Kitchens

[Draco Malfoy]

The Hogwarts kitchens are located directly below the Great Hall and are just the same size. They have high ceilings and a great brick fireplace at one end. Mounds of brass pots and pans are heaped around the walls. There are preparation tables directly below the four house tables in the Hall above, and when the time comes for the food to be served, it is magically transported through the ceiling of the kitchen onto the plates. The kitchens are staffed by over a hundred house-elves. To get to the kitchens, take the door to the right of the main staircase in the entrance hall. Follow the corridor until you come to a painting of a bowl of fruit. Tickle the pear and it giggles and becomes a door handle (GF21).

[Leanna Barker]

Leanna found herself in the kitchens, yet again, slipping onto a bench and resting her head on the table. She was so tired. Everything was so stressful this year. She accepted a tea off the House Elves and sat it on the table next to her head. Her hands hung under the table as she stared at the cup, almost as if wishing it'd come to her mouth on its own accord.

[Alexander Chevalier]

Alex walked into the kitchen at a leisurely pace. He sighed before recognizing the other member of his house and offering her a polite smile as he took a seat across from her and asked one of the elves for some coffee. He looked to the girl then with a tilt of his head, "how are you, Leanna?"

[Leanna Barker]

Leanna lifted her head and blinked. "I'm just about as good as you'd expect anyone to be this term." Was her response. She finally lifted the tea to her lips and took a sip of the almost cold liquid. It tasted wonderful, like always, and helped her to relax and bring her mind back into order.

[Alexander Chevalier]

Alex nodded, "I understand what you mean." He received his coffee from the elf before taking a long, slow slip of the strong brew.

[Leanna Barker]

"You shouldn't drink coffee." Leanna commented. "It can make you hyperactive and it's addictive." She looked over her mug at her fellow Ravenclaw. Though they'd been in the same year, they hadn't spoken much. She thought it was time to fix that, finally. "You're French aren't you? Had the inquisition about your blood status yet? That's a delightful topic that they never seem to get tired of discussing. Like we are the ones that chose to have the parents we have." She snapped her mouth shut and sipped her tea again, needing a moment to reshuffle her thoughts.

[Alexander Chevalier]

Alex smiled slightly in reaction to Leanna's little rant. She was obviously temperamental and opinionated. "Well," he responded to her statement on the matter of his beverage choice. "I find that coffee actually helps boost my mental awareness. Perhaps I'm already an addict."

He then sighed as he considered her next set of questions. "Yes, I'm originally from France. Came here to stay with my father. As to the matter of my blood..." he trailed off before shaking his head, "not yet. I'm certain It'll happen soon though." He looked to her, "it is rather unfair, isn't it?"

[Leanna Barker]

Leanna dipped her head in a slight nod. "Muggleborns have the worst of it." she murmured, glancing at the door to make sure no one was coming inside. Her fingers combed through her hair. "How many Muggleborns are there in the school? How many halfies?" the questions were mumbled, almost as if she was talking to herself. The Raven sipped her tea, a frown starting to form on her face as she turned ideas over in her head. "How bad would the fallout be?" A slight shake of her head and she banished her thoughts, focussing back on Alex. "French. No, it's not fair. It's nothing more than bullying. But they are stronger and have no morals."

[Alexander Chevalier]

"No," Alex agreed, "it seems they don't. It's simply a sad state of mind that most of them have been raised to believe." He also pondered the musings which his fellow Raven had said beneath her breath. As far the the potential fallout, well, it was something he had considered on more than one occasion. It was a disturbing thought. That things might only get worse.

[Leanna Barker]

Leanna put down her tea and combed her fingers through the underneath of her hair, itching at her scalp a little. She glanced up at Alex and sighed. "I honestly don't know how the school is going to recover from this." She fisted her fingers and tugged a little on her hair, feeling pain prickle on her skin where the hair was connected. There was a part of her that wanted to go running to Theo, to demand his help, but she couldn't do that. She'd just be throwing him under the bus. She couldn't think, she needed someone to talk to, exchange ideas, but it was getting dangerous to do that now. Secrets could be spilled too easily.

[Alexander Chevalier]

The girl before was obviously in a great state of distress, Alex observed. He watched as she pulled on her hair in frustration before permitting a look of concern, empathy forming in reaction to the state of her. "A more important concern than the school itself," He began somewhat solemnly, "is whether all of us, the students, will recover. I'm not sure how bad things will get."

[Leanna Barker]

"We are the school." Leanna replied. "If the students were to leave this would cease to be a school. It would just be a lonely building, hidden away from Muggles. The students, us, we are what make it a school. Of course, right now it's little more than a huge torture chamber for the Death Eaters to play in." She released her hair, combing her shaking fingers through the red colour and closing her eyes. "Not every one will recover. Some are weaker than others. And shielding them does no good. They will be targeted more because of the care shown by others."

[Alexander Chevalier]

"That's true," Alex replied, thinking over the entirety of her response. "The school wouldn't be much of anything without the students. Still, I was comparing to the ideals of the school for any future attendees. We will all leave it someday, but it will continue. It will still have its students, but the core teaching upheld here may never be the same either." He sighed, "and yes, it kind of puts all of us in a bind here. We can't offer aid to anyone without making matters worse."

[Leanna Barker]

Leanna glanced at him and nodded. "I suppose you are right as well." She swallowed down the last of her tea and the House Elves filled it up again. "And how do you propose we fix what the school may or may not become." She sipped at the scalding liquid, showing no sign of discomfort as it burned its way down her throat. Again, she looked towards the door, checking, making sure she wasn't about to get sprung by anyone that considered themselves important.

[Alexander Chevalier]

Alex caught the direction of her eyes and observed the guarded look. Everyone had to constantly look over their shoulder lately. It was often frustrating and he hated having to always live in fear.

He shrugged, "it's hard to say. I don't know if it's even possible." He hated to admit defeat but...there just didn't seem to be a way out.

[Leanna Barker]

"Then we are all doomed." Leanna commented mildly, sipping at her tea again. If the good people didn't know how to fix what was broken then they'd live the rest of their lives in the shadow of evil. Not that she minded. She wouldn't care either way, not if she kept away from everything, perhaps a deserted island.

[Alexander Chevalier]

As Alex observed the disposition of his former housemate, he also saw a reflection of the person he had been only a short time ago. He had kept to himself, caring for his fellow students but entirely resolved to escape the madness after graduating. Now, however, things had changed. He wasn't that person anymore. In the end, if it came down to it, he would stand beside what was right. No matter what.

"We can always hope," Alex replied. "Nothing is ever entirely certain."

[Leanna Barker]

Leanna shrugged a little and put down her empty cup. "Hope is for those who can't do anything." she said, standing up, running her fingers through her hair. "I'll see you around Alex. Try to stay out of trouble." She smiled at her housemate and danced to the door, spinning and leaping, having one last moment of fun before she had to return to the serious world above. "Try not to die." She slipped out of the door then, letting it swing shut behind her.

[Alexander Chevalier]

Alex smiled slightly as the girl's parting words and silently wished the same for her. However, once alone, that smile faded and he looked down to his coffee absently. What a bleak outlook she possessed. And she was entirely wrong. No one could achieve anything without also hoping. He knew firsthand how important a thing it was.

[Ginny Weasley]

*REBOOT*

Ginny offered Dobby a small smile as the excitable elf fussed around her, presenting her with various bits of food and a pot of tea as he blabbered on about Winky, his babysitting duty of Kreacher and the general comings and goings of the kitchen, clearly delighted (violently so before she had calmed him) at her desire to visit him and make sure he was okay. She sat on one of the many high stools that were set around the table as she watched him patter about in his odd socks and SPEW hats, mind fondly remembering Hermione's terrible knitting campaign as he spoke, the other elves giving them a wide berth.

[Alexander Chevalier]

Alex opened the door to the kitchen and caught sight of the scene that was Ginny and Dobby, the two conversing as he continued to offer her various things. He made his way toward the table and claimed a seat beside the girl, offering a small smile to her and a nod to the talkative elf.

[Ginny Weasley]

Ginny glanced over at the sound of the door, her face brightening at the sight of the Ravenclaw.

"Alex hey," she greeted him as the boy slipped up into the space next to her. "You want some tea?"

Dobby apparently also had his attention on the newcomer, the eccentric elf positively bounding over to the boy to chatter at him as he offered him just about everything he could think of, most of which were, honestly, not something he would ever have any cause for. But that was just Dobby she guessed.

[Alexander Chevalier]

"Hey," Alex quirked a smile at the girl, fondly noting the way in which she always chose to address him. Before he could answer her question though, his attention was directed towards the boisterous elf, trying to keep up with everything he was saying. A few items he offered were things he had never even heard of before, though a few he was admittedly curious over. However, after Dobby had settled down somewhat, he simply asked for some coffee. He then shifted his glance towards Ginny, "you seem to be rather popular around here."

[Ginny Weasley]

Ginny chuckled at his comment, eyes watching as the elf darted off before flickering back to the older boy.

"Dobby and I are old friends," she offered with a small shrug, her mouth pulling in a wry smile. "Though I've got to be careful saying that around him or he freaks out and starts slamming his head in the door."

[Alexander Chevalier]

Alex's widened slightly at that, envisioning the strange occurrence in his head. "Is there any particular reason why he reacts that way?"

[Ginny Weasley]

Ginny's nose wrinkled as she shot the House elf a fondly exasperated look.

"Partially because of how his old owners used to treat him, conditioned him into believing he's worthless and should be abused," she admitted softly, before shifting her eyes back to Alex and offering him a crooked smile. "But also partially because Dobby's a little eccentric even for a House Elf. The other's don't approve of him much, but Hermione think's he's a forerunner for elvish rights. He's the world's first free and paid House elf."

[Alexander Chevalier]

Alex nodded. It was true, house elves were notoriously mistreated by their owners. It was a sad fact for sure. He then smiled as he recalled Hermione Granger's little campaign on their behalf. She was definitely a very passionate sort of person. He had also heard the tale of Dobby's freedom and considered that the elf was still trying to adjust to the change. "Well, I suppose he can hardly be blamed. Change is difficult for anyone."

[Ginny Weasley]

"Mm," Ginny mused, head nodding slightly in agreement as her eyes shifted to the odd little elf, pattering about in his mismatched socks and terrible knitted hat. "You know I was surprised to still see him here," she commented after a moment. "I thought for certain that Snape wouldn't have indulged him like Dumbledore had... I guess he was to busy selling out his former colleagues to notice something as insignificant as an elf."

[Alexander Chevalier]

"It's possible," Alex nodded before tilting his head with a small sigh. "I still...can't really believe how this all happened." He looked To Ginny, "despite everything that's going on, I guess it just hasn't really all sank in. Dumbledore is gone, professor Snape betrayed him, the ministry has been infiltrated....everything changed so suddenly."