"I just asked Ginny if she'd seen anything odd, and she started to say -"
"Oh - that - that's nothing to do with the Chamber of Secrets" said Percy at once.
"How do you know?" asked Ron, his eyebrows raised.
"Well, er, if you must know, Ginny, er, walked in on me the other day when I was - well, never mind - the point is, she spotted me doing something and I, um, I asked her not to mention it to anybody. I must say, I did think she'd keep her word. It's nothing, really, I'd just rather -"
Harry had never seen Percy look so uncomfortable.
"What were you doing Percy" said Ron, grinning. "Go on, tell us. We won't laugh."
Percy didn't smile back.
"Pass me those rolls Harry, i'm starving".