Chapter 19: Zoe and Peeves

Pear squirmed as if ticklish, giggling softly before transforming into a green doorknob. Theo grabbed the handle and yanked it open, and one by one, the group stepped through.

The room was vast—its size and layout identical to the Great Hall above, with four long tables stretching across the space, all empty. Along the stone walls, countless gleaming kitchen utensils sparkled in the dim light. At the far end stood a brick fireplace, its flames roaring high, casting warm shadows and filling the air with the rich, mouthwatering smell of roasted meat.

The room teemed with peculiar creatures—small, mischievous beings with enormous bat-like ears, bulging round eyes like frogs, each the size of a tennis ball. They had long, pencil-thin noses and slender limbs, their bodies draped in tea towels emblazoned with the Hogwarts crest, which they wore like robes.

Hearing the commotion, every creature turned in unison, their eyes alight with eager anticipation. Yet they didn’t swarm forward. Instead, wherever the students looked, the little beings bowed deeply, curtsying with reverence, their movements precise and respectful.

“Oh my goodness!” Michael breathed, eyes wide with awe. “So many House-elves!”

“Welcome to the Hogwarts Kitchen!” Theo spread his arms dramatically. “The best place in the entire castle!”

“Ask for anything you want,” Liam added, grinning. “The little elves are incredibly hospitable.”

“Hello,” Wade said, bending down to look at the nearest House-elf. “Could you get us some food?”

“Of course! Of course, sir!” the elf squeaked, voice trembling with delight. “It is an honor!”

With joyful haste, the elves scurried forward, bearing a dazzling array of treats—pies, steaks, roasted potatoes, éclairs, raisin pudding, and more. They also brought orange juice, pumpkin juice, vegetable juice, and even two bottles of Butterbeer. After the group had eaten their fill, the elves returned with an endless parade of desserts, determined to leave no one unsatisfied.

“I can’t eat another bite,” Neville groaned, holding a melting ice cream cone and taking a single, reluctant lick.

“Most Hufflepuffs know where the kitchen is,” Theo told Michael. “Our Common Room’s just nearby. So it’s kind of a well-kept secret. And let me tell you—our Common Room is always stocked with snacks. Hufflepuff never goes hungry!”

“Sounds heavenly,” Michael sighed, sipping his Butterbeer. “Why wasn’t I sorted into Hufflepuff?”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Liam snorted. “I heard you say during Sorting—you’d rather drop out than end up in Hufflepuff.”

“Ravenclaw’s not so great either,” Michael groaned, slumping dramatically. “The Tower’s so high—really, so high. I’m exhausted just climbing the stairs every day. I have to psych myself up every time I go back after class…”

He sounded a little tipsy, his voice dripping with mock despair.

Wade, meanwhile, had managed to stop himself from overeating—though he wasn’t used to alcohol. Just two rum-filled chocolate truffles and one Butterbeer had already left him slightly unsteady, his vision blurring at the edges.

He rested his chin on his hand, lazily yawning, and began naming the House-elves one by one.

“Coco… Amy… Becky… Habi… Lola… Fell…”

To be called by name was clearly a great honor for the elves. They lined up one by one, whispering their names to Wade as if performing a sacred ritual.

“Hmm… Zoe? You’re a girl, right?” Wade paused, recognizing the one who’d first spoken to him.

Truthfully, all the elves looked like wrinkled old men—faceless, genderless, dressed alike. But this one’s tea towel bore a tiny embroidered flower. A subtle clue.

“Yes… yes, Mr. Gray,” Zoe stammered, fingers twisting nervously. “I’m a girl.”

“Do you usually clean the rooms and wash clothes?” Wade asked.

“Yes, sir,” Zoe nodded vigorously, her large eyes fixed on him with earnestness. “I, Habi, and Fell take care of Ravenclaw Tower.”

Wade studied her more closely. That tiny flower on her towel—it was unmistakably feminine.

“Do you clean the rest of the castle too?” he asked.

“Yes, sir.”

“And you brought our luggage from the train?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Thank you,” Wade sighed. “That must be exhausting work.”

“No—no, sir!” Zoe protested quickly. “We love working! It’s not hard at all. It’s the lack of work that would be unbearable!”

The elves all chimed in, declaring how diligently they served—how they polished every silverware until it shone, how they scrubbed muddy shoes clean, how they slipped in and out of rooms without a sound, never disturbing anyone. They were, in their own words, excellent House-elves.

Wade watched them in silence, expression unreadable.

…

By the time dinner ended, it was nearly curfew. The elves pressed more cream cakes and jelly-filled doughnuts into their hands before retreating to their respective Houses.

Wade and Michael climbed the moving stairs, puffing and panting from the effort. Just as they reached a high, narrow corridor, the armor along the wall flickered—then, with a sudden lurch, a white figure shot out, screaming like a wild beast.

“Ah!” Michael yelped, stumbling and collapsing onto the floor.

“Hahaha—HAHAHA!” The figure laughed, floating midair, kicking his legs wildly.

“Peeves!” Michael groaned, scrambling up. “You’re always hiding here to scare people!”

Peeves was a unique ghost at Hogwarts—capable of both phasing through walls and taking solid form, able to touch and manipulate objects. As his name suggested, he was a mischievous prankster through and through.

“Look here!” Peeves circled the two boys, grinning wickedly. “Two little wizards out past curfew! What a delightful surprise! I’m going to call Filch—catch you two little troublemakers!”

That was his favorite game: chasing night-wandering students through the halls, scaring them half to death, yanking robes, pulling hair—just for fun. But this time, he’d miscalculated.

Wade raised his wand. Instantly, a line of golden letters appeared in midair, displaying the current time.

“Ha!” Michael gasped, laughing despite his breathlessness. “Seven minutes until curfew! You can’t fool us, Peeves!”

Peeves’s round eyes narrowed, then gleamed with cunning. “Seven minutes… not enough time to make it back to Ravenclaw Tower.”

“True,” Wade said calmly. “But by the time you drag Filch here, we’ll already be in bed.”

Peeves scowled, muttering under his breath. “Hmph. Boring Ravenclaws.” With a dramatic flip, he floated away, off in search of another victim to torment.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end