A Taste of Magic
125th Course – Sickness and Health
One of Harry's favorite parts of the day at Hogwarts was breakfast time. Not just for the food and seeing his friends, but he always loved seeing the owls come into the Great Hall. At first there would be the general sounds of people walking about and chatting and then there was an explosion of movement and owls would come flying down from the ceiling, looking for the receivers of their post. Normally when owls fly during hunting, their feathers help reduce the sound of the wings flapping to help sneak up on prey.
When delivering post however, the owls did not care as much about flying or moving silently so there was a lot of hooting and barking and flapping as the owls exchanged words with each other before landing before their intended recipient. Then they would either wait for a reply or visit their owners for some time before flapping away.
For the first few years, Harry did not have anyone to write to. But Hedwig still showed up to visit with him and she would stay there until he left for classes. Eventually she was a little busier doing deliveries and exchanges for Lavender, then Parvati and Hermione, but unless she was actively out on delivery, she always came to be with Harry and his friends. Now she was a lot busier with regular correspondence with Sirius and the Tonkses, and before she regularly flew to France for the Flamels, but she almost always did those during the day to ensure she had time to visit with Harry and the others at breakfast as well as eat together. Harry visited her at the Owlery at other times too of course.
When they got the Uncommon Room, they saw each other much more often. Many times, she would sleep there in privacy and comfort save for the times she needed owl socialization and would go to the Owlery to see her fellow owls. Otherwise she preferred the Uncommon Room due to its comfort, access to food, and to be with Harry and the others.
This morning she came swooping in, gracefully dodging other owls and extending her wings to slow her descent. She landed daintily in front of Harry, not a feather out of place and not disturbing a single thing on the table, not even the napkins. She executed a pirouette as she landed and puffed her chest out, striking a pose.
"Very beautiful," Harry praised, clapping his hands. He smiled when she nuzzled him and bit his nose gently for good measure before she thrust her chest out again, giving him easy access to the pouch on her harness. "Hmm, what's this?" He pulled out a tube that had a letter attached to it. He opened the letter first and began to read. "Oh no," he groaned.
"Is something wrong?" Lavender asked worriedly, seeing his pained expression. "Did something happen?"
"You can say that," Harry said with a bright red face and gave her the letter.
She began reading with the others looking on with worried interest. The worry went away when Lavender started giggling mightily and the interest increased in degrees of magnitude. "Wow, she writes like she talks," Lavender said, still giggling.
"Who does?" Parvati asked, reaching out for the letter.
"Go ahead and read it," Harry sighed with a wry smile.
Lavender smacked Parvati's hand and they exchanged stuck out tongue expressions before she cleared her throat and started reading.
Hello Harry dear!
I hope this letter finds you well.
Be proud for you have in your hands the very second printed copy of the first volume of the new magazine, Gourmancy Monthly! I have the first printed copy to keep as a victory trophy of sorts and the next few have been promised to your godfather, godaunt, grandparents, and the Headmaster of course. I am quite proud of this work, well to be fair I'm proud of almost everything I write, but am especially proud of this.
It took me a bit to decide on the name. I started with 'Fantastic Feasts and Where to Find Them', but apparently the Scamander estate is slightly and surprisingly litigious. 'Magical Meals' sounded too pedestrian. I wasn't about to call it something like 'Bon Appetit', I am British after all. I have some small amount of professionalism. Then I decided on Gourmancy because it is the divination of the gourmand and the gourmet and while I know your cooking isn't fussy, it sounded too lovely to not use.
Within there will be reprints of the articles I wrote about your stew for the TriWizard, then the Showcase, and I've actually done a bit of historical writing about traditional British cooking through the ages, magical and Muggle. It's been rather interesting I must say, much to my own surprise. Who knew History could be fun? Not Binns, that's for sure.
I also plan on doing a bit of international exploration, as in visiting and eating in foreign places and I've managed to make the expenses payable by the printing company. I'm very proud of that.
Not only that, I fully intend on featuring you in them more often than not and I already have our first few interviews we've done lined up for the next few months. I also will be including the recipes but don't worry dear, as always, you will be given full credit and any sort of word poaching and printing without permission, or malicious editing, will be prosecuted severely. I have Sirius' word on that and I will enact my own revenge and let me tell you, I know a thing or two about malicious editing.
And as always, you have final say over what I print about you and all that. Your privacy is safe with me. Sirius and Andromeda have also gone over those pieces carefully so don't you worry. Oh and a good percentage of the profits from the sales are going to you as well of course.
All of the printings for this first edition have all been bought too! Mostly by the company that runs the Prophet but a good amount of stores I've told about this have bought copies too. What fun! You know, if you told me a few years ago that a cooking magazine of all things would be considered something worth reading, I would've laughed. I'm laughing now to be fair, but it is a victory laugh because I see the gold and the gainful employment.
Be sure to thank little Miss Prickly and Miss Hurley please. I still don't know what possessed me to accept that little deal she made but I'm certainly glad I did! I never imagined that things would be so nice right now but I'm not complaining in the slightest. My life would be a lot less full and enjoyable right now and I wouldn't be able to be in your delightful company. A horror to me and hopefully to you as well.
I hope you enjoy! And to many years of our continued working relationship built on mutual respect and good food. Ta!
Sincerely,
Rita Skeeter, writer extraordinaire.
"Wow, she really does write like she talks," Parvati said after Lavender finished. Everyone was smiling and snickering while Harry had buried his face into his hands.
"Did, did you not realize you were being interviewed for this?" Blaise asked, giving Harry a look.
"In retrospect, I do now," Harry said, his voice muffled.
"Harry," Pansy sighed while the others laughed harder.
"I was just cooking and talking! I thought she was writing the recipes down so she could make them herself!" Harry said.
"And did she ask you if you were okay with printing said things?" Daphne asked sardonically.
"Okay well, that was probably the bit I should have paid more attention to," Harry mumbled.
"It looks really nice," Luna said. She had opened the tube and carefully removed the magazine. The front cover was a close up of his beef stew sitting in front of a cauldron with a ladle sticking out of it, all of which sat on a table with a brightly colored, checkered tablecloth.
Luna looked at it critically and gently flipped through the pages. "Looks as good as Daddy's Quibbler."
Pansy looked on with Luna and shook her head. "I'll show her 'little Miss Prickly', she snorted.
"I kinda like being called 'Miss Hurley'," Millicent grinned.
"I like the name 'Fantastic Feasts'," Ron laughed. "Too bad that couldn't be used."
"Only you could be interviewed, have a whole article story written about you, and you be surprised that it was, in fact, an article," Parvati said to Harry. "I adore you bro, but you're almost as dim as Lav."
"In a good way," Padma added while Lavender and Parvati glared at each other.
"As per usual, glad I can help," Harry deadpanned and everyone laughed.
"Rita is writing more kindly," Luna said when the laughter faded. "I don't think she would write anything that would upset you."
"Which I never thought anyone would ever say," Daphne snorted. "Without copious amounts of sarcasm."
"She and Sirius have an agreement where he reviews things before they get published," Harry said. "At first I was surprised that he didn't warn me but actually, thinking about it, I'm not surprised at all."
"Sounds like something he would do," Susan nodded.
"Can I borrow it?" Parvati asked. "I have a free period after breakfast."
"Go ahead," Harry grinned. He drained his glass of juice and coughed a little when he finished it. "Must have gone down funny," he said, patting his chest.
-0-
"Is everything alright?" Remus asked, looking at Harry with a trace of concern.
"Yeah, why?" Harry asked.
"You just look a little unwell," Remus said kindly. "And are doing a good job of hiding it. And I know a thing or two about hiding an illness."
"Oh I don't think I'm sick," Harry said. "Just a touch of a cough. Oh by the way," he held up the magazine that Parvati gave back before Defense class. "Did you know about this?"
"Sirius was talking about it," Remus grinned. "I like the cover and the name is quaint and fun."
"When were you guys going to tell me?" Harry grinned.
"Eventually, I'm sure. But if I may ask, when and how did you find out?" Remus asked, eyes sparkling with delight.
"This morning, letter and copy from Rita," Harry snorted. "Let me guess, you lot betted on when and how I'd find out."
"Guilty," Remus laughed. "And Andromeda won if I recall."
"She's super smart," Harry smiled before coughing some more.
"Are you sure you are feeling okay?" Remus asked, concerned once more.
"I'll be fine. Just a cough."
"Perhaps I should take you to the Infirmary?"
"No thanks, I'll be alright. See you later!"
Remus waved as Harry left the classroom, shaking his head. "I better Floo call them," he said, chuckling to himself.
-0-
"Mmm, this is nice," Pansy said, holding her hands out.
A nice fire crackled and burned on the Hogwarts grounds. Fire Salamanders scampered amid the wood and coals, looking utterly comfortable and at ease. The fire they made and fueled was strong enough to keep the winter chill at bay and the Care students kept the fire fed with more kindling and wood while also feeding the salamanders.
"Now see this one," Hagrid said eagerly, pointing at a salamander sitting on a log right next to the fire. "See what happens here." He fed the magical creature a piece of charcoal and the salamander chomped on it eagerly. The creature's naturally red skin became black and lines of glowing fire danced over its skin.
"Salamanders, when fed things part of their element or fuelin' their element, look like it," Hagrid said to the delighted students. "When they eat bugs and fish and other prey, they look normal but if you feed them twigs and coals and things, they look like it. Isn't that fun?"
"I wonder what would happen if I fed one curry," Parvati mused. She looked over at Harry and tilted her head a little when he did not reply. "What do you think?"
"Hmm? About what?" Harry said, turning to look at her in a distracted way.
"About feeding them curry," Parvati said, frowning a little.
"Oh, that would be interesting. Why curry? Oh right, because it can be hot," Harry said with a weak smile. It was his turn to look a little confused when Parvati rested a hand on his forehead. "What are you doing?"
"Seeing if you have a fever. You feel really warm," Parvati said, looking closely at him.
"I'm standing in front of fire salamanders and a really big fire, I'm going to be warm," Harry said.
"If you're sure," Parvati frowned. "Are you feeling okay?"
"I'm okay," Harry said with a stronger smile. "Thank you though."
"The problem is, that's his usual response," Hermione said softly when Harry went to talk to Ron and Hagrid about something.
"He was coughing earlier," Pansy said worriedly.
"If he doesn't improve a bit by tomorrow, we'll drag him to the infirmary," Lavender declared.
-0-
"I told you, I'm okay," Harry protested weakly.
"No you're not," Lavender said firmly, pulling him along. "You're burning up and you were looking really rough. You've been out of sorts since yesterday and it's only getting worse. See? You can barely keep me from pulling you."
"I can't do that normally," Harry said with a feeble smile. "You're very strong."
"Well sure, but you usually put up more of a fight," Lavender said, smiling but looking worried at the same time.
"Look, we just want to be sure," Pansy said, also pulling him. "And if you are indeed 'okay', you have my permission to say 'I told you so' as annoyingly as you wish. Like Parvati levels of annoying."
"And that's really annoying," Parvati said.
They had found Harry standing listlessly in the Uncommon Room and had dragged him out, ignoring his weak protests. They made a straight line towards the Infirmary and had pushed him onto a bed while waiting for Pomfrey to come over.
"Right then, what's the problem?" Pomfrey asked. "And don't say 'I'm okay'."
Harry opened his mouth and then closed it, looking miffed while his friends snickered, the tension ebbing slightly.
"He's been coughing a lot and has a fever," Lavender said.
"The winter has been especially cold," Pomfrey said, casting a few diagnostic charms on Harry. "It is especially tough on those with delicate constitutions."
"I'm not delicate," Harry muttered.
"Did I say you were? I said your constitution is," Pomfrey chided. "Any other symptoms? Come on then, don't force me to find out for myself."
"I'm tired even though it's the morning," Harry said at last. "And I ache a little. But really, I've had this before and it wasn't a big deal and I'm sure I can just nap or something. I'm really okay-"
"-except you are not," Pomfrey said, interrupting him. She looked down at him. "You have the flu."
"Oh, I never thought about magicals catching the flu before," Hermione said.
"Magical bodies are more resistant to some Muggle illnesses but there are a lot of magical analogues to common illness, like the cold or the flu," Pomfrey said. "In some way, our resilience is our downfall because we have to suffer from a stronger strain and thus, it will take longer to heal and recover. Bedrest, and plenty of it and you will be doing it here."
"Is that necessary?" Harry asked, looking nervous.
"It is. You're probably a bit contagious so don't want your dormmates getting it. I'll be giving you girls some preventative potions just in case but the earlier you come to me the better if you get other symptoms. Because someone is being a bit stubborn, we have to let it play out with some potions to alleviate the symptoms." She gave Harry a look.
"Aren't you the one that kept arguing against the low tackle rule because it interfered with 'the sanctity of the game'?" Harry asked, trying to look innocent and failing.
"Very smart of you to antagonize the person who is going to be caring for you for the foreseeable future," Pomfrey said, wagging a finger at him. "Right, corner bed, get changed, and get under the covers. And pull the curtain! Give yourself and us some privacy please."
"Is it anything you haven't seen before?" Parvati asked in an also failing to be innocent way before she shrieked, pushed over by a blushing Lavender.
"Please don't make me work more, dear," Pomfrey clucked while Pansy and Hermione laughed.
"Will he be okay?" Lavender asked, worried.
"He will be fine," Pomfrey said easily. "The flu is unpleasant but he will recover. And don't fret. I will watch over him." She shooed them out gently after giving them a potion each to sip.
"At least it isn't anything terrible," Parvati said easily.
"The flu is awful, I've had it before," Hermione said.
"I'm sure Madam Pomfrey will take excellent care of him," Pansy said, "despite her teasing. I'm sure she is fond of Harry."
"He just looked really bothered by it," Lavender said, fretting a little.
"Being sick isn't fun," Parvati said sympathetically.
"You're right," Lavender said, chewing her lip a little.
-0-
"Did you receive a message or something?" Pomfrey asked as she walked over to the bed.
Harry shook his head. "No, why?" he coughed.
"I was wondering what your owl was doing here then," Pomfrey replied, narrowing her eyes at Hedwig who returned the gesture tenfold. The snowy owl had appeared not long after Harry had lain in bed, kicking one of the infirmary windows open easily before kicking it shut once more. She was now sitting on the bed beside Harry, fluffed up while glaring back at Pomfrey.
"Keeping me company," Harry said. "She's the best."
"I know you have watched over him in the past but those were more extreme circumstances. He's just sick and will recover fine," Pomfrey said.
Hedwig tilted her head in the body language equivalent of, "And?".
"I could force you to leave," Pomfrey warned.
Hedwig puffed up and narrowed her eyes more in the body language equivalent of, "I'd like to see you try".
"She won't bother you," Harry coughed. "And no one else is here. Please, Madam Pomfrey?"
"Very well," Pomfrey sighed. She shook a finger at Hedwig who ignored her utterly and walked away. She smiled softly when she looked back and saw Hedwig pulling up the covers a little more around Harry and settled down comfortably beside him, hooting softly.
-0-
"Oh dear, thank you for telling me." Flitwick frowned slightly. "I do hope he feels better soon."
"Me too. Madam Pomfrey didn't look too worried but still," Lavender said, shrugging a little.
"Then we shouldn't be either. She is a fantastic healer and can be trusted," Flitwick smiled encouragingly.
Tracey leaned over Hermione when Lavender sat back down at the desk. "Is he really sick?"
"More than a little," Lavender said. "I went to visit him before class but he was sleeping. Hedwig was there."
"That's good," Millicent said. "Sunny always helps me feel better when I'm sick or not feeling well." She shook her head. "Wish we could do something."
Lavender looked at Millicent and then brightened a little when she thought of something. "Hey, Pads, Sue, are you two free after Charms?"
"Yes," Padma said and Sue nodded. "What's up?"
"Mind helping me with something in the Uncommon Room?"
"Sure," they said.
-0-
"Right then. Temperature check and lets have you drink some more water and…really?" Pomfrey moved the curtain aside and looked down and frowned again. "How did you get in here?"
Sunny looked up at Pomfrey and shrugged nonchalantly. She was curled on Harry's chest and looked up at the matron coolly.
"I don't know," Harry said weakly when Pomfrey looked at him. "I woke up and there she was. I don't mind it though, she's very warm."
"And who does she belong to?"
"Millie, I mean Millicent. Her name is Sunny."
"And I suppose you're going to be staying here for the duration as well?" Pomfrey asked. She sighed when Sunny nodded. "And I suppose nothing I say or potentially do will change that?" She sighed more deeply when Sunny nodded again. "Well, I suppose I can allow it if you behave. Now let him sit up please."
She took his temperature with a charm and had him drink from a glass. "Things are progressing as they should. If you behave as well, then you should be out shortly."
"Sounds good," Harry said, lying back down. He shifted a little when Sunny retook her spot on his chest and Hedwig fluffed up beside his face. "Madam Pomfrey? Thank you for taking care of me."
Something in his voice made her pause and she looked back at him questioningly. "Well of course. Not only is it my duty, but I do happen to like you. Did you think I'd do otherwise?"
"No, but I still appreciate it," he said as he dozed off.
She looked at him for a moment longer before walking away slowly, lost in thought.
-0-
"What do you need help with?" Sue asked after they reached the Uncommon Room after classes.
"Can you help me make a chicken soup or something like that?" Lavender asked.
"For Harry? Oh! Like that time in first year when he made it for Millie," Padma said.
"Yeah, when she was sick," Lavender nodded. "And like when we tried making those biscuits in third year."
"You mean to say, 'like we made the biscuits'," Parvati corrected. "We did make them."
"Harry had to help us after someone poured way too much sugar into the mix," Lavender said, looking at her.
"I don't recall that," Parvati hummed.
"Of course you don't," Padma sighed.
"Good idea though and yeah, let's do it," Sue said. She opened the ice box and pulled out some chicken that was in there while Padma went through their pantry. "Something light with lots of herbs in it."
"We should get Harry to write down his recipes for us and to have a copy here or something," Parvati said as she got the cookware ready. "Or start writing them down ourselves."
"That's a good idea," Padma said, bringing over carrots, celery, and herbs to the big prep table. "I guess we never had to before with Harry always there and happy to help."
"Let's make him something tasty and that will help him feel better," Lavender said brightly and the other girls nodded enthusiastically.
-0-
"How is he?" Lavender asked.
"He is fine, recovering well," Pomfrey said. She quirked an eyebrow at the quartet of girls. "Are any of you feeling any symptoms?" She smiled when they shook their heads. "That's good. Then what are you doing here?"
"We made him some soup and was hoping he could have some," Padma said.
"That's very good of you," Pomfrey said approvingly. "Go ahead."
"Aww," Parvati said when they reached his bedside. "You got some nurses with you."
Harry coughed and smiled weakly. "Wasn't expecting it but not complaining at all, well, not about them at least." He shifted a little and Sunny and Crookshanks moved off his body while Hedwig remained where she was beside his pillow. "Thanks for visiting. Did I miss anything important in class?"
"Not really," Sue said. "But we'll share notes of course when you get better."
"We made you some soup," Lavender said, opening the container they brought. "Unfortunately it's not as good as your chicken soups but we tried our best."
"It smells wonderful," Harry said with the biggest smile he had all day.
"Don't lie," Parvati grinned. "You sound stuffy. You probably can't smell anything right now."
"I can smell a little," he protested. "Would you all like to eat it with me? I miss eating with you." He smiled again when they divided the soup into bowls and they sat beside him and they ate together. "It's really good," he said, eating slowly.
"Yeah, we did a good job," Parvati said.
"Are you feeling any better?" Sue asked.
"A little. Still tired and coughing, but better," he replied. Eventually he finished the soup and Parvati, Padma, and Sue left, saying they would visit tomorrow.
Lavender fluffed up his pillow and smiled when Sunny and Crookshanks resumed their places. "Such good petlings," she praised and the kneazles and the owl fluffed up at the praise. "I'm not surprised they came."
"I am a little," Harry said with a small smile. "Madam Pomfrey was more so. She tried to shoo Hedwig away, then just sighed at Sunny, but then barely said anything when she found Crookshanks."
"Probably better that way," Lavender giggled.
"Thank you for coming and for making the soup," he said, looking up at her.
"Of course. I am your girlfriend after all," she said. "But even if I wasn't, I'd still worry and care." She happily took his hand when he offered it, holding it between her own. "Did you think I wouldn't?" she teased.
"No," he said. "I'm just happy you did."
She thought for a moment before her hands tightened on his and she frowned. "Oh. I see now." She throttled her rising anger and she looked down at him lovingly. "Harry, if you haven't figured it out by now, you're going to have to tell me to give you space because I'm going to naturally be in it."
"I don't think I ever will," Harry smiled. He yawned. "I like it when you're there. You make me feel warm and safe."
"I like being there too," she said with genuine affection. She held his hand until he fell asleep and was there for some time after, feeling content at seeing him sleep peacefully.
-0-
"Welcome back!" Clover and Marigold hugged Harry at the same time.
"Thanks!" Harry said, hugging them back.
"Are you feeling better?" Aster asked when it was her turn to hug him.
"Loads," Harry said. "Still a bit stiff but much better."
"How's that different from usual?" Millicent teased.
"Fair," Harry laughed. "Thanks for letting Sunny be nurse kneazle."
"I don't let her do anything," Millicent said. "She just does it but glad she was there. Kneazles are supposed to be good for healing and comfort sometimes. Depending on the kneazle of course."
"She was definitely a comfort," Harry smiled.
"You're still recovering so sit." Lavender pushed him onto a stool. "We can make something and you can watch."
"Sounds good to me," Harry said gratefully.
"Yeah, since you've been lying around, we've been doing some cooking to pick up the slack," Parvati said. "Gotten better at it we have. It's not that hard."
"Then why aren't you good at it?" Ivaan asked.
"Because it's hard being good at it," Padma grinned. "Cooking isn't, being good is."
"I've missed being here," Harry smiled as the ensuing argument grew and grew, making him smile even more.
-0-0-0-
DOOOOOOM Lord of Waffles - Glad you enjoyed. Thank you.
odonnellzoo99 - It was a hand held trebuchet so sneak attacks are more possible. Hedwig was in fine form this chapter wasn't she? I thought it would be funny with how differently she treated the different gingerbread people.
Hands Off MY Wolfie - Yup, a pleasant holiday for everyone there. Thanks for reading.
Hoodedgenius98 - That would be very cute.
alix33 - Hedwig being grumpy because her foil can't be taken is a very funny mental image.
TheMatze99 - Thank you for understanding.
TheSphynx - That would be really cute and terrifying. I love the mental image of her in appropriately sized gear though.
iamchaos98 - There has to be some small amount of plot still. Glad you're liking it still.
DarkRavie - Thank you.
Arnie1701 - That would be very cute.
poka - That sounds very cozy. I hope your circumstances have gotten easier and you're more settled. Thank you for the kind words and the high praise.