Bat-Bogey Hexers

37

"Who-" Viola started.

"It was Ginny," said Hugo. "Ginny wrote those words on the Wall."

Viola turned to him with wide eyes. "What're you talking about?"

"C'mon, lets go into the bathroom and I'll tell you. If a teacher catches alone we'll be in big trouble," said Hugo.

The two slipped into the out of order bathroom.

"Tell me everything," said Viola said, leaning against a sink.

"Alright so I really had to go to pee, so I asked Professor Snape, he was escorting is Hufflepuffs to our next class, if I could use the bathroom. He said - using that grim voice of his; you know the one-" Viola nodded, trying to hurry the boy along. "He said that I could hold it, and that we really didn't have time to stop. I told him I really couldn't hold it, and 'when you gotta go you gotta go' but he just glowered at me. So I just slipped away. Then when I came to this hallway, I found Ginny."

"Go on!" Viola urged Hugo, who had paused. "What was she doing?"

"Well she was on one of Filches step stools, and her hands were covered in blood-red paint and she was painting those words on the wall! She was crying too, sobbing uncontrollably. I called her name but she didn't seem to hear! So I climbed up on the stool and shook her by the shoulders. She didn't even notice! It was like she was in a. . . A trance or something," explained Hugo.

"But what does the message even mean?" asked Viola. Her eyebrows were drawn together in confusion. "Who's skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever? Did Ginny attack someone else?"

Hugo swallowed. His face was pale and Viola had never seen him look so worried.

"Viola. . . I think it's Ginny's skeleton. Ginny's skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever," said Hugo. "Actually I know so. I heard some Ghosts talking about it."

Viola could only stare at Hugo. A sick feeling swam around her stomach like a fish in a bowl. Hugo stared right back at her. Finally Viola turned away. She headed toward the bathroom door.

"Well. . . There is nothing we can do."

"Nothing we can do?" demanded Hugo.

Viola looked over at the boy to see him wearing an expression of incredulity.

"Viola, Ginny could die! We have to go save her!"

Viola turned to face him. "She's probably already dead!" Hugo Blanched. "What's the point in us going after her and getting ourselves killed as well?"

Hugo's expression hardened. "Oh so you're afraid?" he countered.

Viola looked down at the stone floor. "I am not afraid."

"Yes you are! And I am too, but we have to at least try!" said Hugo.

Viola looked up sharply. "Why do we have to try? Ginny attacked all those people, don't you think she got what she had coming to her?"

Hugo stared at her as if she were a stranger. When he spoke his voice was low. "Do you really still believe she is the culprit? Why would she be a victim now then?"

"I don't know," muttered Viola. "Maybe she lost control of the monster . . . "

Hugo shook his curly head. "I really can't believe you. Viola we have to save Ginny. I'm certain she wouldn't hesitate to save you."