John Constantine and The Overgrown Serpent

Ones Closest

The following week had John laying low.

Taking several out of the way halls, passages, and staircases in order to avoid as many people as possible.

He did end up...feeling somehow a little selfish from it...Harry and co, Slytherin House-hell even Draco was feeling heat to a certain degree from all the fanatics and paranoia floating around.

They were forced to deal with it head on-while John snuck around corners.

He never said he wasn't a coward at heart.

He briefly argued that they had their friends and supporters backing them up, whereas while John did have both on each side-he was still in a place stuck in the middle.
Never quite fitting in with either one.

But he had made his bed when making friends to begrudgingly save the school from a maniac-and his reputation's been laying in it ever since.

But still...

As he continued to use his skills to escape detection and the over all attention of others-today was not one of those days.

Another Quidditch match was being held today, and he was making himself go for Harry.

Hufflepuff vs Gryffindor.

He couldn't say that it would end up being the most exciting game he'd ever witness here.

He brought himself up in the Gryffindor stand, scanning the small but quickly growing crowd for familiar faces.

Ah-Ron.

The blond maneuvered over and around seated students, making his way towards the redhead-and quickly noticing something out of the ordinary.

"Afternoon, Ron."
John frowned.
"No 'ermione yet?"

Ron greeted back before shaking his head, equally puzzled by the turn of events.
"Nope. It's a bit strange though-normally she's the one rushing us place to place, only to still beat us in being on time."

The mage sat down beside him, feeling slightly out of place when realizing that, out of the three Gryffindors, Ron was the one he talked to the least...

John sniffed, rubbing his nose idly.
"So...no news of Riddle's book yet?"

Ron must've figure out the same thing-because he was just as awkward about it.
"Uh...no. Nothin yet. Just disappeared into thin air."

Right.
Their working theory was, because of the problem of knowing a certain house dorm entry code, that the thief was either a faculty member or fellow student in red.
This of of course only narrowed it down so much in terms of things.

"Do you think Riddle's diary is connected to the whole Chamber fiasco, or it being its own crime altogether?"

Ron frown grew deeper.
"I don't know...I thought about it a little bit...maybe it is, maybe it isn't-maybe the person who threw it away wanted it back?"

John rose a brow.
"But why would they want it back if they literally threw it away?"

The Gryffindor puffed up slightly.
"Well maybe Myrtle was overacting! Everybody who's ever met the ghost could figure out she's looney!"

John shrugged, not really disagreeing with that one.

Being dead, and a poltergeist for lord knows how long, is sure to make anyone mentally deteriorate a bit.