Disclaimer: Don't own it.
Author's Note: Couldn't get one of the scenes in the next chapter of Binding Force to work out, so I wrote this instead. Don't worry, though, Chapter Four will be out soon...I hope.
The Fruit Bowl
Four boys huddled under an invisibility cloak as they roamed the hallways of Hogwarts. It was almost summer and the four were starting to doubt that they'd reach the goal that they had set at the beginning of the school year: to find the kitchens.
"Ow!" a tall boy with straight dark hair and gray eyes hissed quietly. "That was my foot!"
"Sorry Sirius," one of the other boys said, shifting slightly. "And we've been here already, James," he said to the boy who seemed to be the leader.
"I know," the one called James said, frustrated. He ran a hand through his already messy hair. "We've already been everywhere, Remus."
"I smell food," the fourth member of the group said suddenly, perking up.
Remus sniffed the air. "Peter's right," he said. "I smell it too."
"But where's it coming from?" Sirius asked
Remus sniffed a couple more times before deciding. "That painting. The one of the fruit bowl."
James ran a finger along the fruits. When he reached the pear, it giggled. James jumped back, shocked, and got tangled in the cloak. All four boys went down. When they looked back up, the pear had turned into a doorknob.
The boys exchanged looks, then James reached forward and turned the knob. The painting swung open, revealing a room roughly the same size as the Great Hall. Small people with huge bat-like ears were scurrying around, doing this and that.
"House-elves," Sirius breathed.
That little sound attracted the attention of several elves, who ran over to the stunned students and half pushed, half pulled them over to a small table in the corner.
"Would sirs like something to eat?" one of them squeaked.
Peter's face lit up, and he started asking for pretty much everything he liked, with the others not far behind. The house-elves seemed delighted to have so much to do.
Finally, the boys finished and they stood to go. The house-elves followed them over to the painting. "Will sirs come again?" one them asked, looking up at the boys.
"Of course," James assured it. The other boys echoed him, nodding enthusiastically.
"I love this place," Sirius said as they stepped back into the hallway. "Let's come back tomorrow night."
The other boys laughed. "And who would've guessed that the kitchens would be behind a fruit bowl?"
A/N: Not my best work, but I hope you enjoyed! Please review!