Public Issues (Demma Book 2)

Secret Exposed

Dateline: November 8th, 1992

Hermione told Harry that she'd be in the girls' bathroom preparing for the Polyjuice Potion first thing in the mourning when he's out of the hospital. It just so happens when he woke up that mourning to find the dormitory blazing with winter sunlight and looked over at Colin's bed. Madam Pomfrey came bustling over with a breakfast tray and then bent and stretched his arm and fingers.

"All in order," she said as he clumsily fed himself porridge left-handed. "When you've finished eating, you may leave."

He dressed as quickly as he could and hurried off to the girls' bathroom to see Hermione. Just as he made his way to his destination, a familiar face showed up. It was Percy.

"Oh, hello, Harry," he said. "Excellent flying yesterday, really excellent. Gryffindor has just taken the lead for the House Cup -- you earned fifty points!"

"Thanks," he answered.

"Have you seen Ron yet?"

"Uh, no?"

"I've been looking for him for a while; I hope he's not in another girls' toilet."

Harry forced a laugh, watched Percy walk out of sight, and then headed straight for Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. After making sure that neither Filch nor any other prefects were around, he opened the door and heard her voice coming from the front of the stall.

"Harry!" she said, wrapping her arms around him. "How's your arm?"

"It's fine," said Harry, squeezing her tightly before letting go. "So tell me, why are we brewing this potion in broad daylight, in the middle of a girls' lavatory? Do you think we'll get caught?" Harry said, looking at Hermione with a puzzled look.

"I don't think so. No one ever comes in here," she said, mixing the ingredients.

"Why?"

"From what I can tell, this is Moaning Myrtle's hiding place. She's a ghost that haunts the toilets all the time. It's a mystery as to how she died."

"I wonder why?"

"And I hope you'll wonder sooner or later." said a screeching voice, coming from behind a bathroom stall. "I'm Moaning Myrtle, and I wouldn't expect you to know me. Who would ever talk about fat, ugly, miserable, moping, moaning, Myrtle?" she screamed, and she flew all the way down the ground and dumped herself inside a toilet.

"She's a little sensitive, so be careful," Hermione said quietly, and Harry nodded.

Dateline: November 9th, 1992

The news that Colin Creevey had been attacked and was now lying as though dead in the hospital wing had spread through the entire school that mourning. The air was suddenly thick with rumour and suspicion. Most of the first-years were moving around the castle in tight-knit groups, as though scared they would be attacked if they ventured off alone.

Hidden from the teachers, however, a roaring trade in talismans, amulets, and other protective devices were sweeping the school. As a result, most of the pure-bloods never needed to worry, and they were unlikely to be attacked.

"They went for Filch first," Neville said, his round face fearful. "And everyone knows I'm almost a Squib."

Dateline: December 10th, 1992

They entered the second week of December, and Professor McGonagall came around, as usual, collecting the names of those who would be staying at school for Christmas, and without hesitation, Hermione and Harry signed her list. Unfortunately, the potion was only half-finished, and they still needed bicorn horn and boomslang skin. The only place they were going to get them was from Snape's private stores. Harry privately exclaimed to Hermione that he would rather face Slytherin's legendary monster than let Snape catch them robbing his office.