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

A Taste of Magic

83rd Course – Negotiations

"Why did you wait until now to tell me?!" Diglin groaned.

"Because we weren't informed until the last minute either!" Ragnok sighed, crossing his arms.

"Bloody bastards being sacks of bastards," Diglin grumbled. "They pulled this shite the last time too."

"I know, and it's annoying, but we have to try and look good," Rangok said. "Or else we suffer and the branch loses out."

Diglin shook his head and brought his cleaver down with a heavy thwack, cutting through the joint of pork. "Bastards," he grunted. "Already messing with the negotiations ahead of time."

"Standard practice," Ragnok shrugged. "What can you do?"

"I know what I want to do," Diglin said, waggling the cleaver meaningfully.

"Don't tempt me," Rangok said dryly. "Anyways, you can do it, right?"

"Of course I can do a multicourse meal. I just like to be able to plan and prepare for it properly. Especially for those snooty bastards from the Paris branch. Say, hold on. Potter!"

Harry came over. "Yes Chef?"

"You just got back from France, right?"

"Yes Chef. Visited my grandparents."

"And you said you learned a few things?"

"Sure did!"

Diglin continued to chop. "Rangok just informed me that the Paris branch is sending a delegation over for branch negotiations instead of just the one or two they did before. And a couple of bastards in this delegation are super snooty types, especially when it comes to food. Last time they were here, they refused to eat anything because it looked plebian."

"Now that's just rude," Harry exclaimed. "Gringotts Main One food is great!"

Rangok and Diglin smiled at that. "Well, this time we want to stick it to them and do a multicourse meal thing but I need some ideas. And since you just got back, you got any?"

Harry thought for a moment. "I did just learn a way to make soup that's really fancy and I really like how it tastes. I'm sure we can make it more to suit goblin tastes."

"Yeah? Do it please. Get what you need and try it out."

Harry nodded and went to do just that. He got minced deep earth beef and mixed it with nicken egg whites, an array of mushrooms, carrots, onions, celery, clove, black pepper, and ginger. Taking beef stock, he poured it over the mixture and slowly brought it to a simmer, casting the charm to keep him apprised of the temperature. He slowly stirred it, watching and feeling the raft form, and carefully made the large well in the center before he set a time charm to let it simmer for an hour.

"Ugh, what is that?" Flynt asked, peering at the raft.

"It's a consommé raft," Harry said, slowly pouring ladles of the clarifying broth through it.

"It looks gross," Flynt said.

"Well you're not supposed to eat it," Harry laughed.

"Thank goodness for that," Flynt laughed.

"I'll pay you a Knut to eat it," Hacker said.

"A Knut? Piss off," Flynt sniffed.

"I'll throw one in," Amythyst said.

"I'm not eating that for two Knuts!"

"You don't have to eat all of it, just a bite," Hacker persisted.

"I'll pay you two Knuts to do that," Flynt replied.

"Get back to work or else you're all eating it with no Knuts!" Diglin shouted, waving the cleaver at them. "Children," he sighed with Rangok snorting beside him.

When it finished simmering, Harry filtered the consommé and put it into a new pot and brought it over to Diglin and Ragnok with the rest of the crew following behind.

"Gosh, that looks pretty," Amythyst admired. "It's super clear."

"It's one of my favorite things right now," Harry said, pouring out a portion into a clear bowl.

Diglin took the offered bowl and inspected it closely. "It is really clear," he said, nodding thoughtfully. "Deep scent, very savory." He took a sip. His eyes widened and took another. "Mmm, now that is some flavor! Beef and mushroom, a peppery aftertaste, a very clean finish. Rich but not overpowering."

"Oh my, this is wonderful," Ragnok said, sipping appreciatively.

"You can do it with all sorts of proteins and soup stocks," Harry said. He smiled as the Crew drank their cups eagerly, smacking their lips and sharing what they thought of it with each other. "And there's so gelatin in it so when it cools, it thickens a lot too."

"This would be a nice soup course," Diglin said. "Slice of beef or two and some mushroom as garnish. That'll rattle them."

Ragnok grinned hungrily. "Excellent. This will teach them to think they can gain the advantage over us." He held his empty cup up. "More please, if you would, Harry. Thank you."

-0-

Ragnok had no idea what was more delicious: the food or the expressions of the Paris branch delegation.

The delegation had arrived and were as egregiously pompous as ever. Everything the London branch had, the Paris branch had but in far better quality supposedly. The décor was bland and dismal and was lacking. The lighting was dreary and archaic. Even the money sounded less happy, whatever that meant.

Ragnok had swallowed his bubbling ire and gone through the motions with a smile that was just shy of truly predatory. After the perfunctory tour, they started the typical negotiations that they had: grants and trades, curse breaking plans and plans for endeavors, that sort of thing. Before they got into the real negotiations for the most important things however, it was time for an early dinner. Ragnok had planned it that way.

He suffered the not-so-subtle insults in silence, smiling benignly while grinding his teeth, and waited with waning patience. When the first course was served however, his patience was rewarded and all of the goblins, the delegation and the London representatives, had physically reacted to the waft of the beef and mushroom consommé.

"What is this?!" Sylver, the head of the French delegation, exclaimed.

"I believe it is called consommé," Ragnok said, affecting a surprised expression.

"I know it is consommé," Sylver said sharply. "Anyone from France would recognize it if they saw it. But how do you have such a good example of it here!"

"Did you get it from one of the French restaurants in the Alley?" another Paris branch goblin asked.

"No, actually. One of ours made it. He's a regular member of Main Kitchen One," Ragnok said with more than a hint of smugness. "He learned how to make it in France, from a Chef Gabriel Robuchon."

"From a Robuchon?!" Sylver gasped.

"That's what he said," Ragnok said. He sipped delicately from his soup spoon, savoring the taste of the silky soup. "It's quite good."

"'Quite good'? This is one of the finest I have ever had," another muttered.

"Who is this chef?" Sylver asked.

"One of our finest employees," Ragnok said without exaggeration and the other London branch goblins nodded emphatically.

The Paris delegation said nothing more, focusing on the soup course. When they finished, they looked at one another. "I suppose the rest of the meal was prepared by him?" Sylver asked.

"He certainly had a hand in it," Ragnok said, leaning back and smiling.

-0-

"Well?" Diglin asked when Ragnok walked into the kitchen later.

Ragnok's smile was full of satisfaction and went from ear to ear. "Best negotiation I have had in a very long time. The bastards were almost jovial after the dinner. Apparently all it took for them to be not complete and utter bastards was their own style of

food." He enjoyed the Crew celebrating. "They said the consommé was some of the best they have ever had and even tried to get me to reveal your name. I did not of course, no need for you to be harassed."

"Thank you, Sir," Harry smiled. "Glad they liked it."

"The whole meal was a success and it put them in a good mood for the rest of the meetings," Ragnok said. "About time too. I swear, I know goblins have the reputation of being surly but those pricks from the Paris branch live that reputation and embody it." He snapped his fingers and Doran put a small keg on the table, making the Crew cheer loudly. His next words made everyone cheer even louder. "Everyone's going to get a bonus based on the negotiation profit. Well done."

"I'm getting paid?" Harry asked with a big smile. The sudden silence nearly threw him off balance physically with how abrupt and how loud the silence was. His smile faded slowly as everyone stared at him with disbelief and horror. "What?"

"You are not getting your due pay?" Ragnok asked, appalled. "Doran!"

"I will check," Doran said, looking simultaneously stricken and furious. "I will get to the bottom of this."

"No wait I mean I think so!" Harry said hurriedly.

"What do you mean you think so?" Flynt asked. "You either are or aren't!"

"I really haven't checked my ledger all that closely," Harry confessed. He flushed when the goblins looked at him severely, some shaking their heads. "I wasn't worried! I trust you all and Doran and Uncle Ted!"

Ragnok had opened his mouth to upbraid Harry but the last statement surprised him and mollified him somewhat. He gave Harry a serious look. "Did you honestly not think you were being paid?"

"It was a joke," Harry said weakly. "I mean, last year I didn't get paid and I was fine with that. I really appreciated the opportunity and I know interns or what they call stagiaires aren't necessarily paid either. But I learned a lot and have my knife now and count all of you as friends." He shrugged sheepishly. "I just…didn't think about it and didn't worry about it."

"Poittor, some things you don't joke about," Amythyst sighed. "Money and being paid properly are big ones."

"I get that now," Harry said. "I'm just going to go over there and make something to make up for the joke and yeah." He fled to the corner of the kitchen and immediately busied himself, working swiftly and industriously with his head down.

The Crew, Doran, and Ragnok looked at each other for a long moment. "You know, sometimes I forget he's human," Flynt sighed, rubbing his face.

"That's no excuse," Doran snorted. "There are plenty of humans as greedy as goblins when it comes to money. More than even."

"Go on, heckle him," Diglin said. He shook his head as the Crew did just that. They walked over and started playfully harassing Harry who, after a moment, gave as good as he got, smiling all the while. "I guess we need to protect him from himself as much as we do from other goblins," he said in a fond and exasperated tone.

"When was the last time a human claimed friendship so easily and sincerely?" Ragnok asked softly.

"And was honest about it? I don't know," Doran said quietly.

"Been a long while," Diglin said. He snorted as Flynt and Amythyst started moving the prepared vegetables Harry finished about and Harry fled as Hacker and Salta threw scraps at him.

"I'm going to go through his ledger just in case," Doran smiled. "It wouldn't surprise me if someone is skimming off the top or leeching the bottom from him."

"Let me know if anyone is," Ragnok said, also enjoying the sight and sounds of the Crew messing with Harry. "I do not tolerate embezzling of any sort but I won't have any in regards to Harry."

"What, no more adding additional fees to certain human accounts?" Diglin asked with a smile.

Ragnok grinned. "I didn't say that. But not from that human." Ragnok looked at Harry fondly. "Not one of ours."

-0-

The door to the Hog's Head opened and a woman walked in. She looked about the clean room with interest before approaching the bar and dropping a large bottle onto it with a heavy thump.

Aberforth had barely looked up when she walked in and he snorted when the bottle landed. He bent behind the counter and brought out two metal cups and plopped them down in the same manner. "Rosie," he greeted.

"Abe," she replied. She opened the bottle and poured out measures of a clear alcohol into each cup. She then tapped her cup against his and drained it with a long swallow.

Aberforth did the same and smacked his lips appreciatively. "Mmm, that's nice. Gin?"

"Yup. Cask matured, no frippery. Juniper of course."

"Try this." Abe took out another beaker and poured a clear spirit into it and gave it to her.

She sipped and looked at it. "That tastes very odd. Sweet and…gamey? What is it?"

"Snake wine. Rice alcohol that they put snakes in," Aberforth said, pouring them more of the gin.

"That is very strange," Rosmerta said. She took another experimental sip. "I don't dislike it, but I won't go looking for it really. Interesting." They sat and sipped the gin for a few moments.

"Alright then," he said at last. "Go on."

Rosmerta smiled. "I can't help but notice that you've claimed most of the night business these days."

"I didn't claim nothing," Aberforth grunted.

"Okay fair. I can't help but notice that you've accidentally acquired the night business these days," she amended.

"You want me to apologize for it?"

"Would you? And mean it?"

He refilled their cups. "No."

"Didn't think so," she snorted. "I thought you weren't trying to run a busy place? Your own words."

"I wasn't and I'm not. That doesn't mean I'm going to keep it from happening either. This place does provide for more than just me you know."

"I do." She watched with interest at Willie and Nille walking about, cleaning and preparing. "Never thought you'd hire House Elves."

"Technically I didn't. They don't listen to me much anyways."

"Yes we do," Willie said indignantly as he passed.

"We just say you cannot fire us," Nillie said pertly as she passed.

"See?" Aberforth said.

Rosmerta smiled. "Oh how the grumpy has fallen."

"Sure sad, ain't it," Aberforth grumbled. He hiked a thumb behind him at the kitchen. "If you want me to tell the Kid to stop being a cook, that ain't happening either. He's happy. I'm not taking that from him." He smiled slyly. "And at this point, you'd cause a riot in the village if you tried that."

"I know," she sighed, rolling her eyes. "Believe me, I do. And don't get me wrong, I don't mind the quiet nights here and there. And competition is good-"

"-but you're used to being the top of the heap," Aberforth finished. He snorted when she flushed. "I don't hold it against you. It was true for a long time."

"You're the most unbusinesslike businessman," she said, half-admiring.

"I just didn't care," he replied blandly. "Still don't to a degree. Always made enough to keep the place running and Ari and Al getting their fair share. This was mostly a place to keep busy and do my thing." He drained his cup. "So, what do you want?"

"I don't know," she said, shrugging slightly. "Partially to come over and complain I suppose."

"You're always welcome to," Aberforth said. He hummed. "I supposed I could close early a couple nights a week. I miss just sitting around and being lazy. But I need to check with Ari and Al first since they're partners. Also, on nights I close, you hire on Willie and Nillie for pay."

"That's fair and I'll do the same," Rosmerta said brightly. "I'll close early too on other nights, let people go to the other, and if you want Bristles and Twiggy to come on those nights, I'm sure they would."

"Might need the help if we're getting everyone on those nights," Aberforth mused. He looked up when the kitchen door opened and Harry came out with a tray. "What do you got, Kid?"

"The usual chicken soup," Harry said, putting the tray down and serving a bowl to Rosmerta and Aberforth each. "And a cheese toastie and some of that dried sausage and pickles I learned from Gringotts. Thought you two looked hungry and would like a snack."

"Thank you dear," Rosmerta said, touched. She breathed deep of the soup's savory aroma and admired the golden-brown and buttery outside of the toastie. "Goodness, this smells and looks wonderful. And you said these are goblin meats and pickles?"

Harry nodded. "I learned their favorite brine ratio and made some here: cucumber and mushrooms and chili peppers. The sausage is air-dried in the dark. Those will take longer to make yourself so we bought this. It's tough but really flavorful, spicy and salty."

The pickles were crunchy and delightfully sour and spicy with a trace of heat. The dried sausage was indeed tough but had plenty of deep salt flavor in it with a hint of sweetness and bits of chili worked into the meat adding variety. They were pleasant contrasts to the buttery rich toastie and the melted cheese within. The chicken soup was clear and brought the nice herbal notes to the meal alongside the flavorful chicken and slightly sweet vegetables.

"What is this chicken?" Rosmerta asked, chewing blissfully. "It's so dense and tasty."

"It's nicken, cave chickens," Harry said happily. "I like to do a mix of regular chicken meat and nicken meat. I think it adds a lot of flavor and the different textures are really nice, like different cuts of beef contrast to each other. Kind of like blending white and dark meat but it's even more different in nicken. Though they said since nicken are cave chickens, their meat is all dark."

"Careful I don't steal these ideas from you," Rosmerta teased.

"You can try," Aberforth said comfortably. "Word of warning, might not work. Kid's taught me and Willie how to make his soup and we still don't get it quite like his." He slurped a spoonful. "Also, that'd be a poor way to pay him back."

"What do you mean by that?" she asked, confused.

"He purposely doesn't make anything like your bestsellers," Aberforth said, munching on his toastie.

"Really?" she asked, looking at him, expression soft.

Harry nodded. "Yup. No fish and chips, shepherd or cottage pie, or bangers and mash. Also don't do the big steaks like you do. Plus Mr. Abe says we don't have to be fancy. Says you do fancy better."

"That's really sweet of you," Rosmerta said. "I mean it. I mean, I wouldn't mind if you had those on the menu, I certainly don't own them solely."

"I don't mind. We have good chicken pies and fish pies and steak pies and do lots of sandwiches. Soup is always good. You only serve breakfast early on so the platter here at night is a little different. I better go back and prep more. Let me know if you want more." Harry waved and walked back into the kitchen.

"He's a sweet boy," Rosmerta said.

"He's a good kid," Aberforth agreed. His smile turned sly. "You know, if you really wanted to blame someone, blame Al."

"What does Albus have to do with this?" Rosmerta asked, confused once more.

"When he brought the Kid here two years ago, I asked why he didn't take him to you," Aberforth said, munching on a piece of sausage. "Just think, you could've had him in your kitchen."

"He did mention it in passing and I didn't consider it then!" Rosmerta gasped.

Later Harry walked past the open window and stopped, turning to stare. He blinked a few times, watching a visibly irate Rosmerta arguing with a visibly annoyed Dumbledore and a visibly offended Ariana shouting back while a visibly amused Aberforth was laughing his head off. All of them made no noise however, at least none that Harry could hear.

"Uh, Nillie? What's going on out there?" Harry asked when Nillie walked in.

"They being silly," Nillie said dismissively. "Nillie made things quiet because they were being annoying."

"Is everything okay?" Harry asked later, after Rosmerta left and he could hear things from outside the kitchen once more.

"More or less," Dumbledore sighed, rubbing his eyes. "Thank you so much, Abe. I just needed to be yelled at by Rosmerta and have that kind of argument."

"Just saying, it was technically your fault," Aberforth chuckled.

"First night we're closing early here, I'm going over there and starting a brawl," Ariana growled. "Harry, if Rosmerta approaches you, do not trust her. She's trying to poach you! And not in warm water!"

"Oh, well, I wouldn't work for her," Harry said easily. "Not that I think anything's wrong with working for her. She's always been nice."

Aberforth sobered. "Kid, moving on from one place to the next is perfectly fine. It's a natural thing. Sometimes you have to do what's best for you and if leaving is what's best, then do it. Don't hold back if you can get paid better, or learn more, or if a new place will treat you better."

He poked Ariana back after she smacked him. "Look, I'm being honest here. I'm not going to lie to him."

"I understand that," Harry said. "But I'm happy here. You pay me well. I'm still learning from all of you, all sorts of things. Besides, I really doubt anywhere else will treat me better."

"I don't pay you that well," Aberforth says honestly.

"Not better in things that matter most to me," Harry amended.

"Loyalty is admirable," Dumbledore said softly, "but blind loyalty is no virtue, Harry."

"I know. Unless you don't want me here," Harry grinned when Ariana stomped on Dumbledore's and Aberforth's feet and they had identical winces and grunts of pain and irritation, "guess you're stuck with me. You all gave me a chance when I needed it and help me with all sorts of things. Magic, lessons, all that. This place feels like a home to me."

He looked around and missed the soft looks on the Dumbledore siblings. "Don't worry, I know my self-worth," he said to a beaming Aberforth. "And I know what this place and you all are worth to me." He hugged Ariana back warmly. "How does an early family meal sound?"

"Wonderful," Dumbledore said happily.

"There goes our boy," Ariana said, dabbing her eyes as Harry walked into the kitchen.

"He's a good kid," Aberforth nodded.

-0-

Andromeda walked into the kitchen and stopped. "You know, one might think I should be used to this by now, but honestly, I am not." She tilted her head. "Is that…cancan music?"

Harry nodded, pointing at the wireless on the counter.

"Ah, which explains the dancing," Andromeda smiled.

Hedwig and the three snowy owl Patroni were dancing together on the countertop. They kicked in tandem, barking in time to the music and hopping up and down, holding their wings wide for balance or flapping in place before kicking higher and higher. They danced in a circle, alternating between pairs and a line before returning to a circle, waggling their tail feathers in time before kicking energetically once more, barking and hooting with glee.

"They're really good," Harry said, clapping his hands in time.

"More training?" Andromeda asked, clapping with him.

Harry nodded. "They wanted sparring music and there were some decent ones but when the cancan music came up, the Patronus split into three and they started dancing instead. I don't know how they know how to cancan but I'm not complaining." When the music ended, he and Andromeda cheered and clapped as Hedwig and the Patroni bowed, fluffing up and looking proud. They clustered around Harry for a moment before the Patroni faded away with warm hoots and winks.

"Such a good dancer," Andromeda praised, rubbing Hedwig's head. Hedwig hooted with immense self-satisfaction and nuzzled Andromeda's hand back.

Ted came in. "Say Harry, there's a change to your main pay account at Gringotts, did you know that?"

"Oh no, is something wrong?" Andromeda asked.

Harry flushed. "Not wrong exactly," he sighed.

Ted grinned. "Oh good, so you do know. I was wondering how to inform you of the blunt hammer addendum."

"Blunt hammer?" Andromeda asked.

"As in a dull tool," Ted explained. "Also, colloquially, it means idiot."

"They are charging you and calling you an idiot to boot? Insult to injury?" Andromeda asked, appalled.

"No, they are paying him more," Ted laughed. "It's not so much a tax but a bonus. It's also listed as a kind of bonus parents pay their children or for new workers at their first job as a form of extra help and insurance. It's helping in a backhanded compliment way. Though to be fair, there is an actual idiot tax and they do charge for that too, depending on the situation of course."

"I made a joke about me getting paid," Harry complained while Ted and Andromeda laughed. "And apparently they really didn't like that kind of joking."

"No, they really don't," Ted agreed. "They take that sort of thing very seriously."

"That really is funny," Andromeda chortled. "And sweet in a slightly insulting way."

"Like I said, backhanded compliment," Ted laughed.

"What's that look for?" Harry snorted, looking down at Hedwig in his lap. The owl was staring up at him with heavily lidded eyes in a very flat expression. He poked her beak and she retaliated by nipping him back and then gnawing contentedly on his fingers.

"What even brought that about?" Andromeda asked.

"Oh I helped Chef come up with a menu for the negotiation meal they had with the Paris branch and it turned out well for the London branch."

"I heard about that." Ted looked impressed. "The Parisian Gringotts goblins are even tougher in some ways when it comes to that sort of thing. Good job lad."

"Thanks! I was really happy with what we did," Harry smiled.

"That's the important part, happiness and pride in your work," Andromeda said. She smiled broadly. "Getting recognized for it and compensated fairly for it also helps though, to be fair."

"Been told that a lot recently," Harry said wryly. "Not only Gringotts and you, but Mr. Abe and Auntie Ari and Professor Dumbledore."

"Important lesson to learn," Ted agreed.

"Yeah. They, the Dumbledores, were telling me about staying loyal to a place but that I have to do what's best for me. I think staying at the Hog's Head is what's best for me though." Harry shook his head. "Apparently Madam Rosmerta is trying to poach me."

"Ooh, I bet Ariana thought poorly of that," Andromeda smiled.

"Yeah she did." Harry flushed a little but looked pleased. "Said I'd go over there over Madam Rosmerta's Cursed body and she'd burn the Three Broomsticks down first." He frowned a little. "Which, knowing Auntie Ari, that really isn't an empty threat, is it?"

"Probably not," Andromeda snorted.

"Still, it's good to be wanted," Harry said, a trifle embarrassed.

"Well we always want you," Andromeda said stoutly, hugging him. Hedwig cheeped loudly and settled on his head, looking very possessive and smug as she wiggled back and forth.

"It's good to be wanted," Harry repeated, feeling warm and content.

-0-0-0-

odonellzoo99 - Magical destructive ducks are probably less cute than regular rubber ducks, or maybe more so and that's what makes them so dangerous. Yeah, sometimes it truly is who you know that can really make things easier for you. A Harry that is more prone to dueling or more aggressive mindsets with these kind of allies would be frightening, but maybe he wouldn't have them in that case. Food for thought.

Srathor - Thank you so much. I'm glad you like the story. I always try to write something that has some effort and thought put into it and that it makes sense.

Kaya - Thank you. I really like character development when it applies and I'm glad people enjoy it too.

poka - In his defense, he truly thought Harry was a child, but he was a bit arrogant wasn't he? He got there at the end though and who knows, might see him again and he will think differently. That's true, you can always learn something else that applies to your favorite thing. No one knows everything.

DOOOOOOM Lord of Waffles - They would if they needed to.

TheSphynx - Gosh, Robin Williams as Nicolas Flamel would be amazing. Nicolas has been a fun character to write. So arrogant and over the top and yet, has his softer moments. I'm glad you enjoy.

Hands Off MY Wolfie - I figure the Flamels wouldn't want to waste their time so would check on their scholastic ability too. Just because they are friends with Harry doesn't mean they'll not do things properly. Thanks for reading.