I do not own Harry Potter, the Wizarding World, or any canon characters.

A Taste of Magic

3rd Course – Going Clubbing

"There are so many clubs," Lavender said, staring up at a large board that hung in the foyer of the castle. The board was covered in parchment flyers and notices. Usually, it was a place where school-wide announcements could be seen as well as a calendar for events and the like. There was also a portion dedicated to school clubs and organizations.

Everyone was encouraged to join or attend at least one club or organization though it was not mandatory. Also, failing marks could result in a student being denied extracurricular activities by their Head of House. It was a way for students from different Houses to interact outside of classes and find new things they enjoyed.

"I don't even know what a lot of these things are," Harry said. "What are gobstones?"

"It's a game, like marbles. But when you lose a point they squirt gob juice into your face," Lavender explained.

"That sounds really gross," Harry shuddered.

"It is pretty gross," she agreed.

"What's gob juice?" he could not help but ask.

"I don't know and I don't know if I want to know," she said with a moue of disgust. "Any clubs you are thinking about?"

"I think I'll join the Flying club. I like flying. It'll be fun to just get to do that." He looked at her. "What about you? I know you don't like flying and I'd like to be in a club with you."

Lavender smiled. "I'd like that too. Parvati and I are joining the Astrology club. Stars and things like that. Are you interested in that?" She looked at the board after seeing his head shake. "Hmm, let's see if we can find something else then. I think I can handle two clubs too."

After looking up and down the board, Harry eventually realized that someone was standing beside him. "Oh! Hello Headmaster."

Dumbledore looked down and smiled warmly at Harry. "Hello Mister Potter, and hello to you too Miss Brown."

Lavender gulped a little. "Hello Headmaster," she replied.

"I enjoy this time of year," Dumbledore said, looking back at the board. "I always like seeing what clubs are available and if any strike my fancy."

"Do the professors join clubs too?" Harry asked.

"If time allows," Dumbledore said. "I still pop into the Transfiguration club here and there. I used to teach the class, you see, back before I became Headmaster." He looked crest-fallen for a moment. "I was hoping the Muggle Literature club would return. I do enjoy reading how Muggles portray magic. Have you two picked clubs to join?"

"Yes Sir," Harry said. "Lavender is joining astrology and I'm joining flying."

"A fine choice, the both of them. Astrology club will help enhance your understanding for the class and it can relate to other courses. And flying is fun of course. Your father was quite the flyer in his day."

"Really?" Harry's eyes opened wide at the information.

"Really. He was a member of Gryffindor's Quidditch team. Perhaps something to consider for the future if you are so inclined," Dumbledore said warmly.

"Wow," Harry said softly. He shook his head a little. "Is there a cooking club or something like that?"

Dumbledore shook his head. "Unfortunately not. Cooking is not something many of the magicals here ever focused on sadly." He hummed in thought. "Miss Brown, what other pursuits do you enjoy?"

Lavender flushed a little. "Oh, uhm, I don't know…"

"You can say it," Harry said encouragingly. "The Headmaster is nice."

Dumbledore beamed at that.

"I like sewing," Lavender said at last. "Making pretty things and clothes and stuff like that."

"That is an excellent hobby to have," Dumbledore said. "Sadly there has not been a club for that in quite some time. That being said, I think I have a solution for the both of you." He pointed at a parchment sheet in the far corner.

"Household Charms?" Harry read.

"Indeed. It has not been as popular as of late but I have always thought that charms and spells for the home have been overlooked. They are simpler and most are taught by their parents but you can always learn a new one to make things better for yourself. I am sure you can learn lots of things suited for both your interests."

"That sounds like fun, what do you think?" Harry asked.

"I like it," Lavender said. "Sounds good to me."

"Thank you, Headmaster," they said.

"You are quite welcome," Dumbledore replied.

-0-

"You don't think he was messing with us, do you?" Lavender asked.

A few days later, Harry and Lavender had gone to the classroom that the Household Charms parchment listed. They were the only ones there and had sat there for a few minutes without anyone else arriving.

"I don't think so," Harry said slowly. "Did we get the time and date wrong?"

Lavender looked in her calendar book. "No, we didn't."

"I guess it got cancelled and we didn't know," Harry said. "Sorry."

"Not your fault," Lavender said. "I guess we can go and try to find another one." The sound of running feet made them pause and they looked at the door.

"Wait! Wait!" Filius Flitwick, Head of Ravenclaw and Charms professor came dashing in. "I'm terribly sorry," he said, wheezing and holding his side. "I do apologize for my tardiness!"

"It's okay," Harry said, sharing an amused glance with Lavender. "Are you okay?"

"I'll be fine," Flitwick said, still gasping for breath. "This is the first time I have had anyone show interest in Household Charms in years! I had thought no one signed up and did not think to check the sheet. I was in my office when the Headmaster asked if you two had changed your mind and once I realized you did sign up, came running!"

He rose to his full height, which was not much. He was shorter than either of the first year students but he seemed to have more energy than both of them put together. Once recovered from his run, he was bouncing on his feet with glee. "I think I'll allow you each one free tardy excuse to my class in the future to make up for mine today."

"That sounds good, Sir," Harry smiled and Lavender giggled in agreement.

"Splendid! Now, in the past I had a loose syllabus of what I hoped to go over and learn together for this club but since you two are the only members, I rather know what you are hoping to learn and go from there." He looked at them expectantly.

"Well, I like to cook," Harry said. "And I was hoping to learn spells and charms that would help with cooking."

"And I like to sew," Lavender said. "I'd like to learn spells that would be good for making things like that."

"Very good! That sounds like a lot of fun," Flitwick gushed.

"Do you know spells for those things?" Harry asked, impressed.

"Not really!"

The two students looked at each other in confusion.

Flitwick's smile was broad and infectious. "That means I get to learn with you! I do know a few charms that could be used of course in either realm but I don't know any specific spells but that's half the fun of the club, we get to learn together."

"I thought professors knew everything," Lavender said slowly and shyly.

"Allow me to let you in on a very deep secret," Flitwick said, his merry features becoming solemn. "Professors do not know everything." His smile reappeared. "We know a lot and are happy to teach, admittedly in varying degrees but that's neither here nor there, but we are also constantly learning. A professor that refuses to learn and improve is a very poor one."

"How will we learn new charms?" Harry asked, growing excited.

"Together of course! I have many reference and spell books and we can always delve into other ones in the library or elsewhere. I always learn better by doing and we can do that together as well." He looked around the empty classroom. "Which means we can use some appropriate material here. Inky?"

Inky appeared with a pop. "Hello Professor Flitwick!" she said brightly. When she saw Harry, she smiled wide. "Mister Harry! Hello!"

"Hi Inky!"

"You two are acquainted already?" Flitwick asked, surprised and delighted.

"Yes Sir. The Headmaster took me to the kitchens once and I met her there."

"He did? No wonder he suggested that Inky would be able to assist us. Wonderful. Inky, could we have a stove and some kitchen things here and then some fabric and needles and thread? Things for sewing? I'm going to run back to my office for a few books. Oh actually, Mister Potter, what do you like to cook?"

"How about biscuits again?" Harry smiled when Lavender and Inky nodded excitedly.

"Biscuits are always welcome," Flitwick said. "Okay then! I'll run off and be back soon!" He ran out of the classroom while Inky popped away.

"I'm glad he's the instructor for the club," Lavender said. "He's the nicest professor."

"He's also really enthusiastic too which is great," Harry agreed.

In a short time, Flitwick returned, his books floating alongside him. Inky had popped in and out of the room, bringing the stove as well as the ingredients and things that Harry had asked for. She also brought over a large pile of different kinds of fabrics of all sorts of material and colors as well as shears and needle and thread.

"Lovely," Flitwick said as he arranged the books on the main desk. "I grabbed some of my older books with an emphasis on household things. Ah here we are." He blew off a bit of dust. "A bit dated as you can see but sometimes the older magic is the more potent! Why don't you go ahead and start cooking, Mister Potter, and then we can see what spells will work with what you do."

Harry fell to with a will. Like he did in the kitchens a days prior, he mixed all the ingredients together. Inky watched eagerly and this time was joined by Lavender and Flitwick watching as well.

"Inky has tried making the biscuits as you did," she said. "They come out close but not quite so Inky will pay closer attention now."

"Aww, I'm glad you tried the recipe," Harry said, touched. "Have you made biscuits at home?"

Lavender nodded. "Sort of. When I was really little, we bought store made biscuit dough. Recently we did it at home but yours tasted so good. I'm really interested in how you do it too."

"Hmm, no wonder you have good wand movements in class," Flitwick said as he observed Harry mixing and portioning out the biscuits. "Distinct and purposeful movements are hallmarks of a good charm caster. Have you cooked a lot?"

"Yes Sir, practically all my life," Harry said as he laid the biscuits out on the tray.

"It certainly seems so," Flitwick murmured to himself.

The smell of biscuits filled the air soon and Lavender, Flitwick, and Inky smiled with delight at the sweet heady scent. They eagerly accepted the biscuits, barely waiting for them to cool. "My! These are wonderful!" Flitwick praised.

"Even better than the last ones," Lavender said with a full mouth.

Inky nodded with agreement, chomping blissfully on hers.

Harry smiled happily. He was still unused to get such unstinting praise and it showed.

"Okay, seeing the process, I think we can try this charm," Flitwick said, dabbing his lips with a napkin. "It's a Mixing Charm. It started as one used for mixing building materials for grout and cement but it shouldn't be any problem to use it for more delicate things."

He held up his wand. "The incantation is Miscere and you draw a shape with your wand in the direction you want to mix it. It looks like the faster your wand movement, the faster it mixes. Let us give it a try." He put butter and sugar into an empty bowl and drew a small circle slowly. "Miscere."

Harry and Lavender exclaimed as they saw the butter and sugar mixing together slowly in the bowl. "That's really neat!" Harry said.

Flitwick experimented with his wand movements and the speed of the mixing changed with how he moved his wand. "It does seem a bit touchy," he laughed when butter and sugar went flying when he drew a circle swiftly. "Probably depends on the material as well. Why don't you practice with that Mister Potter while we explore some sartorial charms?"

Harry did so eagerly. It took a few tries but he soon had the bowl's contents mixing smoothly. The addition of eggs and flour made the mixing slower and he had to draw a wider circle and a faster one to get the batter to mix well.

"Now if I recall, you are currently learning how to transfigure a matchstick into a needle, yes?" Flitwick asked.

"Yes Sir. I haven't quite gotten it yet," Lavender confessed.

"Nothing wrong with that," he soothed. "It's a simple spell as far as transfiguration goes but transfiguration on the whole is more difficult. We will use these actual needles here but here is a handy charm to help thread your needle. And this one I just found makes the needle unable to pierce skin! I'm sure that will save on accidental poking."

He and Lavender practiced with their needles and thread and after some tries, they cheered as they managed to make the charms work. Flitwick poked his pointer finger gently with the needle. "Still smarts a bit, but no blood! I'll count that as a win," he said proudly.

"It'll be nice when I forget a thimble," Lavender said happily.

"I do like thimbles," Flitwick chuckled. "I don't know how to sew but they are very darling." He sniffed the air and turned. "Ah, another batch ready?"

"Yes Sir," Harry said, but he looked pensive.

"Is something the matter?" Flitwick asked.

"Well, it might just be me, but I think the second batch tastes a bit different." He handed out biscuits from the second batch.

"Hmm, I think you're right," Flitwick said thoughtfully. He took a bite from a biscuit from each batch. "The second batch does not taste bad at all, still quite good, but there is a noticeable difference."

"I think so too," Lavender said. "I'd happily eat both, but there's a difference."

"Second batch tastes like how Inky makes them," Inky said.

"The ingredients were exactly the same," Harry mused. "The bake time was the same. The only difference was how we mixed the ingredients and made the dough."

"Hmm, interesting. Perfect time to experiment then. We have enough ingredients for another try or two. I would say make them again, once with your usual way, and another with the charm," Flitwick suggested.

Harry nodded. "I'd like to figure out why." He started once more willingly. Inky helped by measuring things out for him. Harry carefully used the Mixing Charm to mix the second retrial batch, making sure everything mixed smoothly and well. He sat the two mixing bowls side by side when completed. "They look and feel and smell the same," he said.

Inky nodded in agreement and she helped him roll them out. When they finished baking, she helped lay them out on the kitchen table she brought and on the cooling racks.

"I hope you aren't tired of biscuits," Harry joked.

"Not yet," Flitwick smiled.

"Me neither," Lavender said.

The four of them munched on another pair of biscuits, one taken from each new retrial batch. "The one you make without magic tastes just like your very first one," Flitwick said. "Quite good."

"The second remake with the charm still tastes different," Lavender said. "It tastes more like how you do it without magic, but there's still a difference. I don't know what though."

"Second batch is similar to how Inky makes them, but more like yours without magic." Inky blinked slowly as she munched away. "Is very strange."

"Perhaps we will learn the why of it as we progress during the year," Flitwick said. "Something to explore and understand. That being said, both styles of biscuits are utterly delicious."

"Thank you," Harry said happily. "What have you made, Lavender?"

Lavender smiled prettily as she held up small bags she had sewn with ribbon drawstrings. "I was thinking of a fun way to carry your biscuits around and came up with these! Professor Flitwick said there are charms to keep things from staining the material and to keep things fresh inside."

"Oh like what the Headmaster did for me," Harry said.

"It is a very useful charm but a bit above your skill level yet. Though if you two continue to work hard, then I'm sure I can teach you both how to do it sooner rather than later." Flitwick tapped the bags in turn. "You will eventually have to reapply the charms too. Most charms eventually wear off unless you incorporate runes. Something you will learn if you take that elective class."

He smiled at Harry. "Now this charm is a bit advanced too but I think you might enjoy trying to learn it sooner. It is particularly useful against the bane of cooks and chefs everywhere." He threw his arms apart dramatically. "Dirty dishes." He laughed alongside Lavender and Harry. "The wand motion is an elongated S and the incantation is Scourgify. The Scouring Charm!"

Harry held his wand out and pointed it at the dirty mixing bowl. "Scourgify." A few bubbles appeared and a small part of the sticky dough-speckled bowl cleaned itself but the majority of the bowl remained dirty.

"It is a few years above you but practice makes perfect," Flitwick smiled. "Go on then."

Harry and Lavender tried a few times, drawing the S and incanting. They laughed as the bowls rocked back and forth, moved by the magical scrubbing. Parts of the bowls slowly became clean but the bowls remained defiantly sticky.

"Good effort," Flitwick smiled after a while. With a flick of his wand, all the dishes and things used by Harry were scrubbed and scoured clean. "I am sure we will have plenty of time in the future to practice."

"I'm definitely more used to washing by hand and I really want to learn how to use that charm properly," Harry said. "It'll be really nice to know."

"Thank you for teaching us Professor," Lavender said. "Is it okay if it's only me and Harry in the club?"

"Perfectly fine! Sometimes it's more fun with smaller groups so we can focus on what we like. That said, if you wish to invite a few others, I wouldn't be upset. I cannot remember the last time I enjoyed the Household Charms club like this." His smile was even wider when Harry gave him a bag full of biscuits. "In fact, if I can partake in what you two make, I'll be even more enthused."

Harry frowned all of a sudden. "Is it okay if I keep using things from the kitchens? It's not fair if it's supposed to be for the whole school."

"The Headmaster said we can use some things," Inky said, "but not too much."

"Clubs and organizations have a small budget for things," Flitwick mused. "I'm sure we can figure something out to obtain things we want and need."

"I have some money," Harry said.

"We typically don't want students to be overspending on club things. Don't worry, Mister Potter, we will figure things out." Flitwick pulled out a golden watch and looked at it. "Goodness, look at the time! I better get you two back to your tower before curfew."

"Thank you, Mister Harry!" Inky said, hugging her bag of biscuits. "And thank you Miss Brown for the pretty bag!"

"You can call me Miss Lavender," Lavender smiled. "Thank you for helping us, Inky."

"I'll see if we can have a permanent room for the club," Flitwick said as he led them back towards Gryffindor tower. "There are plenty of unused classrooms. It would be nice to be able to leave things there for our meetings. Is once a week good for the both of you?"

"Yes Sir," Harry and Lavender said, nodding.

"Splendid. And do keep up with your studies you two. I would be heartbroken if we had to stop meeting due to you having poor marks. Here we are. Have a good night!" He waved cheerily and walked away, whistling brightly and patting the bag inside his pocket.

"I'm glad we did that club," Lavender said as she walked through the portrait hole. "That was a lot of fun and you're a really good cook!"

Harry smiled proudly. "It was a lot of fun and I can't wait to figure out what makes the tastes different." He held two of the bags that Lavender made. "You're really good at sewing. These are really pretty!"

"Thank you!" Lavender blushed. "I really like making cute and pretty things. I hope to make clothes one day."

"I bet you'll make awesome ones. Is it okay that I have two?" Harry asked.

"Sure! As long as you keep feeding me good food."

"I'll be happy to," he replied sincerely.

"I'll share some biscuits with Parvati. If she fusses and wants more, she can join us at the club," Lavender said. "Good night, Harry. See you tomorrow!"

He returned her wave and went up the stairs to his dorm room. Thankfully he was the only one in the room and he got ready for bed in peace. He carefully put the bags on the nightstand and smiled at them as he laid back in bed.

"Things are getting better," he said softly to himself and slowly drifted off to sleep.

-0-0-0-

Arnie1701 - All I will say is that remember this is AU and some milestones will not be the same.

odonnellzoo99 - That's why I try not to do pairing tags depending on the age of the characters. It's not that I don't have it set in stone, who would write so nebulously and vaguely I wonder, but that I don't think it's all that important until later when the characters develop and the like. I'm trying hard to challenge myself and have the characters develop as organically as I can and feel like proper people. I seemed to have gone on a tear lately, finished chapter 11 today, so I might be able to sustain 2 updates a week. We will see. Thank you for being a kind reader.

mike3308 - That might happen.

LordLiberty - I try to have things make sense. To have Pansy all of a sudden turn and change wouldn't, and this way, it feels feasible. Plus I think everyone can identify with friendships that change and how we don't always like who we are or people become. Thank you very much.

alix33 - She should have the opportunity to do it at least once, right?

guest - Thank you. It's been a little hard to rewrite my mind around this setting and try to give life to these "new" characters, but I am pretty happy without how they are developing.

DOOOOOOOM Lord of Waffles - Yes, it was a long time coming and I started it later than I thought I would, but it's chugging along.

poka - There's going to be a number of changes from canon that I hope people like. A bit of a sneakpeak/spoiler, I am going to try and explore other facets of the Wizarding World, similar how I did a little in Defiance, but on a more in-depth scale for some parts.