The Kitchens
The castle was quiet at night in a way that always sent a thrill through Vi’s chest. The torches along the corridors flickered dimly, casting long shadows across the stone walls as she and Caitlyn moved swiftly through the halls, keeping close to the edges in case a prefect or Filch happened to be lurking nearby.
Vi had learned early on that Hogwarts had a whole different personality after dark. The moving staircases creaked in a way they didn’t during the day, the portraits whispered to one another in hushed voices, and the usual hum of students bustling about was replaced with the sound of distant wind rattling the high, arched windows.
Caitlyn walked beside her, arms folded tightly across her chest, her lips pressed into a thin line. "This is a terrible idea," she whispered, glancing around the corridor as they turned the corner.
Vi grinned. "All the best ideas are."
Caitlyn sighed. "All the best ideas are terrible? Do you ever make sense?"
Vi gasped, hand over her chest in exaggerated offense. "I’m wounded, Kiramman. You know what I meant."
Caitlyn rolled her eyes but didn’t argue, which Vi counted as a victory.
They made their way down several flights of stairs, dodging a suit of armor that was conveniently positioned right where Vi swore it hadn’t been earlier that day. They slowed as they neared the corridor outside the Hufflepuff common room, where Leo had first shown them how to get into the kitchens the year before.
Vi stopped in front of the enormous painting of a fruit bowl and turned to Caitlyn with a smirk. "Wanna do the honors?"
Caitlyn arched an eyebrow. "You brought me out here, and you expect me to break the rules?"
"It’s not breaking the rules," Vi said. "It’s creative problem-solving."
Caitlyn gave her a look but reached out anyway, hesitating only briefly before brushing her fingers against the pear in the center of the bowl. The moment she did, the pear squirmed and let out a soft giggle before transforming into a green door handle.
Vi snorted. "That never gets old."
Caitlyn rolled her eyes as she pulled open the door, and the two of them slipped inside.
The Hogwarts kitchens were massive, nearly identical in layout to the Great Hall directly above. The ceilings stretched impossibly high, and four long tables mirrored the ones where the students ate, presumably to make it easier for the house-elves to send food up during mealtimes. The air smelled warm and rich, like fresh bread and butter, and the distant scent of cinnamon lingered in the air.
Before they had even taken two steps inside, a small voice piped up.
"Oh! Young masters, you is visiting Tibby again!"
Vi looked down to see a tiny, excitable house-elf bounding toward them, eyes wide and shining as she took in their presence.
Caitlyn knelt to greet her. "Hello, Tibby. We were hoping to grab some food since we couldn’t sleep."
Tibby clapped her hands together excitedly. "Tibby will fetch the best food for young masters!"
Vi grinned as she watched Tibby disappear among the other house-elves, who bustled about the kitchen, working tirelessly to prepare for the next day’s meals.
Caitlyn stood and gave Vi a look. "You know, I still don’t love this whole system."
Vi shrugged. "Yeah, me neither. But they seem happy."
Caitlyn hummed thoughtfully, looking around at the house-elves who zipped back and forth with practiced ease, balancing trays, scrubbing cauldrons, and preparing dough for the morning.
Tibby returned moments later, carrying an entire tray piled high with pastries, sandwiches, and steaming mugs of hot cocoa.
"You is sitting, yes?" Tibby gestured toward one of the empty tables. "Tibby has made you a feast!"
Vi whistled. "Tibby, you rock."
Caitlyn shook her head but took a small, delicate bite of a scone, her expression softening as she relaxed into the warmth of the kitchen. The candlelight flickered gently, making the room feel cozy and almost unreal, as if they had slipped into a small pocket of time separate from the rest of the world.
"So," Caitlyn said after a moment, wrapping her hands around her mug of cocoa. "Tryouts are in two days."
Vi grinned. "You nervous?"
Caitlyn hesitated, then nodded. "A little."
Vi was surprised by the honesty. Caitlyn was confident in most things, so hearing her admit she was nervous about something felt oddly… personal.
"You’ll do great," Vi said, pushing a plate of biscuits toward her. "You’re probably the best flier trying out."
Caitlyn gave her a look. "You haven’t seen the other hopefuls yet."
"I don’t need to," Vi said. "I’ve seen you fly."
Caitlyn’s ears went slightly pink, and she ducked her head to take a sip of her cocoa. Vi didn’t mention it.
"What about you?" Caitlyn asked after a pause. "You’re confident, but are you actually ready?"
Vi smirked. "Please. I’ve been practicing. Mylo and Claggor came over and brought me an extra broom over the summer and we would practice.”
Caitlyn raised an eyebrow. "You mean the same Mylo and Claggor who think jumping off moving staircases is a game?"
"Listen," Vi said, pointing a half-eaten biscuit at her, "just because they make questionable life choices doesn’t mean they don’t have good ideas sometimes."
Caitlyn sighed. "This explains so much about you."
Vi just grinned, propping her chin in her hand. "And yet, you’re still here sneaking into the kitchens with me."
Caitlyn shook her head but didn’t argue.
They sat in comfortable silence for a while, picking at their food and sipping cocoa while the house-elves bustled around them. Every now and then, Tibby would scurry past, asking if they needed anything else, and Caitlyn would always thank her in a way that made the tiny elf beam.
Eventually, Caitlyn glanced at the enchanted clock on the wall and sighed. "We should head back. Tryouts or not, we still have classes tomorrow."
Vi groaned but stood, grabbing one last biscuit for the road. "Fine. But if we get caught, you’re taking the blame."
Caitlyn gave her a flat look. "That’s not how this works."
"It is now," Vi said, stuffing the biscuit in her mouth.
Tibby saw them off, waving enthusiastically as they slipped back through the door into the dim corridor.
They moved quietly through the halls, retracing their path back toward Gryffindor Tower. At one point, Caitlyn reached out and grabbed Vi’s sleeve, pulling her back just in time to avoid Filch’s lantern swinging past an intersecting hallway. They pressed themselves against the stone wall, hearts pounding in unison as they waited for the sound of his muttering footsteps to fade.
Once the coast was clear, Vi turned to Caitlyn with a wide grin. "Admit it. That was fun."
Caitlyn rolled her eyes, but there was amusement behind it. "I will admit no such thing."
Vi smirked as they finally reached the portrait of the Fat Lady, whispering the password before slipping inside. The common room was dark and quiet, the fire reduced to low embers in the hearth.
As they climbed the stairs to their dormitory, Caitlyn nudged Vi lightly with her shoulder.
"Thanks for the distraction," she said softly.
Vi hesitated for only a second before nudging her back. "Anytime, Kiramman."
They slipped into their respective beds, and sleep found them both much faster this time around.