Before Professor McGonagall arrived, Brian had already learned from Moaning Myrtle why Cedric had been wandering around naked at night, as well as about the arrival of the Ministry of Magic's Ghost Office staff-the latter had probably let Myrtle off because of certain unknown secrets. Cedric, meanwhile, had decided he might as well throw caution to the wind and ask Brian, who looked experienced in romance, for relationship advice.
"Professor Brian, that's more or less what happened-and now I don't know what to do. Should I put some thought into writing a letter, or sing a song, or perhaps collect colorful Puffskein fur and weave it into pretty pom-pom roses?" said Cedric, who had resolved to treat Myrtle as though she weren't there. Yet this very speech, laden with intense feelings and inner turmoil, was like a blazing sun that drove away Myrtle, who had stubbornly refused to leave.
"Ahhh!" Myrtle screamed, her spirit crushed. She swore to herself that she would never again sneak a look at Cedric bathing-even if he really did have a wonderful figure!
But that was all right. She had plenty of other options. While secretly watching the new students that day, she had spotted an old acquaintance-Harry Potter. He had returned from the holidays considerably sturdier than he had been in his first year. As for precisely how much sturdier,
she would have to verify that with her own eyes.
Meanwhile, Brian, whose romantic experience was far from extensive, gave the matter some thought. He chose to distill some drunken remarks from a Muggle friend with ample romantic experience, words that had left a deep impression on him, and combined them with his own thoughts before sharing them with Cedric-merely as a reference.
"Cedric, sometimes the feelings in our hearts don't necessarily need to