"Where are we going, Altair?"
He chuckled as his dearest Cho hurried out of the Great Hall to catch up with him, curiosity shining in her eyes at why he hadn't joined the Duelling Teams for their morning practice.
"Girls' Bathroom. Second floor."
She gave him a puzzled look, head tilted, and he smiled.
"Why?"
"Don't know." He shrugged, and she deadpanned before breaking into giggles.
Without another word, she tagged along, skipping up the marble staircase beside him, seeming especially excited today. Her closest friend was about to make her debut in the Hogwarts Duelling Championship that afternoon, and she was someone who genuinely celebrated the triumphs of those she cared about.
Her excitement only grew as she realised he was sneaking towards the tower where the girls' bathroom was located.
It was not a place where students generally wandered, and the corridor was almost always deserted. The portraits paid them little mind, but Altair was still careful, casting a discreet glance around and taking a few precautions.
When they slipped inside, Cho peered about the tiled chamber, searching for someone, and Altair shot her a bemused look.
"Where's the girl who called you here?" she asked, and he raised an eyebrow, amused by her train of thought.
"No one called me here, Cho."
"Then what are we doing here?" She was genuinely confused, but soon froze as faint sobs echoed off the porcelain.
They both glanced towards the row of cubicles from where the weeping was coming, but Altair was soon inspecting the row of basins, more interested in the plumbing than the presence of a crying girl.
He began examining each tap, and when his hand came across a certain carved pattern on one of them, he froze.
It was unmistakably the entrance to the Chamber, at least, to the corridor leading to the true door of the Chamber of Secrets.
The magical plumbing and refurbishment of the bathrooms had taken place at the start of the eighteenth century, but because the Chamber and Salazar Slytherin's magic were bound to the very foundations of the castle, it remained concealed from prying eyes and had formed more than one entrance.
"Why is there a serpent engraved on this tap?" Cho, noticing his hand's pause, leaned in and asked in a whisper.
"I'll tell you later," he murmured, and sensing that he didn't want to discuss it here, she let the matter drop.
A scoff from behind made him turn.
"My, my, look at you two insensitive children. You don't even check why someone's in tears..."
A ghost swept out from one of the cubicles, floating straight at them, halting a few feet above their heads.
"Oh, my, are you two here to sneak a kiss? Or perhaps, something more?" she teased, and Altair studied her face with open curiosity.
They both knew exactly who she was, but this was the first time either had set eyes on her.
She appeared to be about fourteen, not beautiful, but not unattractive, and seeing her spectral form, Cho felt a pang of sadness. There was something deeply wrong about someone so young dying.
Still, Myrtle didn't show a trace of sadness and smiled instead.
"Hi, Myrtle. I'm Chang Cho, but you can call me Cho," she offered brightly, her cheer catching the ghost off guard.
Myrtle frowned in suspicion, but then smiled at Altair, suddenly swooping down to wrap her ghostly arms about him.
"You're young, but already so handsome, why not stay with me here? We can keep each other company, forever." She added this playfully, expecting embarrassment or discomfort from either of them, but instead, the Slytherin girl simply laughed.
"No thank you, Miss Warren. I'm quite all right," Altair replied courteously, meeting Myrtle's gaze. "Though, I would appreciate it if you would answer a few questions that I have."
"Nope, not unless you promise to give me a kiss," she said, attempting to snuggle closer, though her intangible body only brought an unpleasant, ice-cold chill.
"Please?" he asked, tone polite but serious, and Myrtle was taken aback.
"Yes? What do you want to ask?"
"It may be impolite, but I wish to know when the incident involving your death occurred."
Myrtle narrowed her eyes, then pouted.
"You're going to ask how it happened next, aren't you?"
"No."
"No?" She looked surprised.
"That would be a little too impertinent," he said gently, drawing a shy smile from her.
"May 1943. That's when your beloved Myrtle Warren lost her life and made this castle her eternal home." She leaned close. "Now, handsome, what's your name?"
"My name is Altair Cillius Black, Miss Warren," he replied, offering her a small, courtly bow, which made Myrtle giggle like a young maiden.
"Cillius, that rhymes with Sirius. There was a boy by that name, a Black as well. He used to bring a girl into this bathroom rather often, and the two of them always acted like Kneazles in heat. They made your poor Myrtle blush. But I promise, I only peeked a little," she giggled, pretending to be coy, and Altair smiled.
"Which girl?"
"Oh, there were a few. But he was most fond of just one," Myrtle pouted, thinking hard. "Macmillan, no, McKinnon. Yes, McKinnon. She was a Ravenclaw."
"You don't remember her first name?"
"No. Sirius always called her Mal. But he was nothing like you, not as handsome, certainly not as well-mannered." She tried to drift closer again, but Altair managed not to react to the biting cold.
"Well, he was cast out from the family for his behaviour and decisions. He's my mother's younger brother, my uncle."
Myrtle blinked in surprise and floated back.
Her eyes swept his Slytherin robes, then met his own.
"My, my, you must be Altaira Black's son. The fairest witch Hogwarts ever saw. Oh, you've no idea how many boys would have ruined themselves for her," Myrtle said mischievously, drawing nearer. "Would you like to know who her boyfriend was?"
Cho tensed, but Altair only smiled.
"No one."
Myrtle pouted, rising higher into the air.
"No fun, just like your mother. Always so haughty and mighty. Boys would have thrown themselves at her feet, but not a single one dared approach her."
"That's definitely Aunt Altaira," Cho said, nodding. She could easily imagine why no boy would ever dare approach her future mother-in-law.
"Miss Warren, do you have any idea who did it?" Altair asked suddenly, catching Cho off guard. Myrtle's expression darkened, but he added, "It's only out of curiosity, I assure you."
She observed him a moment, then, sensing genuine curiosity, her expression softened.
"I don't know. I only heard a boy speaking, and I was cross, so I opened my cubicle door to shout at him," she trailed off.
"You don't have to tell me how it happened," he said gently, and she managed a small smile.
"The school expelled a boy. He was in my year, a Gryffindor. They caught him keeping a pet Acromantula. Now he's the Keeper of Keys and Grounds, and also looks after Magical Creatures under Professor Kettleburn."
"Hagrid?!" Cho stared in disbelief.
"Yes, his name is Rubeus Hagrid."
Altair sighed inwardly, well aware that Hagrid had not caused her death. However, keeping a pet Acromantula at Hogwarts could only ever result in expulsion, there was simply no other outcome.
He frowned, reminded that he now had a Basilisk in his own trunk, and if the staff ever discovered it, he too would face expulsion. Though it was well protected and unlikely to be found, he would need to find a way to secure the trunk even further.
"Hagrid, no way, it must have been an accident," Cho whispered, frowning.
"Does it matter, Miss Chang? I'm dead."
The coldness in Myrtle's voice made Cho flinch, and she offered a small, apologetic smile, which Myrtle met with a glare.
"I'm sorry."
"Hmph, it's fine. People have said worse over the years." Myrtle floated up, then swept down to circle Altair again.
"Would you like to be my boyfriend, Altair?" she teased, leaning in as if to whisper in his ear. "I can tell you secrets you'd never learn otherwise. I know so many secrets," she added with a wicked look, pretending to inhale his scent.
"My apologies, Myrtle, but I can certainly be a friend to you."
"Ouch." She clutched her chest and mimicked swooning, and both Altair and Cho laughed at her antics.
They chatted with Moaning Myrtle a while longer before needing to hurry to the Duelling Hall.
The first match of the Quadrivium Cup, as always, was between Lions 1 and Badgers 1 in Group A, and Lions 3 and Badgers 3 in Group B, both at nine o'clock sharp.
This year, Charles Weasley's team held the Lions 3 banner, and as they were the favourites, the Duelling Hall was packed with those eager to see them compete. Many were also keen to watch Nymphadora Tonks's team, flying the Badgers 1 banner, as they would also be duelling that morning.
Two duelling platforms had been raised, with Group B's stage granting the Slytherin contingent an excellent view.
Professor Flitwick, as Deputy Supervisor of the 999th Hogwarts Duelling Championship, presided as Chief Judge over Group A, while Professor Snape judged the Group B matches. Professor Victoire, the Chief Judge and overall Supervisor, oversaw both matches from her balcony, where several other staff members sat in attendance.
Charles Weasley, Alfred Stewart, Augustus Brown, and Thomas Wright formed the Lions 3, while their opponents, Badgers 3, consisted of Robert Hilliard, Robin Macmillan, Adrian MacDougal, and Dean Silvers.
The teams ascended the duelling stage, a wide expanse of pearly white stone inlaid with golden runes, connected by a narrow passage, twenty-four metres long and three metres wide, linking two circular duelling stations, each with a radius of six metres.
Once both teams had taken their stations, Professor Snape summoned the captains to the centre of the passage.
Both captains held their wands at the ready. Charlie and Robert met each other's gaze, exchanged a formal bow, then drew their wands before their faces, pointing them upwards, and finally turned and raised them to the side, keeping them in plain sight. The other duellists mirrored this, already in formation, wands at the ready.
The captains returned to their stations, and the moment they were in place, a hum sounded, and the duel commenced, a flurry of colourful spells erupting across the stage.
Jets of hexes crashed against shimmering Shield Charms, teamwork and concentration tested with every barrage. The arcane clash of spellwork brought the entire hall to silence.
It was both a visual and aural spectacle, and when a heavy thud echoed, nearly every heart skipped a beat.
On the first platform, in the Group A match, Nymphadora Tonks had just unseated a Gryffindor, sending him flying from the platform onto the polished floor, where he now sat groaning.
His teammates, however, ignored his plight, entirely focused on resisting the Hufflepuff barrage, the Badger supporters roaring encouragement from the stands.
Yet their defence buckled in less than a minute.
A second Gryffindor was eliminated, and then, with a deft move, Nymphadora disarmed the last two of their wands when they were least expecting it.
Applause broke out from the Ravenclaw and Slytherin stands as well, and perhaps because the cheers weren't muffled by spells, Thomas Wright on Charles's team lost focus.
Dean Silvers blasted him off the stage with a Knockback Jinx, but to the astonishment of the crowd, Dean himself was hurled off by Charles Weasley's spell.
Augustus Brown and Robert Hilliard eliminated each other next, and now with two duellists left per side, the match grew even swifter and more furious.
Some spectators rolled their eyes as the two Lions charged ahead, every inch the archetypal Gryffindors, but no one could deny their teamwork was exceptional.
Alfred Stewart, Charles's childhood friend, seemed to read every signal, and then, startling everyone, he sacrificed himself.
The two Hufflepuffs were left reeling, but then their own jinxes rebounded with even more force, and before they could recover, they were flung from the platform, courtesy of Charles Weasley's formidable Knockback Jinx.
When Professor Victoire declared Lions 3 the winners, the Gryffindor stand erupted in cheers, as if they hadn't just seen their other team lose moments earlier.
The two captains were then called forward by Professor Snape, both bowing respectfully before departing to celebrate or contemplate.
With the next matches not scheduled until eleven o'clock, Lions 2 versus Badgers 2, and Lions 4 versus Badgers 4, many students left the Duelling Hall, but a fair number stayed behind to hear Professor Victoire analyse the duels, spell choices, and tactics.
When Cho noticed Altair rising to leave, she followed him quietly, and once they were clear of the crowds, she smiled.
"We're going to see Hagrid?"
"Yes."