Silver Hourglass

Neville's Saving Grace Chapter 36

Harry didn't touch the egg until the end of the Christmas break. He was too busy with his friends, and mailing Remus and Sirius Terence's and Adrian's proposal on the pregnancy potion. The couple accepted, Sirius very happy to try something new, and the two older Slytherins had made plans to deliver the potion by the end of January. It was the last day of the break and he was staring at the egg on his night stand. He was laying on his bed, a book in front of him, and he just looked up and stared at the egg that was mocking him during the Christmas Break. Harry decided that enough was enough, and that night he planned to listen to Cedric's advice and go to the prefect's bathroom. Harry thought to take the Invisibility Cloak and the Marauder's map, to make sure that nobody saw him and he had a fair warning of anyone else. He told Draco his plans, and though the Malfoy wanted to come with him, Harry convinced him that it would be easier if it was just Harry, as he just wanted to get in and out.

Harry put on the cloak in the dormitory and crept down the stairs, avoiding the older Slytherins as they joked with each other. Harry could have sworn he heard several insults about the other Houses and him including. He walked out of the entrance, no one noticing the stone wall opening and closing, and started the trek upstairs. It was awkward moving under the cloak as he had the heavy egg in one arm and the map held in front of his nose with the other. However, the moonlight corridors were empty and silent, and by checking the map at strategic intervals, Harry was able to ensure he wouldn't run into anyone he wanted to avoid, such as Filch. When he reached the statue of Boris the Bewildered, a lost-looking wizard with his gloves on the wrong hands, he located the right door, leaned close to it, and muttered the password. "Pine fresh."

The door opened open. Harry slipped inside, bolted the door behind him, and pulled off the Invisibility Cloak, looking around. Maybe he should have brought Draco with him, he thought as he did so. It was softly lit by a splendid candle-filled chandelier, and everything was made of white marble, including what looked like an empty, rectangular swimming pool sunk into the middle of the floor. About a hundred golden taps stood all around the pool's edge, each with a different colored jewel set into its handle. Long white linen curtains hang at the windows, a large pile of fluffy white towels sat in a corner. Harry looked at personal lockers and grew curious. It appeared that Cedric was the last to use it, and that he had forgotten to lock his locker as it hung open. On top of a change of clothes was an object that Harry was sure was given by Fred and George. Harry remembered the twins talking about it with him when he turned thirteen, part of their "adult" products that Harry was still a bit too young for.

It was flesh-like in color, appearing lightly tanned, though when Harry touched it, it changed into a pale skin-tone that reminded Harry of Draco. The object was about ten inches in height, and Harry assumed that it was about five inches around. It vibrated to his touch. Embarrassed, Harry set it down and closed Cedric's locker. Harry's footsteps echoed as he moved away from Cedric's locker, wondering how he was supposed to solve the egg. He placed the egg and map at the edge of the pool and made sure his cloak was a fair way away so that it wouldn't get wet. He undressed and, naked, he walked to the taps and knelt down and turned a few on. He waited till the pool was filled with hot water, foam, and bubbles and slipped in the bath. It was so deep his feet barely touched the bottom, and he decided to try swimming along the pool, remembering what Draco had taught him during any time they got together to swim. He then swam back to the side and stared at the egg. "What am I supposed to do with you?" he muttered to himself.

"I'd try putting it in the water, if I were you."

Harry swallowed an amount of bubbles in shock. He stood up, sputtering, and saw the ghost of a very glum-looking girl sitting cross-legged on top of one of the taps. It was Moaning Myrtle.

"Myrtle!" Harry said in outrage, "I'm—I'm not wearing anything!" The foam was so dense that this hardly mattered, but he had a nasty feeling that Myrtle was spying on him from out of one of the taps ever since he arrived.