The Riddled Diary

                                    

                                          
A thunderclap rolled across the dark sky outside Hogwarts, briefly illuminating the Grand Staircase's ancient stone walls. Inside the castle, Harry, Ron, and Thomas were making their way down the steps, their footsteps muffled by the thick carpets.
"Have you spoken to Hermione?" Ron asked, glancing at Harry.
Harry shook his head. "She should be out of the hospital in a few days, once she stops coughing up fur balls."
Thomas, walking beside them, frowned slightly. "I visited her earlier. She's looking better, especially after her... 'cat' situation."
As they ascended the stairs, Harry noticed a trail of water on the floor. "What's this?" he asked, pointing at the puddles.
Ron grimaced. "Yuck! Looks like Moaning Myrtle's had another accident."
Thomas sighed, a hint of annoyance in his voice. "Let's deal with it before it turns into something worse."
They followed the trail of water to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. The door creaked open, revealing Myrtle floating near the window, her form faintly glowing. She was sobbing softly, her cries echoing in the dimly lit room.
"Come to throw something else at me?" Myrtle moaned, her voice thick with distress.
Harry stepped forward, trying to calm her down. "Why would I throw something at you?"
Myrtle's eyes narrowed, her tears mixing with irritation. "Don't ask me. Here I am, minding my own business, when someone thinks it's funny to throw a book at me."
Ron, clearly confused, said, "But it can't hurt if someone throws something at you. I mean, it'd just go right through you."
Myrtle's anger flared. "SURE!" she exclaimed, drifting closer to Ron and shoving her arm through his stomach. "Let's all throw books at Myrtle because she can't feel it! Ten points if it goes through my stomach!" She then thrust her arm through Ron's head.
Thomas, clearly unimpressed, stepped forward. "Myrtle, we're not here to throw things at you. We're trying to figure out what happened."
Myrtle's expression softened slightly as she floated near Thomas, her gaze lingering on him. "I don't know who threw it. I didn't see them. I was just sitting in the U-bend, thinking about death, and it fell through the top of my head."
As Myrtle floated away, still sobbing, Harry noticed a book on the floor amid the water. He picked it up, revealing the cover: "Tom Riddle's Diary."
Thomas glanced at the diary with interest. "What's inside?"
Ron peered at the diary. "Do you think it's connected to the attacks?"
Thomas nodded, looking at Harry with determination. "It's worth looking at."
As they turned to leave, Myrtle drifted over to Thomas, trying to get close. "I can't believe someone would be so rude," she said, her voice softer, tinged with a hint of admiration. "Especially someone like you, who's always so kind and brave."
Thomas tried to hide his discomfort, focusing on the diary. "Uh, thanks, Myrtle. I guess."
Harry and Ron exchanged knowing glances, their faces lighting up with amusement. Ron leaned closer to Thomas, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. "Looks like Myrtle's got a bit of a crush on you, Tom."
Harry chuckled, nudging Thomas playfully. "Yeah, she's been pretty smitten since you started hanging around."
Thomas rolled his eyes, his cheeks turning slightly pink. "Great. Just what I needed. Ghostly admirers."