As soon as they arrived at St Mungo's, Lupin went and asked for information about Mrs Weasley's condition. Mrs Weasley was in the Intensive Care Unit, and couldn't receive any visits. Lupin was informed that her condition remained stable, and that she hadn't recovered consciousness yet. She had been submitted to many prolonged Cruciatus curses. Apparently the Death Eaters had tried to extract information from her.

The ward where Ron and Ginny were hospitalised was small and gloomy like the one where Arthur had been after the snake had bitten him, two years before. There was only one narrow window, and most of the light came from shining crystal bubbles clustered in the middle of the ceiling. There weren't any other patients besides them.

When Lupin and Harry entered the ward, Ginny, in the bed beside the tiny window, was propped up on several pillows and reading a Quidditch magazine, while Ron, on the next bed, was sitting up trying to solve a chess puzzle. There were two other beds, unoccupied, at the other end.

"Harry, Professor Lupin!" exclaimed Ginny.

While Lupin greeted his former student, Harry approached Ron and embraced him, a bit clumsily.

"I'm sorry, mate. That's awful," said Harry, keeping his hand on Ron's shoulder.

"You tell me! The bastards tortured my mother. Ginny and I drove them off throwing all the spells we knew on them. They Disapparated right away. We don't know who they were. They had their masks on, you know."

Harry waved at Ginny, and Lupin approached to greet Ron. "The Headmaster told me you're the new Head Boy. Congratulations!"

Ron snorted. "What's the point of this now? My mum would be very happy, if she knew..."

"How did you get hurt?" asked Harry, fearing that Ron would become even angrier, but needing to know.

"We don't know how they managed to break through our wards. As soon as they entered, they cast Cruciatus on the three of us. Ginny and I remained unconscious for some time. In the meantime, they kept torturing my mum. They wanted to know where you were, but she didn't say a word. Then I woke up, and pretended I was still unconscious. Suddenly, Ginny started to shout 'Expelliarmus!' and I joined the fight."

Harry's look became even more sombre hearing that Molly had been tortured because of him.

"That's amazing, you two defeated them! How many were they?" asked Lupin.

"Oh, there were only three," answered Ron.

"And you think that's a few?" Lupin looked at them in awe.

"We've been well trained, in Dumbledore's Army," explained Ginny.

"Mate," said Ron to Harry, "I want to finish off those bastards. I can barely wait to get out of here."

"Ron, you must keep calm," Lupin advised him.

"Calm? My mother's life's at risk! We won't be able to live in peace unless we destroy You-Know-Who."

Harry stared at his friend for a long time, not knowing what to say.