When she received an unexpected floo call from Minerva McGonagall asking her and Arthur to get up to Hogwarts as soon as possible, Molly instantly thought the worst. After spending all day dealing with the fall out of the attack on Grimmauld Place, she was worried in case something had happened to Ron and Ginny. After all, her two youngest children were in pretty close proximity to some dangerous people up at Hogwarts.
Quickly gathering Arthur and ensuring the rest of the family were okay, Molly led the way to Hogwarts. Molly fully expected to land in McGonagall's office, so she was surprised to find herself in the headmaster's office. She was also relieved to find Ron sitting in front of Snape's desk, looking safe and sound, although there was no sign of Ginny.
"Is Ginny okay?" She immediately questioned as Arthur arrived behind her.
"As far as I'm aware, Ginny is fine," McGonagall replied. "This is about Ron. Professor Snape has just stepped out, but he'll be back in a few seconds."
"What's going on, Minerva?" Arthur asked as he and Molly sat down on either side of their son.
"Do you want to tell them?" McGonagall asked Ron.
"I'm being suspended," Ron answered moodily.
"What? Why?" Molly screeched as the door to the office opened and Severus made his appearance. "This is discrimination, they can't do this."
"Actually, I can and I am doing it," Severus said as he walked around his desk and settled in his chair. "In fact, this isn't just a suspension. I'm pushing forward with plans to permanently expel Mr Weasley."
"Expel?" Molly cried. "You cannot expel my son. He has every right to an education."
"Indeed he does, but he also has to adhere to the school rules," Severus replied. "He's had two strikes today, and his last stunt in the Great Hall will most certainly lead to criminal charges against him."
"Criminal charges?" Molly gasped in horror.
"Just what exactly has happened today?" Arthur interrupted. "No-one has told us anything."
"You haven't told them?" Severus asked McGonagall in surprise.
"I didn't have time," McGonagall muttered.
"To cut a long story short, your son is being suspended for torturing two students," Severus explained.
"It wasn't torture," Ron protested. "I hit them with a curse."
"The Cruciatius Curse," Severus corrected stonily.
"Ron," Arthur scolded, glaring at his youngest son. "What on earth were you playing at?"
"I believe your letter was the instigator," Severus remarked. "He'd no sooner read the letter then he was attacking Harry and Hermione."
"I should have known those two monsters were involved," Molly sneered. "And that is why we're here, because he stood up for himself against your son and sister."
"He was not standing up for himself, he attacked without provocation," Severus snarled.
"Just like I was attacked earlier," Ron spat.
"You were attacked?" Reaching for her son, Molly immediately began checking him over for damage. "Why wasn't I informed of this earlier incident?"
"It wasn't an attack, Ron was caught fighting with Draco Malfoy," McGonagall explained.
"It was not a fight, he attacked me," Ron told Molly.
"After you told him his mother should have died in hospital," Severus snappishly corrected. "I think you should consider yourself very lucky Professor Malfoy wasn't around to hear you say such things about his sick wife. That was strike one, the attack on Harry and Hermione is the second strike. I will not have the likes of you in my school."
"This is persecution," Molly insisted angrily. "You're victimising my son because of our association with the Order."
"Molly, I can assure you that is not the case," McGonagall said. "I personally dealt with the earlier incident and I warned both Ron and Draco that any more violence would lead to a suspension, and a couple of hours later he was attacking students in the Great Hall. I'm sorry, but anyone who behaved like he did today would be sitting here staring at a suspension."
"And what about the Malfoy boy?" Arthur asked. "Is he being punished over the fight?"
"Professor McGonagall docked points off both boys," Severus answered.
"And there's the detentions," McGonagall reminded the headmaster. "Obviously Ron won't be serving them until his return, but Draco can still do his."
"There won't be any detentions," Severus replied calmly. "Given what was said, it was understandable that Draco snapped. I'll let the docked points stand, but that's the end of it. As for Mr Weasley's detentions, there'll be no need to think about them either. As I said, I'm going to start proceedings to have him expelled."
"We will fight any attempt to kick Ron out of school," Arthur vowed.
"Do you really think you'll succeed?" Severus asked with a cold laugh. "As Headmaster my opinion counts for a great deal. To overturn my decision you need the senior Professors, the head of governors and the Minister himself to vote against my decision. Do you honestly think any of them will back your son after he's attacked two students in full view of the entire school? And don't forget, Lucius Malfoy is still head of governors, even though he's now a Professor. Not to mention the legal proceedings that will begin against your son. The Ministry will be informed of today's events."
"We'll take it to the press," Molly spat. "We'll get everyone on our side, parents and the rest of the wizarding community. You won't get away with this, Snape. Just like you won't get away with destroying the Order's headquarters and killing our friends."
"Excuse me?" Severus raised his eyebrow and gave Molly his best confused expression. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Of course you don't," Molly scoffed. "You can't fool us. We know you were likely involved in what happened last night. Hell, that's probably what's wrong with Narcissa Malfoy."
"I really have no idea what you're babbling on about, but it is not relevant to the incident with your son," Severus said. "As of this moment Ron Weasley is suspended and not allowed on school premises. I'll start proceedings for an expulsion, and you'll be informed of the hearing day when you can put your case forward. Until then, you may take your son and go home."
"What about my things?" Ron asked.
"We'll have your sister put them together and Professor McGonagall will deliver them to your home sometime tomorrow," Severus replied. "But for now, this meeting is over. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got school business to attend to."
With Severus ending the meeting, Molly and Arthur had little choice but to get to their feet and escort Ron from the premises. Although before they went, Molly once again insisted that they would fight any sort of expulsion, even though deep down she knew it would do no good. It looked like Ron's days at Hogwarts were over, now she just had to decide if she was also going to remove Ginny from the school or if she was going to let her youngest child stay on at Hogwarts.
C.O.T.D.
Ginny was far too stunned to react during Ron's outburst in the Great Hall, and she watched along with everyone else as he attacked Harry and Hermione. When Ron himself was hauled up against the wall she got worried that she was going to witness her brother's violent death, but luckily nothing had happened and her brother had been taken away by McGonagall. At the same time, Harry and Hermione had been escorted to the hospital wing to get checked over. A fair few Slytherins went with them, along with Professors Snape and Granger.
Of course their departure didn't do anything to stop the gossip, if anything people started talking even louder once the main players in the drama had gone. Still unsure of what had happened herself, Ginny found the letter that had triggered Ron's outburst and she headed out of the Great Hall to read it. Settling down at the bottom of the stairs, Ginny read the letter her mother had sent.
Immediately she could see why Ron had lost it. The letter contained nothing but bad news, and from the timing it didn't take a genius to work out Malfoy's sick mother coincided with the attack on Grimmauld Place. Either she'd been hurt in the attack, or else it had been an excuse to get Lucius and Draco out of school so they could partake in the attack. And of course, any attack meant Voldemort pulling the strings, and chances were Harry and Hermione knew all about it. They'd probably spent the night laughing at what was going on at Order Headquarters, or they could possibly have even been there.
Swiping at the tears that had fallen as she read about the attack and the losses of people she knew, Ginny shoved the letter in her pocket and headed for McGonagall's office. She wanted to know what was going on with Ron and the head of Gryffindor was about the only Professor she trusted anymore. When she reached McGonagall's office, the witch wasn't there so Ginny settled down in her classroom to wait for her.
Ginny was in McGonagall's classroom for well over an hour, before she heard the witch enter her office. This time when she knocked on the door, she got an immediate answer.
"Miss Weasley, come on in," McGonagall said, pulling the door open wider so that Ginny could enter the office.
"What's going on with Ron, is he in big trouble?"
"I'm afraid he is," McGonagall said as she settled herself down at her desk. "Ron's being suspended, and Professor Snape had every intention of expelling him."
"Can he do that?" Ginny asked, slumping down in the chair in front of McGonagall's desk in shock.
"He can, and while we may be on different sides of this war, I do back him on this decision," McGonagall said. "Ron's behaviour was unacceptable, and quite frankly suspension and possible expulsion was the only course of action Professor Snape could have taken."
"Will he get expelled?" Ginny questioned. "Can't my parents fight the decision?"
"They can, but I don't think it's going to do them any good," McGonagall said gently, giving Ginny a sympathetic smile. "Professor Snape wants him gone after today, and Lucius Malfoy is still head of governors, while Bernard Nott is the Minister. Two of them effectively have to come down on the side of your parents if Ron is to get back into school. Even if the staff vote for him to return, we can't enforce it without one of those three on board as well. And quite frankly giving the fact Lucius also has a staff vote, as does Hermione's mother, I'd say even that was unlikely. Although, it might all be in vain anyway depending on how things go with the Ministry."
"The Ministry?" Ginny frowned. "What do they have to do with anything?"
"Your brother used an unforgivable curse," McGonagall said gently. "Even with the new regime, it's still against the law to use one of the three unforgivable curses. The Ministry have been informed of this evening's incident, and then it's up to them how they proceed."
"Could he end up in Azkaban?" Ginny whispered.
"I think it's a strong possibility," McGonagall admitted.
"Damn Ron, why can't he ever keep his temper in check?" Ginny muttered.
McGonagall didn't say anything to the young witch, but personally she was shocked Ron had lasted so long before lashing out. The redhead had never been known for his control, and she'd suspected things would have come to a head a lot sooner. Although sadly she wasn't surprised that Ron had ended up on the wrong side of the fallout. She might despise what Hermione and Harry had done and who they were, but she had to admit they were both incredibly smart. After all, they had to be smart to have pulled the wool over everyone's eyes for five years. Unfortunately for Ron he hadn't been smart enough to take them on, and now he was out in the cold and he would have to try and forge a future for himself without qualifications, which wasn't going to be the easiest thing to do.
"I better get going," Ginny said with a sigh.
"Before you go, I have a request to make," McGonagall said. "Could you pack up your brother's belongings this evening? If you leave his packed trunk at the bottom of his bed, I can make sure it gets to him tomorrow."
"I can do that," Ginny replied sadly as she exited McGonagall's office.
Heading back up to Gryffindor Tower, Ginny thought about the past few months and she wished she and Ron had moved faster with their plans to start their own mini Order of the Phoenix. They'd thought they had a lot more time, but with Ron's suspension she was now on her own. And would anyone want to join her in fighting against Harry and Hermione now they'd seen what had happened to Ron? Not to mention what was going on with the rest of the Order. Things weren't looking good, and Ginny wasn't sure where she was going from here.
One thing Ginny did know was that she was stopping with the friendly act towards Harry and Hermione. The second she entered Gryffindor tower and found them both settled in front of the fire, a crowd of people surrounding them and offering them their sympathies she just lost it. How dare that pair sit around as though they were innocent when Ron had been suspended and half the Order were dead, missing or imprisoned.
"I hope the pair of you are happy," she seethed, storming over to the duo.
"Considering we've just been tortured, not really," Hermione replied, wincing slightly as she still felt tender after events in the Great Hall.
"Ron's gone, he's being suspended and he's going to get expelled," Ginny spat.
"It's no more than he deserves," Harry said with an unconcerned shrug. "And with any luck he'll be arrested and sent to Azkaban as well."
"He really needs to learn it's not on to attack people for no reason," Hermione added. "Maybe you should tell him that next time you see him. That is if you see him before he's carted away to Azkaban."
"Next time I see him, I'll congratulate him on hurting you two," Ginny retorted. "I only wish he'd done more damage."
"And finally the truth comes out," Harry chuckled. "I wondered how long it would be before your claws came out, Gin."
"Yeah, your act really wasn't very convincing," Hermione said. "Did you honestly think we thought we could trust you? We knew you felt the same way as Ron, you just hid your anger better."
"You didn't know," Ginny scoffed. "You both thought I was so stupid that I still had a crush on Harry, so I accepted things. Why else would Harry let me on the quidditch team?"
"To wind your brother up," Harry replied. "I'll admit you were good, probably one of the best chasers on show at try-outs. But I picked you simply because I knew it would get under Ron's skin."
"Liar," Ginny hissed, although she now didn't sound as sure of herself. She'd been so sure she'd been pulling the wool over Harry's eyes for the last few months, but now she didn't know if it had been him stringing her along and letting her think she had the upper hand.
"If you say so, Gin," Harry chuckled. "But since Ron's gone, and you've made it clear you have a problem with me, I think its best we find another chaser. Thanks for your help, Ginny, but we don't need you anymore."
"As if I'd want to play on your rotten team anyway," Ginny snorted. "I've got better things to do with my time than spend it with you."
"Yet here you are, conversing with us," Hermione pointed out.
"You think you're so smart, don't you?" Ginny spat. "Well you're not. You won't win this war. You might be on top now and you might think you hold all the cards, but don't get too cosy. Light always eclipses the darkness."
"I think you're confused there, Ginny," Hermione laughed. "An eclipse is darkness blocking out light. Dark snuffs out light, and that's just what we're going to do with the so called light side."
Feeling her temper rising, and not wanting to end up in trouble like Ron, Ginny gave Hermione one final glare before she turned and stalked off upstairs to sort Ron's things. Her brother may not be at school, but he wasn't completely out of commission just yet and she knew that like her Ron wouldn't give up on the fight. They would fight to the bitter end to ensure that Voldemort, his family and the dark side didn't end up victorious in the war that had just taken a rather brutal turn with the attack on Grimmauld Place.
A/N – I just want to thank everyone for their support of this story, and to announce that on Wednesday I will be starting to publish and accompanying collection for the COTD series. The collection will feature a bit of everyone from the series and will cover a wide variety of times. Some pieces will pre-date the series – like scenes with Beth and Voldemort in the early years and the trio's childhood. Some will take place during the series – which will be moments that were mentioned but never focused on, or just pieces that didn't quite make the cut of the final story. And finally, some will be set after year 7 – although there will be no future pieces published until near the end of year 7 as I don't want to give any spoilers away. So if there's anything anyone would like to see, please send me a PM or mention it in a review. I will be making a note of every request, and I'll try and fulfill as many as possible, while also trying to write the dozens of pieces I've already got planned.
