Miranda Black and the Chamber of Secrets

Chapter 13 - Another Petrification

One morning, Daniel, Ron, Harry and I put on our winter woollies and headed out for a walk in the frosty air. No one had decided where we would walk to, but we seemed to be going towards the icy lake. Just as we were about to get there, Neville approached us, panting slightly, his cheeks red.

"Harry. I don't know who - or what - did it, but-" Neville said, stuttering rather nervously.

"What are you on about?" Harry asked him.

"J-just come with me!" he said, pointing towards the main entrance to the castle. We walked back the way we'd come with him, feeling confused. Neville led us upstairs to Harry's dormitory. He pushed open the door and held it open as we all went inside.

All of Harry's belongings were scattered around his bed. His trunks were open and his drawers had been pulled out. There were books all over his bed, parchment on the floor, ink spilled over everything and bird feed covered the floor.

"What the..." Harry was staring at everything, taking it all in. Slowly and carefully he made his way over to his trunk. He looked inside and swore.

"What?" we all asked.

"The - I mean my - diary is gone!" Harry replied. Ginny had been here, I thought.

"Harry," I said. He looked up at me. "I know who's diary it is. I know that it was bad for you to have it and I know that the person that took it was just looking out for you. I think it would be best if you don't look for it," I told him. He pulled me away from the others and asked me quietly,

"How do you know?"

"I know everything," I answered him with a grin.

"Really? Then whose diary was it?" he questioned.

"Tom Riddle's," I replied confidently. Harry stared at me like I was a criminal.

"What?" I asked, feeling as if he was accusing me of something.

"Did you do this to my room?" he asked in reply to me, anger evident in his green eyes.

"Of course not! I've been with you all morning!" I exclaimed.

"I guess..." Harry said. He stormed off and I ran after him, out of the room. He disappeared though, so I started looking for Ginny. At last I found her.

"Ginny!"

"What?" she said, turning away from her book. I ran towards her.

"You stole the diary didn't you?" I asked her quietly.

"Don't tell him. But it was for his own good," she replied, looking nervous.

"I know,"

-

The next day it was sunny and bright, perfect conditions for the Quidditch game - Hufflepuff vs Gryffindor. At breakfast, everyone was jumpy and excited, especially Oliver Wood. He bounded up to me and said,

"Perfect conditions, don't you say?"

"I'm not even on the team," I told him.

"A team needs supporters! It is still perfect conditions!" he said. I watched him walk away, heading towards the table where Harry was. I laughed as he ducked away from his captain.

"Hey, Harry," I greeted as I walked over. Fortunately he didn't duck away from me.

"Good morning," he said, evidently still miffed at me that I had known about the diary.

"Can I walk to the pitch with you?" I asked him.

"Sure, I'll just get Ron and Hermione," he replied. He called them and they came.