Helping Enquiries.
Ginny Weasley was falling asleep during Professor Binns History lesson when Hagrid discreetly entered to room. The class suddenly became slightly excited and as the Professors chatted, exchanged whispers.
"Ginny Weasley?" sighed Professor Binns.
Ginny sat bolt upright, aware that all eyes were suddenly upon her.
"Yes sir?" she answered.
"Please accompany Hagrid to Professor Dumbledore's office immediately. Oh, and ensure you have covered chapters 4 and 5 by next week, as I'll be testing you all on the Slytherin Charter of 1066: The Arrow-Spell Charter."
As the class groaned, Ginny tentatively joined Dumbledore, and they left the room. Hagrid looked at Ginny and smiled weakly. "Do not fret Ginny girl. Ye're not in trouble."
Ginny relaxed. "So what is this all about?"
"Something's come up. They feel you can help with it."
"What is up?"
"I haven't been told any details, Ginny. I'm just the massager. Come on with ye, I've got to be back fer my babies." Ginny and Hagrid wandered to Dumbledore's office in thoughtful silence.
As Ginny entered the office, she knew something must be wrong with Penny, for her mother, Annabel Riven, was there. Mrs Riven looked like she had not slept for days.
Dumbledore welcomed Ginny and Hagrid left her here alone.
"Take a seat Ginny. Mr Boggs and Mr Streck have come to ask you a few questions." Ginny Weasley sat in her chair as Headmaster Dumbledore allowed two dark clad, official looking, Ministry ministers explained the situation.
"Good morning, Miss Weasley. I hope the day finds you well. I am Mr Basil Boggs and I work for the Ministry. This here is Mr Kurt Streck."
"Hello." said the sombre looking gentleman to his left.
"Are you SMS?" asked Ginny. Her father worked for the Ministry and he had told them of a little-known section of the organisation dealing with rogue or missing wizards, called the Special Magician Services. It was the training ground of many a fine Auror and encompassed a wider spectrum of activities other than catching bad wizards; for one, it kept an eye on the Ministry's own activities, and as such, her father had warned her never to be over friendly with men like these.
Mr. Streck smiled. "You indeed are a Weasley! Yes, we are indeed from SMS."
Mr. Boggs looked a little affronted, but smiled as well. "That's right Ginny. We were wondering if you help us with our inquiries? There's a good girl."
Mr. Streck leaned forward, joviality suddenly gone from his rough face. "Penny Riven, a good friend of yours we believe, has been missing now these past three weeks. During this time, have you, or anyone you know, heard from Miss Riven?"
Shocked, Ginny shook her head.
"Did she, at any time before she left tell you where she may be going." Ginny shook her head again.
Mr. Boggs interjected, more sympathetically "Would you have any idea where she would go at all? Did either of you discuss places outside of Hogwarts?"
"Only Hogsmeade, but everyone goes there anyway." Ginny noted Mrs. Riven looking more and more disheartened, so desperately thought of something to say. "Sorry. We didn't talk about places much. We both enjoyed it here at Hogwarts."
"Did she have any enemies here?" insisted Boggs.
"Was there anyone who might have wanted Miss Riven gone from Hogwarts at all?" pressured Streck.
"No. Well, you know why she was withdrawn don't you?" snarled Ginny, looking at Mrs Riven.
"We understand a certain incident resulted in Penny being struck. Her parents thought it best to pull her out of Hogwarts to avoid further suffering."
"Yeah, well. That worked didn't it." sulked Ginny. Dumbledore gave her a curt look as Mrs. Riven began to sob.
"I have no idea. Sorry. Truly I am." Pleaded Ginny.
The two SMS officers stood up and thanked Ginny for her help.
"May I help you look for her?" asked Ginny, standing too.
"Well, going upon what you have told us," sneered Streck, "you really have no real advantage-"
"However," butted in Boggs, "an extra pair of eyes is always welcome in a situation like this. A word please Mr. Dumbledore."
The two officers negotiated a brief 'school holiday' for Ginny to aid with the search.
Ginny went over and grasped Mrs Riven's shaking hand. "It'll be ok Mrs Riven. We'll find her."
Mrs Riven stared back at Ginny. "We never meant to break you up - Penny loved you dearly. It's just that attack..."
"Draco Malfoy - he's the one that did this" thought Ginny as Mrs Riven went on about her daughter.
After a few minutes, Professor Dumbledore ushered Ginny outside and told her to get some things ready for a week helping the SMS. Dumbledore looked displeased with this, but it seemed he had no choice.
Rushing with her bag of things, she had time to see Harry and Ron before she left. Knowing that they were in Potions, she snuck down to the door and would wait until the end of the lesson before barging in, knowing Snape's furious temper at the slightest of interruptions.
As she looked through the door's small grille, she saw that Professor Moody was giving the lesson. His glowing eye spotted her and he motioned her to enter.
"What is it girl?" he asked. Ginny whispered that she had a message for Harry and Ron, so he conceded and allowed her to see them briefly.
"Ginny? What are you doing in here?" asked Ron. Ginny explained to them that she would be going away for a week to look for Penny.
"Oh my, what can we do?" asked Hermione.
"Just keep in touch." Ginny pleaded.
"Hey Ginny, take Hedwig with you. Please." Pleaded Harry. Ginny smiled and kissed him on the cheek.
"Thankyou Miss Weasley, you may go now." Barked Professor Moody.
"Ok bye then guys. Cheers Harry." waved Ginny
Draco snorted derisively nearby. "One Weasley leaving - that's always a good sign!" At this, the Slytherin laughed.
"I'll be back for you later." she spat back from the doorway.
Within the hour, with Hedwig on her shoulder, she was on her way to London.
Ginny Weasley was falling asleep during Professor Binns History lesson when Hagrid discreetly entered to room. The class suddenly became slightly excited and as the Professors chatted, exchanged whispers.
"Ginny Weasley?" sighed Professor Binns.
Ginny sat bolt upright, aware that all eyes were suddenly upon her.
"Yes sir?" she answered.
"Please accompany Hagrid to Professor Dumbledore's office immediately. Oh, and ensure you have covered chapters 4 and 5 by next week, as I'll be testing you all on the Slytherin Charter of 1066: The Arrow-Spell Charter."
As the class groaned, Ginny tentatively joined Dumbledore, and they left the room. Hagrid looked at Ginny and smiled weakly. "Do not fret Ginny girl. Ye're not in trouble."
Ginny relaxed. "So what is this all about?"
"Something's come up. They feel you can help with it."
"What is up?"
"I haven't been told any details, Ginny. I'm just the massager. Come on with ye, I've got to be back fer my babies." Ginny and Hagrid wandered to Dumbledore's office in thoughtful silence.
As Ginny entered the office, she knew something must be wrong with Penny, for her mother, Annabel Riven, was there. Mrs Riven looked like she had not slept for days.
Dumbledore welcomed Ginny and Hagrid left her here alone.
"Take a seat Ginny. Mr Boggs and Mr Streck have come to ask you a few questions." Ginny Weasley sat in her chair as Headmaster Dumbledore allowed two dark clad, official looking, Ministry ministers explained the situation.
"Good morning, Miss Weasley. I hope the day finds you well. I am Mr Basil Boggs and I work for the Ministry. This here is Mr Kurt Streck."
"Hello." said the sombre looking gentleman to his left.
"Are you SMS?" asked Ginny. Her father worked for the Ministry and he had told them of a little-known section of the organisation dealing with rogue or missing wizards, called the Special Magician Services. It was the training ground of many a fine Auror and encompassed a wider spectrum of activities other than catching bad wizards; for one, it kept an eye on the Ministry's own activities, and as such, her father had warned her never to be over friendly with men like these.
Mr. Streck smiled. "You indeed are a Weasley! Yes, we are indeed from SMS."
Mr. Boggs looked a little affronted, but smiled as well. "That's right Ginny. We were wondering if you help us with our inquiries? There's a good girl."
Mr. Streck leaned forward, joviality suddenly gone from his rough face. "Penny Riven, a good friend of yours we believe, has been missing now these past three weeks. During this time, have you, or anyone you know, heard from Miss Riven?"
Shocked, Ginny shook her head.
"Did she, at any time before she left tell you where she may be going." Ginny shook her head again.
Mr. Boggs interjected, more sympathetically "Would you have any idea where she would go at all? Did either of you discuss places outside of Hogwarts?"
"Only Hogsmeade, but everyone goes there anyway." Ginny noted Mrs. Riven looking more and more disheartened, so desperately thought of something to say. "Sorry. We didn't talk about places much. We both enjoyed it here at Hogwarts."
"Did she have any enemies here?" insisted Boggs.
"Was there anyone who might have wanted Miss Riven gone from Hogwarts at all?" pressured Streck.
"No. Well, you know why she was withdrawn don't you?" snarled Ginny, looking at Mrs Riven.
"We understand a certain incident resulted in Penny being struck. Her parents thought it best to pull her out of Hogwarts to avoid further suffering."
"Yeah, well. That worked didn't it." sulked Ginny. Dumbledore gave her a curt look as Mrs. Riven began to sob.
"I have no idea. Sorry. Truly I am." Pleaded Ginny.
The two SMS officers stood up and thanked Ginny for her help.
"May I help you look for her?" asked Ginny, standing too.
"Well, going upon what you have told us," sneered Streck, "you really have no real advantage-"
"However," butted in Boggs, "an extra pair of eyes is always welcome in a situation like this. A word please Mr. Dumbledore."
The two officers negotiated a brief 'school holiday' for Ginny to aid with the search.
Ginny went over and grasped Mrs Riven's shaking hand. "It'll be ok Mrs Riven. We'll find her."
Mrs Riven stared back at Ginny. "We never meant to break you up - Penny loved you dearly. It's just that attack..."
"Draco Malfoy - he's the one that did this" thought Ginny as Mrs Riven went on about her daughter.
After a few minutes, Professor Dumbledore ushered Ginny outside and told her to get some things ready for a week helping the SMS. Dumbledore looked displeased with this, but it seemed he had no choice.
Rushing with her bag of things, she had time to see Harry and Ron before she left. Knowing that they were in Potions, she snuck down to the door and would wait until the end of the lesson before barging in, knowing Snape's furious temper at the slightest of interruptions.
As she looked through the door's small grille, she saw that Professor Moody was giving the lesson. His glowing eye spotted her and he motioned her to enter.
"What is it girl?" he asked. Ginny whispered that she had a message for Harry and Ron, so he conceded and allowed her to see them briefly.
"Ginny? What are you doing in here?" asked Ron. Ginny explained to them that she would be going away for a week to look for Penny.
"Oh my, what can we do?" asked Hermione.
"Just keep in touch." Ginny pleaded.
"Hey Ginny, take Hedwig with you. Please." Pleaded Harry. Ginny smiled and kissed him on the cheek.
"Thankyou Miss Weasley, you may go now." Barked Professor Moody.
"Ok bye then guys. Cheers Harry." waved Ginny
Draco snorted derisively nearby. "One Weasley leaving - that's always a good sign!" At this, the Slytherin laughed.
"I'll be back for you later." she spat back from the doorway.
Within the hour, with Hedwig on her shoulder, she was on her way to London.