" Ron groaned. "He fancied her and was too off his rocker to care about other people seeing! There are messed-up people out there in the world—"
"I'm telling you," Hermione said, adamant, "he had to be a powerful wizard to cast such a strong Stunning Spell. Ginny's capable enough to defend herself, and she didn't even get time to draw her wand!"
"You think he was targeting her for another reason?" Harry asked. "Why did he only cast a Stunning Spell instead of something worse? And why didn't he try to take her with him?"
"Because he was trying to give me something," Ginny said with a dawning realization. The others turned towards her. "I just remembered. He was holding...a staff, or something, and he wanted me to take it."
"What?!" said Ron. "What kind of staff?"
"I dunno," she said. "It was too small to be a walking stick...too big to be a wand...and it was glittering on the sides, like it was encrusted with jewels—"
"Was it a scepter?" Harry blurted out.
"Erm...yeah, I think it was!" said Ginny, sitting upright in her bed at this. "He kept jabbing it towards me, telling me to take it...dunno why..."
"How'd you know it was a scepter, Harry?" asked Hermione.
"There was one in the Prophet the other day," Harry recalled. "A scepter got stolen from Hogwarts after the battle; McGonagall was looking for it. Said it was valuable."
"Huh," said Hermione. "I've never heard of a scepter belonging to the school before…"
"But why was he trying to give it away?" asked Ron aloud. "You don't reckon it was cursed, do you? Ginny, please tell me you didn't touch it—"
"I doubt it; the curse would have affected him first," Hermione said.
"Wouldn't be the first time someone tried to pass me a cursed object," Ginny muttered, referencing Voldemort's diary given to her by Lucius Malfoy in her first year. "Why's it always gotta be me, anyway?"
"Because you're too close to me," Harry said sadly. "I should've put more distance in between us...this never would have happened—"
"Will you quit with the tragic hero act?" Ginny snapped at him. "If he wanted me dead, I'd be dead. This was something different."
"It just doesn't add up…" Hermione frowned. "Why would he steal the scepter and then try to give it away? At the World Cup of all places?"
They were interrupted by the arrival of Molly, who barged into the room and embraced Ginny in a tight hug that she didn't release for two full minutes. Once it became clear that she wouldn't be leaving her daughter's side, Harry, Ron and Hermione decided to call it a night. They bade Ginny good-night and left for the exit before Apparating back to the Burrow.
Harry lay awake in George's empty room, staring at the ceiling. Hermione was right; it didn't add up. Who in their right mind would do something so strange in public? And who in their wrong mind could've cast such a powerful Stunner against someone so capable at self-defense? A Death Eater? Unlikely. But no other possibility stuck out in Harry's mind. His mind continued racing, endless scenarios zooming through his head making less and less sense, until he eventually settled into an uneasy sleep.
"I've decided it, mate," said Ron decisively as soon as he walked into the kitchen the next morning to join Harry. "I'm joining the Aurors. Can't let what happened to Ginny happen ever again."
"It's a noble cause, Ron," said Hermione, hurriedly following him down the stairs, "but I don't think the Aurors will make a big fuss about it."
"What are you on about?" Ron demanded, turning from her to Harry. "Course they will! Right, Harry?"
"Dunno," muttered Harry. "Robards didn't seem that interested, to be honest. Said it wasn't really Auror business."
"It'll probably fall to one of the lower offices in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement," Hermione argued. "They'll investigate it there, I'm sure—"
"Yeah, and the case will get buried along with the thousands of other problems the Ministry has to deal with!" Ron said, frustrated. "I wanna get out and do something! Like we've always done when there's trouble, right? How is it that we're adults now and we're just as restricted as when we were kids?"
"I'm with you there, mate," said Harry. "I've been fighting that battle since day one in the Auror Office. We'll find Ginny's attacker; we just may have to work outside the primary channels, that's all."
Ron muttered something non-committal before digging into the cupboard for something to eat. Hermione gave Harry a silence look of gratitude for his calming words – clearly she'd been having this argument with Ron all night long.
"Let's change the subject," Hermione sighed when Ron rejoined the table, a muffin crammed into his mouth. "Since we know she's okay. No need to keep wallowing in it all day."
"I still want to hear about the Cup match," Harry said, looking expectantly to Ron. Ron sighed; if there was any topic that would sway his mind from the night's events, it was Quidditch. He began recounting the game impassively, but the deeper into it he got, the more animated he became, until soon he was waving his arms animatedly and spraying bits of muffin at Harry and Hermione as he spoke.
"...And then the Senegal Seeker goes into a dive," said Ron, mimicking the maneuver with his hand. "And the Malawi bloke is miles away; he has no change. But he breaks off left, anticipating the Snitch changing direction towards the center, you see, and it does...and they both get there at the same time...but the Malawi Seeker takes both hands off his broom and just lunges—" Ron again mimed the action dramatically, swiping across the table at them. "And I dunno how he stayed on, his legs must be made of titanium, but he grabs it and barely pulls up in time to avoid the ground!" Ron flopped back in his seat, satisfied with his recreation; Harry and Hermione gave him polite and half-sarcastic applause.
"It was very impressive to watch," Hermione admitted. Somehow her saying that made Harry believe it even more; she had never had much appreciation for the beauty of the sport, so if it impressed her, it must have truly been a spectacle.
"I'm dying to see the replay," said Harry. "Maybe it'll be in that board thingy Ginny gifted me; I left it in the tent though—"
"All your stuff's in the broom cupboard," Arthur announced, walking into the kitchen looking dead tired. "I went back and packed everything late last night; it's all there."
"Thanks, Dad," said Ron cheerfully.
"I spoke with Robards as well," he said. "Made it very clear I wanted answers. Don't know if he'll listen, but I think he got the message."
"I'll make sure he does when I see him next," said Harry.
"Me too," said Ron defiantly. "Dad, I'm joining the Aurors. I decided last night—"
"Well, your mother won't be too pleased," Arthur said. "But I support your decision."
"Won't be pleased about what?" said Molly, who had just walked in through the back door with Ginny in tow. Everyone stood to greet her, but Ginny brushed them all off and went straight up to her room, demanding peace and quiet.
"Your son's joining the Auror Office," said Arthur, just as they heard Ginny's door slam shut somewhere overhead.
"Is he?" said Molly, looking to Ron with a concerned expression. "Well, I don't see how that will work when he has school to reckon with...he'll be on that Hogwarts Express in a month's time, and he has N.E.W.T. exams to study for—"
"Face it, Mum, I'm not going back to Hogwarts!" Ron bellowed at his mother. "And neither is Ginny by the way; she's just too scared to tell you. But I don't care what you say! I spent the last year hunting Voldemort without your permission, so why should I need it now? You'd best get used to the idea sooner than later, so I won't sugarcoat it for you anymore."
There was a stunned silence following this outburst. "Don't talk to your mother that way—" Arthur began.
"And where will you stay then?" Molly shrieked. "Who will feed you? Because it won't be me!"
"He can stay with me at Grimmauld Place," Harry blurted. Molly turned to him, then to her husband, then back to Ron, looking like she might explode. Then, she unexpectedly burst into tears; Hermione hastily stood to help her down into a nearby chair.
"Oh Ron, I'm sorry," she sobbed, "I know you can make your own choices. I'm just so worried about you all the time...after what happened to Fred, and now Ginny...I don't want to s-see you get hurt—"
Ron's bravado melted at once, and he was by his mother's side. "I'm sorry too, Mum," he said. "We can't all stay here forever, you know. My future's always been at Harry's side, and that'll never change."
"I know, dear," Molly sniffled. "And I'm damn proud of you for it. It'll just take time to accept is all. You're right, I do need to start getting used to the idea."
Arthur looked unsure of what to do with himself, and settled for a firm grip on Ron's shoulder. "You're a proper man now, Ronald," he said gruffly. "You'll do what you think is best no matter what we think."
Harry glanced at Hermione; both of them felt like they were intruding on this intimate family moment. But then Molly stood and embraced both of them as well. "I couldn't have asked for better friends for my Ron," she said. "I know you'll help him make the right decisions."
"We will," Harry muttered.
Eventually Molly and Arthur both excused themselves to go to bed, leaving Harry, Ron and Hermione behind in the most awkward silence of all time. They all avoided each other's gaze.
Harry was the first to break the silence. "That Grimmauld Place offer still stands, by the way," he told Ron. "In case this love fest proves too overwhelming for you." All three of them looked up at one another, then burst out cackling with laughter.
The following morning, Ron accompanied Harry on the journey to McCamish Station and into the Ministry. Harry had reassured him that normal robes would be fine, but Ron insisted on wearing his nicest dress robes to make a good impression – despite the fact that they still bore scorch marks from where he burned off the laces prior to the Yule Ball in his fourth year. They arrived at the Auror Office, where they found Robards in his corner office, and Harry introduced him to Ron.
"Another Weasley, huh?" Robards chuckled, shaking Ron's hand. "How's your sister?"
"Good, much better now, thank you," said Ron.
"So what can I do for you this morning?" asked Robards, indicating for them to sit.
"Well…" Ron cleared his throat. "I've been thinking, sir, and I believe my future is here with the Aurors. After what happened to my sister...well, I feel like I can't sit on the sidelines while dark witches and wizards run around unchecked...and yes, I know I don't have a full Hogwarts education, but I'm a fast learner, and I have plenty of combat experience with Death Eaters; just ask Harry—" Harry felt that Ron was talking far too quickly and nervously, and worried that Robards would dismiss him without a second thought.
Instead, Robards started laughing, a low chuckle at first, then building to a roaring belly-laugh by the end of Ron's spiel. Ron stumbled to a halt, red in the face, thinking he was being mocked. "Wait here, boys," said Robards, and he unexpectedly stood up and walked out of the office.
Ron and Harry sat there for two full minutes, Ron looking petrified. "I blew it," he muttered. "I'm such an idiot. You're right; it was the robes..."
"I'm sure you didn't blow it," Harry whispered back. "Just let me talk for a bit, I'll convince him—"
The office door swung open again, and Robards returned, followed by the last person Harry and Ron expected to see in that moment: Neville Longbottom. "Neville?!" exclaimed Ron, standing to give him a hug. "Good to see you, mate!"
"Mr. Longbottom here says he knows you two," said Robards.
"Yeah, he was part of Dumbledore's Army—erm, a defense group we started in our fifth year!" said Harry.
"So I've heard," said Robards. "And so he told me fifteen minutes ago, when he showed up here asking to apply to the Auror Office himself."
"You did?!" Harry yelped in surprise, looking over at a sheepish Neville.
"Luna wrote me an owl telling me what happened to Ginny," Neville shrugged. "I thought it was a sign. That I needed to take action, and follow in my parents' footsteps here to clean up the wizarding world!"
"You lot are the strangest group I've ever met," Robards marveled, examining the three young wizards before him. "Never seen a ragtag team of misfits so unerringly loyal to one another. I can't decide if you're all brilliant or idiotic."
"We've faced down Voldemort and lived to tell the tale," said Harry boldly. "All three of us."
"Like I said, either brilliant or idiotic," Robards repeated. "But luckily, I knew your parents—all three of you. Longbottom, your folks were the kindest and bravest souls in this office...and they were taken from us too soon. Same with you, Potter—two of the most courageous and selfless people I've ever met. And Weasley...what your family went through this past year, with the Ministry breathing down their necks, and never bending to the Dark Lord's demands? Nothing short of heroic."
"So...you'll have us, then?" asked Neville hopefully.
"Not so fast," said Robards, still considering the three of them. "I took a chance on Potter, but frankly, he's still a liability in the field. No offense to you two, but I can't trust two MORE teenagers with incomplete educations and no training." Ron and Neville deflated at this. "...However, we've lost too many good Aurors this year: Moody, Tonks, Dawlish, and now Shacklebolt. I can't in good conscience turn away applicants right now, not when we're so short-handed."
"Is that good or bad news for us?" asked Harry.
"Congratulations, Potter, you're getting promoted," said Robards, seeming to make up his mind on the spot. "I'm putting you in charge of a new sub-division of the Auror Office. Let's call it the Junior Aurors."
"Oh—brilliant!" said Harry. "But what does that mean, exactly?"
"It means the three of you are still technically in training to be full-time Aurors," said Robards. "But you clearly have experience working as a team, so I'll consider you three a separate task force. I'll just have to find something suitable for you to do that isn't too dangerous—"
"Like finding out who attacked my sister!" Ron said hotly.
"Sure, why not? Knock yourselves out," said Robards. "Ought to get Arthur off my back at least; he was pestering me about it in the lift this morning. Though we have a lot more on our plates at the moment, I hope you'll understand. If I tell you to drop a project, you drop it, no questions asked. Understood?"
Ron looked like he wanted to say more, but Harry kicked him under the desk to comply. "Yes, sir," said Harry, Ron and Neville.
"Right," said Robards. "I'll send a memo to Shacklebolt letting him know. And I don't feel like filling out the hiring paperwork, so that's your first assignment. Just leave it on my desk when you're done." He handed two stacks of paperwork to Ron and Neville, who looked beside themselves with excitement.
"You won't regret this, sir!" said Ron, leaping to his feet to shake Robards' hand. "We won't let you down."
"Sure hope not," Robards sighed, shaking his and Neville's hands. The three of them stood and walked out of the office; Harry showed them to his corner of the room, and Ron and Neville claimed two of the empty desks beside Harry's.
"This is mental!" said Ron. "I've got to send a memo to Dad; he'll be so proud—" And he grabbed a blank memo sheet from his desk and began to scribble a note.
"My Gran will be thrilled as well!" said Neville. "She's been urging me to get out of the house more...I reckon I ought to look for a place in London then…"
"You can stay with me and Ron at Grimmauld Place," said Harry. "There's loads of room; it's no trouble at all."
"Really?" said Neville, a mingled expression of awe and excitement on his face. "That would be amazing, Harry, thanks! Oh man, wait 'til the rest of the D.A. hears about this…"
"I doubt they'll be surprised," said Harry. "After what you did, leading them all of last year right under Snape's nose? And killing the snake with the Sword? You've earned it, mate." Neville fell silent in humble gratitude; Harry could've sworn he saw a single tear run down Neville's cheek at this compliment, but he turned away at the last second.
"Best get that letter off to Gran then," he muttered, burying his face in a blank piece of parchment.
Harry leaned back in his chair, considering the new circumstances he found himself in. Aside from Hermione, he was surrounded by two of the people he trusted the most, and he finally felt like he had a purpose in the Auror Office. He would no longer be struggling alone; he would have equals, and he could devote his energy to pushing his new peers to sharpen their own skills. Robards could call him their leader if he wanted, but Harry didn't see it that way...they were all in this together now, and he would make damn sure nobody got left behind.