An Emergency Like No Other

Taylor made Ginny walk despite the fact her leg hadn't miraculously gotten better and that it was extremely cold outside. Gillian, who seemed to be on the verge of tears, apparently wanted to do something, but obviously lacked the capacity. Parked outside was a fancy car.

"Get in!" Taylor barked, pointing the gun at Ginny. It didn't seem she had any choice, but Ginny she move. She couldn't--this was too much--just too much.

"Get in now, you stupid little girl!"

Ginny couldn't take it. She wanted to say "I'm not stupid and I'm not little!" but knew that would have been extremely stupid. She complied and Gillian climbed in after her, seeming to be even more scared than she was. As they drove away from the hospital, Ginny found herself wondering if she would ever see her family again.

Harry, Ron, Fred, George, and Mr. Weasley stepped inside the lobby of Mercy Hospital. Much to Mr. Weasley's annoyance, Fred and George were practicing Disarming each other with magic. Eventually, Mr. Weasley lost his temper.

"Stop playing around!" he shouted.

"Okay, fine!" Fred said irritably. "I guess you don't want our help."

"No, wait--" Mr. Weasley said, but both had already Disapparated. He sighed.

"Their mother's right," he said to himself. "They are impossible."

Suddenly, they heard footsteps. Harry couldn't see anything, but then--

"Expelliarmus!"

Mr. Weasley's wand shot out of his hand. A woman, who reminded Harry of someone he had seen in a movie from the Sixties, walked out of the shadows, holding Ginny's wand. Mr. Weasley seemed to be astonished.

"Catherine?" he asked faintly. "Catherine Miller?" The woman seemed to be taken aback.

"You know my name!" she said, sounding very interested.

"I-I knew you," Mr. Weasley breathed. "What're you doing here? You're--you're supposed to be dead."

"What does it look like I'm doing?" she asked. "I'm just a nurse here." Catherine stepped forward gazing into Mr. Weasley's eyes. Harry was a bit baffled--if she was a Muggle nurse, how, then, could she do magic?

"Have you come for her?" she asked. "Will you take me with you?" Harry was starting to wonder about Catherine Miller's sanity.

"What are you talking about?" Harry asked her.

"Ginny," she said, turning to look at Harry instead. "Ginny Miller. Is she one of you?"

"Uh, yeah," Mr. Weasley faltered. "I'm her father. Um, where is she?"

"I'm one of you, too" Catherine insisted, apparently having not heard the question. "I know I'm from your planet or whatever--how else could you recognize me? I swear I'm one of you--I-I don't remember anything before the accident, but--"

"Accident?" Ron asked.

"Yes," Catherine answered, "All I know is waking up lying in a backalley and not knowing who I was." Mr. Weasly's eyes widened.

"You are Catherine Miller," he said finally.

"Yes!" Catherine said hysterically, "I'm the one you want--just take me back to your planet and I'll be happy." Ron tapped his father on the shoulder.

"Dad, I've got one question," he said. "Who's Catherine Miller?"

"She was a Ministry witch who disappeared several years ago," Mr. Weasley explained. "I'm guessing a Memory Charm was placed on her and she was found by the Muggles. Since then, she must have wondered where she came from."

"Will you take me back to where you came from?" Catherine asked desperately. "I swear, I don't belong here."

"I'll leave it to the Ministry to figure that out," Mr. Weasley explained. "Can you just help me find my daughter?"

Dr. Taylor had parked his car somewhere in the outskirts of London. Ginny was feeling really scared now--she didn't know where she was and she was at the mercy of a mad Muggle, who just happened to have a gun. Suddenly, Gillian, who, like Ginny, hadn't said anything, spoke up.

"What do you hope to accomplish by this?" she asked sharply.

"I case you didn't know, this stupid little girl is affiliated with some secret Mafia thing of something," he said. "By using her as bait, I'll uncover whatever they're up to and report it to the authorities."

A wicked smile creased his lips.

"I'll be a hero," he said to himself.

"Oh, no you won't!" Gillian told him. "I'll--"

"You'll be dead!" Taylor interrupted, pointing the gun at Gillian's neck.

Suddenly there was a loud bang. At first, Ginny thought it was the gun, but then she realized Gillian was still very much alive. She turned in the direction of the noise and saw the Knight Bus was speeding right in their direction.