A Trio of Serpents

16: Dear Diary

Summary: Harry investigates Ginny's diary.

The first thing the adder did when Sid released it was find an abandoned burrow and go to sleep. Sid explained that adders slept through until March — "That sounds lovely," said Ron wistfully — so they shouldn't disturb it.

When the second term began, the teachers wasted no time in piling homework on them. On top of that, everyone was fretting over when the first attack of the term would be. Jayson would frequently be seen going over to the Gryffindor table to talk with his sister, making sure she was okay. Likewise, Percy crossed over to the Slytherin table a couple times to speak to Ginny, but it didn't seem to be doing any good. She was always writing in that little diary of hers, which Harry would think would be helping ease her tensions.

Speaking of which, the diary was nowhere to be seen on Ginny's person. Harry was wondering where it could have possibly gone when he heard a commotion. He turned in that direction and found himself outside a flooded bathroom. There were thin wails coming from it.

Harry stepped over the Out of Order sign and went in. "Hello?"

A female ghost appeared. "What? Come to throw something at me?"

"Someone threw something at you? What?"

"A book. It's over there, it got washed out."

Harry looked to where she was pointing. It was Ginny's diary of all things. He carefully picked it up and opened it, but there was no writing except for the smudged "T. M. Riddle" on the first page.

There was something odd about it. Harry had a strange desire to write in it, but pushed it away. Still, he couldn't just leave it there. He pocketed it and turned away.

In an attempt to take their minds off the petrifications, Lockhart announced he would have cupids go around delivering valentines.

Harry's stomach churned. For a moment, he thought he was in danger of throwing up.

"Hermione, please tell me you didn't send him a card," Ron pleaded, casting a grimace in Lockhart's direction.

Hermione suddenly seemed very occupied in looking for her timetable.

Harry found himself very occupied in hoping no one would send him anything. To his horror, as the Slytherins were heading for Transfiguration, a dwarf came right up to him, seizing him around the knees when he tried to make a run for it.

As the dwarf recited the poem, Harry caught sight of Ginny standing among a cluster of fellow Slytherin first years. Her eyes were not on Harry, however. She was gazing, horrified, at the diary that had spilled out onto the floor. Before Harry could speak, she was gone.

"I told you I didn't want him to see that," Ginny muttered, face buried in her hands.

"Come on, Gin! You have to admit it was kinda funny."

Ginny lifted her head to stare at her friend in disbelief. "No, it wasn't! Did you see Harry's face?"

Paisley shrugged. "All boys act like that when they're faced with lovesick girls."

Ginny didn't know how to tell her that looking as though you were about to be physically sick was probably not a normal reaction. Surprised? Yes. Alarmed? Certainly. But looking as though you were about to hurl? She doubted it.

Seeing Ginny's uncertainty, Paisley sighed. "Look, I'm sure Potter will forget all about it soon enough. I mean, it's not like he's gonna pull you aside in private to tell you off."

"Ginny?"

Both girls blanched and turned to see Harry and Ron approaching them.

"Or maybe he will. Bye!" And then Paisley was bolting for her dorm. By the time Ginny's mind caught up to what had happened and she turned, Paisley's brown curls were disappearing from sight.