THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS
ted me doing something and I, um, I asked her not to mention it
to anybody. I must say, I did think she’d keep her word. It’s noth-
ing, really, I’d just rather —”
Harry had never seen Percy look so uncomfortable.
“What were you doing, Percy?” said Ron, grinning. “Go on, tell
us, we won’t laugh.”
Percy didn’t smile back.
“Pass me those rolls, Harry, I’m starving.”
Harry knew the whole mystery might be solved tomorrow without
their help, but he wasn’t about to pass up a chance to speak to Myr-
tle if it turned up — and to his delight it did, midmorning, when
they were being led to History of Magic by Gilderoy Lockhart.
Lockhart, who had so often assured them that all danger had
passed, only to be proved wrong right away, was now wholeheart-
edly convinced that it was hardly worth the trouble to see them
safely down the corridors. His hair wasn’t as sleek as usual; it
seemed he had been up most of the night, patrolling the fourth
floor.
“Mark my words,” he said, ushering them around a corner. “The
first words out of those poor Petrified people’s mouths will be ‘ It
was Hagrid.’ Frankly, I’m astounded Professor McGonagall thinks
all these security measures are necessary.”
“I agree, sir,” said Harry, making Ron drop his books in surprise.
“Thank you, Harry,” said Lockhart graciously while they waited
for a long line of Hufflepuffs to pass. “I mean, we teachers have
quite enough to be getting on with, without walking students to
classes and standing guard all night. . . .”
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