They had finally arrived at Hogsmead. Making their way off the train, they ran into Professor McGonagall and Madam Promfrey. They were conversing in low tones when the group came upon them.
"Hello, Professor." Joey said. "Good evening, Ms. Evans." She looked over at Draco who was being supported by Marie and Fred. "Does someone mind telling me what happened?" "It's simple, really. His father was beating him." "Oh, dear. Madam Promfrey, would you take Mr. Malfoy to the hospital wing." Madam Promfrey walked over and motioned Fred to step aside. With Marie's help they got him into a carriage and were off to the hospital wing.
The professor turned to look at the kids that were still there. She looked directly at the twins. "I believe that you two stopped going to school, although you are more than welcome to return." "We thank you for the offer" Fred said. "âbut we have to decline." George finished. "Well then you two should be off, now say your goodbyes." Fred and George turned to the rest of the group and said their goodbyes. Then with a loud crack they were gone.
"Ms. Evans, the headmaster would like to see you and Miss Weasley in his office. So if you follow me we shall go see him." Ginny turned to Harry with a scared look on her face, one that didn't go unnoticed by Professor McGonagall. "Don't worry Miss Weasley. You will see everyone when they get to the Great Hall." Ginny looked back at Harry as if to say that she would see him later. He let go of her hand which had some how found it's way into his during the train ride. Professor McGonagall, Joey and Ginny were hanging back while the trio had gotten into a carriage and were riding to the castle. The other three used a fireplace in the train station to floo up the headmaster's office.
"Hello Ms. Evans, Miss Weasley." The headmaster said as soon as Joey and Ginny were in his office. "Hello, Professor Dumbledore." Joey said. "Please, Joey, you are not a student here. You can call me Albus" He turned his gaze from Joey to Ginny. "âand as soon as your parents get here we will discuss everything. Please have a seat."
Both Joey and Ginny took a seat in the comfortable chairs that were in front of the headmaster's desk, while Professor McGonagall took her stance behind Dumbledore. A few minutes later Molly and Arthur appeared out of the fireplace.
"Okay, now that we are all here, can someone please explain what is going on?" Joey asked. "It's simple, Joey. Our daughter is like you. She is a fire starter." Arthur replied. Joey turned her head to Ginny who was looking down at her hands. She turned back to Molly and Arthur. "Who else knows?" She asked.
"Well, Professor McGonagall and I know and I believe Lupin and Sirius know. Is there anyone else Molly?" "Yes, Ron knows" Molly said. Ginny interrupted her. "âthat's cause he found out when we were talking." Joey turned to Ginny who was now pacing the floor. "Ginny, have you told any of your other brothers?" "No. I didn't think that they would understand."
"So what should we do?" Joey asked. "Joey, I asked you to come back to England because we all thought that you would be the perfect person to train Ginny in her new powers." "Please Joey, would you do this for Arthur and me?"
Joey was now pacing the room with a very concentrated look on her face. She stopped and looked up at everyone. They wanted her help and with everything that they had done for Harry, she was going to help them any way she could. "Okay, I'll train her, but I have two conditions." "And what might those be?" asked Dumbledore. "One is that we don't train here. I have a place in California where we could train and she would still be safe there. It is better if she is away from her family for a period of time." She looked at Arthur and Molly who looked sad but nodded in agreement with that condition. "What is the other condition?" The headmaster asked. "That Draco Malfoy comes with us. I can train him to. With the way his father was treating him at the train station, I think that it would be good for him." "And what will you be training him in?" McGonagall asked. "I can train him in basic self defense tactics. Stuff that can be used if he ever met up with his father again.
The professors and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley agreed to Joey conditions and also developed a work schedule for Draco and Ginny to keep up with their school assignments. After that they decided that Joey, Ginny and Draco would leave in a couple of days. Molly and Arthur said their goodbye's to their daughter and told her to be safe. "Don't worry Molly, I will bring her home in one piece. Expect us for Christmas. I don't think that the training will take long." The Weasley used the fireplace to get home leaving Ginny and Joey in the professor's office. "Well shall we head down to the Great Hall for dinner?" Dumbledore said.
Once down in the Great Hall, Ginny went to her spot at the Gryffindor table while the professors headed to the staff table. Joey felt a little out of place in her baggy jeans and white t-shirt while everyone else was in their uniforms. She took her place along with the professors. Dumbledore had invited her to eat at the staff table and she gladly accepted.
Dumbledore stood up to make his usual speech. "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts. Once again the forbidden forest is off limits and Mr. Filch has asked me to inform all of you that anything from the Weasley twins are not allowed. Now we have a guest joining us. Her name is Ms. Josephine Evans.