I do not own Harry Potter, the Wizarding World, or any canon characters.
A Taste of Magic
24th Course – Cold Winds, Warm Hearts
Pansy and Millicent boarded the Hogwarts Express, shivering slightly from the cold wind. Despite the numerous charms on the platform, the winter air could not be completely denied and the bitter cold seeped through robes and flesh alike, settling into the bones.
"Let's hurry up and find a compartment," Millicent said, teeth chattering. "It's freezing!"
"I hope the treat trolly has plenty of hot drinks today," Pansy said, her teeth also chattering. "Let's find a compartment near the front if we don't find the others first. It's usually a little warmer. Whoops!" She stumbled a little and Millicent caught her. "Thank you."
"You're welcome. What'd you trip on?"
"A book." Pansy bent over and picked up a notebook. It was heavy and leather bound. She frowned at it. It felt odd in her hand, which was odder still since she was wearing gloves. "Someone must have dropped it."
"Well maybe we can find who it belongs to. Is there a name on it or something?" Millicent asked. Before Pansy could look properly or open the torn cover, a shout drew their attention and they saw Draco running towards them.
"That's mine!" he said loudly and snatched it from Pansy.
"Maybe you shouldn't have dropped it in the middle of the train then," Millicent said back, narrowing her eyes at him.
His eyes darted between them and he smoothed away his look of panic while smoothing back his hair. "As if you have never dropped something on accident." He turned and walked away. "Thank you," he said off-handedly, glancing over his shoulder and shooting them a cool look.
"What a prat," Millicent sighed. "Oh, sorry."
Pansy bit her lip. "Yeah, he was rude."
Millicent smiled at her friend. "I never knew Draco wrote in a diary or something. That's what it looked like."
"Who knows anymore," Pansy sighed. She looked at her friend who started giggling. "What?"
"I just had a really funny thought of Mr. Malfoy writing in a diary and Draco of course copying him," Millicent giggled. "His hair done up to keep up those luxurious locks."
Pansy stifled a giggle. "Oh Millie, that's terrible," she said, smiling broadly.
"Terribly funny," Millicent laughed. They continued on and did not see any of their other friends, so they claimed a compartment near the front of the train. They put their things up and Millicent released Sunny who crawled under her outerrobes, mewling for warmth.
"It's so cute Harry got her a ribbon to wear," Millicent said, playing with the bright yellow ribbon tied around Sunny's collar.
"It's very cute," Pansy smiled. "It's just as nice as the one he got for Hedwig."
"She loves it," Millicent said happily. "I should get something for Hedwig. I wonder if she likes green."
"I think he was getting her bells this year," Pansy said. "He was telling me about them before the break started."
"Now that's adorable. He's good at giving gifts. I really like that herbology book he got me. We were talking about it one day and it's actually interesting. Apparently there's a lot of stuff about natural dyes for fabrics. I showed Mother and Father and they were going to try something as a personal project."
Pansy touched her hair. Harry's gift had been a length of silver cord that could be shaped and charmed to hold its shape. It was designed to be an incredibly flexible hair tie and ornament in one and she had loved it the moment she learned what it did. Her hair was done in a long braid and the end was tied with the silver tie. "He really is," she said softly.
She and Millicent had come early to the platform, beating the rush of students arriving to return to Hogwarts. They had started arriving, and she looked out the window onto the platform, seeing the milling students and their families. She shyly raised a hand at a wave when she saw some people and they waved back, making a note of where she was.
Millicent had seen them too and waved as well. "Still a little weird that we're friends with them. I'd never have guessed we would," she remarked.
"I don't dislike it," Pansy said sincerely.
"Me neither," Millicent said just as sincerely.
After a few moments the door to their compartment opened and Lavender and the Patils came in, shivering and shaking off a bit of snow from their cloaks. "I'm so glad you guys had a compartment," Parvati said. "It's bits freezing out there!"
"Ugh, don't say that," Padma groaned while Lavender and Millicent laughed and Pansy looked a bit shocked.
"It's the truth," Parvati said as she sat down.
"Here, have a warm lap kneazle," Millicent said and passed over Sunny.
"Kitty!" Parvati hugged Sunny who looked at her owner with wide eyes at the frank betrayal of being passed from a warm lap to a cold one. Soon though, Sunny got comfortable and curled up. "That's better," Parvati sighed.
"It's only going to get colder as we get to school," Padma grumbled. "I can't wait until we learn warming charms."
"Maybe we can convince Professor Flitwick to teach us early in club," Lavender suggested.
"Oooh, using an advantage to learn something before others? That's positively Slytherin of you," Millicent teased.
"I think I'd look okay in green and silver," Lavender laughed, flouncing her hair a little.
"You look good in anything," Parvati complained. "It's not fair. Grandmum was happy when we weren't in Slytherin though."
"Why?" Pansy asked, slightly offended.
"She thinks we look sickly in green," Padma snorted. "And she thinks silver is gaudy."
"While she wears a lot of gold bangles and jewelry," Parvati giggled.
"Your grandmum is the best," Lavender laughed.
"Don't feel too bad," Padma said to a snickering Millicent and Pansy. "She was equally happy we weren't in Hufflepuff for the same reasons. She also thinks yellow and black is bad luck."
"For cultural reasons?" Pansy asked.
"Turns out a boy she liked and dated was in Hufflepuff and he cheated on her when she was in school," Parvati said. She looked around and lowered her voice. "So she Cursed him and his hair turned into badger fur. Said he might as well look like a badger too and she swore to be wary of them ever since."
"I think I like your grandmother," Pansy smiled.
Lavender looked at Pansy when the Patils and Millicent got involved in a discussion over something. "How do you like your hair tie?"
"Oh, you knew of it?" Pansy asked.
"Harry asked me what I thought. I thought it would look wonderful with your hair and I'm glad it does."
Pansy touched it again. "I do like it very much," she said softly.
"Don't worry, he already had the idea," Lavender smiled. "He wanted to ask for my opinion because I'm a girl."
"He didn't say that," Pansy smiled, feeling inexplicably better.
"Not really," Lavender giggled. "He technically said it's because I'm fashionable and he trusts my opinion."
"Did he get you that bracelet?" Pansy asked, pointing at the silver bracelet Lavender wore on her left wrist.
"He did! It's called a place-let I think."
"Oh! Yes, I know of those. They are very useful," Pansy said. "They aren't usually that pretty though."
"I figured. My Daddy loved it when I was demonstrating I could stick all sorts of small things to it to hold," Lavender laughed. Lavender pulled off the quill she had stuck to the bracelet before putting it back on. "It's really handy. I was able to stick needles and spools and things to it while sewing."
She smiled brightly. "Harry's the best at giving gifts."
Pansy's smile mirrored hers. "That's what Millie and I were saying a few moments ago."
"I hope he had a good holiday and stayed safe," Lavender sighed softly.
Pansy's sigh mirrored hers. "Me too."
As the train left the station, they shared what they did over the holiday. "Wow, that sounds so beautiful," Parvati said dreamily while Millicent described the Winter Soiree.
"Doesn't sound very relaxing though," Padma said. "It sounds like one of those big fancy events for work or something."
"Society parties typically are," Millicent said. "A time for the families to jockey for position and try to learn stuff and make under the table deals over things. They find it fun."
"I rather just relax at a party," Lavender laughed. She was dangling some yarn for Sunny to bat at, flicking it up and down and smiling when the kneazle swiped and reached for the colorful yarn.
"Some do find that relaxing," Pansy said dryly. "I never understood it."
"Pansy and I and the less twisty kids usually hole up somewhere and eat everything," Millicent laughed. "There was something weird at this year's soiree though."
"Oh?" Padma asked.
"Yeah, Quirrell was there."
"Professor Quirrell?" Parvati tilted her head. "Really?"
Pansy nodded. "It was strange. We've never seen him attend one before. He was also a little different. More confident." She smiled a little. "He didn't stutter at all I mean."
"Oh weird," Lavender said. "I mean, that's a good thing usually, right?"
"It was very weird," Pansy agreed.
"Did he still wear a turban?" Parvati asked.
"He did, a fancy green and silver one," Millicent. "Probably to suck up to the Malfoys a bit." She started snickering. "And that wasn't the only weird thing, now that I remember. They were making this fuss about these new biscuits and Draco was trying to say he was responsible for them."
"No way!" Parvati laughed. "You're kidding!"
"Yes way! And I'm not! Of course some of the adults were so ready to praise him, despite all of them thinking cooking is beneath them," Millicent snorted.
"Gee, I wonder what brought that about," Padma said with a sharp smile.
"Here's the real question, how were they?" Lavender asked.
"They were okay," Pansy said. She smiled. "Not as good as Harry's, not nearly."
"Well duh," Lavender said and the five girls burst out laughing.
-0-
Despite how much he enjoyed flying, Harry was grateful when he landed. The winter air howled, driving the chilling wind deep into his body and he shivered, hopping off the broom and landing into the snow. He pushed his way through it towards the small group of people that landed and were congregating.
"Good show everyone," Oliver said brightly. He alone seemed relatively immune to the cold wind and snow, his cheeks pink from enthusiasm instead of just the cold air. "Really good practice."
"I s-swear, if-f you keep us out for much longer I'll tie you to one of the goalposts and leave you out here overnight!" Alicia Spinnet said, glaring and shivering. "And this better make up for our actual practice later!"
"Ye-yeah seriously," Katie Bell said, teeth chattering. "This is a bit much."
Oliver took out his wand and incanted, drawing a large circle and tapping everyone in turn. Harry relaxed a little, feeling the Warming Charm take effect. The Charm helped a lot, but the winter's fury would not be denied. As if sensing the magic, the wind blew even harder.
"Maybe you should teach that to us too," Angelina Johnson sighed, no longer hunched over but continuing to rub her arms and hands. "Wish they taught that earlier in class."
"I can ask Professor Flitwick," Harry said shyly.
"I forgot what year we learned it," Oliver said. "But good idea Harry and yeah, I'll teach you lot. It's not that hard. Right, let's get inside and warm up. Most of the rest of the Flying club didn't show up."
"I wonder why," Alicia hissed sarcastically.
The Gryffindor Quidditch team and their regulars and the ones helping scattered more or less. The Weasley twins and Ron and Ginny and Seamus and Dean broke off for the castle and the others drifted off in singles or small groups. Harry helped Oliver put something away and followed him and the three Chaser girls walked with them.
"Feel free to use him as a very large shield," Alicia said kindly to Harry. "Let him break the snow in front of you and use his bulk as protection from the wind."
"Hey," Oliver said in a half-wounded tone. "I'm not bulky. Am I bulky?"
"You make a very good wind break," Katie giggled.
"But not because I'm bulky," Oliver insisted.
"No you're not bulky," Angelina smiled, "you're expansive."
Oliver rolled his eyes as the three girls shrieked with laughter. "Okay, I understand why you might not want to join the team, Harry."
"I wish you would," Angelina said frankly. "You're not bad on a broom and we could use a decent Seeker."
"I like flying but I don't think I'd be great at the game," Harry smiled, feeling warm. "I like helping you all during Flying club though."
"I get it," Oliver said kindly. "You're not passionate about it and that's perfectly fair. Heck, you're really good at what you are passionate about so I'm not going to begrudge you." He winked. "Especially if I can still benefit from it here and there."
"What does that mean?" Katie asked.
"He made those biscuits for me and they're darn tasty."
"You made the biscuits?!" the girls exclaimed, looking at Harry in a new light.
He bobbed his head. "Mmhmm, baked them here before school ended last term."
"Those were amazing," Alicia said. "Some of the best I ever had. Why did you give Oliver some?"
"Hey! If he didn't, I wouldn't have had any to share!"
Harry laughed. "Oliver's been nice to me since we met and he gave me some good advice about electives."
"We can give way better advice," Angelina said. "We actually have other interests aside from Quidditch."
"No you don't," Oliver snorted. "Don't lie to Harry, especially for ulterior motives."
"We're not trying to take advantage of him," Alicia sniffed. "Just saying we'd love to offer an equal trade for his wares."
"I'd pay for them," Katie said. "How much do you charge?"
"Oh, uhm, I never thought about selling them," Harry stammered, put on the spot. "I'll have to think about it."
"Put us down when you do," Angelina said. "I'd save my snack money to Honeydukes for them."
The warmth from the praise really helped him stay warm as they plowed their way to the castle.
-0-
"Hey Percy?"
Percy looked up briefly, smiling softly at his little sister. "Yes, Ginny?"
"Do you have any more of those biscuits?"
"I do not," Percy said. "They were all eaten."
"Drat," Ginny said glumly. "They were really good."
"Indeed."
"Do you think you can get more?"
He gave her a look that made her squirm a bit. "They were a gift," he said mildly. "One shouldn't ask for more that was given as a gift." He went to back working on his essay. "Besides, Potter might have some reservations giving more to us."
"He gave them to you though," she protested.
"Because I treat him politely," Percy said. "And I offered him advice for elective selection and he was being very kind to give me biscuits as thanks." He snorted gently. "Do not give me that look. I did warn you. He is not how he is portrayed in those books and he is not completely like what your brothers have told you either."
He sighed softly. "You are your own person, Ginny. If you want to be friends with him, be friends with him. If you do not, then do not. It is as simple as that. But do not be friends with him to solely get something from him."
"Are you friends with him?"
"I would hesitate to say friends, but acquaintances certainly. Mutually friendly feelings I would say. He is very polite and studious and he has good friends." He looked up at her. "Do what you will, but do it well."
"Okay."
"Have you been keeping up with your homework?"
She rolled her eyes. "Yes, mum," she said.
"Please, if Mother was asking you, it would be a lot louder and more insistent," he said with a small smile.
-0-
"Hmm, I may need to revisit my curriculum," Flitwick smiled. "Clearly, with enough motivation, people are willing to try and learn more difficult spells." The whole Household Charms club had unanimously voted to learn the Warming Charm and Flitwick of course willingly obliged. It was a little trickier than they were used to, especially for Luna, but they were slowly getting the hang of it.
Neville was the only one not wearing his overrobe because he got a little overenthusiastic and nearly gave himself heat stroke. Inky had brought in a little snow and was helpfully rubbing it into his bare arms and legs.
"Has no one asked you earlier before?" Padma asked.
"Not really, at least, not as a whole. This winter has been a lot colder to be fair however. Do be careful when casting it on your own however, case in point," he said genially, referring to Neville.
"Are Warming Charms one of those annoying ones where it changes efficacy based on what exactly you are casting the charm on?" Padma asked.
"You should assume that to be the usual case," Flitwick chuckled. "The generic one can be cast on a person or on an object so for immediate relief, cast it on the person. For sustained and general relief, casting it on clothing is better."
"Can you damage clothes if you mess it up on them?" Sue asked.
"It will take considerable power to do so but yes, you can. Eventually you will learn the charm that's more appropriate for objects," he explained.
"Wish we had some handwarmers here," Lavender said.
"What are those?" Millicent asked.
"They're like little things you can heat up and carry around in your pocket. When it's cold, you hold onto them and they warm your hands and help you stay warm," she said.
"They used to do that with potatoes," Harry said. "Bake them and make them hot and then wrap them in cloth."
"Then you have a snack later, neat," Parvati said.
Flitwick chuckled. "Hmm, the idea has merit. I know certain stones can be used like that, like in a sauna."
"Oh and bed warmers," Hermione said. "They were metal things you put in the bed to warm it up. Or hot water bottles."
The charms professor hummed softly. "I think we have a new project to play with here. Let's do some experimenting!" He had a conversation with Inky who popped away and returned with some small stones of different kinds. The majority of the club clustered around him and watched as he began casting warming spells onto the stones and comparing the heat and the feel of them.
Pansy walked over to Harry who stood at the stove, stirring something slowly. "It's nice and warm here," she said with a soft smile, standing beside him.
"Part of the perks of being by the stove," Harry smiled. "Sweltering in the summer but great in the winter."
"What are you making?" Everyone had eaten dinner in the Great Hall for once, having been warned by Flitwick they would need the energy to cast the Warming Charm. They had jumped straight into that first thing and only now was Harry cooking something. "I smell the usual biscuits."
"Mmhmm, for snacking on. I'm making hot chocolate," he said. "Thought we'd like that today."
"That looks wonderful," she said, staring at the smooth chocolate brown liquid heating up in the pot.
"It's easy. Milk, cocoa powder, sugar, and some melted chocolate." He continued to slowly stir it. "The important thing is to not let it boil or bubble over. It can also scorch pretty easily which is why I'm constantly stirring. "You can also mix in some other things like whipped cream on top if it's too hot. I also have a little vanilla and peppermint extract."
He took a sample taste test from the small ladle. "Mmm, perfect temperature and consistency. How do you like your hot chocolate?"
"I'd be willing to try however you'd make it," she said eagerly. She watched as he warmed a cup with hot water and poured a few drops of vanilla and peppermint into it. Then he filled it with steaming hot chocolate and stirred it gently with a thin spoon and handed it to her with a smile.
She held the cup with both hands and took a sip. She gasped with pleasure, feeling the hot chocolate flow down her throat and warming her up from within. The smooth vanilla complimented the rich chocolate and the sharply sweet peppermint cut through the creamy richness perfectly. Her eyes sparkled as she took another sip, huffing and puffing to cool her tongue. "It's wonderful!" she gushed. "Just perfect!"
Her exclamation drew the attention of the others and they came around. Soon everyone was sipping their own cups, humming with delight as they drank deep of the sweet hot beverage.
"That really hits the spot," Parvati said, licking her lips.
"My insides are so confused," Neville laughed. "First super hot, then cold, now warm again. This tastes great!"
"Mmm, I've never put peppermint in before, that's a treat," Sue said.
Hermione finished her cup, looking at the pot longingly. "I'm not sure if I should have more. My parents always said too much sweets are bad."
"We won't tell them and just clean extra well," Lavender said and refilled Hermione's cup, making the other girl smile and nod happily.
"I better get started on a second batch," Harry said, seeing Inky and some other elves watching and waiting. The elves gathered around, watching him make it from the beginning carefully with one of them writing out the measurements and the instructions with quill and parchment.
Flitwick smacked his lips. "Splendid. Like most things, a combination of actions yields the best results. With the charm and this charming chocolate, I feel positively toasty." He finished his cup. "May I have a cup to go? There's something I would love to try with it later."
"Bad Professor," Inky sniffed, waggling a finger at him. "Trying to ruin Harry's hot chocolate!"
"I'm fairly certain it wouldn't ruin it at all," he smiled back, chuckling at Inky's huff. "Worry not," he said to a bemused Harry. "I just want to add a dollop of something that strictly speaking, you shouldn't be around until you are older."
Harry laughed. "Oh I see. No problem. Though I've been meaning to ask, some things need wine to cook with. What am I allowed to get in regards to that?"
"Let me talk to the Headmaster about that," Flitwick hummed. "I do not want to establish a precedent. Not saying you are not trusted, for I do, but you know how it is."
"I suppose," Harry sighed, smiling at Flitwick's chuckle.
-0-
"Now that smells familiar," Parvati said the next morning at breakfast. She poured herself a steaming cup of hot chocolate and took a sip. "Tastes familiar too!"
"Still not as good as yours," Luna said stoutly as she sipped hers.
"Thanks," Harry smiled. "It's not like I owned the idea or anything either though."
"Still, I've had hot chocolate for years and yours tastes especially satisfying." Millicent took another drink. "And this is close to but not the same." She looked askance at Luna who was dipping a rasher into her cup. "Wow, how does that taste?"
Luna nibbled on her chocolate dipped bacon. "I like it," she said primly.
Harry smiled as he watched Hedwig mimic the girl, dipping her bacon into his cup before munching on it with a thoughtful expression. "Well?"
Hedwig shrugged and cheeped before eating more bacon. Some she dipped the end of it into his chocolate, others she did not.
"Are owls allowed to eat chocolate?" Pansy asked.
"I've never not given her permission to eat anything," Harry said. "Unless you mean for health reasons. In that case, I have no idea. I haven't seen her get sick, thank goodness."
"I'm always impressed that she never gets food or stains in her feathers," Lavender smiled.
"I don't know how either," Harry laughed. "She's really good about that. Only gets her beak messy sometimes and then she'll-yeah there you go," he sighed when she fastidiously wiped her beak on his sleeve.
Her hooting sounded suspiciously like laughter, a laughter that the rest of the others echoed merrily.
-0-0-0-
GreenEyesAreAwesome - Thank you, I'm happy you do.
DOOOOOOM Lord of Waffles - I'm trying to do something different with Remus and Dumbledore this time around. Same with the Dursleys, trying something still appropriate as well as subtle and fitting.
poka - I like the idea of Hedwig rooting around under his covers and then them playfighting like that. That's a very fuzzy thought and feeling.
Hands Off MY Wolfie - A nice chapter for Harry and company.
PrimeNumber93 - Thank you, glad you like it.
SvenHPotterFan - If their families offered, sure, but even in canon it took some time for Harry to be invited to spend the holidays with the Weasleys. I didn't think many families would offer for Harry to visit so I didn't account for it.
Earth Guardian 28 - I read that word in a book once, also regarding cats, and when I looked up the definition, I felt it summed cats up perfectly. Thanks for reading.
alix33 - I love duck. I never had biryani but hope to one day.
Professor Donger - Thank you for the kind words, I'm glad you found it.
kaya - Thaaank.
please don't1 - The only stories I've written without Hedwig were ones that were mostly canon and past that moment. I don't intend on ever writing Hedwig to be gone in a story from start, not if I can help it.