Leonard spent an hour running back to Hogwarts.
Even with a body strengthened by the Ancient Sprout, such a long trip back and forth was too much. By the time he returned to the castle, he was starving and parched.
Dinner was still some time away, though, so to keep from going hungry, Leonard had no choice but to make a trip to the kitchen.
As a Hufflepuff living right next to it, how could he possibly turn down the food generously offered by the ever-hospitable house-elves?
Ever since his first visit, Leonard had fallen in love with the place. No matter the hour, the house-elves would welcome him warmly, filling his stomach with freshly baked cookies and pastries—and stuffing his pockets too.
Dragging his tired body, Leonard went down to the basement and stopped in front of a large oil painting.
The painting showed a fruit platter sitting on a table.
Leonard reached out and scratched the pear on the platter. It giggled, turned into a doorknob, and he pushed the door open.
The handle itself was nothing more than a lock. In truth, once the handle appeared, you only needed to push to get inside.
Hogwarts' kitchen was a rather secret place. Aside from Hufflepuffs, who were closest to the house-elves, very few students from other houses knew about it.
Some never found the door. Some found the door but not the mechanism. Others discovered both the door and the mechanism yet didn't realize it had to be pushed open.
Only curious—and lucky—students ever managed to stumble upon Hogwarts' kitchen.
Hufflepuffs, of course, had it easier. New students like Leonard were always told by helpful upperclassmen where the kitchen was and how to get in, with strict reminders never to reveal the secret to anyone outside their house.
Hufflepuffs were very good at keeping secrets.
When Leonard pushed the door open, a lively kitchen came into view after just a few steps.
Dinner time was drawing near, and the house-elves were hard at work preparing the evening meal. One glance was enough for Leonard to figure out the menu.
French vegetable soup with roasted potatoes and meat patties.
A bit of an odd combination, but wizards didn't care about things like that—and neither did Leonard. As long as it tasted good, that was enough.
It didn't take long for the house-elves to notice him. Whether they were busy or not, they all hurried over to gather around him.
"Is there anything we can do for you?"
"Would you like to try tonight's dessert?"
"Something to drink, perhaps?"
...
The enthusiastic house-elves crowded around Leonard, and a few came running over with trays of freshly baked cookies.
He drank a large glass of iced honey water, ate a few warm honey cookies, and just as he was about to leave, the eager elves shoved a paper bag full of cookies into his hands before letting him go.
At the kitchen doorway, Leonard wiped the sweat from his forehead, let out a burp, and walked toward the common room with a helpless sort of contentment.
These house-elves were far too enthusiastic. If he came here every day, Leonard worried he'd soon end up with a body like Goyle or Crabbe.
That was a terrifying thought.
Back in the Hufflepuff common room, Leonard carried the bulging paper bag of honey cookies through the passageway. He was just about to invite everyone to share when he saw a scene that made him want to smack his own forehead.
Clearly, he wasn't the only Hufflepuff who'd had the same idea.
By the fireplace, several Hufflepuffs were already crowded around a sofa, happily devouring piles of sweets.
Aside from those who'd gone to the library, most of the house was gathered here. Some were even doing their homework in the common room—but how effective their studying was with snacks and chatter all around was anyone's guess.
"Oh, more snacks!" Justin spotted Leonard and waved him over. "Come here, Leonard, we're having a dessert party."
Leonard's face twitched slightly as he emptied the modest bag of cookies onto a plate.
He'd intended to share them anyway—better for everyone to enjoy together.
Justin grabbed one first, took a bite, and nodded. "Fresh honey cookies. We haven't had these before."
Leonard glanced at the table stacked high with all kinds of treats, his eyes narrowing.
Custard biscuits from noon, made for the students studying in the Great Hall. Cranberry cookies baked around two in the afternoon. Pancakes dripping with maple syrup. Fresh pumpkin juice…
And now, his honey cookies added to the mix. It was obvious this dessert feast had been going on for quite a while, with Hufflepuffs continuously joining in and bringing something new each time.
"With all these sweets, are you even planning to eat dinner later?" Leonard teased.
"Of course we are. Dessert doesn't conflict with dinner," Ernie said around a mouthful of cookie. "By the way, Leonard, where have you been? Haven't seen you all day."
"I was walking around the castle, looking for a quiet place to practice magic," Leonard replied casually.
It seemed word of him saving Malfoy hadn't spread yet. Then again, the students near the Great Hall at that time were the studious type. Even if they heard something interesting, they wouldn't rush to tell their friends—at most, they'd discuss it in the Hall.
Once the Hufflepuffs who'd been there returned, Leonard's actions would surely spread through the house. Everyone would soon know he had set aside past grudges to rescue the foolish Slytherin trapped in Devil's Snare.
"Well, you did miss someone," Ernie said after swallowing his cookie and taking a sip of tea. "A girl came looking for you. She waited outside the common room for quite a while."
"A girl came looking for me?" Leonard froze. "Who?"
Could it be Hermione?
"She's a Ravenclaw," Justin cut in quickly. "Looked pretty cute, too."
A Ravenclaw? The only Ravenclaw girl he'd had any real interaction with was one.
Leonard thought of Padma Patil, his partner in Potions. Because Snape singled him out, she'd suffered alongside him as his unlucky partner.
But what would she want with him?