I do not own Harry Potter, the Wizarding World, or any canon characters.
A Taste of Magic
94th Course – Pride
"Hello Deputy Headmistress."
Narcissa smiled and nodded at the girls that passed her. "Miss Selwyn, Miss Runcorn. Well done on your term exams. Be proud of your achievements." She enjoyed their happy smiles and continued on her way.
Sanguis Verus Academy was an impressive building. Built from plain stone but the pieces fitted perfectly and the interior polished to a dazzling shine. Lanterns hung from the walls, emanating bright light through crystal clear facets. The occasional tapestry and painting graced the walls, depicting important moments in magical history, with a firm emphasis on Wizarding Britain's history. Everything about Sanguis evoked a sense of propriety and barely concealed superiority.
Narcissa had come to love her position. She had feared she would be nothing more than a figurehead at first, there to look pretty and to deflect. However, as time passed, her duties only grew. She helped with laying out the over-all curricula, interviewing and hiring the professors and staff. She became the main administration member to work most with the students while not being a professor. The professors and instructors and staff came to her first with questions and concerns.
She was essentially running the school and just about everyone knew it. She reveled in it.
While she had gleefully taken on more and more responsibility, it was more of a need and less of a want as time went by. As she entered the Headmaster's office, she took her place at the table, setting the files she held down and releasing a very carefully contained breath that she had held for a very long time.
When her secretary brought in a cup of tea, she smiled. "Thank you, Esther. Send my husband in when he arrives and no one is to interrupt us."
"Yes Headmistress," Esther said pleasantly.
After a few moments, Lucius entered the office. His hair was slicked back and well-groomed and he looked put-together like he normally did. Yet the details showed otherwise. His clothes were not as neat, his expression not nearly as polished. He accepted a cup of tea and closed the door behind him.
Narcissa waved her wand and a bevy of spells activated, protecting the room. "I will not have him here like that again," she said without preamble.
"He will react well to that," Lucius said acidly, sipping his tea.
"So like how he reacts to everything these days. Honestly, what is his problem?" Narcissa pressed. "Is he still searching for that damn locket?"
"Of course he is," Lucius sighed. "He is obsessed over it."
"We should just buy him another and throw it at him," Narcissa spat.
Lucius snorted. "As amusing as that would be, he is no simpering Pureblooded Society witch or wizard to be bought off by another expensive bauble. Honestly, today's revelations that fueled his ire are a bit of a reprieve from the normal."
"We have no problems ignoring Rita Skeeter normally," Narcissa said. She frowned a little. "It is…surprising however, with what she has been writing lately. It is different."
"Never would I think she would write something so banal and mundane," Lucius sighed. He looked at the copy of the Daily Prophet in his hand moodily before tossing it aside. "I also would not have expected it to infuriate Lord Voldemort so much either, back then anyways."
Narcissa stared at him. "He is becoming more unhinged."
Lucius looked uncomfortable. "You are not wrong."
"We have put too much work into this," she said, tapping the symbol of Sanguis Verus on the tabletop. "We have invested too much into this, both money and reputation, to have it come undone by temper tantrums."
"Please do tell him to stop having temper tantrums," Lucius said sardonically. "That will go over so well."
"I mean it," Narcissa said.
"I know," Lucius replied. He rubbed his eyes. "He is starting to be like who he was before. Punishing severely and indiscriminately. Demanding more. It is…disquieting. And he is switching back and forth with Quirrell at very random and sudden times." He drained his teacup. "And this will only worsen things." He handed Narcissa an envelope.
She took it and read it. "The International Scholastic Showcase? We have been invited?"
"Yes, something about an initiative to help shine a light on struggling new schools."
"We are not struggling," Narcissa huffed. "Still, the opportunity to be at the Showcase is not inconsequential. That would be incredible for the school and the students."
"It is also incredibly expensive and we would have less time to prepare for it," Lucius replied. "I do not disagree however. And for good or for ill, neither does Lord Voldemort. He is insisting we take part."
Narcissa grimaced. "Can we afford it?"
"He is draining the vaults of the last of his supporters," Lucius said very quietly. "And we might as well take advantage of this offered assistance by the ICW. Also the Ministry will be assisting us as well. They are pleased that we and Hogwarts will be representing Wizarding Britain. The bigger question is, can our students handle the pressure with less time to prepare for it?"
"Perhaps, it will be difficult," Narcissa said. "However I know that we have some good students here who would be able to make a good show, especially with some extra hard work. Wait." She frowned slightly and then looked at him directly. "Was Hogwarts invited as well?"
"Yes, and they knew at the beginning of the school year," Lucius said.
"This is somewhat suspicious," Narcissa said slowly.
"Perhaps, but what would be their goal? To embarrass us?" Lucius shrugged eloquently. "And if they perform better, who cares? Being invited is an honor, one that only now is available to any British school after decades of being ignored. And as long as we put forward a decent showing, then that is all that matters."
"True," Narcissa said. "Very well, when we return for the second term, I will make an announcement and I will work with the professors to recruit a team for it."
"I assume Draco will be on it," Lucius stated.
"Of course. He has been doing well, scholastically anyways," Narcissa said slowly.
Lucius understood what was not said. "Well, I for one am looking forward to the holiday break. All this has run me ragged, all three of us I am sure. A break will be good for us. And our usual Soiree of course."
"Luckily we can have that here this time with more assistance," Narcissa smiled.
Lucius smiled too. "The benefits of being the senior staff." He kissed his wife on the cheek and left the office with a bit more energy in his stride.
Narcissa sat down and reached into her robe pocket and removed a thin folded card. She looked at it again. It was a Christmas card, sent to her directly from Andromeda. On the surface it seemed like another way for them to reconnect after many years of noncontact. It seemed like a perfectly normal thing, especially since she and Andromeda were slowly working on some semblance of a relationship once more.
She tapped the card to her lips, lost in thought.
-0-
"You called for me, Father?" Pansy stepped into the sitting room and smiled at her parents.
"Yes, come, sit down," Alan said. He waited for Pansy to do so and he handed her a slim wooden box.
"An early Christmas gift?" Pansy asked, delighted. "Is it something I can rub into Aster's face?"
Her parents laughed. "She might not be so envious of this one, once she learns what it means," Primrose smiled.
Pansy opened it and gasped. A silver locket sat on an emerald velvet pillow within the box. It shone in the light, shimmering and gleaming. On the surface was etched a dove in flight made of pearl. A fine silver chain was connected to it and she took it out gently. "What is this?" she asked softly, eyes bright.
"That is the symbol of Peitho, the personification of persuasion, in the Greek myths," Alan said, pleased by her happiness. "She was a goddess of persuasion, both spoken and written, and was instrumental in communication and negotiation. Her symbol, as you see, is the dove."
"It's beautiful," Pansy said, running her fingers over the silver locket. "What is this for?"
"As if we need to reason to spoil a daughter," Primrose said, running her fingers through Pansy's hair. "But in this case, it does have special meaning, two even. First, this is our gift to you for being incredible this year. Professor Snape and the Headmaster has sent us letters praising you and your actions this year. You are an ideal prefect and a leader of Slytherin. Your fellows look up to you and we could not be more proud of you."
"Second, well, if you are interested, I would be happy to have you as my apprentice and work with me at my firm," Alan said. "After graduating school of course."
"Really?" Pansy gasped.
"Yes," Alan smiled. "I never thought you were interested at all in what I did. In fact, when you were younger, you said as much when we went on business trips. That you wanted the fun, and not the work."
"Sorry," Pansy said sheepishly.
Her parents laughed again. "I took no offense!" Alan said warmly. "Many young ones do not wish to listen to their parents normally, much less on such stuffy things like work and negotiations and mediations. Despite the deal you made with Skeeter, I was very proud to hear that you were the attractant at your stall last year. And in her article, it was made clear that you were a driving force for the stall's success."
Pansy blushed happily. "Well, we all worked together," she said.
"And we have seen how you have grown these years," Primrose said. "You have become a wonderful young lady and while your father and I would like to take the credit, that would not be fair to you and your friends. You have become kind, well kinder when it comes with you and Aster." They all chuckled at that. "You have become brave. You tell us your thoughts and feelings and wants instead of simply accept what you are given. You talk openly and willingly. Not only that, you have improved your own lot and the lot of your friends, the children of our friends."
"We all have noticed all of you grow," Alan said. "And we want to reward that. You have grown, and for the better. And you have made ties with people that are not only beneficial, but ones you obviously cherish."
"Thank you," Pansy whispered.
"So, what would you like to do?" Alan asked. "Tell us, we want to hear your thoughts and take them into consideration."
Pansy sat there and thought. Of course her parents had asked her what she wanted many times before, but mostly in terms of what she wanted to eat or buy. Or some other mostly mundane or inconsequential thing. They never had a talk about her future because they all had assumed she wanted the same kind of future where such talks were not needed.
A future she no longer wanted. She knew that much.
To be given carte blanche to speak her mind, to talk about what she wanted to do, wanted to be, was liberating. Terrifying. Freeing.
"I had a lot of fun drawing attention to the stall," she said slowly. "Convincing people to try the stew, to encourage people to eat it and enjoy it."
"The Tonkses and Sirius said you were excellent at that," Primrose smiled.
"And it's been helping the under years and mediating for them and between them and other Houses," Pansy said. "I do have a sense of satisfaction when I help like that."
"Excellent," Alan praised. "I too, get that, when a deal is struck and both sides are happy for it. That and a commission and my fee of course."
Pansy smiled before she grew serious. "Do you really think I can do that? Be a negotiator like you?"
"Of course," Alan said stoutly. "You are my daughter. And I believe you will be one better. Because you are your mother's daughter as well. I would have offered sooner but, well, I did not think you really cared for the profession. I thought you had other…plans so to speak."
Pansy flushed a little. "Right, of course."
Alan put his arm around Pansy's shoulders. "And like we said, we are so proud of you for what you have done for yourself and for your friends. You have broken free from a tradition that bound even us. We never thought to break it before, but to try and play the Game better for our sakes and for yours. You have broken the Game to play on your terms. At your age. It is wonderful."
"Linda was telling me how happy Millicent is now," Primrose said, also hugging Pansy. "She was ashamed to say that the difference is night and day. Millie how she was, well, she was there and was okay but that is just it, simply okay. Mllie now is a vibrant and happy girl and while Linda and Hugh were a little worried about her current choice of profession, there is no denying that she has talent for it, and the drive."
"You should see her play hurling," Pansy snorted. "It's really impressive. Also I'm never antagonizing her if she has a stick or a club in hand."
"Probably for the best," Primrose laughed. "We have always wanted the best for you, love. We still want that. But we want you to be happy with it too. And we will do our best as your parents to help make it possible."
"I never questioned that," Pansy said honestly and tearily. She hugged and kissed her parents. "I love you very much."
"And we love you, so much," Primrose said.
Pansy took a deep breath and nodded. "I think I would like that very much. Joining you, Father."
"Yes!" Alan clapped his hands. "The Parkinson Firm has a new negotiator and it will only become better!"
"I haven't even started yet!" Pansy laughed, shocked by his outburst but deeply pleased.
"You can only get better," Alan said comfortably. "Your marks have also improved and if you continue with your level of dedication and hard work, you will only ever improve in all aspects."
"We believe in you," Primrose said proudly.
Pansy said nothing but hugged them both hard, feeling warm and happy and touched all in one. They sat together, arms about each other for a long moment. Eventually the door opened and Aster walked in, pausing and staring at the scene before her. "What's going on?" she asked. "Are you in trouble or something?"
"No, Mother and Father love me more," Pansy said smugly. "Something we knew already."
"What?! Hey! That's not true!" Aster cried.
"It's okay, I will always love you and tolerate you to make up for it," Pansy said.
Alan grunted when Aster ran and jumped on them, trying to push Pansy away leading the two girls to fight and squabble. "She's our daughter alright," he laughed.
"She really is," Primrose said, her smile from ear to ear. "They both are."
-0-
"What is this?!"
"This is a consommé of crake and mushroom with ginger, scallion, garlic, and mirepoix. The garnish is a fried crake-cake and julienned carrot and daikon pickle." Harry coughed awkwardly when the guests stared at him. "Sorry, I practiced saying that in French but there isn't a French word for crake so I used the Gobbledegook word for it." He looked to the side nervously. "Did I say it wrong?"
"Sounded fine to me," Amythyst whispered back.
They were in one of the banquet halls in Gringotts. Officials and representatives from the major branches of Europe were there and not just the goblin members. A few human members from each branch were there as well. Officially, it was a Holiday Ball for Gringotts Europe. Unofficially, it was a means for the different branches to interact and do quasi-official meetings and negotiations for all sorts of things.
Gringotts Britain had been selected to host the annual party and Diglin had gone to Hogwarts that day of their Winter Festival to see if Harry would be willing to help. Naturally, Harry had been excited to. He and Diglin and the Crew came up with a dinner of mostly different kinds of small dishes and the like and knowing that the French delegation from the summer would be there, Diglin requested Harry to make the consommé again. Harry did with a more goblin flair to it and it had been really well received by all who tasted it before they made it for the party.
"What? No I mean, what is this?!" Sylver stared at Harry, making an exaggerated hand gesture.
"He's a goblin who's been stretched." Diglin appeared, dressed in his best chef clothes and he glowered at Sylver.
"Truly?" Sylver asked, eyes going wide.
"No of course not, he's a human, obviously," Diglin said scornfully. More than a few chuckled and laughed at that while others looked affronted. "He's a part of my Crew and a valued member of Main Kitchen One." He smiled thinly. "He also made the consommé here and the one back then."
"He's the one taught by a Robuchon?" one of the French goblins gasped.
"Yes Sir," Harry said brightly. "I had the honor of being taught by Chef Gabriel Robuchon for a day over the summer. He's a great teacher and a wonderful chef."
"He is a boy," one of the humans from the French bank said, looking down at Harry with surprise.
"Right, and I'm a girl, is there a problem?" Amythyst asked, eyes glinting dangerously.
"Humans work at Gringotts, clearly," Ragnok said dryly, walking up to the station that Harry was at. He cast an eye over other humans wearing the symbols of the different branches. "Harry Potter is a loyal and appreciated employee of Gringotts Britain. I trust there is no problem?"
An awkward silence fell and more and more people looked over with interest at the sudden quiet.
"May I?" A goblin dressed in a very fine suit took a small cup of the consommé and held it up to the light. "I am told a consommé's greatest quality is its clarity."
"Yes Sir," Harry said. "Chef Robuchon's was so clear, you could see the numbers on a coin at the bottom of the cup."
"Ah but what size coin?" the goblin asked with a friendly smile.
"He used a Galleon, said it was worth at least that much," Harry said. He smiled shyly. "I used a Sickle and three Knuts for mine. I stirred it with a blunt hammer."
The goblin laughed richly. "You are funny, I like that! Good humor makes good food better!" He sipped the consommé, enjoying the rich taste of the mushroom and crake broth and ate the delicately fried crake-cake that was pleasantly dense and accompanied by the tart carrot and daikon pickle. "Mmm, quite nice," he said. "Asian flavors?"
"Yes Sir," Harry beamed. "Learned from a friend at school."
"It is quite good. And you have no unfortunate reactions to the crake?"
"No Sir, thankfully there aren't any underaged drinking laws on Gringotts territory either," Harry smiled and more people laughed appreciatively.
"Just as well," the goblin agreed. "Now this, has my attention. Do you have a fancy name for this?"
Harry shook his head and served the goblin a ramekin full of golden noodles, creamy pale bechamel sauce, rich red tomato sauce, bits of brown beef and sausage, under layers of mozzarella and parmesan cheese. "No Sir. These are ramekins of lasagna with bechamel."
"Ah, keeping with the Italian culinary tradition: less is more and you must let the ingredients shine." He gave Harry a mock severe look. "Forgive me for not introducing myself sooner. My name is Leomattok. I am from the Gringotts Italy branch."
Harry gulped but smiled. "Harry Potter and I really hope you like it." He watched with mild apprehension as Leomattok plunged his fork into the lasagna and removed it, covered in noodles and cheese and sauce. He ate it slowly, chewing thoughtfully.
"Hmm, very good sauce. The noodles are not overcooked or undercooked. Good choice of cheese." He ate another bite. "Why bechamel?"
"I really like the creaminess bechamel adds," Harry said. "I know you can blend ricotta to make it smoother but I think the mozzarella and the parmesan add enough cheese to it and the bechamel is really good at binding everything together, both literally and taste-wise."
"Which do you think is the more traditional choice?"
Harry shrugged a little. "I don't know for sure. I asked my friend who is Italian, or half-Italian, which is more traditional and he said both are. Northerners prefer the bechamel while southerners prefer ricotta. But he said since he's half-Italian, he could be only half-right."
Leomattok and his colleagues from the Italian branch laughed at that. "Wouldn't that mean he is half-wrong?" Leomattok asked.
"He would never admit that he was wrong," Harry smiled.
"Well, he is not and neither are you. This is delicious," Leomattok said warmly. The others from the Italy branch nodded as they ate and soon others began to take the food that was laid out. "You made all this?"
"No Sir. I worked with the Crew and Chef Diglin and we all made this together," Harry said proudly. "Except for the mixed drinks. I didn't make those because I am still underaged technically. Same with the ale soup."
Lemattok laughed again. "I very much like you, Harry Potter. Tell me, are those what you call potstickers?"
"Yes Sir! Let me get you a plate."
"Please do," Leomattok smiled.
-0-
The party continued after the Holiday Ball finished. After the delegations from the other branches left to their suites in Thalga, the Crew and members of their family as well as Gringotts Britain officials congregated in Main Kitchen One and the eating hall. They laughed and cheered at the successful party and did justice to all the remaining food and the Crew made other things as they wanted.
Flitwick had attended the Ball as a guest and joined Harry at the stove. The Charms professor had been incredibly proud of Harry throughout the entire event and had smiled and cheered when the Crew had hoisted Harry up and ran around the eating hall with him in the air. They had let him go, dropping him accidentally to be more truthful, and the party continued in good spirits.
"One of the nice things about being dropped by a goblin," Flitwick smiled, "you don't fall as far."
Harry smiled. "I didn't mind at all. I wasn't worried. I've seen Amy carry three barrels over her shoulders before and Flynt and Hacker can carry a whole half of a cow between them. Goblins are strong!"
"In many ways," Flitwick smiled. His smile soured as he looked out onto the eating hall floor. "Oh dear. They would be singing that song. Harry, do not memorize that song please."
"What song?" he replied innocently.
"Good lad," Flitwick grinned. "Oh! Dee! Hello there!"
"Filly! Get over here!" An older goblin woman approached them and hugged Flitwick. She kissed him on both cheeks.
"Filly?" Harry repeated with a smile.
"If I hear anyone at Hogwarts call me that I will take a hundred points from you," Flitwick huffed.
"No he won't," Dee said. She let Flitwick go and looked up at Harry. "About time you and I met. I've heard much about you. My name is Dee. Diamonda is my full name and Diglin is my husband."
"Oh! It's a pleasure to meet you," Harry said. He extended a hand and gasped when she batted it away and hugged him instead, coughing from the strength of her hug.
"No need for that," Dee said with a big smile. "You're practically family. Diggy thinks very highly of you and of course you're one of Filly's favorites. Same with Raggy and Dory."
"Do not call me Diggy, if you know what's good for you," Diglin said with a smile. He appeared with Ragnok at his side who also grinned.
"I do not mind if you call me Raggy when we are with this group," Ragnok said.
"I'll call you Chef and Director or Sir as usual," Harry smiled, once he got his breath back.
"Why weren't you here for the Ball proper?" Flitwick asked.
"Because I swore I would gut Sylver the next time I saw him and I'm not allowed to do that yet so I chose not to come," Dee said airily. "He annoys me."
"He's rude to Harry too," Diglin grunted sourly.
"Another reason for me to dislike him," Dee said indignantly. "Why I've only met the boy for a moment and like him already, though to be fair I've heard enough about him over the years so I feel like I know him well."
"Sylver is a prick," Rangok said, making Harry gasp and the others laugh. "Thinks everything that is not French is worthless, and the worst thing to be is to not be a French human. So him learning that one of the best French dishes is made by an Englishman and a human of all things sticks in his craw."
"Ooops," Harry said insincerely.
"Indeed," Ragnok said with amusement. "Anyways, well done Harry. With your assistance, we had a very successful Ball and many compliments were given, with you receiving a share. Thank you."
"Thank you for inviting me, it was fun," Harry said sincerely.
"You do have interests that aren't cooking, right?" Diglin asked.
"Some," Harry said. He thought for a moment. "I think."
"Be nice," Dee scolded, smacking Diglin. "I can ask you the same."
"I love you," Diglin retorted. "And I do forge work too."
"That's fair," Dee smiled. "It's good to have different interests."
"I like to read," Harry said.
"About non-cooking or food related things?" Ragnok asked with a teasing smile.
"Some of my stuff for school is interesting," Harry said weakly while the others chuckled. "I love my owl and hanging out with her."
"Harry is an excellent flyer," Flitwick smiled. "And he is an excellent student."
"Oh when you visit us next summer in Thalga, we'll take you to the Cliffs," Dee said. "Big open part of the cavern for flying. Goblins as a whole don't love flying but those that do, do it there. Big open space with a lot of luminescent things to see while you fly."
"Oh that does sound like fun," Harry said eagerly. "Is it by the Honeycombs?"
"Yes! Have you already decided on things to see?" Dee asked with a big smile.
"I only heard about the Honeycombs and the Undersea. Something about wild giant crakes. I also heard about a place that I shouldn't go to, Darkwell-"
"You are not going anywhere near Darkwell!" Flitwick shouted, making Harry jump. "Who on or below the earth told you about that place?!"
"Hacker and Flynt," Diglin grunted.
"After I pulled their asses out of there last time? Oh no, I'm going to have a word with them." Dee stomped out into the eating hall, followed by Flitwick.
"Another reason not to go to Darkwell," Diglin said conversationally as shouting and Hacker and Flynt screaming as they ran from Dee could be heard through the open doors and window. "Dee isn't fond of the place."
"They banned her," Ragnok said. "She's very good at gambling games and they banned her for winning too much which is not a fair reason but what can you do?"
"Did she promise to gut the owners too?" Harry asked as he watched with wide eyes at the running Flynt and Hacker pursued by a scolding Dee.
"She actually did," Ragnok said. "You see, one of the goblin owners had a grundwyrm as an owner to take advantage of a rule that you could challenge someone to combat to right a wrong and not many goblins are keen on fighting a grundwyrm one-on-one in hand-to-hand combat. But most goblins are not Dee."
"She gutted a grundwyrm?" Harry gasped.
"With her bare hands," Diglin said with a wide toothy smile. "It was a sight to see." He patted Harry on the shoulder. "Don't worry. She genuinely likes you."
"I'm glad for that," Harry said with not a small amount of sincere relief.
-0-0-0-
odonnellzoo99 - Hedwig dancing is never not necessary and is always welcome. It was nice introducing the Crew and more goblins at large in the festival too. I sort of added it at a whim towards the end mid-writing and I think it turned out really well and fit the feeling I really wanted.
61394 - Everyone is doing some soul searching and thinking about their feelings.
DOOOOOOM Lord of Waffles - I believe you will survive. I'm pretty happy with how Dumbledore has turned out in this fic. He hit the feelings I really wanted him to feel and be.
poka - Feelings are very hard. I wanted this fic to approach feelings a little differently, try to let the characters feel and grow at different paces and in different ways. I'm glad you like their growth and development. I try to have the main characters show development and how they have come.
TheSphynx - No problem at all. There's been a lot of chapters.
Hands Off MY Wolfie - You'll get a peek into Sanguis with this chapter. I do like the cold which is funny because I grew up somewhere very hot almost year around for the most part. I live more north now. Thanks for reading.