The next morning, Colin found himself in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom again, luckily for them, Myrtle was still sour over Ron's tactless remark about her still being dead so she didn't bother them. He stifled a yawn. Hermione woke him and Ron extra early so they could get started on the Polyjuice Potion. In the halls they'd heard people whispering about someone getting petrified last night but they didn't know who. The three of them were so focused on the potion they forgot that Harry was to be released from the hospital wing.

"Oh, well," Hermione said dismissively. "He'll find us eventually."

An hour later, Harry did find them. He looked tired but somehow wide awake. "Did you hear? Hannah Abbott was petrified!"

"What?" Hermione and Colin gasped. Ron was puzzled.

"Who's Hannah Abbott?"

"Hufflepuff; blonde hair, pigtails. Honestly, Ron. She's in most of our classes," Hermione's voice was stressed. She crossed her legs Indian style. "I don't understand, why would Hannah be petrified? She's a half-blood."

"Maybe it's not just after Muggleborns," Harry suggested, sitting down as well. "Maybe it's going at random."

"Or maybe she just got caught in between the crossfire," Colin pointed out. "Just like Mrs. Norris."

Hermione appeared to agree with him. "That certainly makes sense. I can't see any other reason," she said carefully. She stirred the potion again. "I do hope we find whoever or whatever is doing this," she sighed heavily.

"We'll find out," Ron said confidently. "We saved the stone last year, right? Who says we can't save them from this?"

"You never did tell me that story," Colin stated. "I'd like to hear it sometime."

Harry grinned, the first time that morning. "I will, later," he promised, not noticing Ron's eyeroll.

"When will this be done?" Ron asked sharply, motioning to the potion.

Hermione raised her eyebrows but answered nonetheless. "Should be done sometime in December, around Christmas, I expect."

"Speaking of Christmas," Colin spoke up again. "Harry, mum and dad wanted to know if you're staying over for Christmas? Mum misses you, says to ask if you're eating enough," he rolled his eyes with a fond smile. "I think she's about adopted you."

Harry felt flattered. "I would love to but-" he was cut off by Ron.

"But he wants to meet my family," the redhead said stubbornly. "He can see your family any old time you live so close."

"Ron, I-"

"Boys!" Hermione's voice was firm. "Have you forgotten that we're interrogating Malfoy on Christmas?He's staying this year as well so we all have to stay this year." She glared at Ron. "No one's going anywhere."

"I suppose I'll have to ask my parents if they don't mind me staying," Colin frowned. Hermione's face and tone softened.

"If you have to go, that's all right."

"Yeah," Ron jumped in. "Quite alright." Colin looked a bit hurt by his comment.

"Are you feeling okay, Harry?" Hermione hastily changed the subject. "How was your night? Sleep okay?"

Harry suddenly remembered the important information he needed to tell them and divulged into his tale of what Dobby told him and what he'd heard Professor Dumbledore tell the other professors last night. They listened with their mouths open.

"It's been open before?" Hermione said, amazed.

"By who?" Colin asked.

"Who else?" Ron said in a triumphant voice. "Lucius Malfoy opened it while he was in school and now he's taught dear old Draco how to do it. If only Dobby told you what kind of monster was in the chamber; be so much easier to figure out how everyone's getting petrified."

"Maybe it's a chameleon ghoul," Hermione suggested. "I've read about those-"

"You read too much," Ron informed her as he poured dead lacewings on top of the leeches. "You should play Quidditch sometime, it relaxes you."

"There are more things to life than Quidditch," Hermione said, annoyed.

"So, this chamber, when was it last opened?" Colin asked.

"I dunno," Harry sighed. "Dobby wouldn't tell me that much."

Hermione flicked her wand to adjust the temperature and moved the cauldron toward the back of the bathroom. "Done. All we have to do is wait to steal the other ingredients and we'll have a confession by Christmas."

Weeks passed and December flew in. Professor McGonagall was collecting the names of students who wished to stay for the Christmas holiday. Harry, Hermione and Ron signed the list; as well as Draco Malfoy and his goons. Colin's parents wrote back to him and informed that yes, he could stay, they'd be sending his presents via Hedwig and to tell Harry that they and Dennis missed them both. Colin was overjoyed. The potion itself was halfway done; they still needed bicorn horn and the boomslang skin, which was in Snape's private stores. Hermione proposed that she would do the stealing while Ron and Harry created a distraction in class. During their potions class, Colin had charms. Today it would be Gryffindors and Ravenclaws. Colin enjoyed charms, Flitwick was nice and it was a treat to share a class with Ginny and Luna; even though Ginny had been acting oddly since the middle of September.

Colin sat in his usual seat, waiting for Ginny. She arrived and he smiled at her, but she did not smile back. Instead of sitting together like they usually did, she sat with Damzela Robbins. He felt a little hurt but brushed it off. Luna Lovegood skipped in with her typical dreamy smile on her face.

"Hello Colin. I trust the nargles have been leaving you alone lately?"

"Yes, Luna," he grinned. Luna had given him his own pair of radish earrings and while hd did not wear them, he kept them tucked away in his trunk so none of the boys in his dorm would bother them.

She blinked. "You seem nervous. What about?"

It almost unnerved him at how she could figure things out like that-or maybe he was just easy to read. His mum said he wore his heart on his sleeve. "I'm not," he lied.

"You're lying," she didn't appear bothered by this. "Would you tell Ginny? I can go get her."

"No, no," he said quickly. "It's alright." After making sure no one was listening in, he leaned in and said, "I can't tell you yet but I will eventually. I promise."

Luna smiled and took her seat. Archie Fletcher ended up sitting next to him; Colin wished he hadn't. Archie was crude and impatient. He refused to pay attention and was quite angry when Colin didn't tell him what he missed while he spaced out. Colin was never so happy as he was that day when class let out.

"He wouldn't even tell me what Flitwick said! I just missed one thing and he called me stupid!" Archie told his friends after class.

Colin rolled his eyes and made his way to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. He wondered if Harry and Ron were able to make a distraction. Hopefully, they weren't punished. He jostled through the crowd in the hallway, his thoughts wandering to Dennis and his parents. This would be his first Christmas without them. If he was being honest, he was shocked that his parents even said yes to him staying at the castle. The Creevey's were a very close knit family; they did everything together. Dennis would be awfully lonely opening presents by himself on Christmas day. Colin frowned. He'd have to do something to make it up to him.

He made it to the bathroom without any prying eyes following him. Myrtle was floating above "her" toilet, whimpering and snuffling.

"Hello Myrtle," he greeted, sitting down in front of the large sinks. "How are you today?"

Myrtle peered at him through her thick framed glasses. "Why do you want to know?" she hiccuped.

Colin crossed his legs in criss cross applesauce style. "Because I care," he said simply.

Myrtle stared at him suspiciously. "No one cares about me," she declared, folding her arms across her chest.

"Sure they do," he smiled. "Plenty do."

"Who?" she demanded. "Who cares about me?" Her face was sour but her tone showed curiosity.

"Well me and-" he froze, realizing he couldn't name anyone else. "Er-"

"Exactly," she said sulkily, her foul mood returning.

A very awkward silence descended and Colin kept glancing toward the door, hoping that the trio would come-heck, even Percy or Snape-and save him from having to speak to Myrtle again.

No such luck.

He smiled pleasantly at her but the ghost just huffed. He unconsciously caressed his camera, which gave him an idea.

"Hey Myrtle," he tried to sound cheery. "Mind having your picture taken?"

"Get that thing away from me!" she shrieked, startling Colin. "Why would I want that? So you can laugh at me?" she sneered. "Well, I won't have it!"

"Alright, alright," he muttered, tucking his camera away in his bag. "That's a no."

He felt sorry for her, really. It was really crummy that she was bullied so much that she believed everyone hated her.

"I'm sorry," he apologized sincerely. "I didn't mean to upset you, Myrtle." She looked like she didn't believe him at first, but soon accepted.

The door burst open and in came the trio, running and breathless. Harry and Ron were white as a sheet and Hermione was clutching a few bags of ingredients.

"So it worked," Colin stated the obvious. "How did you do it?" he asked Ron and Harry. "What did you do?"

"Put one of Fred's Filibuster Fireworks in Goyle's potion," Harry was quite proud of himself. "Snape had a fit."

"Does he know it was you?" Colin watched Hermione throw in the ingredients into the cauldron.

"No, well, not that he could prove," Harry grinned. "If I ever find out who threw this I shall make sure that person is expelled," he imitated Snape's voice. Ron and Colin laughed.

"It'll be ready in two weeks," Hermione stated, standing up.

"Two weeks until we find out Malfoy's the heir," Ron clapped his hands together eagerly.

"Give it up Ron," Hermione groaned. "We don't know if Malfoy's the heir or not."

"But we will," Ron said, sporting a smirk. "And what will daddy Malfoy say about his precious son then?"