Chapter 6 - Surprise!

It was very late by the time the four got back from Hogsmeade, but they were starving so decided to sneak down to the kitchens to get a bite to eat. It was a large feat to fit everyone under the Invisiblility Cloak, and was nearly eleven o' clock when they reached the painting of a bowl of fruit on the third floor.

"Hermione, you don't seem too bothered about the house-elves SLAVING over us anymore..." taunted Ron.

"Shut it Ron, I'm STARVING. I'm sure they will understand," Hermione snapped back, while tickling the pear to open the secret entrance. They slid off the cloak.

The kitchen was full of house elves, all as busy as bees, washing dishes, mopping the floors, cleaning the ovens, and three elves bustled over to them. One, in a high, squeaky voice asked, "Can Tark help you, sirs and misses?"

"Yes, if you would, Tark, we missed dinner and was wondering if you had any left-overs we could have," Harry said politely to the elf who had spoken.

"Of course, sir," said Tark, and the other two elves scurried around, putting together plates of food for them. Soon they were brought steaming plates of meatloaf and steamed vegetables, and a goblet each of cold pumpkin juice.

"WOW," Mari whispered, after taking a swig of the pumpkin juice, "This stuff is great! My compliments to the chef." A chubby elf wearing a pillowcase shaped as an apron and another pillowcase piled on his head fashioned as a chef's hat bowed to Mari. As they were walking back to the Gryffindor Common Room, something dawned on Mari.

"Where will I sleep?"

"In the girl's dormitory, of course," Hermione said. "You wouldn't want to sleep in the boy's--"

BOOM. They had run into something! Startled, Harry looked in the direction of the crash.

"Hello, Harry. Out for a midnight stroll?" The deep, amused voice came from no other than Albus Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts. Mari gasped.

"Hmm...Harry, will you be kind enough to introduce me to your new friend? Feeling defeated and amazed, Harry pulled the cloak off of the four of them.

"Er...this is Marielle. Marielle, Professor Dumbledore..." Dumbledore extended a hand, his bright blue eyes sparkling with amusement. Mari took it.

"I'm honoured, Professor," Mari said, wishing for something better to say to this awesome man.

"Professor," Hermione piped up, "how did you know Marielle was here?" Dumbledore smiled.

"I saw Harry leave the castle that night, even if he was under his father's cloak. I knew what he was off to do, because I myself had gotten wind of what was to take place that night. And when I saw him return at dawn, I observed that he was not alone." Harry nodded.

"So...what is my punishment?" Harry asked hesitantly.

"Punishment? I hardly think your actions warrant a reprimand." Ron breathed out a sigh of relief. "However, I would like to know what your reasons were for bringing Marielle here, and how you were able to break the Muggle barrier to get her in."

"Well, I brought her here because she knows about us -- about the wizarding world, and Hogwarts, and me..."

"And how is that?" Dumbledore looked alarmed. It was now Marielle's turn to speak.

"Well, there are books, in he Muggle world, written about Harry Potter, and Hogwarts. It seems as though the author found out about you, and wrote novels about what she knows. Everyone thinks the novels are fiction though, so your secret is safe. But I believed that your world really did exist, and I'd someday--" Mari began to turn pink. "--someday will meet Harry Potter...and I did."

(A/N - Wai! I just LOVE that last sentence. R/R. Until later. )