Sirius' Guide to Pissing off Parents

Kitchen Encounters

"Ahh, dick! You just stood on my foot!" Sirius said, elbowing James in the side.

"Don't walk right in front of me and then stop," James replied.

"I didn't stop. I took the time it takes an average person to place their foot before stepping forward!"

"Not my fault you're a slow walker."

"Shut up, both of you," Remus scolded, pushing them forward. Sirius almost tripped over the front of the invisibility cloak and Peter squeaked as he clung to Sirius' shoulder with his little claws.

"Sorry Pete. I think we're a bit too big to fit everyone under the cloak now," Sirius whispered.

"Well, it would be fine if Moony decided not to grow freakishly tall," James replied.

Remus just heaved a put-upon sigh of someone who's had the same conversation many, many times.

When they reached the kitchens, they finally removed the cloak while Peter shifted out of his animagus form. James moved forwards and tickled the pear in the portrait. It swung open, filling the silence of the corridor with clattering and murmurings of house elves already beginning on breakfast.

Walking inside, Sirius picked up the delicious scent of bacon, pancakes, waffles, scones and a whole manner of other items he regularly saw in the Great Hall.

It was about three am, a time they'd never been to the kitchens before and he'd assumed the house elves would be asleep, but apparently not.

"Young sirs, what can Pilby fetch for you. We have some carrot cake, freshly made, or perhaps a hot chocolate?" A small elf, Pilby, asked them, after appearing out of nowhere.

"Oh!" Remus said, a smile crossing his scarred face, "some tea would be lovely."

"I won't say no to cake," James added. Peter agreed, saying he'd have some as well. Pilby bowed deeply before running off to arrange everything.

They walked a little further into the kitchen, taking in the sights and sounds of the Hogwarts kitchens.

Sirius stopped suddenly as he looked towards one of the corners, where the figure of a girl sat hunched over a small table, quill in hand.

She was in a warm looking Chudley Cannons jumper with yellow and black Hufflepuff pyjama bottoms and fluffy slippers. Her long brown hair was in two plaits. A few daisies were sewn into the braid in a way that was so inherently Hufflepuff it made Sirius smile.

As if feeling his eyes on her, she looked up, her mouth forming an O in shock. Sirius recognised her as a Hufflepuff in their year and began walking over to her, the others following behind.

"What are you doing here?" she asked as they approached, a small but uncomfortable smile crossing her face at the sight of them.

"Could ask you the same thing," James replied smoothly.

"Hi Freia!" Peter said, excitedly.

Freia Bones softened as Peter spoke. "Hi Peter, how are you?" She asked.

Sirius could vaguely remember Peter saying that he was being tutored by a Hufflepuff in their year for Charms. He'd made a joke about it being the blind leading the blind if the person helping him was a Hufflepuff. He should have known it must be Freia even then.

For Freia Bones was smart. When she'd been sorted into Hufflepuff there was an immense amount of confusion, as the Bones were known to have been Ravenclaws for generations. There was talk that the sorting hat needed to retire after she'd been made a Hufflepuff, and he, a Black, was made a Gryffindor; 'The hat's gone barmy', he'd heard as she'd walked off to her table.