Chapter 13: Dear Tom

Ginny ran to her dorm with desperation in each step. The most horrible thing that could have happened, had happened. On her way from lunch, she got cornered by the Chatties who asked her what she thought about Harry. Her face turned such beet red that they squealed in unison, "Awww, you LIKE him!" and Ginny fled the scene to hide in her dorm.

"What if Harry finds out?" Ginny asked herself, chewing on her lip.

The Chatties with their gossiping tendencies would not easily forget this. Why did she have to be cursed with a complexion that reflected her emotions as different shades of red? It wasn't fair. Life wasn't fair.

She collapsed on her bed and groaned. She wished she had someone to talk to, someone who wouldn't make fun of her. A real friend. She looked at her nightstand as if she could see through its wooden walls. There was a friend waiting for her inside the drawer. She slowly sat up and pulled out the diary with care.

Hi, Tom. Are you there?

Where would I go?

You're right. I'm silly.

What's on your mind, Ginny?

I just wanted to talk to someone.

Sure, I'm here. What happened?

Well,

Ginny hesitated. She was afraid to put it all in writing.

You can tell me anything, Ginny. Anything you say will disappear in my pages never to be read by anyone.

Like a secret?

Exactly like a secret. I'm your diary now, Ginny. I keep your secrets.

Ginny breathed in and out, bracing herself to say what she never dared say to anyone. This was what diaries were for.

There is this boy.

Oh, it's a boy problem.

Will you make fun of me?

Of course not. Tell me about the boy. What is his name?

His name is Harry Potter. He's my brother's best friend.

So, is that a problem? Your brother doesn't like it that you like his friend?

I don't think my brother knows. Even Harry doesn't know. He doesn't even notice me.

So that's the problem.

Yes, and I don't know how to get him to like me. I always feel so intimidated whenever I'm around him.

Why are you intimidated? He's just a boy.

He's not just any boy. He's famous. You haven't heard of him?

I've been stuck in this diary for a long time, Ginny. Tell me, why is this boy famous?

He's the Boy Who Lived. He's the one who defeated You Know Who.

The diary paused, leaving Ginny waiting.

Could you explain better who is You Know Who?

You had to have heard of You Know Who.

It appears that a lot of people have become famous while I've been here. If no one writes it for me, I have no way of knowing the events of modern times.

He was a powerful dark wizard. No one dares to speak his name.

Can you give me a clue?

His name starts with a V. They also call him the Dark Lord.

The diary paused again, and Ginny wondered why Tom was so hung up on that. Then, his elegant handwriting appeared in faster strokes.

I think I have heard of him. So, how did Harry Potter defeat You Know Who?

I don't really know the details but he was just a baby. He survived the killing curse and it backfired on the Dark Lord.

That is interesting. I can see why you like this boy.

I don't like him because he's famous. I like him because he's pretty amazing.

I believe you, Ginny. Now, tell me everything you know about Harry Potter.

》《

Ginny knew something was wrong as soon as she woke up. First of all, she was on the floor. The cold tile hurt her bones, and she groaned when getting up. The wet floor dampened her robes.

It looked like she was in one of Hogwarts lavatories, but it was more dilapidated than any she had visited. Water dripped out of a rusty faucet that was missing a knob. Mold crept in every corner, and she was pretty sure she heard a chuckle coming from one of the toilets.

How she got there, she could not fathom, but she couldn't leave fast enough.

When outside, she recognized that she was in the second-floor corridor. The empty hall left her feeling spooked. The only sound was the shuffling of her robes and the soft echo of her footsteps. When she got to the ground floor, she heard noises coming from the Great Hall. She peeked inside and saw that the evening feast had just started.

"How is this possible?" Ginny said to herself.

She slowly walked inside and looked around the noisy room. The enchanted ceiling depicted an evening sky with a few small clouds lazily floating around. It was getting dark outside. The last thing she remembered was just after breakfast. She couldn't remember what she did between that time and now. She lost an entire day.

"Hey, Ginny. Sit with us," one of the Chatties called over.

She was about to decline, too bewildered to eat, but upon seeing all the food, her stomach growled. She skipped lunch, didn't she? Everyone was going about their meal as if everything was okay. She was far from okay. Besides being hungry, she felt drained, as if she had not slept in a couple of days. Was she getting sick?

"Ginny, we haven't seen you all day. Did you do anything fun today?"

Ginny tried to fake a smile. Yes, she was probably getting sick. That would explain everything. Almost everything.

"Nothing much," she replied quickly.

She ate in silence, making vague "Uh-huh" and "Yeah" sounds to satisfy the Chatties' questions, not really paying attention to them, and was only snapped back to reality when she overheard one of them exclaim.

"What is she wearing?"

Ginny looked over at who they referred to and recognized the blonde Ravenclaw girl, Luna, who wore the strangest pointy hat, which appeared to be made of Chocolate Frog Cards. It was an interesting art project but definitely not something one would wear in public.

"Who is that?" one of the girls asked with disgust.

Ginny shook her head. Her original opinion of the Ravenclaw girl was correct.

"That's Luna. Loony Luna," she said and chuckled at her own joke.

The Chatties exploded in giggles.

"You're funny, Ginny."

Ginny smiled to herself a little. Maybe the Chatties weren't that bad and maybe she should start referring to them by their names.

When she got back to her dorm with her roommates, she found her diary on top of her bed. She quickly hid it in the nightstand drawer under a few pieces of parchment, hoping no one noticed it. She didn't want anyone to start asking questions about it. This diary was her secret. No one could find out what she had told Tom.