I do not own Harry Potter, the Wizarding World, or any canon characters.
A Taste of Magic
49th Course – Old, but less Grim
Remus smiled. "You ready?" His smile was replaced by a small frown. "Have you, how do I put this delicately, put on weight recently?"
Harry grinned and gently patted the front of his shirt. The large bump shook and hooted. "Hedwig doesn't love apparition and doesn't want to ride in her cage so we're going to try this."
"Ah, that makes sense," Remus said, smile returning. "Right then, to your new home!" He put his hand on Harry's shoulder and the three of them were whisked away with magic, appearing in a small stand of trees beside a busy London street.
"In the future, once you are more familiar with the place and have been added properly to the wards, you'll be able to Floo or we can Apparate into the secured place for it in the home," Remus explained. "Since this is your first visit, we thought this would be best."
"That'll be good," Harry said, shaking his head slowly to shake away the effects of the apparition. He patted the Hedwig bump gently, feeling her hoot with discomfort and disgust. "And Hedwig will know how to fly there after visiting today, right?"
"Yes indeed," Remus said. He led Harry out of the stand of trees and down the street. "There, you can see it now," he said, pointing. "Number 12, Grimmauld Place."
Harry looked at it as they approached. The street itself looked like many other streets, though a bit quieter and grayer. The row of homes were older, riding that thin line between aged and neglected. As they approached Number 12, he felt a slight tingle over his skin. It was something he had grown accustomed to, the feeling of ambient magic. The door opened as they reached the landing and Sirius beamed at them.
"Welcome!" he practically shouted, his smile from ear to ear. He looked far healthier than the last time Harry had seen him. They had exchanged letters fairly regularly since they last interacted in person, but it had been almost a month since they saw each other face to face. Sirius was no longer gaunt, his skin no longer waxy and sunken. His hair was shoulder-length but neat and his eyes lost their manic quality.
"You look great!" Harry said happily.
"Thanks! I feel great," Sirius said. "You look great too!" He looked at the bump and looked confused. "Wait, did you have that before?"
Harry chuckled and opened his shirt a bit and Hedwig came climbing out. She wriggled her way out and clambered onto his head, looking about with interest. "We did that for apparating."
"Ah that makes sense. Well, what do you think?" Sirius asked, arms up and gesturing to the house.
The interior was dark wood, almost black. Magical lanterns hung from the walls, shining warmly. The general sense of time passed and neglect was a touch stronger within the home, but there was a feeling of difference too, of things being moved and aired out. Things were moved haphazardly about and looked out of place somewhat.
"Bit of a work in progress admittedly," Sirius said with a light tone.
"It looked much worse before," Remus said wryly.
"It did," Sirius laughed. "This was my ancestral home and let me tell you, it's always been a dark and grim place, fitting the name. No one lived here save for the House Elf while I was away in prison and it got left to rot and languish a bit. Been a fight to get things cleaned up and the like so that's why you haven't been able to move in yet, sorry about that."
"I'm in no rush," Harry said. "I'm excited to live with you."
Sirius' smile grew wider somehow. "Me too! Don't worry, your room is next on the list. We had to make it safe to even move about first. Then me and Remus cleared a room to bunk together while working on this place. It's been slow going but it's working."
"I could've come help," Harry said.
"Nah, you got your summer project things," Sirius smiled easily. "Though if you have a moment to pop over here and there I won't say no. Actually that's part of why you're here today but still, it's coming along." He started leading them deeper into the house.
"Whoa! What happened there?!" Harry gasped, pointing. A large spot on the wall looked utterly destroyed, the wall broken and burnt. Debris littered the ground and lines of complicated looking symbols were drawn around it and a tiny fire smoldered in the middle.
"Oh that," Sirius said, looking irritated and satisfied in equal measure. "So turns out, my mother made a magical painting of herself before she passed and it was here all this time. She never liked me when she was alive and her painting hated me even more, especially since I'm the Head of the Blacks now and all that."
"I'm sorry," Harry said softly.
Sirius smiled sadly. "Me too, if I'm being honest. Anyways, she was even more verbally abusive and causing all this ruckus and wouldn't voluntarily leave. So we had to get rid of the painting and let me tell you, that was a fight. Turns out she left a spell chain in it that allowed her to leave the painting. I had to duel her, force her back into it, before we doused it with potions and holy water to exorcise the evil spirits and burned it down to cleanse the area."
Harry blinked at him a few times with Hedwig doing the same. Then they both turned their heads to look at Remus.
"The painting was really resistant to a lot so we doused it in paint thinner, magical and mundane," Remus said with a smile. "Sirius tripped and knocked over a candle and the painting went up in flames. We managed to keep it contained but couldn't put it out and now we are purifying the area and rebuilding it magically."
"Let me tell my stories," Sirius said grumpily.
"He very heroically tripped over the candle to banish the evil spirit and cleanse it with flame fueled by holy potions," Remus amended. "It was a glorious fight."
"Okay that's better," Sirius sniffed. He could not help himself from chuckling though while Harry and Remus laughed. He led them down the hall and pushed open the large double door. "And here is where we need your expertise, Harry."
Harry gasped with delight, looking around the very large room. Unlike the rest of what he saw of Grimmauld, it was sparkling clean and felt fresh. The stone floors gleamed and the walls were clean and bare. The ceiling was tall and arched in places, providing an open feeling. A very long plain dinner table was along one side and the other side was the kitchen, a large stove sat there and lots of counters and tables were about. A line of cabinets and drawers lined the other wall and Harry saw a door cracked open and showing shelving and racks within. A very large ice box was in the corner and an oven was built into the wall, made of heavy brick with a metal door. "This is amazing!" he said happily and Hedwig flapped her wings in agreement.
Sirius looked just as happy, as did Remus. "I don't know much about how to cook, well I know nothing really, but nothing but the best for you! I got the base stuff here and you're going to help us set it up and tell me what else to get for us."
"That sounds like too much for me," Harry said, looking about wistfully.
"No it isn't," Sirius said, his good humor replaced by sincere seriousness. "You deserve it and I'll say it's for me and everyone else that lives and visits here too. It's for us all but I want you to have what you want because you deserve it too. Trust me, I don't do something I don't want to."
"That's very true," Remus said warmly and resignedly. "He's quite stubborn."
"No I'm not!"
"And contrary."
"Eh, maybe that." Sirius grinned at Harry. "But yeah, I want you to be happy here."
"You want me here, I'll be happy," Harry said sincerely.
"More than you know," Sirius said, patting Harry on the shoulder. A ringing sound came from his pocket and he pulled out a gold watch, opening it to check the time. "Ah dammit. We need to go get the furniture shipment or else they'll charge me double and send it back. Not to mention the other things."
"Oh right, we can do that swiftly and be back soon," Remus said.
"Do you mind if we hop out and come right back?" Sirius asked Harry.
"Not at all! I'll start getting things organized here."
"Great! You do that, write a grocery list and when me and Remus get back, we'll get the other stuff and we'll help here and we can eat together. Oh and you'll meet Andi and Ted and Nymphadora and it'll be great, they're coming too. Be right back!" He and Remus left, leaving Harry and Hedwig in the kitchen.
"It's so spacious," Harry said out loud with wonder. "And we'll get to be here."
Hedwig hooted happily and flew about the room. She landed on the counter and fluffed up, looking at him,
"Yeah, you'll get to join me here," he said happily, smiling wider when she did a hop-skip dance. "Maybe we can put in some perches and roosting spots for you. Let's pick some places." He and Hedwig walked around and marked off a few likely places for her with a charcoal pencil he found. Then he started moving things around, pushing tables and things about while Hedwig gathered scraps of trash and things, piling them up. Time passed pleasantly as they worked.
"Who are you?"
Harry jumped, banging his head on the top of the cabinet and winced, crawling out and scrambling up. He was not expecting someone else to be there and the rough croaking voice had startled him. He looked about before looking down and saw a House Elf staring up at him. Unlike the ones at Hogwarts, he looked rather mean and sour, wearing a towel wrapped around his waist. He was older too, his skin very wrinkled and aged, and his large eyes were narrowed with suspicion and hostility.
"Oh, hello," Harry said, rubbing the sore spot on his head. "I'm Harry Potter. This is Hedwig." He pointed at his owl who had fluttered over and was looking at the House Elf with mirrored suspicion. "It's nice to meet you."
The elf blinked a few times, looking confused.
"May I know your name?" Harry asked, feeling awkward. He was used to the Hogwarts House Elves who were all very friendly, even before getting to know them.
"Kreacher," the elf said after a long moment. "What is you doing here?"
"I'm going to live here eventually. I'm Sirius' godson," Harry said.
A loud pop heralded the arrival of another House Elf. She was younger than Kreacher, wearing a neater towel tied in a toga. "Kreacher! We needs to be finishing the second floor!" She stopped when she realized Harry was there and she gaped up at him. "Oh! Who is you?"
"Harry Potter," Harry repeated. "And this is Hedwig. Nice to meet you."
She blinked at him a few times with obvious confusion. "I is Winky, and it is…nice to meet you…too?"
"What is you doing here?" Kreacher asked truculently. He ignored Winky's scandalized huff.
"I'm cleaning and organizing the kitchen," Harry said. "I cook and Sirius wanted my input on how to set things up and what I want to do here."
"You cook?" the elves asked in unison.
"Elves cook, not masters," Winky said.
"Well I like to cook and cook a lot," Harry said. "And I'm not your master."
"You are Bad Master's godson, his ward," Kreacher said, his lips curling. "You is master too."
"Do not call Master Sirius that!" Winky scolded.
"Kreacher needs no elfling to tell him what to do," he retorted. "He is Bad Master, and Bad Master is he! You is new elf to the Blacks!"
Harry watched the squabbling elves for a moment before sharing a look with Hedwig. The owl shrugged and waddled off, continuing to collect the wrappings and cord and things.
Suddenly Kreacher stopped and looked at Harry. Something Winky said made him sniff and then he sniffed several times, stopping in mid-argument. "You have elf magic on you," he said, eyes curious.
"I do?" Harry asked, unsure of what Kreacher meant.
"You do," Winky said, also looking curious. She was about to continue her argument when Kreacher cut her off but now her curiosity was piqued. "Is very strong and subtle." She reached her hand out to Harry, palm flat.
A loud crack cut the air and Inky appeared, holding Quarters' swagger stick at the ready in both hands. "Harry! Is you okay?!"
"Inky!" Harry gasped and Kreacher and Winky took hurried steps back when Inky growled at them, swinging the stick in a decidedly business-like and violent way. "I'm fine, are you okay?!"
"Inky is fine!" Inky said cheerily. She narrowed her eyes at Kreacher and Winky. "Who is you?"
"That's Kreacher and that's Winky," Harry said, introducing them. "This is Inky, she's a really good friend of mine from Hogwarts."
"Friend?" Kreacher repeated, eyes widening at Inky's wide smile. "You is friend with House Elves?"
"Harry is Inky's very good friend," Inky said proudly.
"Did you put your magic on me?" Harry asked.
Inky nodded. "After that mess with Dobby, Inky wanted to make sure if any House Elf bothered you again, Inky would know and react accordingly." She waved the stick meaningfully.
"Aww, thanks," Harry said, feeling touched. "Does Quarters know you took his swagger stick?"
"He knows, Inky grabbed it from him when Inky left Hogwarts." Inky looked around the kitchen with a critical eye. She waved the stick jauntily when Hedwig flapepd a wing at her. "Hello Miss Hedwig." She poked about the kitchen. "Where is Harry now?" she asked, clear disapproval in her expression.
"This is the Ancestral Home of the Ancient and Noble House of Black," Kreacher said angrily, straightening slowly and stiffly.
"Oh, sounds very impressive," Inky said, sounding not impressed at all. She ran a finger along one surface and inspected it before giving Kreacher and Winky a look.
"The home has been abandoned for many years," Winky said crossly, giving Kreacher an exasperated look. "And was ill-kept! Years of work having to do and only been a few days!"
"Mmhmm," Inky grunted. "Harry coming home to Hogwarts later, right?"
Harry hid a smile as Kreacher and Winky bristled. "I am. I'm visiting for the day but will be moving here eventually."
"Less of your cheek," Kreacher growled. "And you addressing Master Harry very improperly." He ignored Winky's sardonic look of irritation.
"Harry told Inky that Inky can call him Harry because we are friends," Inky said smugly. "Harry is friend to many Elves at Hogwarts."
"Master Harry said he cooks," Winky said with a trace of disbelief in her tone.
"Harry is amazing cook," Inky said firmly. "Inky loves Harry's food. Harry's food is served at Hogwarts too and has been written into the Book."
The kitchen door opened and Remus and Sirius walked back in, stopping at the sight of the three House Elves there, with Inky holding the swagger stick earning a second look.
"Oh, hello Inky," Remus said.
"Hello Professor," Inky said, waving with a free hand.
"Sirius, meet Inky," Harry said. "Inky, that's Sirius Black."
"Inky remembers," Inky said, giving the man a look. "He broke into Hogwarts last year."
"Right, yeah, I did," Sirius said sheepishly.
Inky made a small noise and turned away. "Inky has to get back to Hogwarts. Harry feel free to call for Inky when he needs help." She gave the room a final look that included Winky and Kreacher. "Whenever Harry needs help."
"I will," Harry smiled. "Say hi to the others for me and make sure Quarters gets his stick back."
"Of course. If Quarters complains too much, Inky will give it back directly." She made a shoving motion and she and Harry laughed before she popped away, waving at Hedwig as she did.
"Kreacher will not stand for this," the elderly elf seethed. "Disrespected by an elfling!" He popped away and Winky scowled and popped after him.
"So you met Kreacher and Winky," Sirius said conversationally. "Kreacher was old when I was growing up here, now he's nearly as ancient as the House. Well not really but he's old. He's served the Blacks for ages."
"Where did Winky come from?" Harry asked.
"I got a large chunk of the Crouch estate," Sirius said, his smile feral. "For his 'misdeeds' against me. Since he and his last remaining heir got punished together, they lost the family holdings and it was divided among the many people they've screwed over the years, but I got the majority. I took in Winky because I honestly thought Kreacher was dead. They've been fighting a lot. Kreacher doesn't like me much, and it's mutual, while Winky is upset at the loss of the Crouches but wants to work in a proper home and House, which she has trouble thinking the Blacks are. Which, fair."
He gave Hedwig an amused look. The owl had gathered all the wrappings and things and made a very large mound nest out of them and was sitting on the top, surveying her domain. "So, how did Inky come in?"
"She apparently put some of her magic on me to go off if any House Elves are trying to mess with me," Harry said. "In response for what happened my second year."
Sirius' eyes widened when Harry recounted what Dobby did that year and he growled low in his throat. "Bloody Malfoy. Let him try to mess with you now." He rubbed his face. "Something else I'll have to talk to Andi about."
"Why?" Harry asked.
"Her sister, meaning my other cousin, is Lady Malfoy," Sirius said.
"Oh. Uhm, just so you know, Draco and I don't get along," Harry said slowly.
"Doesn't surprise me, if he's anything like his father," Sirius said dryly. "Don't worry about it, I'm not." He clapped his hands. "Right, show us what you got planned and what you did!" He and Remus looked over what Harry had done and after some suggestions, implemented the changes Harry could not do alone. They created some roosts and perches for Hedwig, installing them securely with spells at the places they wanted, and continued to work together. They chatted and laughed as they did and after Harry wrote out a grocery list, Kreacher and Winky went to go get it.
A chime filled the air as they were putting things away in the pantry and ice box and cellar, making them look up. "Oh, Andi and her family," Sirius said happily. "I'll go get them. I'll need to add everyone to the wards today to make traveling much easier." He left and returned soon with three people trailing after him. "Harry, meet the best part of the family: Andromeda Tonks, my cousin, her husband Edward Tonks who goes by Ted, and their darling daughter Nymphadora Tonks that goes by Nymphadora."
Andromeda sighed and rolled her eyes when a young woman glared at Sirius. "It is a perfectly fine name; I do not know why you dislike it so."
"I can tell you, in exhausting detail," the young woman said, shooting her mother a look.
"Not in front of Harry," Ted chuckled, "don't want to scar him on our first meeting." He was tall and broad shouldered, a smile on his lips. He extended a hand to Harry. "Ted as aforementioned, it's nice to meet you, Harry."
"Nice to meet you too," Harry said, liking the friendly looking man and shaking his hand. He shook Andromeda's hand next.
"Sirius has gone on at length about you," Andromeda said with a warm smile. "Goodness, you truly do look very much like your father."
"You knew him?" Harry asked, delighted.
"Somewhat. He and my cousin were inseparable. However, you have a much better reputation I must say." She gave him a cheeky wink that made him laugh.
"Call me Dora or Tonks," Dora said, extending her hand. She shook Harry's firmly. "Don't call me the N one."
"Sure thing," Harry said easily. "Nice to meet you."
"I love what you have done with the place," Andromeda said, looking around the kitchen. "Why is this one the one with the most obvious work however? Aside from the large piece of blasted wall?"
"Harry's the cook and I wanted to give him a great place to do it in," Sirius said.
"Oh you cook?" Dora asked.
"And he's good at it," Sirius bragged, making Harry smile.
"Really?" Dora asked, intrigued.
"I like to think so," Harry said.
"Then you and I are now super good friends," Dora declared.
"Dora can't cook," Ted smiled.
"My talents lie elsewhere," she sniffed. Her short brown hair became long and black, looking like her mother's hair. Her features sharpened ever so slightly and the resemblance between her and her mother became almost identical.
"That's so cool," Harry gasped. "Is that a spell?"
"No, I'm just awesome," Dora said, grinning. Her features changed slightly again and her eyes went from brown to green.
"She is a metamorphagus," Andromeda explained proudly with a touch of exasperation thrown in. "She can alter her appearance at will using her magic."
"That's really cool," Harry said.
"I like you," Dora smiled.
"How about you start cooking?" Sirius suggested. "Remus and I'll finish a quick clean in here and then Andi and I can discuss a few things. Remus can show Ted the room we were having trouble with and you and Dora can get to know one another and you can mind her." He returned her rude gesture.
"Sounds good. What do you like to eat?" he asked the Tonks.
"I eat anything," Dora said.
"It is true, she does," Andromeda said. "I have no real preference."
"I'm easy-going," Ted grinned.
"It is true, he is," Andromeda smiled.
After a flurry of cleaning charms from the adults, they left the kitchen and Harry looked at the newly stocked pantry and nodded. In short order, he pulled things out and assembled them on a large prep table. He had brought his tablet with him and after organizing his thoughts out, set things up and got started.
Dora dragged a stool over and sat on it, leaning against a counter. She looked around the kitchen. "Mum told me stories about this place, when they were growing up. She visited a lot. Made it sound way spookier and grim."
"I only just arrived today," Harry said as he prepared two large chickens. He rubbed them dry and rubbed butter onto the skin, followed by liberally seasoning them with salt and pepper. Tying them with twine, tucking the wings in and then securing the legs, he slid them into the oven and went about cutting and cleaning the vegetables. "Sirius and Remus said they still have a lot to do."
"I bet. Mum said this place was empty for more than ten years, save for the House Elf who apparently didn't do too much keeping up with the place." She looked back at Harry and was surprised to see him chopping things swiftly and easily. "Whoa hey, you're fast!"
"Thanks! I've gotten faster after working these last few weeks at the Hog's Head and Gringotts."
"You're working? At your age? Wait, at the Hog's Head and Gringotts? You work with Old Man Abe and goblins?!" Dora looked at him, astonished. "How did you manage that? And why are you working over the summer with them?"
"Professor Dumbledore got me the position at Hog's Head and Professor Flitwick got me the one at Gringotts. I wanted to learn more about cooking and things and I'm learning how to cook for strangers and work in a kitchen professionally in a tavern setting with Mr. Abe, and learning about goblin food and culture while working in a professional kitchen at Gringotts," Harry said as he continued to chop.
"You really do like cooking," Dora said admiringly.
"I do." Harry slowed down for a moment. "I still do," he repeated. He noticed Dora looking at him with concern. "Sorry, don't mind me. Something happened at the start of summer and still dealing with it. But I like cooking and making people happy with food and well, yeah."
"Well you keep me fed and I'll be happy and rain compliments on you," Dora said, smiling at him.
"Sounds like a deal," Harry said, smiling back. "Did you go to Hogwarts too? I don't remember seeing you, sorry."
"I'm hurt!" she gasped theatrically. She winked. "I graduated the year before you got there."
"What are you doing now? I don't really know what happens when you graduate from Hogwarts."
"I'm in the Auror Academy," she said, puffing her chest out. "Training to be an Auror."
"That's awesome," Harry said. "You must be really good at spells and things."
"I think so," she said, buffing her nails and looking at them. "It's hard work but I want to be one of the best and you have to be one of the very best to be an Auror."
"What do Mr. and Mrs. Tonks do?"
Dora snorted. "You can call Dad Ted. He won't mind. He's an accountant. He manages the books and things for a few different business and places. Mum does charms and enchanting work. People need specific things done and she figures out how to do it."
"That's cool," Harry said. "Are there a lot of magical accountants?"
"Hardly any. Most go through Gringotts honestly but there's a chunk of folk that either don't want to pay them or don't trust them or can't afford them. So Dad get's their business and he's good at it and people like him. In fact, most people didn't realize people who weren't goblins could do it."
"I hope he doesn't get in trouble with Gringotts, I've learned they can get really prickly about that sort of thing."
"Nah, he actually does stuff on the side for them sometimes. As like an outside eye or something. He's friendly with most of them too."
"That's good."
"So what are you making?" Dora asked.
"I'm making a big roast dinner, to celebrate things," Harry said, cheeks a bit pink. "Two chickens are being roasted and I'm going to pop in some vegetables later too. Going to make a bread sauce and a chicken gravy with the juices from roasting the chickens, saving some of the drippings for Yorkshire puddings. Doing some mashed potatoes too."
"You can do all that?" Dora asked, looking deeply impressed.
"Sure can, maybe something else depending how long they take with their meetings and things."
"I think you and I are going to get along great," Dora smiled.
-0-
Andromeda tapped her finger with her wand, healing the tiny cut she had made to put her blood into the keystone. "There we are," she said. She inspected the stone carefully, nodding in satisfaction as the lines of magic pulsed and the runes shone brightly and warmly.
"Great!" Sirius said. "And whenever you get a chance to come look at things around here, I'll be grateful."
"I will be finishing my last project within the next day or two and will take some time off to help with here," she said. "Other than some maintenance visits for some of my work, I will not be taking any new projects or commissions until I am satisfied here."
"I'll pay you your standard fee."
"No need. We are family." She looked soft for a moment. "It is nice to say that."
"It is," Sirius said and poured them both some wine.
"I am sorry for not investigating properly," Andromeda said quietly.
"I accept," Sirius said easily. "Things were a right mess then and well, I don't blame you. Lot of people got fooled by lots of things."
"I had expected you to carry a grudge over this," she quipped, smiling gratefully.
"I was tempted," Sirius admitted with his own smile. "But I decided to keep a grudge against those really deserving and at least two of them got crossed off the list." His smile turned feral. "To Peter and Bartemius, may they suffer for as long as they live."
"And ever after," Andromeda said and tapped her glass against his. She sighed after she took a sip. "I am glad to see you out and doing well."
"Thanks, me too," he said lightly, making her snort. "It hasn't been easy but I've been seeing a mind healer and I'm getting by with some solid goals and things to keep busy. Remus has been a big help, as has Dumbledore."
"And as will we," Andromeda said firmly.
"All the better," Sirius smiled and tapped his glass against hers.
"What are your immediate goals?"
"Make Grimmauld livable and palatable," Sirius said. "Then get the estate back into order, powers what a mess. Thank goodness Ted agreed to take over for me. Years of neglect to wade through."
"He does enjoy a challenge," Andromeda smiled fondly.
"Good because this is going to be one," Sirius laughed. "Making up lost time with Harry, and then go from there. I'll find something to occupy myself eventually. But I'm told that attainable goals are more important right now so I'm trying to stick to them."
"Sounds like a solid plan. Harry seems well, all things considered. How is he?"
"Good I think. He's had a busy summer working."
"Really? For what?"
"He loves to cook and he's been working with Aberforth and at Gringotts to learn about cooking professionally and learning that sort of thing."
"He loves to cook?" Andromeda raised an eyebrow. "That's certainly an odd thing for a magical to enjoy typically, much less one as young as he."
Sirius growled a little and Andromeda was struck by his sudden change in temperament and expression. "Remus and Dumbledore told me a few things. He was forced to cook for the people that 'raised' him everyday for years, not to mention to provide all the cooking for all their parties and things."
"What?! He is just a boy and he was responsible for that? Who did that to him?" Andromeda asked, incensed as well.
"Petunia," Sirius spat. "One of these days I'm going to find my way back to their home and have a talk with her." He drained his glass moodily. "She's done a number on Harry, her and her family. Remus said he's changed a lot since he first got reacquainted with him two years ago."
"For the better?" Andromeda sighed when Sirius nodded. "Well, there is that at least. We will do what we can." She and Sirius looked to the door when they heard a strange sound. When Sirius waved his wand to open it, Hedwig came flying in. She dropped a scrap of parchment onto the desk and bobbed her head before flapping out.
"I know the Auror Academy is exhausting but we are on the second floor," Andromeda said dryly as she unfolded the parchment. "'Mum, Sirius, if you two don't come down now I'm going to eat everything. It smells too damn good. Hurry up!'," she read.
"Oh we better hurry. I had the best burger in my whole life from Harry and I've had leftovers from him before too." Sirius got up after securing the keystone into a safe and Andromeda trailed after.
"Is he really that good of a cook?" she asked.
"He's amazing," Sirius said without a shred of doubt. They met Remus and Ted on the way, who had received a summons like they did, and they walked into the kitchen.
"That smells amazing," Ted said, looking at the table. "Holy cow, you made all that?!"
The two roast chickens sat in the center, skin golden brown and crisp. A large bowl of mashed potatoes sat alongside, white and fluffy. A tray of roasted carrots and parsnips and sprouts sat beside a very large Yorkshire pudding, looking soft and gold and yellow. A large gravy boat filled with smooth light brown gravy flecked with black pepper steamed beside a bowl of creamy white bread sauce.
"Finally!" Dora said loudly, holding a knife and fork with a knuckle-white grip. "It's been torture sitting here smelling all this cooking and not eating it!"
"As if you did not steal any to taste," Andromeda said knowingly.
"I'll have you know that I didn't," Dora sniffed.
"Did Harry give you any tastes?" Andromeda asked.
"That's not stealing," Dora retorted.
"Thanks for cooking Harry," Sirius said, sitting down. "This looks amazing."
Harry smiled happily when everyone said the same and as they served themselves, they noticed him making three plates first. The first one he set in front of Hedwig who nuzzled him lovingly before she started munching happily. The other two he held and called out, "Kreacher, Winky."
The two House Elves appeared with a pop and goggled at the spread of food and then at Harry offering them two plates.
"This…that's…what?" Kreacher sputtered.
"Masters don't eat with House Elves," Winky said with uncertainty. "It's not right."
"You don't have to eat with us," Harry said firmly but kindly. He was well used to how House Elves thought for the most part now. "But these are for you and there's plenty more for seconds if you wish."
Faced with such implacable kindness, the two elves finally took the plates slowly and with awkward bows, they disapparated. Sirius and the Tonks family had stared at the scene with open eyed amazement, with Remus smiling proudly and Hedwig completely used to it. After a moment, everyone applied themselves to the food.
"This is delicious," Andromeda said, smiling at Harry. "You are very talented."
"I cook a lot," Harry beamed.
"You have gotten better," Remus said. "I've had the pleasure of your cooking the last couple years and it is somehow even better."
"I've really learned how to be more organized and efficient from working at the Hog's Head and Gringotts," Harry said. He looked very pleased. "Do you really think I've gotten better?"
"I do," Remus said firmly. "There is noticeable improvement."
"I'm impressed," Ted said. "I love a good roast chicken and this is one of the best I've ever had."
"We're best friends now," Dora said through a full mouth, cheeks bulging. "This is so good!"
"What made you make this for us?" Sirius asked as he ate hungrily.
"Oh, uhm, well I always wanted to make a Sunday roast dinner and eat it with people," Harry said shyly. He looked down at his plate as he busied himself with cutting his food up. "I've made it a lot for people but never got to eat it with people. It seemed like a nice thing to do with family, so I wanted to give it a try."
The adults looked at each other.
"Well, you certainly have a family to eat this with now," Andromeda said firmly as she filled Harry's cup with butterbeer. "As often as you like."
"Really?" Harry asked, looking up.
"Of course," she replied warmly. "You are Sirius' godson. Which makes you my god nephew at the least. That is family as far as I am concerned."
"Same," Ted said just as warmly.
"Besties and pseudo-cuzzes-sib-things sounds good to me," Dora smiled.
Harry felt very warm inside and the food tasted even better to him, satisfying in a way he never quite had before.
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Jaysto - I'm glad to hear that, thank you. I had the crake joke sitting for so long and if you've read my other things, I love a good callback joke so I'm pleased to see you recognize it and are also amused that it was brought up in Defense class. I'm glad people liked Arian's inclusion and the change to her story. I was nervous about it. Thank you for reading.
odonnellzoo99 - Mmhmm, and when that story comes out, Grindlewald's, I hope people like the changes there too. I think it's normal for the Crew to start liking him about now, he's proving how different he is to how they thought he would be.
Hands Off MY Wolfie - I think there are plenty who see if at a job and are still technically proficient at it. But you can taste the difference bewteen those that are passionate and those that aren't. Thank you for reading.
Kaya - Thank you.
DOOOOOM Lord of Waffles - I was going more for that it was rare for people to find crake poisonous, and are allergic to teagale. Like how some find cilantro to be soapy and some don't. But the crew wanted to share crake with him and were surreptitiously careful about the potential side effects. Still, Flitwick chastising them must have been a sight to see. Thank you for continuing to read and enjoying.
Mitkon2001 - He is a happy nice guy. until when he isn't for justified reasons. I aim to show more of his past slowly for fun.
poka - I'm glad you find the change believable. I was nervous about her inclusion and the changes to her past and thought that the change to it would make sense in a way. Glad you like it so. I like crab in certain things. I love california rolls and a good crabcake but don't go for the legs like lots of people do.
alix33 - I'm surprised you don't have access to those spices. They are so ubiquitos to me. They add that punchy flavor without the texture and do taste different too.
DarkRavie - Thank you.
DustieDaven - Thank you.