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[A thunderclap illuminates the dark sky outside. Inside the castle, Mia and Ron are walking on the Grand Staircase.] Ron: Have you spoken to Hermione? Mia: She should be out of hospital in a few days, when she stops coughing up fur balls [They see water on the floor.] Mia: What's this? [They start following it.]
"Did Myrtle flood the bathroom again?" Remus inquired.
"Yes," Mia confirmed with a resigned nod,
Ron: Yuck! Mia: Looks like Moaning Myrtle's flooded the bathroom. [Mia and Ron enter Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. She is sitting in a window and whimpering.]
Chuckles rippled through the room, as Mia rolled her eyes with an infectious smile playing on her lips.
"Ron, it wasn't like it was toilet water. Be happy about that," Mia teased, her tone light and teasing, causing Ron to pale in mock horror as if the thought had never occurred to him.
"Shut up, Mia," Ron grunted good-naturedly, prompting a laugh from Mia.
Myrtle: Come to throw something else at me? Mia: Why would I throw something at you? Myrtle: Don't ask me. Here I am, minding my own business, when someone thinks it's funny to throw a book at me. Ron: But it can't hurt if someone throws something at you. I mean, it'd just go right through you.
Many in the room facepalmed in reaction to Ron's response, a collective gesture of exasperated solidarity as they witnessed. Among them, Ron himself joined in the collective reaction, acknowledging his misstep.
"You shouldn't have said that," Sirius shook his head. Ruffling Ron's hair..
"I know that. Now," Ron replied with a hint of resignation, playfully swapping Sirius's hand away from his head.
Myrtle: SURE! [flies right into his face] Let's all throw books at Myrtle because she can't feel it! Ten points if it goes through her stomach! [puts her arm through Ron's stomach] Fifty points if it goes through her head! [puts her arm through Ron's head] Mia: But who threw it at you anyway? Myrtle: I don't know. I didn't see them. I was just sitting in the U-bend, thinking about death, and it fell through the top of my head. [Myrtle flies off crying. Mia steps forward and picks up Tom Riddle's Diary.]
Cho examined the unfamiliar book in Mia's hand and remarked, "That doesn't look like one of our school books."
Luna furrowed her brow and pondered aloud, "It looks familiar, but where have we seen it before?"
The group collectively mulled over Luna's question, racking their brains for any inkling of recognition, but all their efforts led to dead ends.
"Why would someone throw a book at Myrtle and then leave it in the bathroom for anyone to find?" Bill inquired, his curiosity piqued from being left out of the loop on what had transpired earlier.
