HEART LIKE YOURS | H.POTTER

009

THE GRUDGE-009

Sir Cadogan's portrait had been taken back to its lonely landing on the seventh floor and the Fat Lady was back. She had only agreed to return to her job on the condition that she was given extra protection. Diana and Harry couldn't help noticing that the statue of the one-eyed witch on the third floor remained unguarded and unblocked. It seemed that Fred and George had been right in thinking that they—Diana, Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Sammy were the only ones who knew about the hidden passageway within.

"D'you reckon we should tell someone?" Harry asked, looking between his friends.

"We know he's not coming in through Honeydukes," Said Ron dismissively. "We'd've heard if the shop had been broken into."

"What do you think, Dia?" Harry looked around Ron to Diana.

"I agree with Ron. We've heard about it in the Daily Prophet."

Harry nodded and they headed towards the Great Hall. He was glad both Ron and Diana took this view. Ron had become an instant celebrity. For the first time in his life, people were paying more attention to him than to Harry, and it was clear that Ron was rather enjoying the experience. Though still severely shaken by the night's events, he was happy to tell anyone who asked, what had happened, with a wealth of detail.

And it completely annoyed Diana.

"—I was asleep, and I heard this ripping noise, and I thought it was in my dream, you know?" Ron boasted. "But then there was this draught. . .I woke up and one side of the handings on my bed had been pulled down. . . I rolled over. . . and I saw him standing over me. . .like a skeleton, with loads of filthy hair. . . holding this great long knife, and I looked at him, and then I yelled and he scarpered."

Ron looked at his best friend. "Why, though?" A group of second-year girls who had been listening to his chilling tale departed. "Why did he run?"

"Maybe because you screamed like a little girl," Diana muttered into her porridge and rolled her eyes as Harry snorted.

"No, I didn't!" Ron protested. "I was scared! If your father hasn't escaped because of you, your father wouldn't be after Harry-" he cut himself off. "Shit, Ana I'm sorry-"

Diana threw down her spoon in anger. "Save it, arsehole."

She stood up, walking over to the Hufflepuff table with Koda. The dark-haired girl frowned at her firey red-haired friend and glanced back to the boys. "What happened?"

"Ron happened," Diana grumbled, spooning porridge into her mouth. "Stupid little red-headed arsehole."

Kodaline raised her eyebrows in amusement. "And what did the stupid little red-headed arsehole do?"