Haley stumbled at the last name and Lily's arm wrapped around her tighter because she was now supporting her to keep her standing. James saw that Haley's legs were turning to jelly so he went on the opposite side of her and held her in a mirrored version of Lily. Together they managed to keep Haley on her feet.
"Where are they?" Sirius asked.
"They were on their way here when Ginerva told me that Fred, George, and she would try and distract them so we could warn Haley. She was devastated about what happened. I think she really liked you," Minerva explained.
Tears welled in Haley's eyes, "Yeah, I liked her too."
Just then they heard voices in the hall coming in their direction. Haley tried to back away but her parents kept her in place.
James whispered, "It will be okay, sweetheart. We won't let anything happen to you."
Lily then leaned into Haley's ear and whispered, "You're gonna be fine. I'll do anything to make sure of that. I will never lose you again."
Then five red heads burst through the doorway. Haley saw Ginny and two twin red heads whom she supposed were Fred and George trying to get the two adults to leave.
"Ginerva, get out of my way!" a woman who Haley assumed was Molly said as she walked around her daughter and spotted Dumbledore. "Albus, have you lost the little sense you had left! You sent my son to Azkaban!"
"Now, Molly that was not my fault, your son didn't give me a choice. I had to call the Aurors. I am not the one that sentenced him to that fate. Plus his trail is next week. Nothing has been decided yet," Dumbledore said.
Minerva couldn't stay quiet, "He deserves whatever he gets!"
"How dare you, Minerva!? My son would never do anything worth being sent to Azkaban for!" Molly snapped.
"Mom! Let's just leave them alone," Ginny begged looking at Haley who was absolutely trembling in her mother's arms. She mouthed the words, "I'm sorry," in Haley's direction. Haley nodded slightly in response.
"No, Ginerva! Your fourteen year old brother is going to be sent to Azkaban for something he didn't do; how could you think that I would let something like that go?!" Molly shouted.
"Molly, please calm down so we can find out what they are at least accusing Ronald of." Arthur said.
Haley couldn't help it; the man looked like an older version of Ron. Memories kept flooding back. She was shaking uncontrollably. Tears rolled down her face. Lily was trying to calm her. "It will be alright, baby. Nothing will hurt you," Lily whispered to her distressed child. Nothing helped. She just kept staring at the red headed family.
Dumbledore spoke up, "I called the Aurors because there is sufficient evidence that Ronald attacked, sexually assaulted, kidnapped, and left a fellow student in the middle of the forbidden forest in the hope that that some creature would kill her for him."
"What!? No you're wrong Dumbledore!" Molly shouted.
"What evidence?" Arthur asked.
"The victim was able to return from the forest. She befriended a pack of centaurs using the power of music and they helped her return with the assistance of the car Ronald flew to school in his second year." Dumbledore said.
"Um, no offences, Dumbledore, but you kinda do sound mad," one of the twins said.
"Yes, you do! Where is this supposed victim?" Molly asked.
"Please, Mom! Leave her alone!" Ginny begged.
"Ginerva, what's wrong?" Arthur asked.
"I believe her," Ginny said.
"Believe who?" Molly asked.
"Mom, I'm positive that Ron did what he's being accused of," Ginny said. Her voice was shaking but she needed to say this. She couldn't let her mother make this even harder on Haley. Ginny saw Haley mouth the words, "Thank you."
"Ginerva, how could you turn your back on your own brother?!"
"Molly," Dumbledore said to get her attention, "I was there when the Aurors interviewed both the victim and Ronald. Ronald was question under Vertisarium. His story matched up with the victims perfectly."
"Albus, who is this victim?" Arthur asked.
Albus just stepped out of the way to give them a full view of Haley and her parents. Haley kept trying to back away but they held her in place and tried to sooth her. Arthur could see the girl trembling at the sight of them. "Oh my god," Arthur said more to himself than anyone else. "What's her name?" he asked turning to Minerva.
"She currently goes by Haley Jovi Menzel but her birth name was Haley James Potter," Minerva said softly.
"Potter? But she's dead," Arthur said.
"It's a long story," Minerva said.
"Arthur! You can't actually believe any of this! She's lying!" Molly yelled.
Sirius and Remus couldn't take it anymore. They stood up a walked up to Molly. Sirius then said, "Look, you don't have to believe it but it's true! Now if you don't mind you are obviously panicking my goddaughter so either leave or shut the hell up!"
"Now see here! I will not let your goddaughter drag my sons name through the mud! He is a good person!" Molly shouted.
"A good person?" Remus asked chuckling, "Generally those words can't be used to describe a rapist!"
Ginny paled and looked at Haley. She was crying and then Ginny knew it was true. Ginny couldn't take it anymore. She burst into tears and approached Haley. She stopped a few feet away and said, "Haley, I'm so sorry! I can't… I just…" she couldn't finish her sentence. She fell to her knees. Tears were flooding her face. The twins rushed over to help their sister stand up.
"We are sorry, Haley," one of them said as the other hugged there sister.
"Get away from there you three!" Molly snapped. The three walked back to their parents. Arthur pulled Ginny into a hug.
"Why don't you three go wait outside?" Arthur suggested. The three agreed and were out of the room a moment later.
"Did you do a diagnosis spell?" Arthur asked.
"Yes," Poppy answered, "It was the longest one I had ever done."
"How long?"
"Twenty five minutes," she answered.
"How can you believe this?" Molly gasped.
"Look, Molly, something obviously happened to Ms. Menzel. If it wasn't Ronald then why would she lie and say it was. Plus, even the kids are positive and Dumbledore questioned him under Vertisarium. It's the only logical explanation," Arthur said thoughtfully.
"Excuse me," Madam Pomfrey finally said, "but before we were interrupted I was trying to photograph and heal Ms. Menzel. I would like to begin again soon so she could get some rest."
"I want to see these supposed injuries," Molly stated.
Haley tried to back away again. She didn't want them to look at any part of her.
"We have the legal right as the accused's guardians to see any damage so that photographs and memories cannot be forged," Molly said.
"Albus you need to talk to the Ministry about that outrageous law! It's an evasion of Haley's rights. She shouldn't be forced to show these people parts of her body. She almost had a panic attack when we saw them!" Minerva yelled out of fury.
"There is nothing I am able to do about it at the moment Minerva. Unfortunately, they have they're rights," Dumbledore said.
Haley began to struggle against her parents arms, "No please," she begged. "Please! I can't!" Haley was having problems breathing. James put both of his arms around her to stop her thrashing.
Lily took Haley's face in her hands and looked her in the eye, "I'm so sorry baby! Believe me though when I say if they try anything I will kill them myself." Tears ran down Lily's face as she watched Haley nod in her hands.
"Molly, maybe this isn't a good idea," Arthur said.
"Arthur you were right. The only thing that makes sense is that he's guilty. I need to know what my son did," Molly replied.
Dumbledore conjured to seats behind Sirius and Remus, "You will not go any closer to Haley than this."
Both Weasley's nodded.
James and Lily guided Haley back to where she was standing before they got interrupted. Her legs were still weak so Haley held on to each parent with one hand. They steadied her. Her back was towards everyone. She was trying to pretend they weren't there but it was hard. Madam Pomfrey opened her back again. The Weasleys were the only ones that hadn't seen the marks yet.
Haley heard gasps and whispers behind her and she gripped James and Lily harder. Tears continued to flood her face. Then she began to whisper to herself.
"A penny for my thoughts? Oh no I'll sell them for a dollar. There worth so much more after I'm a goner. And maybe then you'll hear the words I've been singing. Funny when you're dead how people start listening. Ohhh, if I die young, bury me in satin. Lay me down on a bed of roses. Sink me in the river at dawn. Send me away with the words of a love song."
James and Lily were at a loss of what to do.
"Okay, I done with the pictures," Poppy said.
"I think we've seen enough, Molly," Arthur said.
"Yes," she whispered and they left the room holding each other.
After they were gone Haley threw herself in mother's arms a cried. Dumbledore and Minerva left so Haley could have a bit of privacy. After a few minutes of Haley being comforted by her parents Haley sat on the bed and allowed Poppy to heal her back.