Tickling the Giant Squid and other Grand Adventures

24. Avila

I woke up happy, refreshed and ready for the day.

At least, that was the plan.

In reality, I woke up after Karou pushed me off the bed. I was groggy and disoriented, and hitting the ground woke me up quickly. Out of habit, I shoved my hand under the pillow on the bed, but there was nothing there, which freaked me out even more.

I sat up and looked around. I was on the floor between a bed and white curtains that provided a circle of privacy. This wasn't my dormitory. Last night came back to me all at once, and I laughed to myself.

I looked back to the bed, curious as to why I had fallen off and found Karou, fast asleep, on the side of the bed I had been on.

"You pushed me out of the bed," I complained quietly. Karou mumbled something in her sleep and rolled over, becoming a star in the middle of the bed.

I shook my head and got up.

I looked down at myself, still dressed in my pajamas. I considered dressing in my clothes from yesterday, but couldn't find them. I remembered how my pajamas had been on Karou's bed last night and decided a house elf had taken them back to my room for me. I shrugged and stepped out of the curtain, immediately searching for a window before remembering that we were under ground.

I snuck out of the room and found my way back to the entrance of the Hufflepuff common room.

When I was in the hallway, I found the painting Karou had led me to the previous night and entered the kitchen. It was much fuller of life than it had been last night - the house elves seemed to be getting ready for breakfast. Still, several of them rushed over to me when I entered, offering me juice and pastries.

I accepted a couple of scones and a cup of water.

"What time is it?" I asked the room.

"It's just before six, Miss," one of the elves answered me.

"Oh. Why couldn't she have pushed me off the bed in an hour?" I mumbled. I looked around the room and noticed that the tables were set up similarly to the great hall. "Why do the tables match the Great Hall?" I asked.

"It's how we send the food up Miss," the same house elf as before answered me.

"Cool. What's your name?" I asked her.

"Mara, Miss," she answered.

"That's a pretty name."

"Thank you, Miss," Mara bowed her head. Her voice was soft and sweet, and she always answered quickly and curtly but never asked anything back.

"Do you like it here Mara?"

"Oh, yes Miss," Mara said immediately, head shaking quickly. "Hogwarts treats house elves much better than most households do."

"Do you have to work like this?"

Mara's eyes widened. "A house elf wouldn't know what to do without work like this Miss. We want to do everything we do." She sounded like she was trying to assure me.

"Okay. If you insist." I put my hands up and dropped the subject. I sat in the kitchen for a little while longer, with Mara doting on me. When I'd eaten my fill, I thanked Mara and left the kitchens.

I walked through the empty castle, looking for a window I could see out of. When I reached the Entrance Hall, I stepped outside. The world was still dark and quiet, and a cool wind brushed my face. I closed the doors and sat on the stone steps and waited for the sunrise.

I rarely got to watch the sunrise, but it's something I love to do nonetheless. As I sat and waited, watching the sky and listening to the world wake up, I wondered what my family was doing. They were probably on a hunt of some kind. Suddenly, I desperately missed them.