He had known it would be difficult to talk with Myrtle. From all he had gathered she was prone to emotional outbursts and ripping everything out of context, just so that she could feel offended and imagine herself as the victim. She also was described as really selfish and holding no regard for the feelings or needs of others. He was sure that at least some of it was simply due to the many bad experiences others had made with her.
Today had been a wonderful example, as approaching her, Myrtle had pretty much flown off the handle as soon as he had started the conversation with her and looked at everything through the lens that she was being victimized in one way or another. No wonder everyone had given up on trying to talk to her. Yet, he knew how to get through this massive tantrum of the spectral teenage girl.
It was simple: he had patience and could wait.
Of course it helped that he had used the magic of Hogwarts to isolate Myrtle in her bathroom and locked the water supply, so that she couldn't escape or cause mayhem. However, that still left her rantings, and those were bad enough. Yet, he endured, and after several hours it looked like Myrtle, who was used to getting her way or leaving, started to calm down, clearly being at a loss what to do next.
When Myrtle finally fell silent, looking utterly miserable, he finally spoke up. "You got this all out of your system now?"
While she no longer had a physical body, she nonetheless felt tired after such a long tantrum. Truth to be told, the Headmaster showing so much patience impressed the troubled ghost and she floated next to him. "No one ever showed me this much patience..."
"This is little wonder considering how you just acted is an example of your normal behavior," the Headmaster pointed out, seeing that it silenced her.
"Now, dear, let me ask you a question. What do you think of your current existence?" he asked her.
"I hate it!" Myrtle exploded. "I can't touch anything! I can't eat or drink! I'm unable to sleep! I even would give a fortune to use one of these toilets as intended!"
Listening, Dumbledore stayed calm. "Then, why did you chose to return as a ghost, if you hate it so much?"
Myrtle hesitated for a moment, but then admitted it. "Because I wanted to! That little slag Hornby had to suffer for making fun of me! I had lots of fun with it, until I was banished back here and was left with nothing but my own misery!"
"And what exactly did Miss Hornby do that so horrible, that you would not move on and instead terrorized her for years, until you were banished to Hogwarts by the Ministry?" Dumbledore asked calmly.
"She..." Myrtle's words died when she realized the only reason she had picked Hornby to torment, was, that she had been the last one to bully her before she had died. "She was the first who came to my mind after I died. Because of her I had locked myself in here."
"So, do you blame her for dying in this very place?" Dumbledore asked her.
"Of c..." Myrtle stopped herself and styled silent for some moments, before reluctantly admitting "No. She did not kill me, after all."
"Now, try to tell me: was she still the same after she found your dead body in this very room?" the Headmaster continued.
Myrtle remembered laughing at Hornby's shock at finding her dead body. After that moment, she never had lost a thought to how the girl had changed after that event. The formerly attention-grabbing girl had become quiet and withdrawn - actually a lot like she had used to be. Thinking about it now, terrorizing her for years didn't feel so great anymore.
"No, she wasn't. She became a lot like I used to be." Myrtle now realized something. "I stayed for that? I threw away my peace... for that?"
"I fear so. Also, you hardly did yourself any favors once you were forced to stay at Hogwarts. You would have been in a great position to befriend the students, but instead your behavior made them avoid you," the Headmaster told her, knowing she had to be confronted with the facts.
Confronted with these facts, Myrtle wanted to burst into tears. Yet, instead she just felt sad and depressed. "I'm stuck like this... I pushed them all away... Oh no, no, nooooo..." she sobbed in despair when realizing how she had made herself miserable.
Seeing that she now was ready, the Headmaster with a hand movement turned off the sealing of the room, and the Grey Lady floated in.
"Oh, you poor dear. You finally realized it, don't you?" the ghost of Ravenclaw told Myrtle with compassion.
Myrtle's eyes widened when the other ghost started to hold her. "B-but how?" It not exactly was touch, but it felt close enough for her.
"Oh, you poor girl. We are both ghosts; our natures are the same, so of course we in a way can touch each other. You were so distant from the other ghosts, it never came up." She held the ghost of the teenage girl close. "Just let it all out..."
Seeing Myrtle open up her heart to the Grey Lady, Dumbledore quietly left the bathroom.
Now was not the moment, but later on he would ask Myrtle about the circumstances of her death and if she was willing to help finally clearing Hagrid of these charges. It could be a form of closure to her, after all. He felt a bit ashamed that nothing had been done about Hagrid's situation, despite the whole thing standing on weak legs. It would have been easy to poke holes into the whole story.
Better late than never, though it doesn't lessen the guilt I feel, he thought while walking down the corridor.
...July 6th, the house of Horace Slughorn...
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