As Christmas drew closer, the atmosphere at school grew more "tense," as though they had suddenly returned to the time of the Triwizard Tournament. The difference was that Ron Weasley did not have to attend Slughorn's party this time. Only Harry Potter needed a dance partner, and so the "conspiracies" surrounding him began.
"Where has all the chocolate in the kitchen gone?" Pomona asked Honey, the Hogwarts House-elf in charge of that area.
She looked at Pomona fearfully.
"Young witches have been very fond of chocolate lately," another House-elf, Robby, said. "So it has all been eaten."
Pomona did not suspect the House-elves of pocketing it for themselves, but she found it strange that the girls had suddenly become so fond of chocolate. Were they not afraid of ruining their figures by eating too much, unable to squeeze into their gowns like Fleur Delacour?
"All right, it looks like we need to restock," Pomona said, adding another item to Slughorn's menu.
Since Scrimgeour took office, Hogwarts security had become even stricter. Not only could outside chefs not get in, not even a mosquito could enter.
If they merely wanted the taste of chocolate and had no interest in collecting Chocolate Frog Cards, the kitchen chocolate could be melted down, shaped into whatever the girls wanted, and then given away as gifts.
Friendship chocolate was better than nothing. Pomona was somewhat worried about Neville. He had been invited too, but this time there was no Ginny to be his dance partner.
"Which of you has cooked 'dragon eggs' before?" Pomona asked the House-elves present.
The elves looked at one another, all wearing blank expressions.
"Not a single one?" Pomona asked.
"I have."
A hoarse voice sounded from the crowd, followed by a bony claw rising into the air.
The House-elves all