Chapter 206 — Christmas Eve (Part 3)
The food, of course, came from the Hogwarts kitchens. The house-elves there were endlessly enthusiastic—ready to whip up anything you requested, even outside regular mealtimes. They always welcomed return visits with cheerful smiles and heaps of pastries.
Phineas shook his head.
"I'm not talking about the kitchens themselves," he said. "I mean the room behind the kitchen."
George, Fred, and Lee Jordan all looked momentarily stunned.
Whenever they went down to the kitchens, they were usually swarmed by house-elves eager for them to taste something or carry off a basket of treats. None of them had ever noticed another door.
"There's a room back there?" Jordan asked, skeptical.
"I'm not sure," Phineas admitted. "But that's exactly why I want to check."
The twins exchanged a glance, eyes gleaming.
"This is an adventure," George grinned. "We're in."
Phineas smiled slightly.
"Maybe. But we'll need to figure out how to get in without the house-elves noticing. I doubt they'll appreciate us snooping."
"Why would they stop us?" Jordan asked, puzzled.
Fred waved a hand dismissively.
"They're just house-elves. They won't stop us from walking around."
George frowned.
"I wouldn't be so sure."
Phineas nodded.
"If that room has anything to do with Helga Hufflepuff—"
"Then the house-elves might try to keep us out," George finished grimly.
Fred blinked, realization dawning.
"And if they catch us sneaking around, we might not be welcome in the kitchens anymore."
Phineas sighed.
"Exactly. And unlike other parts of the castle, the Disillusionment Charm or an Invisibility Cloak won't fool house-elves."
Jordan looked surprised, but George explained,
"House-elves, like goblins, are extremely sensitive to magical signatures."
"And their own magic isn't restricted at Hogwarts," Fred added.
Jordan nodded slowly.
"You mentioned that before—it's why your Puff can go to Hogsmeade freely."
Phineas smiled.
"Speaking of which—do you want to go to Hogsmeade for Christmas?"
From third year onward, students could visit Hogsmeade during holidays if their guardians signed a consent form. Unlike Diagon Alley, which was primarily commercial, Hogsmeade was practically a wizarding town—full of shops, history, and life.
George and Fred lit up instantly.
"Of course!"
"I heard Zonko's has a new product out!"
Phineas nodded.
"Good. Let's go together the day after tomorrow. I want to explore ways to get around the elves unnoticed. And to be honest, I doubt Hufflepuff's treasure would be hidden in a kitchen corridor."
George laughed and slung an arm around Phineas's shoulder.
"Doesn't matter if there's treasure or not—we're in it for the adventure."
Fred nodded in agreement.
"Exactly! So, how about we relax tonight in the usual place?"
By "usual place," Fred meant the Room of Requirement. The four of them had long since adopted it as their secret base, even before most students had heard of it. Many of their prank prototypes and projects were developed there and left in storage between sessions.
Phineas agreed.
"Good idea. I don't want to be in the Slytherin common room tonight. It's the start of holidays—they'll be noisy all night."
His private room in the Room of Requirement was cozy, complete with a large fireplace that filled the space with gentle warmth.
Fred and Jordan lounged in armchairs by the hearth, skewering bread, mushrooms, sausages, and other treats to roast over the fire. Meanwhile, Phineas and George sat cross-legged on a plush carpet, deep in a game of wizard chess.
Wizard chess, while similar to Muggle chess in rules and layout, was far more animated. The pieces were sentient, following spoken commands and bickering with players they didn't trust. Most pieces wouldn't obey anyone but their rightful owner, which made borrowing a set frustrating for newcomers.
Fortunately, that wasn't an issue for these four.
Originally, the Weasley twins didn't own personal chess sets. Their family only had two: one belonged to Arthur, and the other was passed down to Ron from their grandfather. Both were considered shared property at home.
Last year, however, Phineas had given each twin their own set—well-crafted and full of personality. Jordan played with the set he'd had since childhood. Though a bit worn, his pieces were deeply in sync with him, often making moves before he even issued commands.
The fire crackled, the scent of roasting food filled the air, and the low rumble of animated chess pieces shouting strategy added to the warmth of the night. For a while, at least, they could forget about secrets and danger and just be boys—clever, curious, and free.