Chapter 162: "Halloween 1992"
As Halloween dawned at Hogwarts, the castle was abuzz with excitement. The Great Hall had been transformed into a spectacular display of autumnal splendor. Live bats fluttered overhead, their wings casting eerie shadows across the enchanted ceiling. Hagrid's enormous pumpkins, carved into lanterns large enough to house three men comfortably, glowed with an otherworldly light. Whispers of Dumbledore booking a troupe of dancing skeletons for entertainment circulated among the students, adding to the festive atmosphere.
Harry, however, was not in a festive mood. His detection wards near the Chamber of Secrets' entrance had yet to be triggered, but he knew with certainty that today, the Chamber would be opened. Even if Ginny Weasley wasn't the one to do it this time, Harry was sure that Halloween in the wizarding world was cursed to bring chaos.
As he walked through the corridors, dodging excited first-years and dodging Peeves' attempts to drop water balloons on unsuspecting students, Harry's mind wandered to the many questions he had about the Chamber itself. How could such a massive basilisk move through the castle undetected? The pipe system explanation from the books seemed implausible. Were the pipes truly that large? Did they have multiple entrances and exits to facilitate the creature's secret movement?
Harry imagined the castle's intricate network of pipes, wondering if Salazar Slytherin had been involved in designing the castle, purposely including this network for his "pet." And if, as Gryffindor's letter suggested, the snake was meant to protect the school, why the need for such an elaborate hidden system? These questions and more swirled in Harry's mind, and he was determined to uncover the answers this year.
As evening approached, Harry prepared for his usual routine of skipping the feast in favor of a quiet meal in the kitchens. However, as he attempted to leave the Ravenclaw common room, he found his path blocked by a group of familiar faces.
"Surprise!" chorused his friends, grinning widely.
Harry blinked in confusion. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at the feast?"
Arabella stepped forward, her expression a mix of concern and determination. "After what happened last year with the troll, we decided to spend the night with you. This way, we won't have to worry about your well-being when something inevitably goes wrong. Three out of the four years, something has gone awry on Halloween, so we're accompanying you this time."
Roger nodded enthusiastically, his stomach growling audibly. "Plus, we're curious about where you disappear to when you skip the amazing feast. It must be somewhere good if you're willing to miss out on all that food!"
Harry was taken aback by their thoughtfulness. He quickly weighed his options. On one hand, this would provide him with a solid alibi during the Chamber's opening, protecting him from suspicion of being the Heir of Slytherin. On the other, it would prevent him from staking out the Chamber's entrance to find the opener as he had planned.
After a moment's consideration, he decided that the company of his friends outweighed the potential drawbacks. He could always use the Marauder's Map later to track down the diary holder.
"Alright," Harry conceded with a smile. "Follow me. I'll show you an amazing place in the castle with unlimited food."
Roger's eyes lit up. "Unlimited food? I can't wait!"
Harry led the group through the castle's winding corridors, eventually bringing them to an area near the Hufflepuff common room. As they passed by, Cedric looked around curiously. "Why did you bring us to the Hufflepuff area, Harry? I don't know of any secret place here."
"Be patient and follow me," Harry replied with a knowing smirk. He enjoyed the puzzled looks on his friends' faces as he led them down a corridor adorned with numerous paintings.
He stopped in front of a large still life depicting a bowl of fruit. "Here's the secret entrance," Harry explained, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "Just tickle the pear in this painting."
The group watched in amazement as Harry reached out and gently tickled the painted pear. To their astonishment, the pear began to giggle, its painted surface rippling with mirth before transforming into a large green door handle.
"No way," breathed Elvinia, her usual composure slipping in the face of such unexpected magic.
With a flourish, Harry pulled the handle, swinging the door open wide. "Welcome," he announced proudly, "to the Hogwarts kitchens."
As Harry's friends stepped through the doorway, their jaws dropped in collective awe. The Hogwarts kitchens were a sight to behold – a vast, high-ceilinged room, as large as the Great Hall above it. Gleaming brass pots and pans lined the stone walls, and a great brick fireplace dominated one end of the room. Four long tables, positioned exactly like their counterparts in the Great Hall, stood ready to receive the evening's feast.
But what truly caught their attention were the hundreds of house-elves bustling about the kitchen. The tiny creatures, each wearing a tea towel stamped with the Hogwarts crest, were hard at work preparing the Halloween feast. Some were chopping vegetables with lightning speed, while others stirred enormous cauldrons of soup or basted golden-brown turkeys.
"Blimey," whispered Roger, his eyes as wide as saucers. "I've never seen anything like this!"
Elvinia, always the most composed of the group, couldn't hide her amazement. "This is incredible, Harry. How did you ever find this place?"
Before Harry could answer, a familiar voice piped up. "Harry Potter, sir!" squeaked Pinky, bounding over to greet them. "Pinky is so happy to see Harry Potter! Are these your friends sir?"
Harry smiled warmly at the excitable elf. "Yes, they are, Pinky. They'll be joining me for this year's feast here. Is that okay?"
Pinky's eyes grew even wider if that was possible. "We is honored, sir! To think wizards are fine eating in our company!"
Harry knelt down to be at eye level with Pinky. "Thank you, Pinky. I always love the company here."
The other elves, noticing the newcomers, swarmed around the group. They offered platters piled high with cakes, pies, and savory treats, their large eyes shining with eagerness to please.
Cedric, recovering from his initial shock, accepted a plate of treacle tart with a polite "Thank you." He turned to Harry, his expression a mix of awe and amusement. "So this is where you've been sneaking off to on Halloween? I have to say, I'm impressed."
Everyone seemed to be enjoying the company of the excited little elves, and Harry was happy to see this. The Hogwarts elves had been very close to him since he started visiting them every now and then, asking for more food to meet his large appetite. Harry was pleased to see that his friends didn't dislike these small, bubbly beings.
As they settled around one of the tables, sampling the delicious offerings and chatting with the elves, Harry and his friends enjoyed the night. This wasn't how Harry had planned to spend the evening, but surrounded by friends and the cheerful bustle of the kitchens, he found himself genuinely enjoying Halloween for the first time in years.
However, Harry's full attention was not on the food and the company. Under the table, he secretly had the Marauder's Map opened. Nothing odd could be seen on it. The only people out of the Great Hall were Harry's group and the Golden Trio.
The golden trio of Charles, Ron, and Hermione, it looked like, were in the dungeons. Harry knew why they were there. Today was the Gryffindor ghost's 500th death day anniversary, and the group had been invited. How did Harry know this? Of course, his little spy Neville gave him regular updates on what the group was up to. Neville didn't do this out of bad intentions. He trusted Harry very much and knew the golden trio was bound to fall into dangerous situations. He hoped Harry would save them when they did.
Harry knew the golden trio would be having a bad time at the party, and he chuckled to himself, imagining the scenes he had read in the books. He then turned his attention back to the Marauder's Map, focusing on the area around Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.
As the night wore on, Harry found himself relaxing, genuinely enjoying the company of his friends and the enthusiastic house-elves. Roger was in the middle of telling a hilarious story about a prank gone wrong when Harry felt a sudden, chilling sensation.
The wards he had placed around the Chamber's entrance had been triggered.
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