𝗟𝗢𝗡𝗗𝗢𝗡 𝗕𝗢𝗬

ACT ONE, CHAPTER ELEVEN
venus' escape to the kitchens with
charlotte and elijah.

BESIDES FINDING THE Room of Requirement, Venus really hadn't explored much of the castle.

She'd been here for months, and the only thing she had been focusing on was getting to class, going to detentions (thank God that was over), Harry Potter ( . . . she didn't mean to say that), attending Dumbledore's Army meetings, and trying to finish homework. It had been the same sort of cycle since she had gotten here. She liked having a little routine, but Charlotte thought the fact that Venus hadn't experienced all of the secret gems of the castle was completely unacceptable.

Therefore, Charlotte told her that they had to visit the kitchens — apparently they were quite impressive. Venus didn't really have anything going on that night, so she agreed. Charlotte reassured her that she would drag Elijah along. The further they got into the school year, the more panicked he got about O.W.L.'s. Venus got it, he wanted to please his parents, but Outstandings on everything? Don't get her wrong, she knew Elijah was smart enough to do it, she just hated how his parents were placing this immense pressure on him.

She sat at dinner, sipping on the last of her pumpkin juice as her, Harry, Ron, and Hermione discussed the upcoming Quidditch match. Venus decided to skip dessert so she could eat some down in the kitchens. The first Quidditch match of the season for Gryffindor was against Slytherin. Venus always loved watching Quidditch at Ilvermorny, but none of the Houses there ever compared to the Gryffindor and Slytherin rivalry.

"I'm honestly excited," Venus admitted. "We didn't get to see too much Quidditch at Ilvermormy. Quodpot is more popular in the States."

Ron stared at her. "Quodpot?"

"It's a variant of Quidditch," Hermione explained. "I've read about it."

"Well, that's a surprise."

"Did ever play it?" Harry asked Venus.

Venus shook her head. "Not really. Just like Quidditch is intense over here, Quodpot is extremely intense over there. Me playing Quodpot would not end well. Plus, that ball explodes."

"Explodes?" Ron repeated.

"Explodes," Venus confirmed. "Not particularly my cup of tea, but . . . to each their own, I guess." She then kicked Harry's shin lightly from under the table, snapping him back to reality. "Hey, you all right?"

"Uh . . . uh, yeah," Harry stammered out. He stared at her for a moment. "Hey, Star?

She placed her chin in the palm of her hand. "What's up?"

He cleared his throat and hesitated, but Ron elbowed his side quickly. "I — um, are you busy tonight?"

"Why? Do you need me to read over another essay of yours?"

"No. I was, just um, wondering . . ." His cheeks tinted a light shade of pink. "If you wanted to, I dunno, go for a walk or something."

Her face suddenly felt very hot. "Oh. Uh . . . I would love to, Harry, but I'm actually going to the kitchens tonight with Charlie and Elijah."

His mood seemed to deflate a little bit, but it didn't go unnoticed by Venus, because she frowned. "Yeah, yeah, of course. Charlie loves the kitchens. No . . . no wonder why she would want to take you there."

"Rain check?" she questioned hopefully.

"Definitely," Harry responded.

Venus then looked over to the entrance of the Great Hall. She spotted Charlotte there, and their eyes locked. Charlotte gestured her to join her as Elijah walked up to her as well. Venus placed her hands on the table and pushed herself up off the bench.

"I'll see you guys later," Venus stated.

She approached her two friends. Charlotte instantly linked her arm through Venus' and did the same with Elijah. She then began to lead them to the staircase that led to the dungeons.

"Ready to go to my favorite place in the castle?" Charlotte questioned as they descended down the staircase.

"I thought your favorite place in the castle was the Great Hall."

"Don't make me choose between them, Eli."

"Right, sorry."

"Do you go to the kitchens often?" Venus inquired.

Charlotte shrugged. "Kind of. The dungeons are pretty close to it. See, the kitchens are in the basement by the Hufflepuff common room, but the dungeons are only a floor below. With no Professors, it's easy to sneak in past curfew — oh look, we're in the basement."

Venus looked around. Sure enough, the corridor they were currently in was darker than the entrance hall above. Flickering torches lined the walls, giving the hall a sort of orangey glow. Charlotte took the lead again, Elijah and Venus not far behind. They passed a wall of barrels — which Elijah quickly explained was the Hufflepuff common room.

"Only the Hufflepuffs know how to get in, and they won't tell anyone else," Elijah voiced. "Trust me. If you try to get in, you'll get doused in vinegar."

Charlotte nodded in agreement. "Happened to Malfoy once. It was hilarious, watching him stumble into the common room."

Finally, they made it to the painting of a giant bowl of fruit. Venus stared at it curiously.

"How do we get in?" Venus asked.

"Tickle the pear," Charlotte instructed.

Venus blinked. "Is that a joke, or . . ."

"No, Ven, she's serious," Elijah said. "Go on."

She glanced at them weirdly. Charlotte raised an eyebrow to urge her on. Sighing, Venus reached forwards and tickled the huge green pear. The pear giggled before turning into a large green door handle. Venus grasped it in her hand and opened the door. Instantly, her mouth became agape as she stared around the room in amazement.

Just like the Great Hall above, the room had very high ceilings and it was was practically enormous. Glittering brass pots and pans covered the stone walls and twinkled underneath the lights. Venus then noticed the four long wooden tables, which she realized were positioned exactly beneath the four House tables in the Great Hall. Dishes covered them, and a multitude of House-Elves were scurrying around, trying to clean them. At the other end of the room was a brick fireplace surrounded by some stools and chairs. The room was empty besides the House-Elves, presumably because everyone else was still at dinner or back in their common rooms.

"Miss Black!" an enthusiastic voice then called, and Venus turned with a smile to see Dobby rushing up to meet her, still wearing all of his hats and socks.

"Hi, Dobby," Venus greeted.

"Dobby is very excited to see Miss Black! He hopes Miss Black and Harry Potter are liking the Room of Requirement!"

"We are, Dobby, thanks. Hey, do you recommend any good desserts down here? It's my first time being in the kitchens."

"The chocolate chip cookies are very delicious, Miss Black! Dobby would be more than happy to get Miss Black and her friends some cookies!"

Venus looked to her friends. "You want some cookies?"

"Some tea, too," Elijah added.

She grinned brightly at Dobby. "Chocolate chip cookies and tea, please. Thank you, Dobby."

Dobby left to go get what she asked. Instantly, as Venus, Charlotte, and Elijah sat down at some of the chairs by the fire, Dobby came back with a plate of cookies and a tea tray. He placed them down on the table in front of them.

"Enjoy, Miss Black and friends!" Dobby exclaimed.

All of them chorused thank you's to Dobby, and he left. Venus picked up a cookie and bit into it, savoring how the ooey chocolate hit her tongue. Charlotte took one as well, tucking her knees into her chest.

Meanwhile, Elijah was pouring himself a cup of tea. "This is interrupting my O.W.L. studying time. I hope you know that. Merlin, the sacrifices I make for you two."

"Oh, boo hoo, you're drinking tea in the kitchens instead of milling over a book about Charms in the Ravenclaw common room," Charlotte voiced, rolling her eyes. "Eli, you excel at literally every subject. It's fine."

"Mum and dad told me at the beginning of the year that I had to spend every spare minute studying. I'm literally breaking the rules."

"No, you're giving yourself a break." Charlotte scowled. "Your parents are really getting on my last nerves. Elijah, you're going to send yourself into a spiral. I've seen how you get with every exam we've had. I don't want that feeling to heighten because they're O.W.L.'s."

Elijah's eyes softened. "I'll be okay, Lottie."

She still looked worried. "If you ever get anxious—"

"I'll come to you. Promise."

Venus smiled softly. She loved their relationship.

"What about you, Venus?" Charlotte continued. "Tell me about you and Harry."

"Me and Harry?" Venus repeated. "What are you talking about?"

Elijah scoffed. "Lottie and I have been friends with Harry since first year. We've seen how he gets when he likes a girl. Last year it was so obviously Cho Chang, but ever since you came around, well . . . there's no doubt that boy's smitten."

Venus felt her face burn. "You two are delusional. Harry, liking me? Impossible. I mean, come on, he's Harry Potter. He can practically go for any girl he wants. I would never stand a chance."

"Are you sure?" Charlotte questioned. "Let's think about this for a second. He blushes when you're around."

"He stares at you from across the room," Elijah added.

"He purposefully brushes your shoulders at D.A. meetings."

"He calls you Star because Venus looks like a star."

"He plays hangman with you in class."

"He's basically always next to you."

"Guys," Venus interrupted. "You're getting way too ahead of yourselves. There's just no way."

"Venus," Charlotte said quietly, noticing the hesitant look on Venus' face. "It's okay to like him. You know that, right?"

She placed her cheeks into the palms of her hands and looked up at the ceiling. Of course she liked Harry Potter. She had known that since that very first day on the train when she had seen his pretty green eyes and heard his British accent. But actually admitting it out loud to other people . . . it was scary. If all of the things Charlotte and Elijah were saying were true . . . did that mean Harry actually did like her back?

Venus kind of felt like she was stuck. She was afraid that she would just spill her guts to Harry in a frantic sort of way. Harry really didn't need that right now, not with everything going on. He didn't need some stupid, emotional, obsessive little girl just confessing her undying crush for him. So, for now, she would just continue being friends . . . selfishly wallowing in the knowledge that he might have feelings for her too.

"Do you think he likes my American smile?" Venus finally voiced.

Charlotte nodded. "You're like children when your eyes meet." She smirked triumphantly. "Darling, he fancies you."

"But is that the only reason? That I'm American?"

"Absolutely not," Elijah reassured her. "He likes you for you. It's just a matter of time until one of you act on it."

Charlotte raised an eyebrow. "Just like you'll act on Ginny?"

Elijah's face turned a brilliant shade of red. "No."

"You've liked her since we were in third year."

"I don't see how this matters. We're talking about Venus and Harry right now."

Venus was anxious to move the subject away from her, so she just agreed with Charlotte. "Yeah, and you blush whenever she comes near. I don't know Ginny that well, but that girl knows what she wants. She'll always go out of her way to find you, Eli."

"We're friends," he argued. "Plus she's dating Michael Corner. It doesn't matter."

"That guy cannot handle Ginny Weasley," Charlotte announced. "I don't think anybody can, but if any person can get close to it, it's you, Elijah."

He sighed and shook his head. "I'm not going to intrude on her relationship. That's an awful thing to do."

"And what about you, Charlie?" Venus demanded. "You and Neville, huh?"

Charlotte kept her Slytherin composure. "I'm not sure what you mean."

Elijah also seemed to like moving away from the subject of his love life. "You've protected him ever since first year, that day when he lost his toad on the train. You're hard to read sometimes, but I see the way you act when you're around him. You let your guard down and are super sweet to him. Charlotte—"

"Charlie."

"You don't act like that with anyone else." He nudged Venus. "Our Slytherin's got a soft spot."

"I do not like Neville," Charlotte insisted. "Anyways, whatever. I've practically eaten this whole plate of cookies. It's getting closer to nine and I don't want you two being caught by Umbridge." She stood up, making Venus and Elijah get up as well. "What happens in the kitchens stays in the kitchens, got it?"

Venus and Elijah nodded. After bidding goodnights to Charlotte (who only had to descend one more floor), they went up to the entrance hall. Elijah said goodnight to Venus to go to Ravenclaw tower at the west side of the castle. Meanwhile, Venus headed in the direction of Gryffindor tower at the east side of the castle.

What happens in the kitchens stays in the kitchens. Venus buried that thought of Harry liking her back and locked it, throwing away the key. She didn't need that thought on her mind. But as she climbed the steps to the seventh floor, she couldn't help imagining the feeling of his hand in hers and how nice it would be to do it all the time . . .

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sorry for no update last thursday, I didn't know how to write this chapter and it still so sucks so . . . my bad :)

this is me formally deciding venus will be traveling with the golden trio in the sequel. you're welcome

also I went to new york city the other day. venus would be proud ❤️

I ADDED A NEW WAND TO MY COLLECTION BITCHES <3 I NOW HAVE HERMIONE'S, GINNY'S (which is an interactive one which I can use to do magic at the wizarding world in universal), AND QUEENIE'S ASKFBEIENFKFM