Winky was contemplating.
The past year, a year after the war had ended, was nothing like what she had expected. Truthfully, she was still getting used to the idea of 'getting employed' with her mistress Hermione Jane Granger. Yes, kind of ironic since she was the one starting the S.P.E.W. thing, but her mistress said, that before she could take those gigantic steps, she must first have a basic understanding of house elvin culture. And of course, Winky was more than happy to help her kind mistress.
Currently, she was watching the younger years as they search the fields for her mistress and Sir Harry Potter's activity. You see, she had been asked if she could watch the young ones, sort of like babysitting but without the physical interaction. If someone got hurt, she would notify her mistress after popping the said hurt students to the school parton.
Since it was a Saturday, and lunch has just ended, she had more than enough time to accept the offer of doing this request. Her eyes traveled to the other house elves doing exactly what she was doing. It was a good thing Winky had educated her mistress in the ways of her kind, because after she knew that her efforts were nothing more but a nuisance to Winky's friends, she had apologized to them and promised to make better improvements with her hard work.
Yes, things looked fine in Winky's book. The only down side, however, was that her dear friend Dobby was no longer here to see the laughter of his very favorite wizard and his friends.
Susan Bones watched Harry and Justin argue.
No, it was a friendly kind of argument. If ever there was such a term. The two had thought that it'll be loads better if they have a barbecue today. It had been a couple of days since her introduction to different types of cuisine; after the popcorn, and the pizza, they had eaten dumplings and noodle soup next using a pair of wooden sticks – 'chopsticks' according to Su Li. It was definitely an interesting way of eating and she had to perfect her eating style a bit with those chopsticks.
This of course was done with the help of her friend Justin.
She sighed. Lately, it has come to her knowledge that there was so much more to Justin than what she already knew to her longtime friend. And to be honest, the more she got to know about him, the more she felt this tingling sensation.
'I think,' she thought uncertainly, 'I'm starting to… develop a certain fondness over him.' She knew that it was the type that was not friendship based.
"…Whatever, I still think that if you add rosemary in the marinate mixture, the meat will taste better." She heard Harry say. She noticed that Harry had transfigured some small boulder into some weird-looking muggle contraption, and started to add coal in it.
It was a nice day today, and the younger ones had already gone to their Scavenger hunt expedition. Their meeting place would be near Hagrid's hut, it was one of the few things the giant had left, and one of the sentimental things he had given to Harry. And since, there were a couple of house elves spying – technically it was that – on the children's safety they had nothing to worry about.
"And I'm telling you that it's better to use thyme instead."
"You know what; this is getting out of nowhere. Let's just ask them-" Justin pointed to the assembled group of students "what they think."
"Fine…" Harry said, crossing his arms to his chest. "Hermione?" she looked up from her book and tilted her head, "If you ask me, I'd rather go with sage leaves instead."
Luna placed her latest copy of the Quibbler down, "I think adding the essence of aconite would do the trick." Lavender – who had just arrived with the shrunken alchemic apparatuses – scrunched her face, "I'd want mine with a light dash of evening bloom."
The two young men sighed and turned to the remaining people, "How about Petroselinum neapolitanum?" Neville suggested thoughtfully. "What the bloody hell is that?" Justin asked before Harry could. The sandy-haired Gryffindor sighed, "You guys should listen more in your herbology classes," he crossed his arms, "Flat-leafed parsley, by the way."
Padma looked up from her exploding snap game with Daphne and Theo, "I'd put curry powder, if you asked me."
"Who puts curry powder in their barbecue marinate anyway?" Harry's anger deflated upon seeing the Indian girl's glare, "I mean, except you, that is." They continued their discussion, pointing out the ins and outs of adding certain herbs to the marinate mix.
Theodore, who was getting fed up with the discussion exclaimed, "What in Merlin's name is a barbecue anyway?" The Head Boy and male Hufflepuff grumbled and went back to their muggle contraption. Susan stood up and started to walk towards her friend.
"What're you doing?" Susan asked, having noticed her friend cast an incedio spell on the coal.
"Barbecuing…"
"…Can I help?" Justin turned to Susan and smiled, one that made her heart skip a bit, "Sure…"
"Alright kiddies!" Lavender Brown said, clapping her hands, "Ready to get down and dirty for our little experiment?"
There was a 'yes' in the group of assembled children.
"Now, first… can anybody tell me what are the properties of-"
The new deputy was watching the interaction of the students outside. Beside him were the assembled teachers of the school. "When did this all start?"
"I don't know. But I am seeing inter-house friendships blooming." Professor Sprout said with a smile on her face.
The Headmistress looked at her, "Do explain…"
"It's not only Mr. Potter's year, the underclassmen are starting to interact with each other regardless of House and blood status."
The new potion's professor perked up, "I noticed that too. They even mix their seating arrangements; usually they are group together by house. Now, they just seat wherever they like. Let's not forget group projects; I've had more groups consisting of students of different houses than those of the same houses."
"Oh?"
Professor Edge nodded, "and the thing is, house rivalry is practically nonexistent in my class as well." A lot of teacher agreed with the aged but new teacher. It was professor Hooch's time to give her penny's worth, "My class usually consists of all four houses, and this year, whenever I tell them to line up, they just form one big assembled group. To tell you the truth, I like the recent developments. I wouldn't be surprised if we start seeing mixed houses eating their meals in the Great Hall"
The matron gave her opinion in the matter, "But I have heard that the senior students were obligated to do this. I do hope we're not forcing them to do whatever they don't like."
The headmistress shook her head, "Yes, I've heard that too, but Ms Granger and the few prefects there have told me that they want to be there. And by the looks of it, non-prefect seniors seem to be giving their own effort to it." She gave a meaningful glance to her cub Lavender and the Gryffindor new prefect Neville.
"But I do have some… safety issues with first years and second years handling third and above year potions. Mr Edge, what is your opinion of this?" The new professor sat straighter, "I was given the assurance of the Head Students plus Ms Brown – who happens to be a subject of the Society of Alchemy – that they would make sure that they would prevent any accidents from happening. They even have a house elf or two on standby in case something might happen." He took another deep breathe, "They'd be ready to pop any injured or harmed students in the infirmary for any accidents. And to give more comfort to everyone, after this meeting I'm planning on making an appearance there myself."
Everyone, however, was dying to ask one question and Professor Babbling was the faster ones of the bunch, "Why not let them brew inside the classroom? I'm sure the infirmary would be closer there…"
"They're activity is not essentially an educational one. I mean," he took in the puzzled expressions of his colleagues, "It's a recreational activity or some sort, but one could still learn from it. And the whole purpose of having a recreational activity inside a classroom defeats the whole purpose of it being recreational. Besides, the change of environment would undoubtedly lessen the pressure and I personally think it's a nice touch."
The teachers nodded seeing his point.
"Well, you really have thought this through Ms Granger." Minerva whispered as she decided to move to the next agenda.
Professor Pomona Sprout was smiling to herself, amidst the happening impromptu meeting. She had to agree, she was seeing some changes. Minor, major, not a big deal in her book since it was still a change nonetheless.
You see, last night, the evening lilies were about to be on full bloom, and the only way she could fully harvest it's nectar was if she would be there when they would release their pollen. So she charmed her clock to go off sometime before midnight so she could prepare herself for it.
She was just about to close her eyes, when some weird but wonderful music was starting to emanate from the Hufflepuff common room. Curious, she swung her legs to the side of her bed and crept slowly to her door. The music was somehow something she's never heard before. Pomona has heard of the activities of Mr. Potter and Ms. Granger from the students she's sent to them, and honestly, most of them looked better after a session. She'd even laugh as they would usually want to keep coming for their sessions.
Armed with only her lit wand (she'd cast lumos on the way out) she descended down the stairs.
There, she found her seventh years, and a few underclassmen, still awake, chatting and having fun amongst themselves. She would've frowned at them for sleeping so late, but today was a Friday, so she let it slide. She looked around, and failed to see who was creating the music.
Her curiosity doubled when out of nowhere, a few students yelled "Hey Arnold!" She was so shocked that she literally jumped from where she was in.
"What in-" she caught a glimpse of her student Susan chatting a sixt year, "Susan, dear, what in heavens is that sound?" The girl looked up and smiled at her teacher, "Oh, professor, I didn't know you were there…" she giggled as she seemed to have caught her teacher in her sleeping attire, "That's Justin playing inside his dorm."
"I reckon he doesn't know a silencing charm?"
They both shook their head, "He does… and he usually casts it inside the room." Pomona's mouth was a straight line, still finding the explanation not enough for her liking, "And?"
"Well, seeing as we," Susan mentioned to the students lying about in the common rooms, "like it, we just cancel the charm and let it resonate all around." Her expression turned grim, "I do apologize if it seems to bother you."
The professor shook her head, "No, I do not mind at all." She started to give more of her attention to the music, "I do commend on his charm work for making such an instrument work – whatever it is."
It was Hannah – descending down the stairs in her pajamas - who had heard her comment, "Jus doesn't charm the instrument professor, he plays it manually." She turned to Susan, "By the way Sue, have any idea what he's playing?"
She looked deep in thought, "Megan told me earlier that it's called Jazz, but I do wonder when this bloke Arnold will come out?"
"Who's Arnold?" the professor and Hannah asked simultaneously. "Beats me!" was all Susan replied as a few students laughed at their outburst.
That night, she went to harvest the nectar humming the tone her student was playing earlier. Though she still didn't understand who this Arnold character is, and do her students keep on shouting his name all of a sudden. And why do they have to scream 'move it football head' from time to time?
"What would happen if I over boil the herphone shrub too long?"
Lavender laughed good-naturedly, "A blade herphone will never over boil, dear… can anybody tell me why. And for the last time, not you Neville. Don't you dare raise you hand Hermy, I swear."
The man in question simple stuck out his tongue while the Head Girl simply rolled her eyes.
When no one seemed to answer her question, "First year herbology guys…" Lavender said placing her hand over her hip.
While Lavender was giving her mock lecture, Harry, Susan and Justin were tasked with preparing snacks. Barbecue served with sandwiches. Just then, a pop was heard, and Harry immediately rushed to the unsuspecting house elf.
"Did you have it?" he asked eagerly.
"Yes, mister Harry sir, Toly is done getting the bubbling drinks." Harry laughed, he wasn't sure what to expect when half-bloods and purebloods were to be introduced with fizzy drinks.
"You expect me to drink this?" Daphne spat bitingly, staring at the simmering… er… sizzling… er… bubbling black liquid. It was served in a see-through and scrunchy cup made from what Hermione called plastic.
Hermione had conjured a gigantic checkered cloth, and had placed in on the ground – a classic route for a picnic venture. Everyone was seating cross-legged while they the food was distributed around.
Theodore and Daphne sat with Neville and Padma, alongside a few lower years. "It doesn't look like a tongue shrinking potion; it doesn't have that musky scent to it." Padma commented, staring at her cup. Sasha, a first year Ravenclaw, couldn't help but giggle at the antics of her seniors. "It's a drink. A be-ve-rage..." she stressed, as she took a sip from her share.
Neville gulped and decided to bring out his lion courage, "Here goes nothing…" Padma did the same and raised hers, "Bottom's up…." They took a sip at the same time, only to realize that they one-shot-ed it.
"That," Neville said finishing his drink, "is tasty."
"It's like butterbeer, but it's not." Padma commented. She then gave a look to the two senior Slytherins, "Why don't you give a taste. It's good."
Daphne, seeing as her classmates were still alive and have their tongues still in it's normal size, drank hers. "Hmm… it is good!" she turned to the dark haired Slytherin, what do you think, Theo?"
"It is good but..." he paused, "wait…"
-BURP-
Everyone looked at him, and he was blushing already. And to add more salt to the wound, Harry and Justin had heard it, "Nice one Theo!" he even received a clap in the back. How humiliating.
Sasha had burped too, but she didn't shy down. "What? It's a carbonated drink that is designed to have a reaction like that."
"What's carbonated mean?" and Sasha explained all that she knew about sodas and how the body reacts when it accumulates inside the stomach. Her science teacher is gonna be proud of her. "Isn't that barbaric? To release those… carbon thingy out from your stomach through burping? That's very… unflattering in good manners and right conduct." Pureblood Daphne commented. Sasha thought about this, but it was Theo who answered, "then again, this isn't a formal event, is it Daphne?" he turned to the young first year, "I'm guessing you don't serve this on your formal events."
She nodded, "Yup! We only serve this for those close family moments or when it isn't a formal event! But I think it's always better to burp it," she laughed, "because it goes the other way if you don't!" she then pointed to her bum and they immediately got it.
"I told you we should've added the thyme…"
"Are you kidding, the rosemary here kicks arse!"
"Harry James Potter! Language!"
"…and then, the bumbling blug bwimple pecked the nape of the hippopotamus so we…"
"…what? The taste itself is bland, Harry. We should've added the thyme then gave a dash of pepper-"
"Black pepper?"
"Obviously…"
"Honestly, I am never approving the two of you leading a barbecue. I mean-"
"So, while my daddy was chasing it's halfling mate, I was stuck with guarding his-"
The noise it was generating was literally heard up to the school. And if it wasn't for the fact that today was also a Hogsmeade week end, people might've been complaining by now. Susan Bones watched as all the laughter, the friendly teasing and incessant chatter was heard throughout the area.
She's never really expected her last year to be this… fun!
A/N: If you guys are wondering, the cartoon 'Hey Arnold!' Theme has a jazz tune (youtube them, their is a considerable amount of them if you are curious). Anyone of who's watched the show from the 90s would know that the closing theme has a jazzy tune. I figured Jazz is a genre not many purebloods and very frew half-bloods know about. About the recent chapter and the classical music, I just thought you guys should just chose what music Justin, Harry and Hermione played on the previous chapter. Anyways, next chapter; Daphne, Lisa Turpin and FF8's Squall Leonhart, Zell Dincht with some very Jealous Harry and Theodore(FF8 was released in Europe in about late '98 right? I'm not sure, but still! I'm evil like that!)