Hermione slowly took the stand. She looked over the crowd, noting where each current Order member sat. She noted Ginny's absence. She doubted it was anything more than self-preservation. Thorfinn's petition would be heard at the end of the month. She would want to keep his name if possible. To do that she needed to stay in his good graces. Taking a deep breath, she began to read her statement. "Due to my upbringing and background, I have never made friends easily. And when I did I held on tightly. Various people took advantage of this trait. The night I became friends with Ron and Harry, I had missed the Halloween feast and been trapped in a bathroom with a troll because Ron made fun of me and in my homesickness, I hid to cry. That became our pattern. Ron treated me with contempt and cruelty, and I cried. Any outing his family included me in was to get money, as I always paid my own way, usually an amount that was inflated to line their pockets. My adoptive parents happily paid any amount to help immerse me in my true world. Ron would mock my studious nature until he wanted someone to do his homework for him.