Something's Gone Amiss (Bringing Bacon Back)

Snowflakes melted onto Mitri's hair and gloves, her nose shone a cherry red. As she walked into the Great Hall, she left boot prints in her wake. This was Winter. Sitting at a near empty table, it was quiet at this time of morning. Mitri relaxed, her morning stroll in the woods had been quite relaxing. Taking a goblet of rich hot cocoa, Mitri nestled it to her face, seeking its warmth.

Beginning to collect her food, Mitri noticed with a start something was missing. It wasn't the eggs, nor the toast, what could it be? With a sudden cry of outrage, Mitri stood.

"Where has all the bacon gone?" she shouted in outrage.

Bacon was a staple in Mitri's diet, without it, she feared she might not see tomorrow's breakfast. The few students whom were up at this time could not have eaten it all, could they? Mitri squinted her eyes, examining their mouths for any trace of bacon crumbs, yet there were none. Her house elves friends had always been sure to provide extra bacon at her table when they had learned about her love of it, and yet this morning there was none. What could have happened to her favorite, scrumptious, crispy, delicious food? She would have to find out.

Mira had been drowsily sipping pumpkin juice at the lonely Hufflepuff table when an anguished cry across the room interrupted her thoughts. She sat up with a jolt and looked around. It was far too early for such noise. Finally she located the source: a small Gryffindor girl shouting something about bacon. Mira herself had noticed that there was none at the table this morning. She stood and stretched, heading over to the girl.

“Pardon me, but I couldn’t help but overhear,” she began, plopping down across from her. “Does your table have no bacon either? We must investigate! I’m Mira, by the way.”

Grabbing a goblet of hot cocoa, Mira began to look around. Surely there was some explanation for this; after all, what was breakfast without delicious crispy bacon? After walking along the entire Gryffindor table, she finally found something suspicious. A folded up bit of parchment tucked under a toast platter. Mira brought it back over to the Gryffindor girl and read it.

“The bacon is missing, surely noticed by you; the gargoyle holds your first clue!”

Mitri took in the Hufflepuff girl with wide eyes. She hadn't been expecting anyone to reply to her. Usually any spectators gave her an odd look and returned to their previous activities. Mitri concluded that Mira must be an avid bacon fan as well.

Gargoyle. In a castle, that wasn't a very specific clue. Mitri concluded it must be a rather notable gargoyle if the note maker(s) had decided that was a reasonable clue. Then again, they could be going on a goose chase for all she knew. Wherever bacon was, Mitri went, no matter how perilous the journey.

"Gargoyle... isn't there a gargoyle leading into the Headmistress' office? Let's go!" Mitri said with a burst of excitement, grabbing Mira's hand and making her way out of the Great Hall. They would find the bacon, one way or another no matter how long it took!

Mira ran eagerly through the halls with Mitri, smiling politely at every person who gave them a strange look (so basically, everyone). The bacon would be found, never fear! No matter how perilous this journey was, she would not give up. And, wonder upon wonder, she would make at least one new friend along the way!

“I think the office is down this hallway,” she announced, pulling Mitri that direction.

Finally, they reached it. The gargoyle guarded the secret entrance to the Headmistress’s office. It was friendlier looking that some of the statues Mira had seen so far at Hogwarts. She reached out to touch it, figuring the note was probably hidden in one of the crevasses, when it moved! Jumping back with a start, Mira stumbled into Mitri...but no, it wasn’t Mitri. Mitri was standing next to her. So that had to mean….No, please not Ellington, she thought, turning slowly. With a sigh of relief, she smiled at the friendly face of her housemate.

“Hello! Care to join us in our search for the missing bacon?”

Deirdre gave her housemate a confused look. She had just been walking by when Mira bumped into her. She only got more confused when she talked about bacon.

"Missing bacon?" She questioned. "I suppose I'll help. I've got nothin' better to do."

What sort of person steals bacon? She thought incredulously. She glanced at the gargoyle and it moved, it's arm pointing. And it spoke. "Go to the room where things are not always what they are."

When it had delivered it's message, it returned to normal. Deirdre became even more confused. "Who would even steal bacon? Maybe ta house elves didn't have any to cook."

Mitri gave Deirdre an incredulous look, who wouldn't steal bacon? This girl clearly did not understand the perfection that was bacon. Mitri would have to introduce her to its awe-filling joy, once they found the bacon of course.

"That could very well be a scenario, if not for two reasons. One, the elves were not in the kitchen. Two, they know how I get without bacon. Believe me, you do not want to see me without bacon..." Mitri began, her words dissolving into a mumble.

"Not always what they are? Considering we have made beetles into buttons, I think the safe bet would be Harcourt's classroom. Away we go!" Mitri said in excitement. She could almost taste the bacon, they had to be close! Didn't they?

Mira promptly started off toward the Transfiguration classroom, her lack of bacon motivating her. They had to be getting close; how many more clues could there possibly be? She was so caught up in her thoughts that she nearly tripped and fell flat on her face.

“What on earth?”

She reached down slowly to pick up the culprit….a crisp slice of bacon nearly crushed underfoot. This was getting to be too much, the kidnappers were just taunting them now.

“Just picturing all those dear pieces of bacon, probably locked up in some cellar or…”

Mira stopped there, realizing exactly how crazy she must sound. Gently setting the tripped-over bacon slice in a nook in the wall, she turned and skipped down the hall again. They finally reached Harcourt’s classroom, only to find another familiar face waiting outside the door.

“Marigold, you’re just in time to join us in our search for bacon!”

Mira giddily followed, nearly breaking into a skip on the way to the Defense classroom. She had caught Harcourt's hint about the courtyard; couldn't they just go there now? But no, the next clue was obviously necessary or he wouldn't have sent them here.

"Surely it's not a boggart," she muttered, uneasy now that they had reached the room.

Standing outside the closed door of the D.A.D.A. room, Mira knocked lightly and waited. Finally, the door swung open to reveal an irritable (as always) yet amused Professor Renoir.

"Come in, then," Renoir said, stepping aside and waving them in.

The desks had all been pushed to the side, probably from a previous lesson, but one table stood in the center of the room. On it was a sheet of parchment and a small pile of hooded cloaks lined thinly with warm wool. Mira picked up the final clue and read:

"Now off to the courtyard, but it will be cold; put on a cloak, and let the party unfold!"

Mira snatched up a cloak and hurriedly whisked it on. The search was nearly over!

The group had multiplied, Mitri wondered if it were for the best. But surely four minds were better than one. Slipping on the cloak, Mitri's stomach sunk with suspicion. These weren't just cloaks, they were their cloaks, at least the one Mitri held was her own.

"I'm not sure if it's entirely the case, but I know for a fact the cloak I am wearing is my own. Stolen from my trunk I'm sure of it. We must hurry to the courtyard!" Mitri said, rushing out of the classroom and through the castle.

Portraits peeked curiously at the group, wandering to themselves where anyone could be off in such a hurry at this time of day. Mitri's feet crunched on the snow as entered the courtyard. The tantalizing aroma of bacon in the air.

Mitri eyes narrowed as they settled on a tent, the aroma was coming from it, and from the looks of it there was enough bacon in there for... who knows what! Maybe an afternoon snack?

"The best plan of action seems evident to me, we sneak up to the tent, catch the thieves off guard and... well we shall see what happens next." Mitri said softly, not wanting to call attention to the group.

Sneaking up to the tent, Mitri prepared to attack.

Mira was overwhelmed as she entered the tent. First, by the tent itself. It was clear (how did they do that?) and heated perfectly, the snowfall outside somehow being directed away from it. Then she noticed the spread: mini pies, pastries, breads with honey and fresh butter, steaming mugs of cocoa, and bacon. More bacon than Mira had ever laid eyes on.

"This is incredible!" she exclaimed, turning to the smallest elf.

She had never seen a house elf before in person, only read about them in books. They were the oddest creatures she had ever seen.

"Poky, at your service," the little guy said with a bow. "Care for some bacon?"

"Absolutely!" she grinned.

Mira pulled off her cloak and sat on a big red cushion. She reached for a drink and thanked Poky excitedly for the platter of bacon he set before her.

"So, what swayed you all to do this?" she asked curiously.

If it were possible, Mitri's eyes would have burst from her head, rolled to the floor and wept salty tears of joy; seeing as that wasn't possible, Mitri was simply shocked into silence. She lowered her wand and rushed forward into the warmth of the tent.

The tantalizing scent of bacon put Mitri in a state of euphoria. This made the whole journey worth it, this lovely feast composed by the ever-friendly house elves.

Seeing a familiar set of pointy ears, Mitri exclaimed, "Bacon!  You little rascal!" Bacon's green cheeks tinted red and he messed with his hands.

Addressing Mira and everyone else, Bacon said, "Misses, we knew that Miss Mitri and her friends love bacon very much, and we thought it might be nice to give the Misses a surprise. You do like it don't you? Oh no Bacon shouldn't have done this, Bacon has upset the Misses..." Bacon moved forward to punish himself.

Mitri grabbed hold of the house elf and said, "Bacon! It was a lovely surprise. It was just the thing to lift our spirits before the holidays!"