Harry was walking down the hallway with Hermione and Susan. Daphne had said she needed to be working on an essay for Potions, so hadn't joined them. The two younger girls in Harry's core friend group, Astoria and Gabrielle, were both in a Charms lesson right now.
It was late into April, almost May, and two more students had been Petrified.
Dean Thomas had went missing on Christmas, and had been found Petrified in a hallway up on the sixth floor, laying on the ground before a large window pane overlooking the courtyard.
A Hufflepuff fifth year was also found Petrified, but that was last week, not over the break. They had been found outside the Charms room where they had apparently been practicing the Aguamenti charm after hours.
The school was getting very strict about not going anywhere alone, but Harry wasn't going to wait around for a teacher escort.
"I actually did some research over the break, using some books I took from the library." Hermione revealed, and Harry and Susan both looked at her.
"What did you find?" Harry asked sharply.
"Apparently, the Chamber was opened fifty years ago, and a girl died because of it." Hermione explained.
"A girl died? Who?" Susan asked.
"Myrtle Warren." Hermione shrugged.
"Moaning Myrtle?" Susan gasped.
"Who?" Harry frowned.
"Oh! I bet it is her!" Hermione exclaimed, hitting her forehead with her hand, "I can't believe I didn't think of that."
"Hello? Who is Moaning Myrtle?" Harry asked, and both girls turned to him.
"She's a spirit who haunts a girl's bathroom. If it's the same girl who died fifty years ago, then she might be able to give us a clue who did it!" Hermione said excitedly.
"Alright." Harry said, "I'll go get Daphne. This is more important than a Potions essay."
Hermione and Susan exchanged glances.
"I'll go get Daphne. Why don't you two go talk to Myrtle? We don't need all four of us for that." Hermione suggested.
"Sounds good to me." Susan nodded. Harry nodded, too.
"Let's go, Sue." Harry said.
Hermione went off a different direction while Susan led Harry down to the second floor.
"This bathroom's closed off." Harry noticed.
"Yeah, no one comes in here anymore because Myrtle's so bothersome." Susan whispered. Harry glanced at his companion, then nodded.
Harry led the way inside the bathroom, Susan right behind him.
"Oh? Who's there?" a girl's voice called. The voice was raspy, and a rather unattractive ghost emerged from a toilet. To Harry's displeasure, the ghost's emergence seemed to displace the contents of the toilet, splashing toilet water all over the floor. However, much stranger, there was also a book sliding across the wet floor.
"What book is that?" Harry asked. He pulled his wand out of his robes pocket and pointed it at the book.
"Wingardium Leviosa." Harry incanted, and the book rose off the ground, floating nearer to Harry as he moved his wand.
"Diary of T.M. Riddle." Harry read off the cover.
"Who's that, then?" Susan asked curiously.
"That's Tom. He was very attractive." Moaning Myrtle said, looking wistful.
"You knew this guy? Tom M Riddle?" Harry asked.
"Mhm. He was in my year. When the Chamber opened, all these dreadful things started happening. I'm not sure exactly what happened, as I was a very new ghost during this time, and not very coherent, but I know Tom was the one who stopped all of the mess with the Chamber." Myrtle explained.
Harry and Susan exchanged glances.
"So… what's his diary doing in your toilet?" Harry asked as Susan came up beside him to read the cover of the diary.
"Someone threw it at me this morning. Very rudely. Went right through my head." Myrtle wailed.
Susan gave Harry a look that very clearly said 'see what I mean?'. Myrtle was very obnoxious.
"I'm… sorry to hear that." Harry said, "Can you tell us who threw it at you? Maybe we can track down who did it, you know, make sure they're punished."
Myrtle smiled.
"I like you. You're a lot like Tom. Handsome, dark-haired. I'd tell you if I knew, but I was having my morning cry when it was thrown into the toilet I was sitting in, dropping right through my head. By time I popped up to see who had thrown it, the bathroom was empty." Myrtle explained.
"Can ghosts cry?" Susan asked. Myrtle have a loud wail, and flew back into a toilet. Harry set his jaw to keep from laughing, and grabbed Susan's hand to tug her from the bathroom.
The two walked out hand in hand, and Susan performed a cleaning spell on the still floating diary, which Harry then felt like he could touch.
Harry opened the diary with Susan looking over his shoulder, but the diary was blank. There was nothing on any of the pages.
"A blank diary from fifty years ago? I don't… that doesn't make sense." Harry shook his head, "Why would someone throw a blank diary down a toilet?"
"To annoy Myrtle maybe?" Susan shrugged.
"Hmm. Maybe. Let's go find Daph and Hermione, see if they have any ideas." Harry said.
———
Harry and Susan were walking to Daphne's favorite studying spot, an abandoned classroom with a great view of the grounds, when they were blocked by Professor McGonagall.
"Potter. Bones. You two shouldn't be out wandering." McGonagall said sternly.
"Sorry, Professor." Susan said instantly. McGonagall glanced between the two of them, a wry smile appearing on her lips.
"I know too well the allure of young love. I won't say anything to get you two in trouble, but this better not happen again, or I will have no choice." McGonagall said.
Harry slid an arm around Susan easily.
"Sorry, Professor. We were just looking for some alone time." Harry said. McGonagall smiled, and she walked past Harry and Susan.
They waited for her to be sufficiently far away, and during this time, Harry's arm remained wrapped around Susan.
When McGonagall was truly gone, Harry looked at Susan, who was already looking at him.
"Sorry." Harry said, removing his arm from Susan's waist, but the buxom redhead shook her head.
"You don't need to apologize. I… I kind of liked it." Susan smiled, and she drew a little closer to Harry.
"Oh yeah?" Harry smiled back. She nodded, red locks bouncing.
Harry's hand came up to cup Susan's cheek, and her cheeks reddened a little bit as Harry's other hand found her hip.
"Ah… we shouldn't. There's… there's Daphne." Susan shook her head.
"Daphne? You mean just because we're betrothed? Daphne and I aren't together, Sue. She doesn't even fancy me." Harry laughed. Susan hesitated.
"You're right." Susan whispered, and she slid closer to Harry so he felt her famous breasts pressing against his chest. There was a reason the school called her 'Busty Bones'.
Harry's lips met Susan's, and the kiss was soft and sweet. Harry was in no particular rush, and Susan seemed shy of getting any fiercer, but Harry didn't mind.
His thumb stroked the smooth skin of her cheek while they kissed. Her arms around his neck tightened, drawing him harder against her amazing tits.
Her red hair tickled Harry's face as they kissed, but he didn't mind.
After several long, sweet minutes, Harry leaned back from the kiss. Susan made an involuntary whimper of loss, and Harry couldn't help but grin.
"That was lovely." Susan whispered. Harry nodded, his fingers playing with her red hair. Susan smiled at him, and he tugged the short, stacked redhead back against him for another kiss.
———
It was a bit of time before Harry and Susan left that hallway, though they didn't progress more than kissing.
They headed back to the Great Hall for dinner, only to find that it was empty, save for Professor Dumbledore.
"What's going on, Professor?" Harry asked.
"Harry, Susan. What are you two doing? You should be back in your common rooms. Did you not hear the order?" Dumbledore asked.
"No. What order?" Harry asked.
"Just get back to your common rooms." Dumbledore said wearily, "Professors Snape and Sprout wil- actually, never mind. Come with me, both of you."
Dumbledore led Harry and Susan through the school, towards the hospital wing.
"Why are we going in here?" Harry asked.
"A great tragedy has happened." Dumbledore sighed.
He entered the hospital wing, leading Harry and Susan past Colin, past Justin, past Nearly Headless Nick (a ghost), past Dean, past that Hufflepuff fifth year, and then to two last beds.
Harry froze.
In the last two beds were Hermione and Daphne, both Petrified.
"Daphne's not a Muggleborn." was all Harry could think to say.
"No, she is not. It seems as if our attacker has started spreading their victim pool." Dumbledore said exhaustedly.
"You can bring them back, right?" Harry demanded.
"Yes, once the Mandrakes are fully matured." Dumbledore nodded.
"Harry!" a voice cried, and he turned to see Astoria standing there, while Lily stood back behind her in the entrance, looking miserable.
Astoria ran forwards, and Harry caught her around the waist, holding her tight.
"Don't, Storey. You don't want to see her." Harry whispered to the younger Greengrass sister.
Astoria was crying now, and Harry held her to him tightly.
"It's ok. It's ok. She'll be fine in just a few weeks." Harry tried to assure the younger girl. He looked up to see Susan didn't look much better off.
"Come here." Harry said to Susan, and she obeyed, clinging to Harry as she, too, started to cry.
Harry felt like crying, he felt like breaking down, felt like cursing everybody in this damn school, but he knew that that wouldn't help anything. It wouldn't help Hermione. It wouldn't help Daphne.
Daphne sure wouldn't be breaking down crying if it was Harry in that bed. No, she would already be hunting down the thing that did it.
Harry squeezed Susan and Astoria tightly, holding the two devastated girls.
Eventually, Susan leaned back from the hug, her eyes still red from tears. Harry was struck suddenly by just how much his world had shattered in ten minutes. He'd gone from kissing Susan in a corridor to discovering Hermione and Daphne were Petrified.
"How long?" Astoria demanded of Dumbledore, her cheeks still glistening with tears, "How long until you can fix my sister?"
"It would be early June." Dumbledore said quietly. Astoria gave a small sound of grief, but then she seemed to steel herself.
"Right. About a month, then." Astoria said quietly.
"Indeed." Dumbledore nodded.
"Professor Dumbledore, can you take Susan and Astoria back to their common rooms? I'd like a moment with my son." Lily asked, walking forwards.
"Of course, Professor Evans." Dumbledore nodded, and left with the two girls.
Harry looked over at Daphne and Hermione, miserable. Lily wrapped her arms around him from behind, and placed her chin on his shoulder.
"I'm so sorry, Harry." Lily murmured, and Harry sighed.
"I should have stopped this. Why didn't I…" Harry shook his head.
"It's not your fault, love. This blame lies on whoever opened the Chamber." Lily assured Harry.
"I'm going to find out who did it, Mum. I'm going to make them pay." Harry growled. Lily shivered a little, then squeezed Harry tighter.
"I know you will, sweetie. Just be careful, please? I can't… I can't lose you." Lily said, real fear in her voice. Harry turned around to look at Lily, and he wrapped his arms around his mother.
"You won't lose me, Mum. I'm too stubborn to die." Harry told her, and she laughed.
"If I let you go to the common room, you're going to start planning how to get vengeance, aren't you?" Lily murmured.
"I am." Harry said truthfully. Lily pressed herself against Harry as hard as she could while drawing him as close to her as she could. Her large breasts smushed as hard against his chest as they possibly could, and Lily wished she had smaller breasts, so she could pull Harry closer.
"I'll be careful." Harry murmured, his arms wrapping around her neck.
"Promise me." Lily said firmly.
"I promise you that I'll be careful." Harry said. Lily nodded, and then she kissed him fiercely on the mouth.
Neither one was able to pretend that this was merely a maternal kiss.