CHAPTER 6
The Kitchens

'It's our turn to patrol,' said Curtis.

Andromeda looked up from her essay and released a long sigh. She had been working on her Potions homework and had completely forgotten about her prefect duties. 'What about the new guys?' she asked hopefully.

'The fifth years did it last week.'

Reluctantly, she stood up. Next to her, Maggie let out a little laugh. 'You really don't live up to your reputation, you know?'

'What, unlike you?' replied Andromeda, shoving her books and parchments inside her bag.

'I am never too lazy for prefect duties.'

'Sure.'

Maggie laughed again. 'You're just jealous because I said I wouldn't go to Hogsmeade with you.'

Andromeda chuckled. 'Please, I only asked because your brother begged me.'

Maggie's jaw dropped. 'Liantris?'

'Let's go then,' said Andromeda, throwing her hair back and twirling on her heel.

She left the library with Curtis, but the thing was, Andromeda really did not want to patrol tonight. Originally, it was because of laziness, but as she walked the corridors with Curtis pointedly putting an unnaturally large distance between them, Andromeda was ready to run back to the Common Room and lock herself in her dormitory so that no one could force her out. Awkwardness was not a strong enough word to express what she felt in that instant. The silence was so tense that she visibly jumped when Curtis broke it. Thankfully, he had been looking the other way.

'I'm a little tired,' he said, 'wouldn't it go faster if we went our own way and met up when we're done?'

'You're right,' said Andromeda before immediately turning a corner in one swift motion.

It was a rather rude escape but she was not sure she cared at this point. They had not really decided on each other's perimeter but it was not the first time they had divided the castle that way to speed things up. Hopefully, Curtis would do his part and no student would be out at this time of night. Not that it happened often anyway. Merlin was this entire patrolling thing useless!

Naturally, just as the idea crossed her mind, footsteps echoed in the corridors. Repressing a curse, she hurried slightly to catch the trespasser. Silently, she sneaked around a corner, her best disapproving face on, and raised her eyes. Her face fell immediately.

'You again!' she exclaimed despite herself.

Ted Tonks froze, a pile of sweets and cakes in his arm. The sight would have been comical if Andromeda was not so dumbfounded to stumble upon him once more. Did he do it on purpose?

'Err… Wotcher!' he said.

Andromeda covered her face in her hand, exasperated. Tonks was smiling at her with dumb embarrassment met with a tinge of happiness. He tried to wave at her but the dangerously high pile of food in his hand wavered and he had to outdo himself in terms of physical prowess to prevent anything from falling. Andromeda raised an eyebrow when he tucked out his tongue, looking thoroughly focused. She looked away to contain the smile that threatened to break her mask of indifference and sighed louder.

'You're out of your Common Room after curfew,' she said.

Tonks let out an embarrassed chuckle. 'Yeah, I know, but it was just for a second,' he said. 'I'm not one of those rebels.'

Andromeda gave him a doubtful look. 'Your hands are full of food.'

Tonks's eyes opened wider, as if he hadn't noticed. 'Oh, that? It's not what you think!'

'What do I think?' asked Andromeda. Truth was, she had no idea what to make of this entire situation.

Tonks looked taken aback for a second. 'Oh, well, err… I don't know. But I can explain.'

'Please, do.'

'Today's my friend's birthday, and we're throwing him a little party in the Common Room.' Andromeda opened her mouth to interrupt but Tonks hurriedly blurted the last words. 'I went to the kitchens to get more cake! We didn't have any left.'

Andromeda froze and raised an eyebrow. 'The kitchens?' she asked. Tonks nodded apprehendingly. 'You know where they are?' Again, Tonks nodded. Andromeda bit her lip, trying to supress any sign of curiosity or excitement. 'Are we allowed there?'

This time, the boy wobbled uncomfortably. 'Well… Not per say, but, really, knowing that it's five feet away from our Common Room, I mean…'

'Really? Five feet away?'

'Well, no, not five feet. I haven't measured the distance, you know.'

'Well, where are they?'

'What?'

'The kitchens.'

Ted rose an eyebrow. 'You're not going to take points away from me?' he asked.

Andromeda hesitated. She honestly could not care less about the rules and would only take points from him if she thought it would guarantee Slytherin to win the House Cup, but this early into the school year, the House Cup meant absolutely nothing. What was much more interesting was the location of the kitchens. She had never been one to explore the castle but it was famous that the kitchens were well hidden and nearly inaccessible. No one in the Slytherin House had any idea where they could be. Andromeda still was not even sure where the Hufflepuff Common Room was. If disregarding some irrelevant rules would finally quench her curiosity, why not do it?

Having come to that conclusion, she looked back at Ted – at Tonks! – and threw him a decided stare.

'Not if you take me there,' she said.

She knew that talking to him was crazy. Asking him to take her somewhere was practically the epitome of madness. But as long as nobody knew, therewas no harm donne. If Bellatrix had her secrets, so could she.

Confusion, doubt and excitement toggled on Tonks' face before he finally gave her one of those big, bright, dimpled smiles that were starting to feel familiar.

'Alright!' he said. 'Let's go!'

He took off decidedly but came to a stop a step later. As the pile of food wobbled in his arms, he hesitated, looked back, looked front, looked at Andromeda's unbreachable poker face, before finally shrugging and continuing on his way. Andromeda suppressed a chuckle and followed him from an appropriate distance, expecting to walk silently. Naturally, Tonks saw things differently.

'I might be showing you one of my House's biggest secrets,' he said.

Andromeda shrugged. 'Hufflepuffs do not own the kitchens,' she replied.

He laughed. 'Yes, but we, and a few chosen others, are the only ones to know where they are.' Andromeda did not reply so Ted took it as an invitation to carry on. 'It's for the better of course.' He waited, clearly waiting for Andromeda to ask "why", but the girl was determined not to. Tonks' disappointment lasted only a second. 'It's better for the cooks,' he said, still cryptic.

Andromeda nodded although she had absolutely no idea what he was talking about. She could take a guess, of course, but she would have the answer in front of her in less than a minute and therefore did not deem the effort necessary. Looking up, she met Tonks eyes. A broad grin playing on his lips made her feel uneasy. He knew something she did not and it hurt her pride. Repressing a huff, she turned away and barely noticed him come to an abrupt stop in front of a large painting. Last second reflexes saved her from an awkward collision with his square back, an experience she had already lived through. She took several steps back and thought she saw the faintest blush on Tonks' cheeks. He looked away before she could be certain.

'We're here,' he said, his voice a little higher than usual.

Andromeda raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms. 'We're in the middle of an empty corridor,' she noted.

Tonks grinned boyishly. 'True,' he said, taking out his wand. Andromeda stood straighter, tensed. But Tonks was no threat.

'Lumos,' he said.

Under the new light, Andromeda watched him as he gently tickled the pear painted in the fruit ball. She was about to call him crazy and instead nearly jumped when the painting wavered before gliding to the side. It seemed silly, now, that she had not expected it, but as she watched the piece of magic unfold before her eyes, she was surprised at how excited it made her feel. Tonks seemed to understand the expression on her face. He smiled from ear to ear, drawing lines at the crest of his eyes, and waved towards her, prompting her to follow him. She did not need to be told twice.

Stepping into the passageway, she could not help a loud gasp from escaping her lips. The room in which she found herself was immense, brightly lit with numerous candles, warmed with the dancing flames of a large fireplace, and dizzying with the myriad of flavoury smells twirling in playful spirals under her nose. But most extraordinary of all was the sheer number of house-elves before which she found herself standing. Andromeda was no stranger to house-elves; her family owned one and so did her Uncle Orion and Aunt Walburga. They were small, ugly, pitiful creatures, trudging around as if about to give in at any time. Andromeda felt a mix of revulsion and compassion towards those creatures and, uneasy with the conflicting feelings, always preferred keeping her distance.

The elves in front of her, however, were different from those she knew. They were healthy, bright, and their skin glowed with golden pigments so different from the bleak grey Andromeda was used to seeing. They smiled from one big flappy ear to the other when Ted and her entered the room. Quickly, she was surrounded by a little army of elves bouncing excitedly at her feet, asking a thousand questions; was she hungry? Did she want to eat something? Did she want to drink something? Did she want…?

She threw a helpless look at Ted who met it with a smile both reassuring and amused. She smiled also when he turned around to put down his pile of food on the nearest table.

'Everyone,' he said, 'would you mind giving me a bag for all this food?'

The elves fell silent. Andromeda raised an eyebrow, Ted answered with a playful wink. Before she could ask anything, a sudden rush put her off balance. The elves set themselves into motion excitedly, hoping from left to right with bubbling hysteria and leaving Andromeda as lost as ever. Some took her by the hands and forced her into an armchair near the fireplace. Before she knew it, she had a cup of hot chocolate in the hands and a warm cookie in the other. Ted joined her a minute later, a large bag over one shoulder, ambling to her with calm amusement. Two elves followed him in circle but he refused their many offers politely and patiently. Andromeda was impressed.

He sat on the armchair next to hers and smiled one of his big bright smiles. She looked away, to the fireplace. He must not think we're friendly now, she thought. That would not do any good to either of them. Tonks, however, seemed unaffected.

'So,' he said. 'What do you think?'

Andromeda hesitated before answering. She wondered how honest she could be, how much it would cost her. 'It's… impressive.'

Ted looked around, nodding. 'It is,' he agreed. 'That's why I think it's better that only a few people know about this place. The elves enjoy our company, but too many students would probably cause more harm than good.'

For the first time, Andromeda could not detect any trace of laughter in his voice. He was completely serious. She was confused. She remained silent. Her lack of reply had him turn to look at her. Their eyes met and, again, she thought she saw the usual golden tone of his light skin redden with a tinge of pink. She raised an eyebrow. He looked away.

'Do you…' he started, his voice lower than usual and hesitant. 'Do you want something? To drink, I mean. Or to eat. Whatever you… whatever you want.'

A smirk on her lips, Andromeda raised slightly the hot chocolate and warm cookie she was holding in each hand. Ted saw it and chuckled.

'Right,' he said, clearly embarrassed as he awkwardly scratched the back of his neck. 'I… yeah.'

Before she could help it, a laugh escaped Andromeda's lips. She leaned forward and gave him the cookie, replying to the surprise on his face with a half smirk.

'I'm not hungry,' she said. 'Don't refuse it I'm not in the mood for that kind of fight.'

Ted hesitated a second more, before giving in with a soft smile. 'Thanks,' he breathed, and took a bite. His eyes closed as he let the taste melt into his mouth. When he opened them again, he turned to a little house-elf, standing discreetly behind his armchair, all hunched up and shivering.

'Those cookies are incredible, Minky,' he said brightly. 'Did you cook them?' Minky nodded timidly, lowering her eyes as she blushed vividly. 'I knew it,' continued Ted. 'I always recognise your cooking. It's the best.'

He was surprisingly charming. Andromeda hated to say it but the thought was too loud in her head for her to dismiss. She could not look away as he talked to this little elf, his voice soft, his eyes glowing, his smile blinding. He was charming in a way Andromeda would never had expected and in a way, she did not know could affect her so strongly. The only other boy who had surprised her that way was Liantris Greengrass. A year older than her, he always strolled around Hogwarts like a prince in his castle, but under his cocky demeanour, Andromeda knew him to be a kind, caring person.

Ted reminded her of him in the easiness with which he talked. The ability with which he seemed to navigate others' feelings. How spot on his words could be. At least how they appeared to be as she observed his conversation with the tiny creature. But Ted was nothing like Liantris. He was a Muggle-born, he was a Hufflepuff, he was shorter, stocky, his smiles always seemed honest, his eyes playful, his voice comforting…

Andromeda jumped on her feet, nearly knocking back the armchair behind her.

'I'm exhausted,' she snapped, much more aggressively than she had intended.

Ted threw her a worried look, confused. 'Oh,' he said. 'You want to leave?'

She nodded. Minky hurriedly took the half-emptied cup from Andromeda's hands and disappeared in short, quick steps. Ted – no, Tonks! – threw his bag over his shoulder once more and waited for her to pass in front of him before following. She nearly nodded in approval but stopped herself at the last second. Instead, she passed him without so much as a glance.

She left without a word to anybody, wondering slightly if she should have thanked the house-elves. Tonks was thanking them. In her house, the idea would have been ridiculous. She waited for him outside and he was quick to meet her. They exchanged expectant looks in awkward silence for what seemed like way too long before Andromeda let out a long sigh.

'Thanks,' she said.

For some reason, Tonks looked taken aback. 'Oh. No problem,' he replied with a pleasant smile. 'I thought you were angry.'

She grunted. 'I'm not. I just…' No, she was not going to express the complexity of her psyche to this Muggle-born stranger. 'Anyway,' she said instead. 'We're even now. You should hurry back to your birthday party. Everyone must be starving because of me.'

Ted laughed brightly. 'Slytherins starving Hufflepuffs! This school really is going downhill!' he joked, and despite herself, Andromeda found herself laughing too.

'Don't mention this to anybody, though,' she said once she had calmed down. Her voice was soft, not menacing. Bellatrix would have threatened him. No, Bellatrix would never have talked to him in the first place. The dark corridors seemed much more oppressive suddenly.

'I won't,' said Tonks. 'Just like with the Owlery.'

Andromeda glanced at him and the frown of his brows confused her. 'Yes…' she whispered. 'Thank you about that.'

'It was rude, the way you just left,' Ted said suddenly, and although he had pronounced the word with his usual honey voice, there was an edge to it that had her shiver. 'But I assumed you had your reasons.' She did not reply. He sighed. 'Whatever. I'm not going to tell anyone, I promise.'

She threw him a quizzical look. He hesitated. Finally, he raised a hand, waved hesitantly, and left with an awkward smile but a bright 'Good night!'. He was a few feet away when Andromeda replied in a whisper. By the slight tinge of his head, she thought he might have heard.

Turning on her heels, she shook her head and decided not to care. She met Curtis in front of the Slytherin Common Room, waiting for her. She barely took the time to respond when he asked her where she'd been and if everything went well. She said she was tired and made straight for her dormitory. She was confused. She was confused because she could not help but feel as if she was missing out on something, and she did not know what. She could not help but feel as if everyone around her was aware of some secret that she was not. She could not help but feel as if she was walking a path surrounded by gigantic walls to which she had never paid attention before, and she was the only one who had never had the curiosity to look beyond. She was not happy about that.

She blamed Ted Tonks for making her feel bad about things she never had felt bad about before.