Halloween in the Kitchens

Professor McGonagall strode down the stairs, her green robes billowing around her. One glance at the witch was enough to know she meant business.

Snape followed behind her, his black robes spreading like an old bat's wings as he descended. His face was cold as frost, but his eyes kept sweeping over Harry.

Professor Flitwick came close behind, his short legs carrying him faster than Quirrell's. He gripped his wand tightly, as if ready for a fight.

Quirrell looked shaken. When he saw the troll, he clutched his chest and gasped, as though the sight of it sprawled on the floor had scared him half to death.

The teachers all saw the troll's small head driven into its chest, and the corridor covered in ice and bitter cold.

Professor Flitwick's eyes lit up. With his skill in charms and experience in dueling, he understood the scene at a glance. His gaze darted across the young wizards' hands and found a wand only in Will's. He raised an eyebrow. A First Year had brought down a troll on his own?

"Well done, Wi—"

He had barely begun to praise him when the witch in green cut him off.

"What on earth were you playing at?" Professor McGonagall's voice was cold with anger. Her icy gaze swept over the students, and the young wizards felt the full weight of it.

"You're lucky it didn't kill you. Why didn't you stay in your dormitories where you belonged?"

"We were trying to save... save..." Ron faltered. Hermione hadn't been in the Girls' Bathroom when it happened. Who had there been to save?

"Professor McGonagall, they thought I was in the Girls' Bathroom and came to warn me about the troll," Hermione explained. Kindhearted as ever, she added, "Will, Sylvia, and Neville only came along because they were worried about me."

Professor McGonagall's expression softened a little.

"Trolls are extremely dangerous creatures. You should have learned that in class. Countless adult wizards have died beneath their clubs!" McGonagall glanced at Quirrell, who was still clutching his chest, and amended her words.

"Perhaps you haven't studied them in detail, but you should know how dangerous they are!"

As Professor McGonagall spoke, she kept her eyes on Will and Hermione.

"Well, the important thing is that none of the children were hurt. Could you tell me how you dealt with this great brute?" Professor Flitwick stepped in to smooth things over.

"This is what happened, Professor." Sylvia's eyes brightened at his question. "When we came downstairs, Harry and Ron were running through the corridor, and they caught its attention. Will froze its head with a charm, and then the big fool ran into the wall. It might have killed itself."

"Clever. Very clever, Mr. Behrens. I've never seen a First Year bring down a troll." Professor Flitwick clapped his hands. "An excellent combination of charms. Twenty points to you, and five points each to the others for their courage."

Smiles spread across their faces, but Professor McGonagall soon dampened their spirits. "Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley, your recklessness will cost you five points each."

The two boys' faces fell.

"Evidently, the famous Mr. Potter couldn't bring the troll down with his reputation," Snape said, still dispensing his venom freely.

But Will knew Snape was probably the person there who cared most about Harry.

"Now that it's over, I won't say any more, though I will inform Headmaster Dumbledore. For now, you had best return to your Common Rooms. The other students are still enjoying the Halloween Feast." At Professor McGonagall's urging, they left the Underground Classroom.

Ron and Harry trailed behind them. Shivering, Ron whispered, "Professor McGonagall is terrifying..."

They parted at the stairs. Hermione and Neville naturally had to return to their Common Room for the Halloween Feast, but Will and Sylvia could hardly follow them into the Gryffindor Common Room.

"Will, are you going back to the Room of Requirement?" Sylvia knew he disliked spending time with the arrogant young wizards in the Slytherin Common Room.

"No. I intend to have a proper dinner tonight." Will had no wish to deprive his stomach. He loved good food; otherwise, he would never have learned those spells from Conjure a Tableful of Delicacies and The Magical Kitchen.

"This isn't the way back to the Common Room." Sylvia was puzzled. Was Will planning to eat with another house?

"Come with me. I'll show you somewhere." Will refused to tell her where they were going.

Ten minutes later, Will stopped before a painting of a bowl of fruit and gently tickled one of the pears. It giggled, then turned into a green door handle before Sylvia's astonished eyes.

Will took hold of the handle and gave it a gentle twist. "Welcome to the Hogwarts Kitchens."

When the door opened, the rich scent of pumpkin washed over them.

Sylvia looked around curiously. The Hogwarts Kitchens occupied a room with a high ceiling, as large as the Great Hall above. Gleaming copper pots and basins were piled beside the stone walls, and a large brick fireplace stood at the far end.

The room also held four long tables, positioned exactly like the house tables in the Great Hall. Some magic linked them to the tables above, allowing dishes placed on them to be sent to the corresponding tables in the hall. The process was controlled, of course.

Busy House-elves filled the Kitchens, sending dishes from the Halloween Feast to the Common Rooms.

One House-elf spotted Will and hurried over. "Honored young wizard, what can Dokie do for you?"

Sylvia was used to House-elves. Her family had quite a few of them.

"Bring us something to eat. A little of everything on tonight's menu."

"Dokie is delighted to serve you!"

They sat down at a long table, and the House-elf named Dokie soon began bringing out dish after dish.

Pumpkin soup, roast pumpkin, smoked duck with pumpkin purée, beef Wellington, shepherd's pie, roast lamb, veal, pumpkin pudding...

Before long, the table was laden with delicious food. Will was already hungry. He washed his hands quickly, pulled the fragrant roast lamb toward him, and dug in.

"Young wizards, here is your Pumpkin Juice." A House-elf brought over a large pitcher filled with sweet orange juice.

"Aren't you the House-elf who brought me food every time I came here a while back?" Will recognized the elf, no easy feat when they all looked rather strange.

"Yes, yes, young wizard! You remember Anco! Anco is honored!" The House-elf named Anco skipped away happily to bring them pumpkin stew, and Will thanked Anco.

"Thank you, Anco."

"The young wizard thanked Anco! Oh, Anco is ashamed. It is what Anco should do." Despite the praise, Anco fled into another room in embarrassment.

Will watched, finding the little creatures' behavior rather unhealthy. Still, House-elves were all like that, and he gave it no further thought. Unlike Hermione, he had no grand idea of fighting for their freedom. That was too naive.

Anco's visit was only a brief interlude. Sylvia never spoke to the House-elves at all; she couldn't even recognize every House-elf in her own home.

"When did you find this place?" Sylvia asked as she looked around the Kitchens and cut into the pumpkin chicken stew on her plate.

"One night, I wanted a late snack, so I went looking. I actually found it, and I've come back often since." Will took a plate of smoked duck with pumpkin purée. "We can come here regularly. These House-elves are excellent cooks."

Sylvia shook her head. "No, I don't think I'll come here often."

At Will's questioning look, she explained, "I don't want to eat so much that I lose my figure. You should be careful too, Will. Think of Selwyn. He looks like a wild boar from Kent."

"Could we not talk about things that ruin my appetite? This is my first Halloween." Will pretended to retch, earning an eye roll from Sylvia.

Still, she asked, puzzled, "Is this really your first Halloween?"

"Of course. Why would I lie to you?"

It really was his first Halloween.

His mother had been an alcoholic and had never celebrated holidays like this. After she died, he hadn't bothered preparing for them himself.

Sylvia looked at Will's earnest face and raised her glass of Pumpkin Juice. "Then let's celebrate every Halloween like this from now on. To all the Halloweens ahead—cheers!"

The clear clink of their glasses brought Halloween to a perfect close.