They all looked outraged at this, especially Ron.

"But we had so much more to talk about with her! I've just remembered a couple of really big things I forgot to say!" he said

"You've had your time" the doctor repeated sternly. "You should be able to see her tomorrow, whatever more you have to say, it can wait"

They all walked out of the room, Luna giving me apologetic glance. The next morning however, I was thankfully discharged, and although it was still a little difficult walking around, my limbs feeling pretty strange with how they'd been recently repaired, I was very happy to get back to Hogwarts. I flooed in to Professor McGonagall's office.

"Morning Weasley. Everything ok?" she said

"Yes, Professor, I feel a bit strange in my limbs, but otherwise good as new. I wanted to talk to you actually, about the attack"

"Certainly. We need to establish exactly what happened. As there were unfortunately no witnesses, it's been difficult to work out. It seems the culprit or culprits were able to escape very quickly. Sit down"

I did so.

"So it was Lillian Avery and Sarah Bagman that attacked me. I had been on my way up to Gryffindor Tower when they struck me from behind. It's very likely that they used Impedimenta Duo, at least that's what Hermione said. I went head over heels into the wall, hitting it face first" I told her.

"This is a very serious allegation to make Miss Weasley, and it's not exactly a secret that you and Miss Avery, to put it lightly, dislike each other. How am I to be sure that you are telling the truth?"

"I'll do anything to prove it Professor, I'll take truth serum, you can view my memories in a pensive, whatever it takes!"

"Both methods are not seen as entirely reliable, as truth serum can be resisted, and memories can be altered, however, you are only a third year student, so it is highly unlikely that you would be able to do either. As truth serum is a highly complicated potion which takes a long time to brew, we do not currently have any in stock, therefore the memory option is all we have. Would you like to remove it for me, then we can take it to the Headmaster, who keeps the Pensive in his office"

"Yes, certainly. How do I do it?"

"Place your wand to your temple, and think of the memory you wish to extract, then slowly pull your wand away from your head. It will emerge as a thin silvery strand of light, which you will place into this flask" and she conjured one with her wand.

I did as she asked, and we headed to Professor Dumbledore's office.

"Fizzing Whizzbee" said Professor McGonagall to the gargoyle guarding the entrance. "The Headmaster is rather fond of sweets" she told me, seeing my confused look.

She knocked on the door.

"Enter" called Dumbledore. "Ah, Miss Weasley, Minerva" he said. Professor McGonagall explained what I had asked of them.

"Do you wish to join us in viewing the memory Miss Weasley?" asked Dumbledore.

I shook my head. I had no desire to relive the attack.

"Very well. Minerva, after you"

Professors McGonagall and Dumbledore bent down and fell into the Pensive. I took a moment to examine my surroundings. It was a strange sight. Dumbledore's desk had several strange silver instruments that were puffing and whirring. There were bookcases placed around the circular room, with the Sorting Hat atop one of them, and there was a door on the back wall, which I assumed lead to a bedroom. Fawkes the phoenix was sitting on a perch.

I approached Fawkes and stroked him. I was quite happy to see him again, seeing as he had saved mine and Harry's lives in the Chamber of Secrets.

Dumbledore and McGonagall emerged, looking very grave.

"Miss Weasley, thank you for providing this evidence. We will take some time to adjudicate and decide on Miss Avery's punishment" said Dumbledore

"Professor, surely the only option is to expel her? In fact, I'd be surprised if this wasn't worthy of a spell in Azkaban! I nearly died!" I said

"That power lies with me, not you, and therefore, your role in this case is now closed. Have a good day" he said, pointing towards the door.

I walked quickly through it, fuming. I'd nearly lost my life, how could this not be a case for slam dunk expulsion?! I tried to focus my mind on what the others would surely tell me once I got to the common room. What else had I missed from the week?

I found Hermione sitting by the fireplace.

"Ginny! So glad you're back! How are you feeling?"

"Fine" I replied. I told her about what had happened with McGonagall and Dumbledore.

"Hmm yeah that's wrong, it sounds like a slam dunk expulsion to me" said Hermione, chewing her lip. "I can't think as to why it would be anything else"

"So, what else did I miss from this week?" I asked, deciding to change the subject.

She shoved a box of badges towards me.

"I've started my campaign for better treatment of house elves. It's called the Society for the Prevention of Elfish Welfare, or S.P.E.W for short. Interested in joining?

"What exactly does this involve?"

"Well, short term, we want to raise more awareness about how immoral it is to enslave elves, and long term, we want to increase elf representation in government, especially the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, and to overturn the law on non wand use"

I bit my lip

"Umm, look, Hermione, I'm not sure many people are going to take this very seriously" I said tentatively

"Why not, this is a huge issue!"

"I'm sorry mate, but I'm going to have to decline. I assume that Harry and Ron did too?"

"Yes" Hermione said bitterly

"Look, I agree in principle with what you're saying, but it's so unlikely that this will make any difference. The majority of people will just laugh it off, surely you know that?"

"Yes, but I'm not going to give up!" she said firmly, taking back the box and placing a lid on to it.

"Anything else?"

"Yes, have a look at this"

It was a Daily Prophet article.

FURTHER MISTAKES AT THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC

It seems as though the Ministry of Magic's troubles are not yet at an end, writes Rita Skeeter, Special Correspondent. Recently under fire for its poor crowd control at the Quidditch World Cup, and still unable to account for the disappearance of one of its witches, the Ministry was plunged into fresh embarrassment yesterday by the antics of Arnold Weasley, of the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office."

"Arnold Weasley, it's Arthur for fuck's sake" I muttered

Arnold Weasley, who was charged with possession of a flying car two years ago, was yesterday involved in a tussle with several Muggle law-keepers ("policemen") over a number of highly aggressive dustbins. Mr. Weasley appears to have rushed to the aid of "Mad-Eye" Moody, the aged ex-Auror who retired from the Ministry when no longer able to tell the difference between a handshake and attempted murder. Unsurprisingly, Mr. Weasley found, upon arrival at Mr. Moody's heavily guarded house, that Mr. Moody had once again raised a false alarm. Mr. Weasley was forced to modify several memories before he could escape from the policemen, but refused to answer Daily Prophet questions about why he had involved the Ministry in such an undignified and potentially embarrassing scene.

"Well, that's Rita Skeeter for you, I'm afraid this doesn't surprise me in the slightest" I said

"Malfoy loved it" said Hermione "read it out loud in the entrance hall for everyone to hear. But that lead to one of the greatest memories of my lifetime" and to my shock I saw that she was now laughing.

"What? What happened?" I couldn't see how this could have turned into anything positive.

"Harry, Ron and Malfoy had a brief argument where each insulted the others mother, then Malfoy tried to curse Harry while his back was turned. Moody showed up, and I promise you this is true, ask anybody, he turned Malfoy into a ferret!"

I was now laughing too obviously, that sounded incredible!

"Seriously?" I said

"Yep, but it gets even better! He stopped Crabbe from carrying him away, and then started bouncing him up and down, in front of everybody, it was hilarious!"

"Mate, I'm so jealous that I didn't get to see that! Did he eventually get turned back?"

"Yes, McGonagall did so, and she scolded Moody, telling him to just give detention in future. I'm sure he thought it was worth it though"

"Have you heard from Sirius?" I asked, dropping my voice to a whisper so that the common room didn't hear.

"Yeah, Harry got a letter from him. He's flying north now, he seems to think he's got to come back. Harry tried to stop him by sending a letter back, lying about having imagined his scar hurting. I bet Sirius will see right through that though"

"I don't blame Harry, what if Sirius gets caught?"

"Still though, it's wrong to lie"

"Mate, you became best friends with Harry and Ron through lying! You can't pick and choose arguments like that!"