Chapter 88: The Kitchen

"That was really wicked Sis." Fred said throwing an arm around Ginny as they walked towards the Great Hall.

"True. Malfoy's face was priceless." George said grinning. "We didn't hear though why did you slapped him?"

"He was talking trash about mom." Ron replied. "Dad was on Daily Prophet. He was reading it loudly."

"Bad, that we don't have Quidditch this year or I'll hit him with the Bludger several times." Fred said angrily.

"But that was really something, isn't it? What Mad-Eye Moody did?" Ron said grinning. "Draco Malfoy, the amazing bouncing ferret …"

Everyone laughed.

"Yeah that was really cool, isn't Hermione?" Harry said but no answer came. Everyone looked around and saw there was no sign of Hermione.

"Are you sure she was with you?" Fred asked Harry.

"Yeah. She was just now..." Harry said and Hermione cross them running.

"See you later, I'm going to library." She said to Ron and Harry while skipping away.

"But she said Professor Vector didn't gave them any homework." Ron said surprised.

"Did she just finished her dinner while we were talking?" Chris said next as they all sat down on Gryffindor table.

"Probably. After all she is Hermione." Harry said shrugging.

___________________________________

Next morning they had their first Defense Against the Dark Arts class with Mad-Eye Moody. After Herbology, which was Chris's least favorite subject, Chris, Ginny and Colin hurried towards the Dark Arts classroom. As Chris sat down on the second desk with Ginny and Colin, she noticed Jason on the other side.

Chris quickly looked away. Soon they heard Moody's distinctive clunking footsteps coming down the corridor, and he entered the room, looking as strange and frightening as ever. They could just see his clawed, wooden foot protruding from under­neath his robes.

"You can put those away," he growled, stumping over to his desk and sitting down, "those books. You won't need them."

They returned the books to their bags, Moody took out a register, shook his long mane of grizzled gray hair out of his twisted and scarred face, and began to call out names, his normal eye moving steadily down the list while his mag­ical eye swiveled around, fixing upon each student as he or she answered. His magical eye stopped for a few more seconds on Chris, when she answered, but then looked at the next student.

"Right then," he said, when the last person had declared them­selves present, "Defence Against the Dark Arts. Which means you're fighting against a person who is practicing Dark Arts. So first tell me... if some dark wizard attack you... what'll you do?"

Moody looked around and stopped at Alex, Colin's roommate. "You!"

".... er.... I'll defend ... myself." He answered nervously.

"How?" Moody groaned.

".... ummm.... er...." Alex looked around for any hint then shook his head.

Moody again looked around and stopped at a Slytherin girl, "You tell me, how will save yourself?"

"By attacking him with Stupefy." The girl answered confidently.

"Yes, it'll knock him out for sometime." Moody said but didn't looked pleased then looked at Ginny.

"Arthur Weasley's daughter, eh?"

Ginny nodded.

"Tell me." Moody said.

"I think I'll disarm them with Expelliarmus." Ginny answered.

"Good one. Fighting without a wand is difficult thing." Moody looked happy with that answer. "But if the person wants you to be dead then?"

A silence fell over the class.

"Then I'll kill him first." A voice said boldly.

Everyone turned around and Chris saw Jason said those words. Moody looked at him for few seconds.

"If the situation comes down to, it's him or me then I'll choose me. Shouldn't I?" He said seriously and with a matter-of-fact tone, like it wasn't even a question.

Chris looked at him, surprised. He caught her gaze, "though it sounds ruthless right now, but when the time will come you all will choose yourself." He said directly looking at Chris then turned to Moody. "Isn't it Professor? You saw the true world out there, am I right or not?"

"You're Fawley, aren't you?" Moody asked after few seconds.

"Yes. Jason Fawley." Jason answered kind of gritting his teeth.

"Yes you're right." Moody replied shocking everyone. "It seems harsh, maybe, but you've got to know. No point pretending. If you want to save yourself, you should know everything which can save your skin."

They spent the rest of the lesson taking notes on each of the blocking and counter-attack spells. No one spoke until the bell rang. As soon as Moody dismissed the class, Jason stormed out first.

"You're looking worried, Chris." Ginny said to Chris as they walked out.

"Honestly I'm but I don't know if he'll talk to me about it or not." Chris replied looking very worried for Jason.

"We've free afternoon today. We should do something." Colin said excitedly as they sat down for lunch on the Ravenclaw table.

"Yes. I'm free too." Luna said smiling. "Let's go down the lake."

"Or we could improve our potions." Ginny said anxiously. "You know you two are really behind in Potions. Only Chris have a little decent progress than us."

"C'mon Ginny we'll be fine. We'll study from tomorrow, now can we do something? How about meeting Fang. He's really nice dog." Colin said.

"Yeah I also want to meet him." Luna replied.

Ginny sighed. "Fine, meeting Fang sounds fun."

"You three go on. I've a class." Chris said.

"What? But.... oh you've Runes." Colin said sadly.

"Yeah. It's my first Ancient Runes class. I'm really excited." Chris replied smiling.

After lunch, Chris said goodbye to Ginny, Luna and Colin then walked towards the sixth floor, where the Rune classroom was.

The room was a little bit different from other classrooms. Several Rune charts filled the walls. The benches and tables were also very small, only one or two people could sit on them. Few students were already there. Chris noticed other than her there was not many Gryffindors who took this subject. Practically very few students took this subject from every house, there was few Slytherins, one or two Hufflepuffs, and rest were Ravenclaws. Chris saw an empty bench and sat on it. After few moments, the class almost filled with students.

"Is this seat taken?" A voice came from behind Chris.

Chris looked around and saw a light blue haired girl, looking at her.

"Sure." She replied and the girl sat beside Chris.

"Hi! I'm Irena Kyle. Hufflepuff."

"Christina Norton. Gryffindor."

As they shook hands, a tall, not very thin, silvery haired witch, in back robes came in. The class became silent.

"Good afternoon, students. I'm Bathsheda Babbling. I'll teach you about Ancient Runes and Runology." She said with polite but firm voice. "As you can see, not many people like to study this subject, but you all did that's why I already have high expectations from you."

She looked around the class like memorizing everyones face.

"First let me tell you the benefits of learning Runes. I guess you all already know that in Ancient times, Runes were very used method for communications. So if you learn it correctly you can solve many mysteries, created in medieval times and discover many things which are still unknown to Wizarding World." Professor Babbling said with a tiny smile. "Now you all will open first chapter of your Spellman's Syllabary book while I take your attendance."

She turned took the register and memorized everyone's names (Chris felt that way) then started the class, explaining the simple ways to remember Runes and understanding their meaning.

Chris was very much interested in the entire class, so as the girl beside her. They took notes for rest of the class till the bell rang for dinner.

"That was really nice. Wasn't it?" Irena Kyle asked as they walked out of the class.

"Very interesting if you ask me. It's all new for me but I already love it." Chris said smiling.

"Well, I've read Rune books before as my father really liked them. I've a big library in my home, so I've read many subjects before coming to school." Irena replied.

"Oh that's really great. But you see I couldn't as I only knew about this school and magic two years ago." Chris said smiling.

"O. You're a muggle-born?"

"Yes. And you're pure-blood?"

"No no. Half-blood. My father is Wizard but my mother is a muggle. My aunt, my mother's sister was a witch, that's how my mom and dad met." Irena replied giggling.

Chris just smiled.

"So I guess you're also alone among your friends who took Runes?" Irena asked.

"Yes. Is it same with you?" Chris asked.

"Yeah. My friends thought it's too much work for them." Irena replied.

"Wait were are we?" Chris suddenly noticed that they just walked into the moving corridor. "Great! now I don't know where this corridor will lead us."

"Oh it's fine. We'll find a way, if not then I'll swing by the kitchen for food before going to bed." Irena replied casually.

"The kitchen?" Chris asked surprised. Chris never saw Hogwarts kitchen which she heard, was runned by the House-elves.

"...umm.. sorry.. look if we get late to the Great Hall then you can come with me. I didn't mean I'll go alone at the kitchen to eat." Irena replied hurriedly.

"Do you go to kitchen often?" Chris asked.

"Honestly yes. All Hufflepuffs does, as it's on the same corridor as our common room."

"That's really cool." Chris said smiling.

"Hey do you want to see it?" Irena asked.

"But how I mean..."

"Oh we can, look around." Irena waves her hand.

Chris looked around and realized they've already walked out of the moving corridor and came into a place Chris never saw before.

"This is the same corridor I was talking about. Sometimes I feel that moving corridor can understand where we wants to be. Come." Irena said leading Chris into the deep in that passage.

"Here; right for the kitchen and left for our common room." Irena grinned.

Chris and Irena went right and stopped in front of a spiral staircase and a painting.

Chris could hear loud talking noises from upstairs.

"Are we supposed to be go up?" Chris asked confused.

"Only if you want to go back to Great Hall." Irena replied.

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"So this stairs lead to the Great Hall?"

"Yes. And this to the kitchen." Irena pointed at the bowl of fruits painting.

"Should we say a password like Gryffindor tower?"

"No no. It's simple than that, just... tickle the pear." She said and tickled the pear in the painting.

The painting swings and opened hole, on the other side a big massive kitchen. The aroma of delicious foods and deserts filled Chris's nose and instantly her stomach growled loudly.

"Sorry didn't realize how hungry I'm." Chris said awkwardly smiling.

"Then what're we waiting for? Come in." Irena said and climbed into hole.

Chris followed.

Hundreds or more house-elves were bustling around, working very fast and noisily. Few looking very irritated, few working happily, few of them even didn't notice Irena and Chris. Finally a house-elf came running towards them.

"Miss Kyle!" She said in screeching voice. "Anything you need?"

"Oh yes, thank you Rim. Just bring me some mashed potatoes, sausages and pudding. Chris and what'll you have?" Irena asked Chris.

"Ummm... Roasted chicken." Chris replied.

"Just roasted chicken? No no. Rim bring some mashed potatoes and pudding for her as well." Irena said smiling.

"Sure Miss Kyle and her friend. Rim will be here in a minitue. Please sit." She said and ran away.

There were few tables and chairs, in the corner.

Irena and Chris sat down.

"You know my friends will be waiting for me at the Great Hall." Chris said suddenly thinking.

"Oh they'll be fine. If you've told me sooner, we could've also brought them here." Irena replied as Rim came bearing food plates with a another house-elf.

They put food down on the table.

"Thank you Rim." Irena replied.

"Dobby will be here. You can tell him, if you want anything else." Rim said pointing at the other house-elf.

"Wait! Dobby!" Chris looked at the house-elf.

"Yes?"

"Do you know Harry? I mean Harry Potter? Is he the one who set you free?" Chris asked.

Chris had heard about Dobby when she was in first year but never saw him.

"Yes. Harry Potter is great Wizard. Harry Potter is Dobby's friend. Are you friend of Harry Potter." He asked.

"Yes. I've heard my things about you. Nice to meet you Dobby." Chris said smiling.