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

A Taste of Magic

111th Course – Meet the Parents, Again

Daniel stopped and looked at his daughter with wonder. "You look beautiful," he said, his voice thick with emotion.

Lavender turned and smiled brilliantly at him. "Thanks, Daddy!" She said, twirling a little. Her dress was blue and she wore a light jacket on top of it. She put on a pair of small gold earrings and settled her hair band that kept her hair out of her eyes.

"It seems a bit much to dress up for dinner," he said in a half-joking manner.

Her transformation was sudden and complete. The smile and cheery expression dissolved and was replaced with something stern and piercing. "Daddy, do not ruin this," she warned.

"Ruin this? Ruin what?" He balked when she poked him in the chest.

"You know what! This is really important to me!"

"I'm just doing my fatherly duty!" he protested.

"Daddy, I promise, if you do something bad to hurt him and ruin things, I will hold this against you forever and will be sad and despondent for the rest of my days," she said seriously, maintaining eye contact.

"Seriously, what shows are you watching with Mum?" Daniel complained once more.

"Grandmum says you can ask her," Lavender sniffed. She looked down when Cokie walked up to her, holding a long ribbon in her mouth. Lavender took it from the poodle and tied a pretty bow that sat on her head, between her ears. "Daddy, please? I really care about him."

"I know," Daniel sighed. "I'm taking this seriously too, you know." He adjusted his tie. "I just have to do things as your father."

"Daddy, I'm not going to replace you." Lavender hugged him. "You are the two most important men in my life and I need you both to like each other. Okay? And Harry really likes you and respects you."

"Not fair, pulling that card on me," Daniel complained half-heartedly, hugging her back.

"It's true!" Lavender kissed him on the cheek and walked off with Cokie following her.

"Can you believe her?" Daniel asked, walking into the sitting room.

Leena smiled up at him. "I can," she said easily.

"Since when has she gotten that good at playing on my emotions like that?!"

"Probably from learning from Ariana, Andromeda, and her friends," Leena said prosaically. "Lavender has always been clever as it is. Her friends from the Pureblood families grew up playing the Game and doing that sort of political thing and Andromeda is frighteningly clever in that regard too whereas Ariana is just frightening in general."

She rolled her eyes at her husband. "Besides, this is Harry we're talking about. I know you feel the need to pretend to be the big gruff father figure to warn a boy to behave come hell and high water, but Harry is lovely and we have nothing to worry about."

"Pretend nothing," Daniel grumbled. "And yes, we've known about Harry for years and have known him for a few now and I like the boy well enough, but that's before he and Lavender started dating and are together. I have to see him in a new light."

"You really don't," she disagreed, looking back at the newspaper.

"I really do," he insisted.

"Just know what'll happen if you overplay the part," Leena sighed.

"Apparently she'll hold it against me forever and be despondent to the end of her days," Daniel repeated grumpily.

"I should find out what shows she's watching with your mum," Leena smiled. "They sound very entertaining."

Just then the Floo roared into being and life, filling the hearth with bright green flame and light. Cokie came dashing to it and Harry had barely appeared through it before he was tackled by the affectionate poodle.

"Oof! Hi Cokie!" Harry sputtered as he was licked by the dog. "Good girl," he laughed, petting her.

"Let the poor boy up," Leena laughed and managed to pull Cokie away for a moment. "Hello dear."

"Hello! Good to see you," Harry said brightly, climbing to his feet and cleaning himself off. He was tackled once more by Lavender who hugged him and kissed him on the corner of his mouth. "Hi Lavender!"

He gulped and held a hand out to Daniel. "Hello Sir."

Daniel shook his hand gravely, ignoring the sighs from Leena and Lavender and even Cokie. "Potter," he said, ignoring louder sighs. "Let's go have a talk, you and I."

"Daddy," Lavender growled warningly and Cokie did the same.

"Let your father have his fun," Leena said, patting Daniel on the shoulder. "Go on, have your man-to-man talk you two." She smiled to put Harry at ease and Daniel led Harry to his study.

"Mum," Lavender said with a huff.

Leena smiled and tapped her wand on a tiny bell on the table. "Don't worry. I put a listening charm on your father and we can listen in. We can punish him together later if he overreaches."

"That's brilliant!" Lavender gasped, looking delighted. "Will you teach me that?"

"If you promise to never use it on us," Leena said comfortably. "And don't teach it to your sisters."

"Deal!"

-0-

Harry sat in the nice chair in the study. It was a small room, mostly a desk and two chairs inside. There were a few pictures on the walls and it was clean and neat.

"I don't spend a lot of time in here honestly," Daniel said as he sat across from Harry. "I actually don't know what a study is used for. My mother always said that a man should have a study, for business or work or something. Something her father had."

He leaned back and looked at Harry directly. "Never knew my father. Left when I was little and didn't really make an effort to be in my life. So he couldn't tell me or teach me what a study is for, not that I would listen to him anyways. Never knew my grandfather either really."

He looked around a little. "So I mostly do paperwork in here, occasionally nap if the girls are being a little louder or if the couch is taken." He smiled a little at Harry's smile. "I think it's nice though."

"It is nice," Harry said. "Sirius' study is a lot like this. He has more books but he said he doesn't read them, they're only there to make him appear learned. He also hides some alcohol in the cabinets and he puts his records and his record player in there."

"Now that's a good idea," Daniel mused. "I suppose I could put one in here." He looked at Harry and schooled his features into one of stern judgement. "So, Mister Potter, I must ask you for your intentions. In regards to Lavender."

Leena and Lavender groaned, making identical gestures of putting their palms over their eyes while Cokie looked the picture of canine indignation.

Harry swallowed thickly. "Ahem, uhm, well, my intention is to be a good boyfriend. I don't know how exactly but I'll always try my best to do so."

Daniel resisted the urge to smile at Harry's earnestness. "Try to be a good boyfriend?"

"I haven't had a lot of positive role models either growing up," Harry said weakly. "Uncle Ted is a really good role model now though, and Sirius tries hard to but he likes to irritate Amelia but I think she likes it so I guess it's not bad?"

Daniel smothered a snort. "And just that? A good boyfriend? What about in a few years?"

"I'm going to kill him," Leena muttered while Lavender puffed up from irritation.

"Uh…I uh well, I don't know? I mean apparently there's an ongoing argument between Parvati and Pansy about who's going to be the first godmother and Padma wants to be one too."

"Godmother?!" Daniel nearly shouted.

"We haven't done anything but kiss and snuggle!" Harry said, face bright red.

Leena laughed helplessly while Lavender buried her face into her hands.

"Oh, good," Daniel said, willing his heart to slow down. He shook his head and looked at Harry who looked embarrassed and panicked. "Tell me, what are your feelings for Lavender?"

"I really like her," Harry said without hesitation.

"Only like her?" Daniel asked, eyebrow raised.

"Bloody hell Daniel," Leena groaned while Lavender and Cokie growled.

Harry sat there and resisted the urge to flee for a moment, fighting against the instinct to run. He took a few breaths and looked about some before turning back to Daniel. "Did…did Lavender tell you about my childhood?"

"Bits and pieces," Daniel said. He frowned. "Wasn't much of one, from what she told me. A real shame and that's the truth."

"It was all I knew," Harry said. He bit his lip briefly, marshalling his thoughts. "I…uh…I never ate with the Dursleys. Like never at the same table, never at the same time. Even before I was cooking for them and their dinner parties and things. I always ate after and whatever was left. Before I was cooking all the meals, there really wasn't a lot."

Daniel looked at him, seething on the inside at that admission while Leena and Lavender did the same outside the study in the living room.

"When I was cooking, I learned to eat a little while I cooked and I got in the habit of making extra so there would be more left for me after," Harry continued. His voice was small and his eyes unfocused, lost in the past. "Dudley, my cousin, would always try to eat all the leftovers but he got sick a few times and Vernon and Petunia would get upset because they wouldn't have any to eat for lunch or anything. Things got better the more I cooked for them and they got really happy and popular when they were throwing all the parties."

"But they never let me eat with them," Harry said. "No matter how happy they got. Even during the parties, I never got to eat with people. They used to say, 'one doesn't eat with the help'."

"'One doesn't eat with the help'?" Daniel repeated incredulously while Leena did the same outside the room. "What the actual fuck," Daniel said with genuine displeasure. "I'm sorry lad, but that is nowhere near appropriate."

Harry smiled weakly. "Like I said, I didn't know. I only knew how they treated me. That is, until I got to Hogwarts. It was weird to me, eating with people and it took a little getting used to, if I'm being honest. But Lavender, she really helped me with that." His smile grew stronger, warmer. "Even before I really told her why I wasn't eating as easily with them, or exactly with them during club that first year, she would give me this look and wait for me to sit with them and start eating before they would."

"I know that look," Danile said with pride and exasperation. "She just stares at you with those blue eyes of hers and just waits patiently for you to do what she wants. Never knew where she picked that up."

"Yeah," Harry laughed. "It's amazing." He sighed. "I started telling her more about my life with the Dursleys and she would tell me that it was wrong, what they did. And she started making me realize that. She made me learn that what they did was wrong and that it wasn't fair nor right."

Leena hugged Lavender who looked happy and sad in equal measure at the small bell that was letting them listen in on the conversation.

Harry looked down at his hands for a moment before looking up at Daniel. "Another thing my…that the Dursleys told me, was that no one would like me for anything but for cooking. That cooking was all I was good for. That cooking and serving food was my only reason to be around. To pay them back for giving me a home."

Daniel glowered, narrowing his eyes at that.

"Sometimes I wonder how I still liked cooking," Harry confessed in a very small voice. "How and why I still enjoy it. I realized that, when the food was good, the Dursleys smiled. And when they were happy like that, they were kinder to me. Not kind, but I didn't know the difference then. But kinder. And I like seeing people smile. It makes me feel good about myself, knowing that I did something that made people smile."

Leena's heart ached at that and she sighed softly, her expression mirrored by Lavender.

"And I still like seeing people smile," Harry continued, sounding a little more sure of himself. "And I still like cooking now, like a lot. I love it really. But now I can cook for people who like me for me and because I can cook, not just because I cook. That they care about me and what I do, not only because of it. And Lavender was one of the first people to ever treat me like that. None of the guests at the Dursleys ever made me feel like that. They would tell the Dursleys they must be proud of me, to be happy because of me. But they never told me any of that directly. But Lavender did. And she helped me really see that, to feel that."

"She's got a lot of love in her," Daniel said proudly.

"She really does," Harry smiled, his face bright and cheery. "She makes me happy to be around her. She's always so happy when she gets something right, gets a good mark, or finishes a sewing project. She's genuinely happy for people when they're happy. She's wonderful."

Lavender's face was bright red but her smile was from ear to ear as she listened.

"So when you asked me if I just only like her, it's hard to explain kinda," Harry said in a wistful tone. "I know it's definitely more than that. She's so important to me. She's my first friend. After Hedwig," he added in reflex and flushed a little at Daniel's small amused snort. "But yeah. She helped me realize that I deserved more than just being told I can cook. She helped me learn that I deserve more than to be treated like a servant. She helps me feel…like me, Harry Potter. A person."

"When I was hit by the Crushing Fear Curse," Harry said in a small voice, "I saw her get hurt. I felt myself lose her and that really scared me. Later, thinking about it, I felt genuinely afraid of having a life without her. Auntie Andi and Grandmother told me that my feelings were natural and genuine and that I really cared about everyone I saw. And I really do.

"It's been hard, thinking that I am more than my cooking sometimes, after being told that for so long. To think myself as someone that can be liked and like others, love even." Daniel hated the way Harry said that, so plainly, as if it was a simple truth or an obvious fact. "But Lavender was one of the first to help me learn, to get better, to be better. And she still does it and is never mad at me about it."

He looked up at Daniel, shy but with conviction. "So I care a great deal about her, Sir, I really do. One day, I know I'll do more than really care. And I can't promise I won't ever make her cry because I've learned that no one can do that. But I swear to always do my best and to be the person she thinks I can be, and help her be the person I know she is."

Daniel sat and looked at Harry for a long moment before sighing and rubbing his eyes. "Dammit. I can't hate you if you say something sincere like that."

"You wanted to hate me?" Harry asked, sounding a little unsure.

"Dammit Daniel," Leena groaned while Lavender and Cokie growled more loudly.

"No, not really," Daniel said hurriedly. "Honestly, I don't! I think you're a good kid. Especially after learning more about your…past." He shook his head. "It's just, well first, it's sort of a father thing, to be very suspicious of their children's dates and to put the fear of God into them. You'll understand one day." He looked stern. "Very far in the future."

Harry gulped. "Of course!"

Daniel smiled a little. "The other thing is, well, for the longest time, it was just me and Lavender. My Mum helped when she could but we weren't really well off for a long time." It was his turn to look into the distance, into the past. "I wasn't that much older than you when Lavender was born. I was young and an idiot and just skating by. Started seeing Lavender's mother as friends of a sort. Then one day she disappeared and I was crushed. I thought we were good together."

He sighed again. "Then one day I opened the door and there Lavender was, on the doorstep. A note saying she was my daughter and that was it. I went and got it confirmed and yeah, she was my daughter. And it scared the hell out of me. I could barely take care of myself, how was I supposed to take care of a baby?"

Leena wrapped her arms around Lavender who looked at the bell with wide eyes.

"It was a wake-up call though, and one I needed," Daniel continued. "I started busting my arse, trying to do better because I needed to. It wasn't just me anymore. And it was hard. There were times I thought she was going to hate me because she didn't really have anything growing up. I did my best but I wish I could have done more, done better."

He smiled at last, a weary expression that changed his whole being. "Then I met Leena. Lavender and I were in the park and she found something on the ground, a purse. We looked around for a bit and then found Leena and it belonged to her. Turns out she was like a neighbor and we hit it off and it was the second-best day of my life. We started seeing each other and I thank God or whoever's listening everyday because I love Leena so much and she treated Lavender like a daughter so fast. And when Leena explained all the weird things that Lavender could do as accidental magic, and that magic exists, and was helping me and not saying I was mad, I fell even more in love right there."

He coughed awkwardly, slightly embarrassed at having confessed something so dear to Harry so soon. Yet the kind expression and the warm look on Harry's face made him feel better. "So part of the reason why I'm being such an arse is that Lavender is my precious girl that's been through a lot. I know you're a good kid, I've seen it. I've seen how she is when she uses her sewing kits and thinks about you. She was heartbroken when you two had that misunderstanding during your fourth year and she was over the moon when you two made up. It's just different when it's a best friend and it's something more."

"I understand, really I do," Harry said earnestly. "And Lavender loves you. She talks about you all the time, you and Mrs. Leena. And we've talked about our childhoods some and she never blamed you for any of it."

Something in Daniel relaxed, a tightness he carried for ages. "I'm really glad to hear that," he said, his voice rough. "I'll admit, I've worried about that."

"Honestly, I think you did amazing," Harry said, shy once more. "Actually, I was left on the Dursley step just like Lavender was and well…" He shrugged limply. "They were well off and, well, you sort of know how I grew up a little. I know money helps but I think you did better than they did. If you don't mind me saying."

Daniel smiled. "Not at all." He held out his hand. "I think we'll get along just fine."

"Thank you, Sir," Harry said, relieved. He shook Daniel's hand eagerly. "I can pretend that you put the fear of God into me though."

Daniel's laugh was loud and merry. "Okay, I do like you a lot," he chuckled. "Well, let's get out there and see what magic Leena put on me before we came in."

"You can tell?" Harry asked with interest while Leena and Lavender shared a shocked look.

"Actually, I think it has to do with your cooking," Daniel said as he opened the door to the study. "I always tasted something else and Lavender told me it was magic. I started noticing a special something around the magic stuff and it's really interesting. Now I can sort of tell on some things and let me tell you, it's very useful." He and Harry walked out and he looked at Leena who hastily dispelled the charm and she and Lavender wore looks of insincere innocence. "You know what, I think I'll really like having you around Harry. You'll help me with magic stuff against the girls. I'm a bit outnumbered."

"I'll do my best," Harry grinned.

Lavender got up and poked her father hard in the stomach before hugging him harder and kissing him on the cheek. "Love you Daddy," she murmured.

"Love you more," he replied, kissing her back.

Lavender let go and hugged Harry with more than typical strength which was already cough-inducing. This time, Harry felt his ribs creak and loved every bone-crushing second. "I care a great deal about you too," she whispered.

"Glad…to hear…it," he coughed, too overcome by the desire to breathe than to be embarrassed at having his confession overheard by her. He smiled when she let him go and kissed her cheek back when she presented it to him and waited patiently.

"So, where're we going out to dinner?" Daniel asked before yelping. "What, it was a joke," he groused when Leena pinched him again.

"I brought things to make here," Harry said brightly, picking up the small bag he had dropped when he first arrived after being tackled by Cokie.

"You're going to let our guest cook at his first meeting with the family?" Daniel gasped, giving Leena a faux-surprised look.

"It was hard," Leena smiled. "Part of me didn't want to but a bigger part of me wants to eat his cooking and I got outvoted by the girls."

"Where are your sisters?" Harry asked as they walked into the kitchen.

"Cleaning their room so they can spend the rest of the time with you," Leena smiled.

"Wow, those look nice," Daniel whistled when Harry took out his portable ice box and removed the ingredients from within. "Is that beef or magical animal meat?"

"It's scotch beef," Harry said, putting the steaks on the counter and tapping them with his wand. "I did get them from Gringotts sort of. Hacker's family runs a big butchering company and they have herds of all sorts. I asked for some nice steaks and got them from him."

"What spell was that?" Leena asked.

"A gentle warming charm specifically to bring steaks to room temperature for cooking."

"Magic is awesome," Daniel grinned.

Clover and Marigold came running down the stairs and Harry was tackled for a third time but he managed to stay upright. They all stayed in the kitchen to chat and laugh while Harry cooked and Lavender and Clover and Marigold helped when they could. They included him in the conversations, explaining jokes to him, and made him feel like a genuine part of the family. Even now he was still astounded when people stayed with him while he cooked, even after the last five years of his friends and his family in Grimmauld and working alongside the Crew and Aberforth and the house elves.

He hoped he would never not feel warm by that. He loved it every time.

"Wow, now that looks really good," Daniel said when Harry took a large pan from the oven. "Is that potatoes gratin? That's my favorite."

"Lavender told me," Harry said, setting the pan on a trivet carefully. "She said growing up, that it was a very special treat you and she shared, a steak and potatoes gratin if the place had it. She said it was some of the best meals she ever had with you two sharing them. So I wanted to make sure I made a really good one today."

Daniel softened and hugged Lavender back. Words were not spoken, but their expressions and body-language said it all.

After everything was finished, the twins set the table while everyone else brought everything over and put things in place. "We have steaks and a mushroom sauce with them," Harry said as everything was put on the table. "Potatoes gratin, rolls, and something I learned at the Showcase: green beans with gomaae. It's a sesame dressing."

"This looks amazing, thank you, Harry," Leena smiled.

Lavender pulled the chair beside her out and beamed at Harry who sat beside her with a smile.

"I thought boys should be pulling chairs out for girls," Clover said.

"Harry's a special case," Lavender said while the parents chuckled.

"That makes sense," Marigold nodded.

They all dug into the food. Harry had also grilled some marrow bones for Cokie as well as her having her own steak and plain roasted potatoes and green beans. "I wasn't sure if she could eat the exact same food," he explained. "Apparently Hedwig and Sunny and Crookshanks are partly magical so they can eat other human food and seasoning without getting sick."

"I feel like she might be part crup," Leena mused. "Magic doesn't bother her at all and she recognizes it actually. I should get her checked."

"This might be the best steak I've ever had," Daniel said, eating hungrily. "And this mushroom sauce is really good!"

"I've gotten good at cooking mushrooms," Harry said proudly. "Goblins eat a lot of them and there are so many different kinds."

"I've never seen them eat their veg so eagerly if it wasn't fried," Leena laughed, watching the two younger girls gobbling down the green beans.

"The sesame dressing has soy sauce and sugar in it," Harry smiled. "Isn't it good?"

Dinner meandered as they ate and laughed together and practically all the food was eaten with no leftovers, much to their mutual surprise. Lavender and her sisters cleaned up with Daniel while Leena and Harry went to the sitting room.

"Their usual chore," Leena smiled as she sat. "I do the cooking, they do the cleaning."

"That's nice," Harry said. He grunted when Cokie flopped over his lap and whined until he started petting her before huffing with satisfaction.

"Of course I could clean it with some charms but it's nice for the girls to do things by hand. Some things are a bit better done by hand." She smiled wryly. "Sorry for listening in on your conversation with Daniel by the way. We just wanted to make sure he behaved himself."

"No problem at all," Harry said sincerely. "Lavender would have found out eventually."

"She's good at that," Leena grinned. She sighed and looked at him gently. "I wanted to thank you, for all you've done for her and us. I think of Lavender as my daughter, like a real one."

"She loves you too. Thinks you're her mother," Harry said eagerly. "She's said as much."

Leena wiped a happy tear away. "I'm glad," she said happily. "It really was like how Daniel said. One day I was at the park and dropped my purse. Was looking all around for it and then this utterly adorable little girl came up to me with it, followed by her father. We found out we were neighbors sort of and started bumping into each other more. After a while, we started seeing each other."

Leena's smile turned sad and wistful. "I can remember one day I visited and Daniel was trying to keep me out of their flat and I almost left until I heard Lavender yelling. I ran in and found her floating in the air and Daniel had no idea what to do. That's when I found out she was magical, just like me. They didn't know of course and I had kept it hidden for so long. I just knew I couldn't let Lavender go, and Daniel was so sweet and so lost and he really needed the help too."

Leena sighed deeply. "Did Sirius tell you about me?"

"Only that you were related to a friend who died in the war, and her whole family," Harry said sympathetically.

She nodded. "Marlene was my cousin and she was so talented, such an amazing person. I had stayed with her since my own parents died a while before, and I found them dead, her and her family, when they should have been alive and well and safe." She shuddered a little, closing her eyes tight. She blinked a few times and smiled sadly at Harry's concerned look. "It broke me seeing them like that and I ran. I swore to never go back to the Wizarding World. It took everything from me."

She looked over at the kitchen, at Daniel fleeing from his daughters who waved towels at him, all of them laughing. "At first, I didn't know what to do about Lavender. I was so afraid of getting involved with magic again, with the magical world. But I couldn't let them be alone. I was so alone and forgot how nice it was to come home to a place with others, to be wanted again. Then I had Clover and Marigold and they were magical too and I knew I couldn't avoid it anymore."

Her gaze softened more when she turned back to Harry. "I wanted to thank you again, because not only have you helped Lavender with things, but it's been wonderful slowly seeing the Wizarding world again, seeing the change and how better things are. Sirius, Remus, Andromeda, Ted, they've been absolutely wonderful and welcoming. I know Daniel was feeling a bit lost with learning about our world and they and it's been so good for him to meet other Muggleborns and families with Muggles too. Getting to know the Grangers and the other families, it's been so good."

"I'm glad," Harry said. "And uh, Sirius wanted me to tell you something. There's been new information brought to the Ministry about the Death Eaters and he said the McKinnons are going to get some overdue justice. He said it won't bring them back, but it'll help a little."

"Thank you," she said softly, tears running down her cheeks. She hastily wiped them away at Harry and Cokie's look of alarm. "Thank you so much," she said as Cokie went to her. She smiled as she hugged the dog. "It will help."

They were rejoined by Daniel and the girls and the rest of the evening was very pleasant. They continued to chat and tell stories and Harry learned a new card game to play with them. When the clock on the mantle tolled, Daniel looked at it. "Wow, time sure flew by. Thanks for coming, Harry, and cooking."

"Thank you for having me," Harry smiled.

"One last question," Daniel said, turning serious. "Since we're going to be on better terms, do you think Hedwig will be nicer to me?"

"Hedwig is nice!" Clover and Marigold said indignantly.

"She actually likes you," Harry said with a big smile. "She only teases people she likes. If she doesn't like you, she's a lot rougher and a lot more devious."

"I guess I can accept that," Daniel laughed. He and Harry shook hands and Leena hugged him and they left the sitting room. Clover and Marigold got hugs too and they followed their parents.

"I think that went well," Harry said when it was just him, Lavender, and Cokie.

"It went really well," Lavender giggled.

"Did I mention that you look amazing?"

She laughed. "No, but thank you!" She rolled her eyes. "Daddy sort of ambushed you."

"Cokie did it first," Harry said and smiled when Cokie barked loudly in agreement.

"She cares very deeply about you too," Lavender smiled. She pulled him to her and their lips met.

"EWWWWW!" Clover and Marigold shouted, peeking from the stairway. "Mum! Lavender's snogging!" they shouted in identical tones of disgust.

"Well don't stare at them, that's weird!" Leena shouted back, laughing hysterically while patting a groaning Daniel.

"I'm going to kill them," Lavender growled, her face bright red.

"Please don't, I like them," Harry smiled back though he was blushing too.

"Fine, only because you said so," Lavender groused. She kissed him again. "See you later!" After a thorough face-licking by Cokie, Harry left through the Floo with a happy wave, one mirrored by Lavender. After he left, she turned and Clover and Marigold flinched at the expression on their older sister's face. They fled squealing while Lavender chased after them with a shriek and Cokie followed with happy barking.

"I'm going to miss this," Leena smiled as they heard running and shouting. "It's going to be really quiet this year with the twins going to Hogwarts too."

"Yeah, but they'll be watched over by Lavender and Harry," Daniel said, hugging her.

"Really? Trusting him like that already?" Leena asked, eyes dancing with delight.

"More like I feel bad for him," he snorted teasingly. "One Brown girl is enough. Three? He's going to go mad." He laughed when she pinched him.

"He's a part of us," Leena said warmly.

"Guess so," Daniel agreed. "I won't be so outnumbered anymore."

"You think," she countered.

"I hope," he laughed.

-0-0-0-

DarkRavie - Thank you.

odonellzoo99 - I thought it would be nice to see him come home to his different homes and each feeling just different enough, yet still warm and happy. Dora really is funny but she does have competition. Oh I misspoke lol. I meant Yorkie as in Yorkshire pudding. I don't have any pets. I messed up in making it.

Hands Off MY Wolfie - No, I meant metal. It was a play on words as well as a goblin idiom for the same reasoning, proving oneself. I used it before as well. Thanks for reading.

alix33 - No, I meant to say prove his metal. It is a goblin idiom that I made that is a play on words as well as having the same meaning.

DOOOOOOM Lord of Waffles - They already went on a date to be seen. I'm sure there will be more, but they have before. Thank you. My holiday was fine, thank you for asking. Hope yours was as well.

Kaya - Thank you.

TheSphynx - I think Rosmerta and Aberforth will have too much pride to do that, but there might be something else in the future, maybe, foreshadowing. It would mean less disagreements however. But then we won't have cheeky house elves lambasting their bosses.

zlancer1 - Thank you, glad you have enjoyed. I haven't to be honest. When I research, I look at multiple recipes and sometimes hodgepodge them, but that might be an idea one day.

Jah Ith Ber - Read without snacks at your own risk.

poka - I did like that feeling of melacholy that I had with Sirius and Harry. Then I ruined, as I do, with talking about a prank and then making things awkward with the Talk. I seem to do that a lot, ruin a carefully cultivated mood because it's funny. I'm glad you think so. I've been trying to vary up my food descriptions without reusing them. I want the food to always shine foremost. A good Rita is such a fun novelty which I enjoyed in Defiance and I'm glad it translates well here. For a good and simple reason here too.

l4w - I'm sure she did. Thanks for reading nad hope you also have a happy holiday.