Chapter Nine - Ron and Hermione's Testimony

It was three days later that the three friends went to the Wizengamot, although only Ron and Hermione would be giving any statements ... at least officially. To Ron's relief, they called on Hermione first, possibly due to the fact of alphabetic succession, since her name came before his.

"You are a friend of Harry Potter's, are you not?" the same wizard who had interrogated both Neville and Harry asked Hermione.

"Yes. I've known him for six years."

"Have you ever known him to verbally or physically abuse anyone?"

"Only if he was provoked beyond endurance ... and he's had to endure a lot in his life. Just the same, Harry is basically a gentle, caring person."

"Do you believe he would ever sexually assault a woman?"

"Never," Hermione declared. "I know him as well as anyone, and he would sooner hurt himself than someone he cares for."

"The two of you have never been romantically involved, have you?"

"No. He's more like a brother to me than anything else, although there have been rumours otherwise ... mainly by Rita Skeeter. However, there is no truth to them whatsoever, mainly because I already have a boyfriend, the young man sitting next to me."

That's when the wizard questioning Hermione turned to Ron and began questioning him.

"Your name is Ronald Weasley, correct?"

"Yes, sir."

"You are a close friend of Harry Potter, is that right?"

"Yes, sir. In fact, he is my best friend."

"Would you say that he is the type to physically or emotionally abuse anyone?"

"Never," Ron declared. "He's been on the receiving end of more than his share, but generally doesn't yell at or fight with anyone unless provoked beyond endurance."

"Do you believe that he would ever sexually assault a woman?"

"Never! Harry's not the type," Ron assured his interrogator.

"Are you aware of the nature of the case under discussion?"

"Of course. It's my sister, Ginny, his girlfriend, who was assaulted."

"Have either of you met the alleged attackers?"

"Yes ... or more precisely, at least one of them. Draco Malfoy is in our year, but in Slytherin House, who has always held animosity for anyone in Gryffindor House. Especially Harry. The other 'alleged' attacker is Harry's cousin, whom we have not met, but he has described him to us. Neither has ever liked Harry – but then neither of them are ... nice people, to put it mildly, so that's not surprising." This time Hermione was the one to answer.

"Do you believe either of them capable of what Harry has accused them of?"

"Definitely," was Hermione's firm declaration.

"Are you sure you're not simply saying that because Harry is your friend?"

"No. We're saying it because it's true. You can't spend time with someone on almost a daily basis for six years and not come to know them. We know Harry, and he would never hurt Ginny. Not like that. He loves her."

"What about Ginny? It has been said that she has had many boyfriends before Harry. How do we know that the alleged attackers were not two of them?"

"That's ridiculous," Hermione threw back. "She ... dislikes Draco intensely. As for Harry's cousin, she's never even met him. And even with the boys she's been involved with, there was never anything more physical than occasional snogging."

"Do you agree with that statement, young Mr. Weasley?"

"I do," Ron confirmed. "I know my sister. She's not promiscuous, not in any way, shape or form. And since she and Harry have ... reunited, she has not dated anyone else."

"It is said that she has had a crush on him since she was a child."

"That's true, but they did not date until she was fifteen," Ron recalled. "That's when I believe her feelings for him deepened into love. And no, don't even think it. Not even with Harry has she ever gone beyond snogging."

That was the only thing Ron had said that wasn't precisely true, but Harry, listening to the whole thing, knew that Ron and Hermione knew that he and Ginny had gone beyond snogging some time ago. All the same, they were acting responsibly, using the Contraceptive Charm and all that, intending to continue to do so until and unless they decided to marry and start a family. That could not be done until both were out of school, which wouldn't be for at least another year, if not two.

"Do you think Ginny would be willing to come in and give us a statement?"

"Oh, technically she probably could, but..." Ron broke off.

"But what?"

"We and her Healers believe it best that she not do so for at least six months after the incident. It has only been about two. That is why we, the three of us, the ones her age closest to her, feel obliged to speak on her behalf. We hope you understand."

"Oh, we do, but I hope you also understand that in a rape trial, a conviction is more likely if the victim is willing to testify against the attackers."

Harry was frankly afraid they would say that, which prompted him to make a very difficult decision. He would have to sit down with Ginny and tell her the details of what had transpired the day of her attack. It might set things back to square one, of course, including his relationship with her, but that was a chance he'd have to take. If it was necessary for her to testify against Draco and Dudley, she would have to know. He just hoped it wouldn't scar her for life.

* * * * *

Once they got back home and settled back in, Hedwig arrived carrying another large, official-looking envelope. The three friends (Ginny was still asleep) gathered in what was now Harry's room, and Ron and Hermione waited while Harry opened the large envelope and examined the contents, a combination of photos and text. For a long time he didn't say a word, although they watched his face. Sometimes it was a mask of fury, sometimes a smug smile crossed his lips.

"Harry, what is that stuff?" Ron finally broke the silence.

"I asked the Muggle authorities in my old neighbourhood to investigate Dudley."

"And?"

"This is their report," came the reply. "It turns out that Ginny's attack was only the latest in a string of attacks over the last year. Several girls in our age group were brutally attacked, two of them even hospitalized and one nearly killed ... and in virtually every instance, they identified Dudley as their attacker."

"I can imagine how your ... aunt and uncle reacted," came Hermione's dry remark.

"Oh, naturally they denied everything ... but it also turns out that the authorities obtained a search warrant and went through his room. They found many torn pairs of knickers and a large box of condoms...and that was just for starters. I'm afraid my dear cousin is embarking on a career as a serial rapist!"

"What about Draco? Has the Ministry found anything on him yet?"

"That's a little tougher, unfortunately, what with the Malfoy money, but I've got just as much and I'll do whatever is necessary to see that slimeball put into Azkaban for life, even if it's the last thing I ever do. Just the same, there are people in the Ministry who aren't afraid of them and willing to do whatever it takes to see them punished for the evil they've done. I feel sure they'll find something and get it to me ... then I can formally charge them."

"Since Draco's old man is a Death Eater, it just may be the last thing you ever do...if you don't get him first," Ron pointed out.

"I'm not too worried. If I can defeat Voldemort, one Death Eater shouldn't be too much of a problem," Harry returned confidently. He would have said more, but suddenly heard Ginny call out. They rushed to her side; she was still in bed asleep, but having a nightmare...and it sounded like it had something to do with her assault just over two months ago.

She was screaming, thrashing around and fighting, all in her sleep, her subconscious memories of her ordeal having finally manifested themselves, even while Harry and company were trying to calm her. In the midst of everything, Molly and Arthur entered and saw what was going on; finally Molly met Harry's anguished eyes and knew what he was trying to tell her. She left the room to brew up a strong Calming Draught to soothe Ginny; within moments she was back and gave it to Harry, who gave it to Ginny.

Fortunately it was fast-acting, so she soon calmed down and Harry placed her back down on her pillow, tucking her blankets around her, then brushed her tumbled hair back away from her face and gently kissed her forehead, moving to hold her hand.

"What happened?" Molly asked. "She's been doing so well."

"I can only surmise that subconscious memories of her ordeal surfaced and manifested themselves as a nightmare. You'd better make sure to have plenty of Calming Draught on hand while I arrange for her to have some counseling," Harry told Molly. "And don't worry, I'll see that she goes, whatever I have to do."

"Do you think we dare tell her the truth now, after what's happened? It may only make matters worse," Hermione remarked worriedly.

Harry frankly agreed with her but knew he would have to keep his promise to Ginny and tell her the whole truth about what had happened to her, whatever the consequences. "We'll have to. Looks like it's the only way she's going to be able to properly deal with what's happened to her. We've been avoiding the issue for too long."

While Ginny was asleep, Harry wrote a quick note to the St. Mungo's psychiatric ward and asked to arrange rape counseling for Ginny at their earliest convenience, using Hedwig to take it to them so that he would be able to sit with her. When Ginny awakened, Harry had decided to tell her everything, asking his two friends to help him do it, to which they gladly agreed. In the meantime, all decided to sit with Ginny and wait for her to wake up, Hermione holding her one hand while Harry held the other.