XLII. MOANING MYRTLE

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"Again? You mean, the Chamber of Secrets has been opened before?"

It was a few days later, and Mia was sitting in the girl's bathroom on the second floor. Hermione was sitting cross-legged by their cauldron for their Polyjuice Potion, Harry was sitting next to his sister and Ron was standing up, leaning on one of the stalls. An old cauldron was perched on the bathroom floor, and a crackling from under the rim told Mia they had lit a fire beneath it. Conjuring up portable, waterproof fires was a speciality of Hermione's.

"Of course," Harry said as Mia looked at him, "don't you see? Lucius Malfoy must have opened it when he was at school here. Now he's taught Draco how to do it."

"Maybe," Hermione said, "we'll have to wait for the Polyjuice Potion to know for sure."

"Enlighten me," Ron said, "why are we brewing this potion in broad daylight, in the middle of the girls' lavatory? Don't you think we'll get caught?"

"No," Mia said chuckling, "no one ever comes in here."

"Why?" Ron asked confused as Mia and Hermione looked at each other.

"Moaning Myrtle," they said together. 

"Who?" Ron asked, just as a ghost of a young girl appeared next to him. She was a squat ghost with pimples and thick glasses.

"Moaning Myrtle," Mia said, nodding towards Myrtle. 

"Who's Moaning Myrtle?" Ron asked. 

"I'm Moaning Myrtle!" Myrtle snapped, putting her face close to Ron's as he jumped. Everyone watched her as she floated into the air, looking down on everyone. "I wouldn't expect you to know me. Who would ever talk about ugly, miserable, moping Moaning Myrtle?" 

She let out a high pitched scream and flew into the nearest toilet, water splashing out of it and onto the floor. 

"She's a little sensitive," Hermione said as Mia snorted with laughter.

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A week later, Mia, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were walking across the entrance hall when they saw a small knot of people gathered around the notice board, reading a piece of parchment that had just been pinned up. Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas beckoned them over, looking excited. 

"They're starting a Duelling Club!" said Seamus. "First meeting tonight! I wouldn't mind duelling lessons. They might come in handy one of these days." 

"What, you reckon Slytherin's monster can duel?" said Ron, but he, too, read the sign with interest. 

"Could be useful," he said to Mia, Harry and Hermione as they went into dinner. "Shall we go?"

Mia, Harry and Hermione were all for it, so at eight o'clock that evening they hurried back to theGreat Hall.

The long dining tables had vanished and a golden stage had appeared along one wall, lit by thousands of candles floating overhead. The ceiling was velvety black once more and most of the school seemed to be packed beneath it, all carrying their wands and looking excited. 

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