I do not own Harry Potter, the Wizarding World, or any canon characters.
Hello everyone. I fully wanted to post yesterday but ended up with a bit of a personal emergency and wasn't able to. Things are better now though, thank goodness. I have a substantial bank of Taste built up so I think I can sustain two updates per week for a while but will always let you know if that is to change. I like to be upfront as best as I can. Thank you all for reading and commenting, it means so much to me. Have a lovely weekend!
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A Taste of Magic
4th Course – Foundations
Harry loved the way the wind felt as he flew. Being on a broom and flying in the sky felt freeing, a way for him to focus on the moment and ignore everything else. The feeling of the air flowing over him, the wind going through his hair, the sensation of being slightly away from everything, all of it was wonderful to him. Practically and literally magical to him.
Flying club was popular. A lot of the students chose it from all the Houses. For some, it was a chance to just enjoy flying while others played Quidditch casually. Harry had drifted away from Seamus, Dean, and Ron and avoided Draco and his friends like the plague. With no one else that he was friendly with in the club, he had flown around a bit by himself.
Then the Weasley Twins approached him.
At first, they seemed very nice, like they were when he met them briefly on the train. But as they continued to 'help' him with his flying, he started having second thoughts. They continued to smile that identical smile at him but he felt that it was having a different feeling to it the longer they smiled. They pushed him on, taking him faster and guiding on maneuvers that felt more than a little unstable to him. He had just barely managed to hang onto his broom and landed, winded.
"Hey, you okay?" A tall older boy with short sandy blonde hair approached. He looked down at Harry with a touch of concern.
"I think so," Harry gasped.
The boy looked at the twins. "Excuse me a minute," he said to Harry and jerked his head one way at the twins. They followed him and looked insincerely innocent all the while. "Alright you two," the older boy sighed, "what's all this about?"
"What do you mean?" Fred Weasley asked.
"What's all what about?" George Weasley asked.
Oliver Wood snorted. "Don't give me that. I know you two and you were giving the kid some trouble."
"Was not," they protested.
"We were just trying to give him some pointers," George said.
"Help him with his flying," Fred said.
"He's an ickle firstie you know."
"Second time on a broom and everything."
"Then why were you 'teaching' him some of the more intense stuff?" Oliver asked, eyebrow raised. He sighed at their identical shrug. "Alright, fine. Be that way. Leave him alone."
"Just 'cause you're Quidditch captain, doesn't mean you can boss us about," Fred sniffed.
"Fair, but I can find someone else who can," Oliver said plainly.
"You wouldn't," George gasped.
"I'm Wood," Oliver said dryly. He grinned at their snorts. "Clear off then. Come on." He waited for them to lope off before walking back to Harry. "Hey, sorry about that. The twins can be a little intense about things."
"I've learned," Harry said, having regained his breath.
"I'm Oliver Wood, fifth year."
"Harry Potter, first year." Harry accepted Oliver's handshake. It was firm and kind.
"Try not to let them get to you," Oliver said softly. "They like to mess about and play pranks on people and while they push things a bit, they aren't all bad. Unless you get on their bad side."
"I don't think I am but I might be," Harry sighed.
"What did you do to them?" Oliver asked, surprised.
"Not to them directly, but I don't think their little brother likes me. I might have said something that got taken the wrong way on the train. I tried to explain and apologize but…" Harry shrugged limply.
"Ah yeah. The Weasleys are all kinds of stubborn, all of them. I've known a bunch of them. Their older brothers Bill and Charlie have long graduated and I'm in the same year as Percy. Good people but stubborn and proud in their way. Try not to take it personally."
"Thanks," Harry said gratefully.
"You're a pretty good flyer, been flying long?"
"No, second time actually."
"Really? Hope you keep with it and maybe try out for Quidditch next year. I'm the captain for our House Team."
"I don't know anything about Quidditch. A friend mentioned it but that's about it." Harry noticed Oliver's obvious enthusiasm. "I'd be fine with learning more."
"Brilliant! Let's take a lazy fly about and I'll tell you all about it. It's a great sport."
-0-
Percy Weasley groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose. "What am I going to do with them?" he muttered in a very weary tone.
Oliver smiled sympathetically. "Sorry to add to your workload but thought you'd might want to know. Also thought you'd know what was going on."
"I wish I did not want to know but you are correct, I do. Also, I do not know to be honest." Percy frowned. "I get the feeling that Ron does not care for Harry for some reason but he did not really share much when I asked and I did not press. Which is odd because sometimes I get the feeling Ron does want to be friends."
"Harry seems like an okay kid. Fred and George only mess with people that really deserve it or the people they are super close to, far as I can tell anyways, so that's why I found it a bit weird that they were messing with Harry." Oliver shrugged.
"There was that odd rumor going about," Percy said. He looked thoughtful. "Something about Harry eating things in Potions?"
"Oh right, that." Oliver shrugged again. "I mean, who didn't get a desire to try and eat something? Besides you," he grinned when Percy gave him a look. "But even if that's the reason, it isn't a good one."
"No, it is not. I will see if I can get to the bottom of it. Thank you." Percy snorted. "Granted, you have a better rapport with the twins. You would probably have better luck than I."
"They're being clammed up about this one," Oliver said. "Besides, they don't mess with me that much because they know I can make practices even worse than they are and they don't want that."
Percy laughed. "Even worse? Now that is a thought. The only pull I have over them is that I could involve our mother and I generally do not wish to."
"Family's complicated," Oliver said pleasantly.
"You do not have to tell me that," Percy said dryly.
-0-
"How was Flying club?" Lavender asked.
Harry sat beside her, grunting softly. "It was good overall. I still like flying. I learned a lot about Quidditch from Oliver Wood. He's our House team captain. He showed me some ways to fly better and he's nice." Harry looked around the common room. "The Weasley twins did too but they were a bit rougher about it."
"Are they nicer than Ron?" Lavender asked, frowning slightly.
"Sort of? I don't know really to be honest," Harry said. "Like I said, they were a bit rough and a bit intimidating."
"I've heard you don't want to get on their bad side," she whispered.
"I'll try not to," Harry muttered. "Problem is, people don't like me for some reason."
Lavender poked him. "I like you."
"Well you're nicer," Harry said with a grateful smile.
"I'm pretty sure Parvati likes you," Lavender continued with a bright smile.
Parvati sat down beside Lavender. "I do, especially if I can get more biscuits. Those were delicious! Can I join the Household Charms club too?"
Harry flushed a little at the praise. "I'm sure you can. I'm glad you like them."
"She tried to take all of mine," Lavender complained, pushing her friend a little.
"Like I'd be fine with just two! You had so many!" She and Lavender pushed and shoved each other a little before she hit Lavender with one of the couch pillows. "Right Harry?"
"Those were Lavender's," Harry grinned. "She can share how she likes."
"Thank you, Harry!" Lavender crowed, hitting Parvati solidly with her own pillow.
-0-
"Hello hello!" Flitwick said happily when Harry, Lavender, and Parvati walked into the meeting room. "I made sure to be early this time! And welcome Miss Patil! Always happy to welcome a new member to the club."
"Thank you, Sir," Parvati said brightly. "Lavender and Harry said they learned a lot with you and Harry's biscuits were delicious."
"Weren't they? They sadly did not last long enough for me." Flitwick clapped his hands eagerly. "What is on the agenda today then?"
"We practiced with the Mixing Charm in Herbology the other day," Harry said. "Professor Sprout let us try it with mixing compost and soil and she liked it. She was happy to learn the spell too and we earned a few points for it."
"Splendid!" Flitwick praised.
"So I was thinking of something else I can try the Mixing Charm with and maybe we can learn more about why some things taste differently. So I'd like to make muffins please."
"A grand idea and I heartily agree." Before he could say anything, Inky appeared with a pop. "As you can see, Inky has been as eager as we've been. Off you go then. Now Miss Brown and Miss Patil, what would you like to work on?"
"I'd like to practice more with the charms we learned with needle and thread," Lavender said. "And you mentioned there's some charms for strengthening thread and cloth?"
"Yes there are, let's see shall we?"
After measuring out the ingredients with Inky and making two batches, one where he mixed things by hand and the other using the charm to mix the batter, Harry poured out individual muffins and set them to bake in the oven. Inky said she would watch them carefully and Harry joined the others. "Oh those look nice," he said, pointing at their work.
"I'm not quite up to Lavender's skills yet," Parvati said. "So I'm learning how to sew up a handkerchief."
"Can I try?" Harry asked.
"You want to sew too?" Lavender asked, delighted.
"Sure. I learned the basics a long time ago, how to fix things, but it's been a while. Besides, you all make it look a lot of fun."
"Why don't you teach Mister Potter the spells we learned last time with threading the needle and the Thimble Charm?" Flitwick suggested. "Teaching is a wonderful way to reinforce your knowledge." He looked on proudly when Lavender taught him the charms.
"That is really handy," Harry said as he began to work on stitching the hem on his handkerchief.
Soon the air was filled with scents of banana and vanilla and cinnamon, making mouths water. At Inky's call, Harry pulled the muffin tins out and the brown muffin tops steamed as they released their deeply sweet aroma into the air.
"Those smell so good," Lavender sighed. "We might need to eat less dinner before club nights."
"I'm sure I'll have room," Parvati said confidently.
Harry removed muffins from both batches and gently cut them open. The insides were soft and moist, releasing even more rich banana scents. He put a half of each batch onto a plate and served a pair to each person.
"This might be the best muffin I've ever had," Lavender said, her mouth full. She fanned her open mouth, unable to keep herself from biting into the muffin that was a shade too hot to be warm.
"Mmhmm," Flitwick hummed. "Sweet but not overly, a soft crumb, with a nice scent of cinnamon and vanilla with the banana. Lovely!"
"I usually put butter and jam on muffins, even sweet ones," Parvati said, swallowing her bite of muffin. "But I don't need that for these. Wow Harry! I can't believe you can bake so well!"
"Thanks!" Harry looked pleased. "The ovens here are really nice. There's practically no cold spots and they hold temperature really well. Magic is amazing." They took bites out of the second muffin.
"There is still a difference," Inky said as she chewed thoughtfully. "Mister Harry's first muffin is very good and the second muffin is also very good but you can taste something different."
"Agreed," Flitwick said. "And just like the biscuits last time, the only difference is that you used the charm to mix the ingredients?" He licked his fingers absent-mindedly when Harry nodded. "If that is the only difference, then the charm has to be the deciding factor."
"I think it's a very small difference this time," Lavender said. "Not like the first time we had the two biscuit batches."
"You said you've been practicing the charm?" Flitwick asked. "Hmm, very interesting," he said when they confirmed that. "I will have to do some more research into that on my own end. For now, however, I plan to give these muffins due attention." He chomped away blissfully. "You have a gift, Mister Potter."
"I do?" Harry asked, eyes wide.
"I think so. It is clear you work hard and have practiced, but you have a talent for it. Whoever taught you must be proud of you."
Harry looked away. "I…maybe," he said quietly.
Lavender frowned at his reaction, an expression that Parvati shared. Inky looked concerned, as did Flitwick. After a moment, the professor cleared his throat. "Well, in any case, you should be proud of your efforts and I will continue to look forward to trying anything you make for us."
Harry shook his head briefly, not in disagreement, but in an attempt to shake thoughts and feelings away. "Thank you," he said at last, smiling but the expression did not quite reach his eyes. "I like cooking for you all. You're really nice."
His air of good ease returned as they continued to sew together and snack on the muffins. Eventually they finished and he held up his two handkerchiefs that he managed to do in the time frame. "My second one is a lot better," he laughed.
"You did really well," Lavender praised. "You too Parvati."
"Thanks! I never liked sewing before," Parvati said as she proudly held up hers. "But that might be more because of my mum and aunties. They get very particular about stitches and hems and things."
"I can fuss at you if you miss the home experience," Lavender said unhelpfully.
"I can poke you with the needle," Parvati replied primly while the others chuckled.
Harry divided up the muffins as they cleaned up the club classroom. Flitwick praised their improvement with the Scouring Charm and gave Parvati a few pointers when she attempted it. "Have we talked about paying for ingredients and things?" Harry asked.
"We have a budget," Flitwick said soothingly. "All clubs can apply for one and I took the liberty. So we can purchase things comfortably. Now if there is anything specific or special, we will have to discuss it and see what we can do." He bid them farewell and Inky waved as she popped away.
"I need to go see Padma for something before curfew," Parvati said. "I'm going to wave these muffins in her face."
"I can give you more to give to her," Harry laughed.
"I took an extra one to give to her. I just want to lord them over her for a bit before I do."
"Shouldn't you rub it in her face?" Lavender smiled.
"Ew no. I wouldn't want to eat it then if I did that," Parvati laughed. "See you two later."
Harry waited for her to disappear around the corner before he shyly held out his second handkerchief to Lavender. "Here. I made this one to give to you."
"Awww really?!" Lavender took it gleefully.
"Since you gave me those wonderful little bags last time, I wanted to make one for you. It's not as good as yours though."
"I love it. Thank you, Harry! You're so sweet." She beamed happily at him.
He blushed. "Well, I'm happy to give it to you," he said awkwardly. "I'll see you in a bit in the common room."
"Oh you have to go somewhere?"
"I wanted to visit Hedwig before curfew and give her a muffin."
"Are owls allowed to have muffins?" Lavender asked.
"I honestly have no idea. I hope so. I fed her all sorts of things the last few days before school started, things I cooked and she ate them all. She looks healthy. I better go ask Hagrid sometime."
"Can I visit Hedwig with you sometime?"
"Sure! I'll introduce you two at breakfast and as long as she likes you, I'm sure you can visit other times too."
"Does she not like other people?"
"Well she's only met my relations other than me and she wasn't too nice to them but to be fair, they weren't nice to her either. But you're way nicer than them so I'm sure she'll like you," he said earnestly.
She blinked a bit before nodding. "Well I'll be on my best behavior at breakfast then to make a good impression. See you in a bit!"
-0-
Harry descended the steps, humming softly to himself. Visiting with Hedwig was one of his favorite things to do. The owl was incredibly affectionate and he liked to chat with her and pet her. She had voraciously devoured the muffin he gave her and had scattered crumbs all over his head playfully, hooting with laughter at his expression. She then preened his hair some, yanking on it playfully and lovingly. They then made a game of him tossing bits of muffin into the air for her to nab in mid flight.
They sat together for a while but when night had fallen and the air on the roof became chilly, she nipped at him to go indoors where it was warm. After a hug and another nip, he wandered down the steps and started making his way back to Gryffindor tower.
As he stepped down the hallway though, something made him pause. He heard a sound that slowly grew in volume and intensity. After a moment he swallowed, recognizing the sound. It was a deeply painful sound, a deeply private one.
One he knew from lots of experience.
His first thought was to leave, to let the sound be. After a few steps though, he turned and walked towards the source of the sound. He licked his lips nervously and as he approached the source, he spoke softly. "H-hello? Are you okay?"
-0-
Pansy stared at Draco.
She was not the only one. Everyone in that corner of the Slytherin common room stared in shock. Draco was paler than usual but stood his ground, not looking at anyone. His eyes stared past Pansy's ear, staring at the rug.
"You pushed me," Pansy said with disbelief. She looked up at him. Her knee hurt from hitting it on the way down against a low table. Her rear smarted from landing hard on the stone floor, the rug barely cushioning the blow.
The silence was thick and palpable, a sour taste on the tongue.
"You pushed me," she repeated dumbly. "You've never pushed me before, ever."
"You do not get to tell me what to do," he stammered back.
"I wasn't trying to," she said. It took all her willpower to keep from tearing up, to keep her voice from shaking.
"Yes, you were," he retorted. His voice became steady. "Besides, it was only a push. Do not be so childish. I did not hurt you."
Her body and her eyes were proof of the lie in his words. "Why are you being so mean?" she whispered. "What do you want from me?"
He flinched at the words slightly before his face hardened. "Just leave me alone Pansy! Just because we were close when we were younger does not mean you can hang onto me now!"
Something inside of Pansy throbbed and cracked. She climbed to her feet. "Okay," she whispered.
"Okay what?" Draco asked, his countenance uncertain.
"Okay," Pansy repeated. She turned and walked away, sliding deftly away from Millicent's outstretched hand. She shook her head slightly, stopping Millicent's protest. With as much dignity and false calmness she could muster, she walked slowly away, leaving the Slytherin common room. Once the wall slid shut behind her, separating her from the others, she finally let herself sob. She let herself feel as she fled.
She ran through the castle, up the stairs, and far away from the common room and the dungeons. She ran and almost tripped, turning the corner. Stumbling, she sank to her knees before crawling into an alcove. With her arms wrapped around her legs, her face buried into her knees, she let herself go completely.
Her sobs wracked her body and she let her tears run unchecked. For as long as she could remember, she had been told a proper Pureblood lady did not cry in front of others. She did not let others see her so basic, so undignified. Showing emotions was weakness, and weakness was a weapon to be used against you. So she had done her best to remain the Pureblood that she was in the presence of others and only now can she let herself be something else.
It was not fair. All she wanted was to spend more time with Draco. She could deal with Crabbe and Goyle being there all the time. She could accept that he wanted to spend time with other students, despite not being too happy about it. At first, she wanted it to be just her and him, like when they were younger. She accepted that he wanted to interact with the others in the House, feeling envious when he fawned over the other girls. She had watched him as he tried to ingratiate himself with the older boys.
She knew she was not completely without blame. She had needled him, thinking erroneously that any attention was wanted: positive or negative. She tried to fit herself in as much as she could, desperate for his attention once more. She joined in with his mocking of the other students, especially the students from the other Houses. It was her hope that it would help her stay in his good graces. Sometimes it worked. Other times it did not, resulting with him getting more short with her.
Just now was the worst of it however. When she tried to talk to him, he pushed her to get her out of his way. She could not remember a single time in the past where he had ever pushed her like that. Even when they were little children, he had not.
She let weeks' worth of emotion explode out of her as she continued to cry.
"H-Hello? Are you okay?"
The voice startled her and she cursed herself, trying to regain composure. When she looked up, she groaned internally, seeing Harry bloody Potter standing there. Of all people, she did not want to see him there. She did not want him to see her like that. "Wh-What do you want?" she spat, scrubbing at her eyes.
"I just wanted to see if you're okay," Harry said weakly.
"Really? Why?" Pansy let her embarrassment turn into anger. "Do I not look it?"
"Well, no, not really."
"Well spotted," she hissed. "Go on then. Have your fun."
"Why would I have fun?" Harry asked, confused.
"You cannot tell me that you are not enjoying this," she said angrily. "I have mocked you all these days. I have spread the rumors of you eating plants to others to humiliate you. This is the perfect chance for your revenge. Go on! What are you waiting for?!"
He shuffled from foot to foot. "I'm really not enjoying it," he said after a moment. "Sure, I don't like that you said those things but that doesn't mean I like seeing you so upset."
She glared at him. A part of her did not believe him. Gallingly, another part did. His sincerity pierced her anger and his concern infuriated her even more. She wanted comfort, but not from him. Not like this.
The silence between them was painfully awkward.
"Here." He held out his first handkerchief. He had fished it out of his pocket and wrapped a muffin in it before offering it.
"What is that?" she asked, staring at the offering with mistrust.
"A banana muffin," he replied, still holding it out. "Just made it."
She looked up at him. "You made it."
"Yeah. In Household Charms club. Baked it from scratch."
"What makes you think I want it?"
"I don't know," he said honestly. "I…I just hope it helps."
"Do you think I am crying because I am hungry?" she asked scathingly.
"I used to," he said plainly. He colored and looked away but he still held out the wrapped muffin, saying nothing more. He surprised himself, saying something so openly. Seeing Pansy so upset had touched something deep inside of him, letting a closely held secret loose.
She stared at him, shocked by his simple statement. Slowly, uncertainly, Pansy reached up and took the bundle from him. She looked at it, expecting it to do something else, waiting for some trick to happen. Yet none came and she looked back at Harry. "Why?" she whispered.
"Because I don't like hearing people cry," Harry said finally. With an awkward nod he turned and left, walking away without another word.
She watched him flee, losing sight of him as he turned the corner. She stared at the muffin in her hand, wrapped by a handkerchief with clumsy stitches. When she unwrapped the muffin, she breathed deep of the sweet scent. The muffin warmed her cold hand. She raised her hand to throw it, to toss his concern away, to get rid of his pity.
She bit into the muffin cautiously instead, still expecting some dreadful trick, some ploy to take advantage of her moment of weakness. She bit the muffin again, and again. Her bites became bigger each time. Tears ran again but they tasted sweeter, or perhaps it was the muffin that flavored them. After the third bite, she slowed down, savoring the taste, drawing it out.
Too soon, the handkerchief was empty save for crumbs and lingering warmth. She closed her eyes and held the handkerchief in both hands. Her stomach felt warm and despite her best efforts, the warmth spread throughout her body.
The tears still ran and she cried once more but they took on a different note as she continued to hide in the alcove.
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doRodrigo - I am going to try and maintain a twice weekly update schedule. Thank you for reading, it means a lot to me.
Arnie1701 - There will be some different friendships with different timing, and a couple that will be the same compared to my other stories.
poka - I really intend to explore magical cooking as well as mundane or regular cooking as well as delving into some other societies and cultures as well. I really want to create a culture that feels reasonable and plausible as well as be something we can recognize and imagine. Hopefully you will find it satisfying as it comes.
odonnellzoo99 - I always wanted to take a Home Ec class. I think that sort of skill and knowledge is always valuable. The high school I went to didn't provide that or shop classes sadly. I am a single male so I have to do all the cooking save for the occasional fast food or take out. I'm a fairly decent cook I like to think though, hence my passion for it and the basis for this story. I wanted to give Flitwick a chance to shine in this story and I think he is perfect for this role too. He's so fun.
DOOOOOOM Lord of Waffles - He is. I also have a fun little side story with him in mind later one. It'll be a while yet though so nothing soon.
plums - I think the home charms were expected to be taught by parents or family members that cared about them. I'd want to learn them in class though but that's just me. I also hope to do some fun magical theory exploration in this fic so keep ruminating on your thoughts and theories.
alix33 - I like drawstring bags too, useful like you say.
LordLiberty - I always thought clubs in Hogwarts would be a valuable resource for students. Especially since it gives students from different Houses a chance to interact. I always wished I did more with clubs in school, I wasn't able to as much.
SvenHPotterFan - Hi there. It's been a while and I'm glad to see you again. What I want to do with this fic wouldn't have worked with strictly canon and as you saw with Family, when I was able to bend things a bit, it turned out better. Hopefully by this fic's end, it will still feel like a plausible part of the setting while being it's own story.