I do not own Harry Potter, the Wizarding World, or any canon characters.
A Taste of Magic
27th Course – Impression
"You are beautiful," Nicolas praised, looking at the basilisk. "My my. The basilisks I've seen were very large and very old. You are very young, there's a startling difference. You know, I have a potions book with so many things that need basilisk reagents and I've been meaning to give those a try. Now we can work on that together. How fun!"
The basilisk blinked slowly at the alchemist before turning her head and hissing to Harry.
"What is she saying?" Nicolas asked eagerly.
"She wants to know if she can bite you," Harry said.
Perenelle Flamel laughed brightly. She too had that same oddly youthful yet aged feeling that Nicolas exuded. Her hair was a warm red threaded with grey and her eyes the same grey hue, but her motions were still energetic and her smile bright. "I like her," she said warmly. "Can she bite without using her venom?"
"Yes," Harry said and the basilisk nodded.
"Then she can bite him if he gets overly bothersome. I do it myself when I feel the need to."
"I love my wife," Nicolas said proudly, much to everyone's amusement. "So you can understand us when we speak English?"
"She can, she just doesn't speak it obviously," Harry said.
"What fun! I have an apprentice that is a parselmouth so we can communicate easily enough that way but now I am going to devise a way for us to communicate on the regular. A new project! I've never thought about it before but now that I am, this will be fun too!" Nicolas clapped his hands like a schoolboy faced by a new game.
"He is very strange," the basilisk hissed.
"I think he's nice," Harry said, patting her soothingly.
Nicolas set a large leather suitcase on the ground and opened it. Harry gasped with delight when he peered into it and saw a long staircase going down. "Now this is a traveling case," Nicolas explained. "Plenty of room within and it is nigh-impossible to try and detect the contents within without our," he pointed at Perenelle and himself, "consent. I modified the interior to have a nice jungle and a nice cave and even a desert. All very warm for our reptilian friend here. I'll leave it here for you to explore at your leisure and you can come out if need be and any changes that need to be done will be done. Tonight you'll get used to it and tomorrow we'll leave for your new home."
The basilisk nosed around it and nodded approvingly. She looked back at Harry plaintively and hissed some.
"She wants to know if I can visit her in the future," Harry said, touched. He rubbed her snout and smiled when she crooned with pleasure.
"Of course! Either you come to us or we bring her to you," Nicolas said brightly.
"You cannot bring her back so easily," Dumbledore sighed.
"Oh then you come to us. It'll be nicer in France anyways," Nicolas said, waving a hand. "It's warmer and brighter and everything is better than this cold and dreary land of bad alcohol and terrible music and appalling fashion."
"What did you say?" McGonagall said, hands on her hips.
"I said, it's warmer and brighter and everything is better than this cold and dreary land of bad alcohol and terrible music and appalling fashion," Nicolas repeated, speaking slowly and loudly while smiling broadly at the irate Scotswoman. "Are you having trouble with your hearing?"
"Although they do not seem it, they are old friends," Perenelle chuckled comfortably to a wide-eyed Harry as Nicolas and McGonagall started arguing loudly. They left the Chamber, without the basilisk of course, climbing up a set of steps that Dumbledore had found to spare them levitating up the slimy slide. "I could use something to eat and drink to chase the feelings of that place away. It is incredibly dismal down there."
"An understatement even for the English," Dumbledore snorted. "Come, we already have the plans laid for a very pleasant meal to recuperate." He led the others in following Harry and they arrived at the clubroom. As the adults: Dumbledore, McGonagall, Flitwick, Nicolas, and Perenelle sat, Harry pulled on his grey apron and started working.
"The boy cooks?" Nicolas asked, watching with mild interest.
"Indeed. He was the one we were going to visit when you last visited before that bit of misfortune happened," Dumbledore said.
"Ah right, the trolls." Nicolas looked serious for a moment and leaned forward. "I did some testing and it was what we thought, the amount of magical power needed to burn through my tar concoction has to be considerable."
"Hmm, thank you for confirming that," Dumbledore mused.
"Something about that is strange," Flitwick said quietly. "I have dueled with Quirrell before and while talented, his magical strength does not approach that."
"Unless he was hiding it," McGonagall said, "which would be concerning in its own right."
Harry was used to ignoring conversations around him while cooking. He learned early on to not join in on conversations with the Dursleys, especially ones that concerned him. He let the talk be a pleasant background noise, letting it slide into that state where it was more background noise. He removed some prepared pie crust he had made earlier and rolled it out a little before gently draping them into pans. He then poured baking beans into them and placed them into the over to blind bake. While they did, he beat eggs together until smooth with heavy cream, salt and pepper.
Bacon sliced into lardons were cooked until crisp and separated into two piles. Slices of potatoes were par-boiled and set aside and one portion of lardons were added to sliced onions cooking in the pan with the remaining bacon fat. Salt, pepper, and thyme were added before he layered the mixture with the potatoes and more cream. He put some slices of thick cheese on top and slipped the pan into the oven as well as the pie pans filled with the beaten egg and the other lardons. While they baked, he sliced cherry tomatoes and shallots and cucumbers and mixed them with a vinaigrette with mixed greens he tore by hand.
"In any case, it happened on the surface, it seems all is well," Dumbledore said. "We would be wasting time and energy thinking of what ifs and whys."
"And you said a book was controlling the basilisk?" Nicolas asked.
"And potentially the other one," Flitwick said.
"Hmm, there are plenty of examples in history of magical tethers and controls of magical creatures through different objects," Perenelle said. "Unfortunately, some have been quite dark. Also unfortunately, not exactly limited to any one society or culture."
"Indeed. Well, now that the Chamber is open, we can do some investigating and research. I already have a list of people that Gringotts wishes to send in to examine things," Dumbledore said. "And there is space for you two of course."
"We will return eventually," Nicolas said and Perenelle nodded. "After we get the basilisk situated and comfortable of course. Hmm, I suppose we should ask if she has a name. Calling her the basilisk over and over is a bit rude."
"Speaking of a bit rude, where's Severus?" Perenelle asked, eyes dancing with mischief.
"Officially, he is busy," Dumbledore laughed. "Unofficially, he said it would be a cold day in hell before he willingly partakes in a meal with Nicolas."
"What, the dungeons are not cold enough as it is?" Nicolas sniffed and the others laughed loudly. "You know, it's more your fault than mine."
"That is low even for you, blaming your wife," McGonagall scolded.
"Actually, he is not completely wrong," Perenelle giggled. "Last time I visited, I kept talking to Severus in helping setting him up with someone in an attempt to have him live a little and he was rather offended I believe. Then he found out that I was Perenelle Flamel and he got even more dour, somehow."
"I always wondered why he disliked you," Flitwick chuckled.
"Perhaps he is jealous of our friendship mon ami," Nicolas sighed dolefully.
"Why do you only say that to Filius?" McGonagall asked.
"When I told him that I had a different heritage once, he assumed I meant French," Flitwick smiled.
"In my defense," Nicolas started while the others howled laughing, "it fit the description! Acting like a Frenchman surrounded by English, and Scots. Beset at all sides!" He held up a finger and opened his mouth to say more but suddenly stopped and his head turned around swiftly. Perenelle's reaction was the same as his. She sat up and turned and looked to the side, eyes opened with astonishment. So swift their reaction, the other three gaped for a moment.
Harry had opened the oven and took out the pans and was gingerly taking out the pie pans to cool on metal racks, proud of the golden-brown crusts, the set sun-bright custard, and the bubbling cheese.
"Surely not," Nicolas breathed softly.
"My word," Perenelle said just as softly. "Is that a tartiflette?"
"Yes Ma'am," Harry said as he carried the heavy cast iron pan over and set it down in the middle of the table. The cheese bubbled and burbled still, fragrant steam filling the air as the potatoes and cheese and onions and bacon dish looked incredibly inviting. "Also quiche Lorraine and a simple salad. Inky got some baguettes too from a French-style bakery."
"How…how did you come across this?" Nicolas asked, gesturing at the tartiflette and looking directly at Harry.
"I've never had it actually," Harry said. "But the Headmaster asked if I'd be willing to try and make it for you and Mrs. Flamel as thanks for coming to take the basilisk to a nicer place and taking care of her. He described the dish to me and I figured it was a lot like a gratin and I could make a decent attempt at it."
"A decent attempt?" Perenelle repeated incredulously. "It smells incredible and looks just like it should."
Harry smiled with bashful pride. "Thank you! I couldn't get any of the traditional cheese, reblochon? But the person I sent Hedwig to suggested camembert as a replacement, said that it was close enough as a soft cow-milk cheese."
"This is a very traditional dish for people that live in the Alps," Nicolas said. "Specifically close to Annecy, a small city high up where Perenelle and I are quite fond of."
"I hope you like it," Harry said. "I'm sorry if I don't get it quite right."
"My boy, if it tastes half as good as it looks and smells, you will have succeeded," Nicolas said seriously. He watched as Harry served everyone a portion of the steaming dish and he took a small bite, blowing air on the still steaming hot potatoes a little. It was everything he remembered it to be: soft potatoes absorbing the molten cheese and sweet pungent onions adding their flavor. Bits of bacon were meaty and salty and the pepper and thyme made the creamy filling savory. "Mon dieu," he sighed.
"You have never had this before?" Perenelle asked. "Truly?"
"No Ma'am, but I've had potato gratin before and it sounded very similar."
"Do not call me that. You may call me Perenelle or Penny if you wish," she smiled.
"You can call me anything you want if you feed me food like this," Nicolas said as he chewed blissfully on a large bite of quiche. "This is incredible!"
"Oh my," McGonagall gasped. This was the first time she had Harry's food that was not a biscuit. "This is wonderful, Potter!" She glared at Flitwick and Dumbledore who did not even try to hide smug proud smiles. "And you two have had this before?!"
"Not this exactly but his cooking? Yes," Flitwick said as he happily chewed. "Perks of running Household Charms."
"I have never gotten the hang of making this myself," Perenelle said as she ate the tartiflette with enthusiasm. "And believe me, I have tried for many years. This tastes so much like the real thing. In fact, there's that little café on the lakeside by the north point."
"Yes! That one! I thought it tasted like it. If you had the reblochon, it might be it exactly." Nicolas looked at Harry seriously. "You, young man, have a gift."
Harry flushed. "I don't think so, I just like to cook," he mumbled with embarrassment.
"I think so," Nicolas insisted. "Young man, I am very old. I have traveled the world and I can still remember all the times I had a French dish that tasted good and was not made by a Frenchman. I could even write it down with unerring accuracy, each and every time. And you, this," he pointed at the tartiflette, "would be on that list. And not at the bottom."
"Oh wow, thank you Sir," Harry stammered.
"Nicolas or Nicky if it pleases you," Nicolas corrected gently. "Or crazy old bastard even."
"I called you that one time, the very first time we met and you have never let me forget it," Dumbledore groaned, making Nicolas and Perenelle laugh while McGonagall looked shocked and Flitwick snorted. "Can you not let the past go?"
"Never. I am a very petty man with plenty of time to carry a grudge," Nicolas said airily. They ate the quiches and tartiflette, doing them full justice. "I could eat more," he said sadly, looking at the empty plates.
"I have plenty of ingredients, I could make some more," Harry said, wiping his mouth on a napkin and rising. "If you don't mind waiting. I was going to save one of each for my friends but there should be enough to make another."
"I don't mind in the slightest!" He and Perenelle drifted to the kitchen side of the room to watch with the other three following. "You look like a professional. You're rather young to be a professional. How old are you? Eighteen? Seventeen? A bit scrawny but the English are always lacking in stature."
"I'm twelve," Harry smiled while Dumbledore gave Nicolas a look.
"Only twelve and you can cook like this?" Perenelle asked.
"I grew up cooking," Harry said as he started slicing potatoes and onions.
"Clearly, and you are quite good. It shows," she smiled. "You have a very gentle touch. With this and the basilisk." She looked at him thoughtfully. "You were rather gentle with the serpent. Were you not afraid?"
"I was, before we met her," Harry said as he sliced the bacon next. "But then after the book burned and she and I talked, I felt bad for her. She was alone in the dark, cold and hungry and scared. I know what that's like." He was engrossed in his task and missed the look the adults exchanged.
"What the hell are you doing to the children here?" Nicolas hissed quietly.
"Not me and I do not care who you are, accuse me of that again and I will take you out back," Dumbledore hissed back, quite angry.
"Quiet children," Perenelle scolded in a quiet voice and plastered a smile on when Harry looked up at the sudden awkward not-quite silence. "Do not worry, Harry, we will take good care of her. She will be happy in France."
"That's good," Harry said with relief. "I don't think she's bad, really."
Nicolas leaned onto the preparation table. "Actually, Harry, may I call you Harry? Actually, Harry, I see you and the basilisk have a bond. Perhaps you would like to come to France with us? Madame Maxime, she's the Headmistress at Beauxbatons which is an excellent French magical school, would love to have you. They even have a cooking class if I recall?"
He smiled when Harry looked up with interest and pointedly ignored the looks Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Flitwick were giving him. "And if they do not, then we can make one! How does that sound? France is so wonderful and not to mention the culinary capital of the world. Surely it sounds much better than being here, no?"
Harry laughed a little. "It sounds nice, but I like being here. My friends are here and my parents were students here." He looked a little wistful. "I want to be here for a little longer." He grew shyer. "I can still visit though, right?"
Perenelle's heart melted a little. "Of course, Harry. You will be welcome, always." They watched and chatted easily as the second quiches and tartiflettes were made and once again did the food due consideration as they ate their fill. "This was one of the finest meals I have had in recent and not-so-recent memory," she smiled easily.
"We will leave the room to you," Dumbledore said. "So you and your friends can convene here. Despite the trouble ending, I feel better with you in the room with more protections."
Nicolas extended his hand and shook Harry's. "You and I are now friends. You need only get word to me, and I will do my best to assist you. All I ask from you is more of your exquisite cooking and you will have to tolerate me, but I think that is an easy enough trade, yes?"
"Be careful before you say yes, Potter," McGonagall said ominously.
Harry grinned. "I told the basilisk that I think you're nice, and I do. Thank you very much. You and Mrs. Flamel, I mean P-Penny," he corrected at her stern look, "are very nice to cook for. Thank you. Actually, may I ask something of you?"
Nicolas heard his request and roared with laughter. "You are a kind fellow, Harry." He did as asked and grinned. "Well, we will see you in the morning to make sure our basilisk friend is comfortable." After they helped to clean, they left, not speaking until arriving at Dumbledore's office. "Albus, that boy is a treasure," he said.
"I know," Dumbledore said, sitting at his desk and pouring glasses of wine.
"No, I mean it," Nicolas said. "He has never had the dish before and makes it that well? With only some practice? You can tell he cares and that kind of care and kindness is few and far between."
"You could taste the sincerity," Perenelle said. "He wanted it to taste good and made it for us for our pleasure and comfort. That is a rare gift."
"Like I said, I know," Dumbledore said quietly. "I am grateful for his presence here, and his assistance."
"And what was that nonsense about what he said? I do not like it at all," Nicolas said, his face serious.
"I do not know and I hope to learn," Dumbledore sighed and drank. "He has said some strange things like that and I hope to get to the bottom of it."
"See that you do," Perenelle said. The five of them drank silently.
"Oh-ho," Nicolas said out loud, drawing their attention. "Is this what you meant last year? That your coming years would possibly make a good show at the International?"
"It crossed my mind," Dumbledore nodded.
"Really, you think so?" Flitwick asked, intrigued.
"I would agree," Perenelle said. "That sort of talent, showcased properly, would draw the eyes of many."
"We cannot ask that of Harry," McGonagall protested.
"Not now, but in time, with proper support and training and education, I think he would do well," Dumbledore said.
"I would agree to that," Nicolas said. "I will put in a word like I said I would. Next time I see Drake, I will put a word in his ear and send him this way."
"Oh yes, I think he would enjoy visiting and meeting Harry," Dumbledore said agreeably.
"Good. Sooner the better. This sort of thing takes time and we can get things rolling." Nicolas sipped his wine. "Besides, it will give us a reason to stay somewhat locally in France and to pop by for visits every so often."
"Poor Harry," McGonagall said sardonically, huffing at Nicolas smiling cheekily at her.
"Perhaps you can play the role of doting grandparents," Flitwick chuckled. He sobered a little. "He does not have any and he could use the attention and affection."
"Done. I am awful at knitting but I can get better at it," Perenelle said with conviction. "Plenty of time and now I have the inclination."
-0-
"I can't believe you went into the Chamber of Secrets and confronted a basilisk!" Lavender shouted. "Two even!"
Harry rubbed his neck sheepishly. "I mean, I had to."
"No you didn't!" Lavender, Padma, Parvati, and Pansy shouted back.
"I was the only Parselmouth near! They needed me," he said indignantly. "And the Headmaster said he tried to get another and they couldn't be reached."
"That is not your concern!" Pansy crossed her arms and looked at him severely. "You had no reason going down there and putting yourself in danger!"
"It's bad enough you had that brush when you saved Ron and Ginny," Parvati argued. "Why would you go down there? Willingly?!"
"Well I felt like I had to," he said mulishly.
"Why?" Padma asked.
"I just thought about the basilisk attacking any of you and I didn't want that," he said quietly, looking away. "I wanted to stop it before that could happen."
"Oh," Pansy said quietly. She deflated, her righteous indignation escaping her. Everyone else did the same, their upset feelings slowly leaving them, punctured by Harry's sincerity.
"That was very brave of you," Hermione said quietly. "And very good of you."
"It was easy to feel brave," he said with a weak smile. "I was with Hagrid and the professors and the Headmaster. And Fawkes."
"You still went down there," Millicent said. "That's incredible. Just hearing you describe all that makes my skin crawl."
"By the way, were you allowed to tell us all this?" Neville asked.
"I wasn't told I couldn't," Harry shrugged.
"I've always wanted to meet a basilisk," Luna said softly. "Can I meet the nice one with you one day? She sounds nice." She missed the way the other students were looking at her.
"I'll ask the Flamels. They're nice too and a lot weirder."
"Look, let's just be grateful that everything got solved and everyone's okay," Sue said pragmatically.
"I guess, but I'm still upset at you," Lavender said rebelliously, glaring at Harry.
"Will something new help?" he asked, opening the oven and sliding out two quiches and a large tartiflette onto the table. The others exclaimed with delight at the sight and the smells.
"Ooh, it might," Parvati said.
Lavender rolled her eyes and sighed. She hugged Harry hard. "Just, try not to do something like that again, please," she whispered.
"I'll try," he said, hugging her back. He sliced the quiches into pieces and the friends tucked in, eating eagerly.
"Oh, this is very good," Pansy said, fanning her mouth. "I've been to France a few times and this tastes as good as any I've had there!"
"Yeah same," Hermione said with a large smile.
"It's nice learning something new," Harry smiled as he ate too. "Oh and I have something for you and Padma." He reached into his bag and took out two pieces of parchment and handed them to the two girls.
"Signed autograph from Nicolas Flamel!" they cried together.
"You two are such nerds," Parvati said, rolling her eyes. She shrieked when Padma pushed her and Hermione kicked her stool, the combination knocking her to the floor.
The others ate and laughed as the irate Parvati chased Padma and Hermione around the table. Harry watched them fondly, grateful that he was able to make this happen, the happy moment eating together and keeping them safe.
Together in the warm sunlight, far away from whispering books and dark Chambers.
-0-0-0-
odonnellzoo99 - Glad to hear that you are home and are feeling better. yes, I really liked TBR's interpretation of Nicolas Flamel and I wanted to do my own version that will be fun and irreverent yet hopefully believable and not a deus ex machina. I have big plans for the Flamels and make them fit the setting while doing more than be a set piece. Pansy is growing more too and I like that too.
poka - We will, spoilers, just in different ways. I'm hoping for a good take on the manipulative Dumbledore trope, one that fits his reputation of being a wise figure while showing how he could be good. Yeah it was a packed chapter but I thought it flowed well.
MultiversalCosms - I'm hoping that as the story goes on, you will like and be satisfied at Riddle's schemes and machinations.
Hands Off MY Wolfie - Nicolas is a character and rather eccentric in his own right.
alix33 - The younger basilisk came out much cuter than I thought she would.
kaya - I like that the adults feel more competent here and I'm happy with Pansy's growth too. I just finished a chapter today that showed a big change for her and I hope people like it when it comes.
SvenHPotterFan - There are stairs in this chapter.
Earth Guardian 28 - Having a good Slytherin character this early on has really provided some fun ways for things to be learned through exposition and the like. The basilisk is turning out to be more adorable than I originally envisioned, but I don't dislike it.