The painting swung open and Tayla goggled at the sight in front of her. There were house elves working inside. It was a kitchen! And that painting wasn't just a painting. It was a hidden door.

"Amazing!" Tayla exclaimed. She blushed a little as some house elves turned to look at her, hearing her voice. "Sorry," she mumbled and smiled.

A waft of something delicious reached her nostrils. "Yummm!" she said, closing her eyes. She opened them again when she felt a tugging at her robes. Looking down, she saw a house elf offering her a plate of large chocolate-chip cookies - no - they were chocolate-frog cookies! She could see the 'chocolate chips' moving up and down. "Thank you!" Tayla took one cookie and bit into it. "That is so good!" she said. "I should definitely let Zara and Ari..." Tayla paused, suddenly remembering something. "Yikes! I promised Zara I'd meet her in the Great Hall."

Tayla ate the last bit of cookie she was given, waved goodbye to the house elves, and headed out of the kitchens. She ran quickly up the staircase and into the Great Hall, ready to tell Zara about what she found. She could continue exploring the castle a little later.