Bat-Bogey Hexers

20

Ginny barely slept at all. When the sun had risen enough for her to make out the silhouettes of the other girls beds next morning, she got up. It had become easier to be awake then try and sleep. She had to find out what the Chamber of Secrets was.

Ginny pulled on a jumper her mum had made her and tiptoed out of the dormitory and Common Room.

"Someone's up early," said the Fat Lady when she saw Ginny.

"Yep," said Ginny briefly.

She headed through the dark, empty corridors in her socks. A worried little frown creased her freckled face as she walked.

Ginny didn't understand a single thing that had happened to her last night. She could only think that she must've dozed off, been sleep walking, wiped her hands across the wall, and got paint all over. It was the only way Ginny could make sense of it. And even the way it made sense didn't really make any sense. She was hoping more info on the Chamber would make things more understandable.

"Ooooh! An ickle first year! A student out of bed!" said an exited voice.

Ginny stopped in her tracks and inwardly groaned. She knew that obnoxious voice.

Peeves the poltergeist came swooping down from the ceiling and in front of Ginny. Peeves was a ghost, well according to Hermione a poltergeist was different than a ghost, who haunted the hallways of Hogwarts. Or maybe terrorized the hallways was a more appropriate way of describing it. He annoyed all the students by causing any, and every, form of havoc possible. Everyone avoided Peeves if they could. The only people he listened to were Fred and George and the Bloody Barron, the Slytherin Ghost.

"What do you want Peeves?" Ginny asked, folding her arms over her chest.

"Nothing..." said Peeves, turning a little spin in the air. He was a little man with mischievous eyes and a wide mouth. "But I might call Filch. Students shouldn't be out of bed and I should be doing my civic duty,"

Peeves nodded with a very righteous expression.

"It isn't night time Peeves. I'm allowed to be out of bed," said Ginny defiantly.

Peeves cackled. "Oh, are you?"

"Yes..." said Ginny. An idea occurred to her and she figured it couldn't hurt to try it out. "Peeves do you know anything about the Chamber of Secrets?"

"Oh yes!" sang Peeves gleefully. He swooped away. Ginny's eyes followed him, but Peeves had disappeared. Ginny looked around in alarm. She had quickly learned that not keeping Peeves in your line of sight was one of the most dangerous things a person could do.

"Peeves?" Ginny called.

Silence replied. Ginny continued to walk in a circle, waiting for Peeves to reappear.

"BOO!" Yelled a voice behind Ginny. She jumped, even though she had expected it. She whirled around on Peeves.

"I'm the Slytherin monster!" The poltergeist cackled loudly.

"Very funny," said Ginny. "Now what's this about a monster?"

"A monster lives in the chamber," said Peeves. He turned front handsprings in the air. "A big scaaaaaaaaaaaaary one!"

"Oh..." said Ginny. "What kind of monster?"

"I can't tell!" Sang Peeves.

"Why not?" Said Ginny as she regarded the energetic poltergeist.

"Hmmmm," Peeves pretended to think. "I don't want you to! Heeheehee!"

"Come on, Peeves!" Said Ginny.