I do not own Harry Potter, the Wizarding World, or any canon characters.
A Taste of Magic
59th Course – The Rising Curtain
"Ah hello Harry," Dumbledore smiled warmly. "Thank you for coming."
"Of course, Sir," Harry replied. He patted Fawkes when the phoenix flew to him and landed on his shoulder. "Hi Fawkes. I brought muffins."
Fawkes warbled happily and landed daintily on the desktop and started munching on his muffin without delay. Dumbledore accepted his and bit into it happily, chewing blissfully. "Mmm, splendid as always," Dumbledore said.
"Do you mind sending these to the Hog's Head?" Harry asked, handing over a box.
"Not at all, I will take it over after our meeting," Dumbledore said, setting the box aside. "I have a couple of things I wished to address with you."
"Yes Sir."
Dumbledore took a deep breath. "First, I must ask you to do something you may not be comfortable with. As you know, the selection for the Champions representing their school will be done at the Halloween Feast. I know you typically wish to do something else on Halloween and I have never had a problem with that before. That said, for this, I must ask for you to attend. Perhaps you may attend towards when the selection would be? I could ask Inky to come fetch you."
"Oh, uhm, I appreciate you asking." Harry dithered a little in the chair. "I'll come the whole time, you don't have to worry about it."
"Oh." Dumbledore looked concerned. "I appreciate you saying so, but is something wrong?"
Harry sighed. "It's just, what I used to do on Halloween was to cook…the beef stew." His voice faded into a whisper and he looked very down.
"Ah." Dumbledore resisted the urge to crush what he was holding, setting the muffin down on a napkin. The muffin, and Harry's cooking, did not deserve that. "I see. I am terribly sorry, Harry."
"Me too," Harry said sadly. He perked up a little when Fawkes waddled over and leaned against Harry, humming gently and emanating a slight warmth and light.
"Have you asked Remus or Sirius if they have any idea what your parents thought as their favorite foods?" Dumbledore asked.
"Actually, no, I didn't." Harry looked up, heartened. "Maybe I should do that."
"I would encourage it," Dumbledore smiled. "Perhaps you can find solace in something else to make for them."
"I'd like that." Harry sighed deeply. "I really liked that stew but I haven't been able to make it again."
"Understandable," Dumbledore said softly. "While it came from a place of…cruelty, I think you should one day revisit it on your own terms. It would be a genuine shame for you to lose something you enjoyed."
"I might, thank you, Sir," Harry said with a slight smile.
"Excellent. Now, to the second point I would like to address. Do you remember during the Welcoming Feast when I said that there would be events and things for non-Champions to participate and compete in?"
"Yes Sir."
"I would like to ask you to sign up for some. Now, this is not mandatory, but I would see it as a personal favor for you to compete in a few of those things for me. And not just you, but you and any of your friends that are interested in the specific event."
"I guess I could," Harry said, a little confused. "May I ask why?"
"Of course." Dumbledore leaned back in his chair. He smiled. "I did promise to share my thoughts with you on larger possibly life-changing decisions, did I not?" He waited for Harry to stop chuckling. "Hogwarts is one of the best schools in the world, in my own opinion and of some others, but it is somewhat lacking when compared to some of the other schools. Wizarding Britain has been infamously insular and stubborn about being on the international stage for a large variety of reasons."
"Part of the reason I was enthused about the Tournament's return was that I am hoping to get Hogwarts back into the world again, to reach beyond Britain. To show what we are capable of and just as importantly, to see what the world does and perhaps learn things that would benefit us. For a long time, I did not think our chances of being taken seriously were all that good, but I have a strong feeling about your generation of students, and of you."
"Me?" Harry pointed at himself dumbly. "Why me? I'm no-one special. Ow, hey!" He stared at Fawkes who had pecked him and gave him a flat look.
Dumbledore chuckled. "You are very special, Harry. And I do not say so given your infamous moniker. You have done things that others have not. You have a united group of friends from different walks of life and different Houses, a true rarity. You are talented in magic and show a fondness for something the vast majority of Wizarding Britain does not really care for." He leaned in. "Yet."
"You think others would?" Harry asked.
"Yes, I do. Once they see the profound impact of your abilities and the interests it can draw. I want to see a more rounded community, one that takes in more than just magic for magic's sake. I want to see us grow as a society, all of us. And I truly believe that you have made such strides that cannot be ignored."
"I'm not trying to though," Harry said weakly.
"And that is what makes it that much more impressive," Dumbledore smiled. "I have high hopes for you Harry, well warranted ones."
Harry felt warm and slightly embarrassed at the praise, but it was a pleasant kind of embarrassment. "You want me to try at all of the events?"
"No, I will not force you to over-exert yourself or ask you to do anything you do not want to. But whichever ones that do strike your fancy, I would encourage you. And perhaps support and encourage your friends in the fields they are interested in. All I ask is that you try and more importantly, have fun doing so."
"I guess I can do that," Harry nodded.
Dumbledore's smile was broad and warm. "Splendid. And I will support and provide what I can, as far as I can that does not smack of favoritism of course. But if you need additional resources or assistance, I can at least find the means for you and aid you there where I can."
"Any chance that I can know of the events beforehand?" Harry asked slyly with an innocent smile.
Dumbledore laughed heartily. "Not from me and trust me, it is somewhat tempting." His shoulders shook from genuine mirth and he winked at Harry. "But I can say this. There will be a few where the talents of you and your friends will shine with some hard work."
"I guess that's good. I'll give it my best shot."
Dumbledore raised his muffin in toast. "And that is all that I could ever ask of you, and I have no doubt you will do well no matter what."
-0-
Remus sat back in his chair, looking up thoughtfully. "Hmmm, well, as far as James' tastes were, literally anything." He smiled at Harry's huff. "No I mean, he literally ate anything. He was the opposite of a picky eater. If it was edible, he would enjoy it."
"Like Mum's salt biscuits?" Harry smiled.
Remus chuckled. "Yes, even those but he had ulterior motives there. He always said his mother told him to enjoy what he had with gusto and he usually did. I don't remember if he had anything that he considered his favorite. One moment." He walked to his hearth and tossed a handful of Floo powder in. "Grimmauld Place, Sirius Black."
After a few minutes, Sirius' head appeared in the fireplace. "Hey Moony. Hey Harry! What's wrong, wait, are you in trouble? Moony! Don't give Harry detention!"
"Harry isn't in trouble," Remus snorted. "He just had a couple of questions for us and I'm having trouble remembering the answer to one of them."
"Ah yeah, that happens when you get older," Sirius said sympathetically.
"You're older than me," Remus retorted.
"Harry, if Remus forgets your name, just smack him in the head to help him jog his memory," Sirius said.
"I'll jog your memory," Remus growled while Harry snickered. "Anyways, do you by chance remember what James' favorite food was?"
"Oh gosh, literally anything," Sirius said.
"See, that's what I said," Remus smiled.
"Yeah, like, I'm trying to remember if he ever didn't like eating something and I honestly can't remember. He was the best for foisting off things you didn't like on," Sirius smiled fondly. "Always happy to trade for your favorites. He was great at that."
"Really?" Harry asked, enthralled.
"Oh yeah. If he got something that was your favorite flavor, he'd trade it to you so you got your favorite and he said he didn't care because he still got to eat something and we'd get our favorite so everyone won." Sirius looked wistful and sighed at that. "Oh wait, clotted cream!"
"He didn't like clotted cream," Remus said, remembering.
"Yeah that's it, it wasn't his favorite topping on baked goods. Wait, you said favorite, not least favorite. Hmmm. I also remember he wouldn't eat raw veg without dipping it into something. Something about not being a rabbit. But that's it, sorry Harry."
Harry smiled. "That's okay. What about Mum? Do you know her favorite?"
"Dessert," Remus and Sirius said immediately and together.
"She had the biggest sweet tooth," Sirius said. "Honestly, it was James' go to apology when he did something to cheese her off when they started dating. Would throw a cake her way and run for the hills while she was distracted."
"I wish I could say that was an exaggeration, but I do remember multiple times where he literally threw a cake at her," Remus smiled.
"Did she have a favorite one?" Harry asked, smiling and hopeful.
"Something with chocolate I think," Remus said thoughtfully. "She used to hate the fact that her favorite was so stereotypical."
"Wait wait wait!" Sirius' face was screwed up with concentration. "She had another one I think. Oh come on Sirius, remember something dammit."
"It's okay, it happens when you get older," Remus deadpanned.
"Bite me," Sirius retorted. "You weren't wrong, she loved chocolate anything but she said her favorite cake was chocolate adjacent and-"
"-and she was happy because it wasn't a stereotype!" Remus finished with a laugh. "You're right! Uhm…it's that Italian cake, I think. The one with the alcohol in it. James tried to make her eat the one without when she was pregnant with Harry."
"Tiramisu, that's it!" Sirius said happily. He looked at Harry. "James brought it back from a trip once and she loved it at first bite."
"Wow, that's incredible," Harry said softly, his eyes shining.
"Why are you asking by the way?" Sirius asked.
"Oh, uhm, well…" Harry sighed deeply. "Before, on Halloween, I used to cook a beef stew because Aunt…Petunia told me it was Mum's favorite and she taught me a family recipe. But that was a lie. She didn't know what Mum's favorite was and there wasn't a family beef stew recipe."
Remus and Sirius both growled audibly, looking furiously angry.
"I did it every year because I wanted to feel close to them and…well…" Harry shrugged weakly.
Sirius' head disappeared from the hearth and after a moment, the fire flared and he came walking through the fireplace. He strode to Harry and rested a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, I guarantee you that your parents love what you did and didn't care what you made. They loved that sort of thing, doing something together. You know, eventually."
"They did?" Harry asked, looking up.
"They did," Remus said quietly. "Your heart and your intent matter most and the why is just as important. Do not fret over what you made, that isn't as important."
"Thank you," Harry said quietly.
"I swear, one of these days, I'm going to get back to that place and dig up their whole yard and Curse it so nothing grows," Sirius said heatedly.
"The Headmaster suggested burning it down," Harry joked feebly.
"And he didn't tell us?" Sirius and Remus exchanged a look.
"We'll see about that," Sirius said.
-0-
"I most certainly did not," Dumbledore said severely, looking at Remus and Sirius with disapproval. He had not questioned why Sirius was there when the pair of men showed up at his office. Belatedly, he realized he should have.
"You calling Harry a liar?!" Sirius gasped.
"No! We had a frank discussion where I made a clumsy metaphor for growth and improvement and he made a funny joke at the time! I refuse to believe that you said he said we should burn the place down!"
"Why not?" Remus gasped.
"First of all, arson is a crime! Second of all, arson is a crime!"
"You said that twice," Remus muttered.
"Happens when you get older," Sirius muttered. "Repeating yourself due to faulty memory."
"Oh do not start," Dumbledore said, glaring at Sirius. "My faculties are quite in good order; my school faculty, however, could use some work." He looked pointedly at Remus. "We would get into considerable trouble setting fire to a Muggle residence, despite how right we would be in doing so, and the high road is typically the better road to travel."
"I'm a Black, we don't care about the high road! We blast the high road to the low road and then undermine that to make the low road even worse!"
"We cannot set fire to Privet Drive!"
"I'm sure we could!" Remus argued. "We're reasonably talented and able in magic."
Dumbledore threw up his hands. "You two are being annoyingly literal as opposed to being simply annoying!" He pointed at Fawkes who looked blandly offended. "And do not even think to support them in this! Hey! Where did you learn that?!" he gasped when Fawkes turned around and mooned him condescendingly.
"Hedwig," Sirius and Remus said together.
"I've seen that a lot from her," Sirius smiled.
"Unlike the three of you, I have a lot to do today," Dumbledore groaned. "Do you have any other extremely bad ideas you wanted me to shoot down?"
"Now that you mentioned it, yes," Sirius said.
"Me and my overlarge mouth," Dumbledore sighed.
-0-
"Hi Harry," Lavender said. She walked to him and hugged him firmly. "You okay?"
"I'm okay," he said, hugging her back.
She and Parvati and Hermione had noticed how distracted Harry was during the day and when he disappeared after classes, they guessed he would be in the clubroom. They gathered a few of the others and found him there, moving slowly as he read from a cookbook and cooking slowly as well.
"Okay, if you're sure," Lavender said worriedly.
"Ooh, what are you making and can I have some of the biscuits?" Parvati asked.
Harry smiled. "You can have some of them but the ones still in the package please, and not a lot, I might need more. I'm making a tiramisu."
"I love tiramisu," Hermione, Millicent, and Pansy gasped together.
"You can make that?" Pansy asked excitedly.
"I don't know, I never tried. But I found a recipe for it in one of my cookbooks and I'm giving it a try," Harry said.
"Why are you making it right now?" Padma asked.
Harry took a deep breath. "Uhm, well, I found out that it was my mum's favorite dessert. Today actually. Sirius and Remus told me."
"Aww," Lavender said, eyes glinting. "That's really sweet of you. Wait." She frowned. "Don't you usually make a stew for her?"
"You do?" Pansy asked, her voice soft.
"Oh right." Harry rubbed the back of his neck. "Uh, yeah I did. It was what I did as a tradition for Halloween. To feel closer to my Mum and Dad for, well, you know," he said lamely.
Pansy hugged him. "I'm sorry," she said very softly. Padma, Luna, Millicent, and Sue looked pained as well.
"Did you know?" Padma asked.
Parvati nodded. "He told us second year."
"Is it the same stew you've made for us a few times?" Millicent asked. "It's super good."
"Why aren't you making it this year?" Neville asked.
"Well I'm making the tiramisu now because I have to go to the Feast," Harry explained. "The Headmaster asked me to go for the choosing of the Champions. He was nice about it and I agreed to go." He sighed again. "As to why I'm not making the stew and why I haven't made it in a while…it turns out that the stew wasn't my mum's favorite dish."
"It wasn't?" Lavender looked at him before her face twisted. "Wait. Don't tell me…"
"My…aunt lied to me," Harry said quietly.
"WHAT?!" everyone yelled and shrieked, appalled.
"Why would you even lie about that?" Neville gasped.
Harry shrugged mutely.
"Of all the disgusting things," Pansy growled. "How dare she?!"
"It's okay," Harry said when Luna hugged him hard about the waist. "Well no, it's not okay," he amended when everyone glared. "But I know what kind of people they are now, or I guess I always knew but hoped otherwise. That's why I haven't really made it since I found out. It's…complicated."
He sighed again. "But it's fine. I know and well, at least I know now and what they liked and so thought I'd give tiramisu a try." He smiled weakly at them. "Would you all like to eat it with me?"
"Of course," Lavender said and the others nodded firmly.
"Gosh, that smells really good," Hermione said when Harry poured the espresso into a shallow bowl and cooled it with a charm. "I know we're supposed to drink tea before anything else but I've always adored the smell of coffee."
"I need to put a lot of sugar and cream into it before I can drink it," Millicent said.
Harry felt better, hearing them chat around him and just being there with him. He dipped the ladyfinger biscuits into the espresso that he mixed with a little sugar syrup and water to mimic a coffee liqueur, and lined the bottom of a glass pan. He then spread a thick layer of whipped cream, mascarpone cheese, vanilla, and sugar on top before repeating with another layer of coffee dipped biscuits and the rest of the mascarpone mixture. He then dusted the top with cocoa powder and they admired it for a bit before he popped it into his portable ice box to chill rapidly.
"That is so pretty," Lavender sighed when he removed it and sliced into it.
"It really is," Pansy said. "I've seen few finer than that and I've seen many in Italy."
Harry smiled, feeling much better. "Well, let's see how it tastes," he said, after serving everyone a piece. Everyone picked up their plates and took small bites of the sweet cake. The whipped cream and mascarpone mixture was creamy and soft, firmed up with the cold temperature and laced with sugar and vanilla. The cocoa dust on top added a hint of chocolate flavor, enhanced by the strong espresso notes coming through the delicately soft biscuits.
"This is amazing," Lavender said, licking her lips and eating more.
"Mmmm, I love the coffee flavor," Millicent hummed. "All the cream and sugar make it taste exactly how I usually have it."
"This might be a favorite dessert of mine now," Padma said, looking at the cake with wonder. "This is so rich and wonderful."
"I can see why your mother loved it so," Pansy said sincerely.
"Oof," Parvati said, rubbing her stomach. "I want more but it's so rich, don't want to get sick."
"Sadly I have to agree," Hermione said, looking at the tiramisu longingly.
"Maybe sip some coffee to cut through the richness," Harry suggested as he poured cups of it out.
"Oh yeah, that hits the spot," Parvati smiled, sipping a small cup of the frightfully strong coffee. Everyone turned to look at the door as they heard voices getting closer.
"I'm telling you, I can smell espresso," Fleur said, her voice muffled.
"Why would there be espresso here? Both here in England and here in the castle?" Sophie asked.
"I don't know, but I aim to find out. I have been dying for a cup of coffee and I need it."
Pansy rose and crossed to the closed door and opened it, staring flatly at Fleur, Sophie, Colette, and Aimee who stood there, startled from the suddenness of the door opening. "Hello," she said, her smile all teeth and no warmth. "How can I help you?"
"We smelled coffee and it led us here," Colette said, looking down at Pansy. "Do you know where there might be some?"
"I do," Pansy said shortly.
Colette's smile was sharp. "Are you going to tell us?"
"I can't think of a reason to do so," Pansy smiled back, her expression even more sharp and biting.
"And I thought the French had the reputation for being rude," Aimee said, joking feebly.
"This isn't me being rude," Pansy said. "I can be far ruder. No, this is me being uncooperative to those that have been rude to my friend."
Sophie groaned. She was wondering what Pansy meant but when she looked past her, she saw everyone within, and then saw Harry after seeing Luna. "Ah, uhm, h-hello," she said weakly.
Harry saw everyone glaring back at the Beauxbatons witches frostily and shook his head slightly. "Hello," he said back pleasantly. "Sophie, right?"
"Yes, that is right," Sophie said, impressed. "This is my cousin, Fleur Dealcour. This is Aimee Lorraine and Colette de Mayne. Girls, this is Harry Potter."
"Charmed," Lavender said, sounding anything but while the others nodded their heads and said nothing.
Colette was returning the frosty look while Aimee shuffled a little behind her. Fleur was responding with almost the same amount of hostility. Sophie sighed. "I wish to apologize," she said at last, seeing the impasse and no other way to cross it. "I…we said something impolite in regards to you and it was unwarranted, especially since you were kind that day. We can be rather stubborn and well, in any case, I am sorry for the offense."
Harry nodded. "I accept. My friends are very good to me and they care about me, so thank you for apologizing." He looked at them.
"I suppose we can accept it," Luna muttered, looking away.
"Why did you even come here?" Lavender asked in her not-usually cheerful manner. She looked at the French witches with an uncharacteristic coolness.
"They smelled coffee apparently," Pansy said in her formerly-characteristic coolness, wearing a colder expression.
After some awkward shuffling and standing, Harry poured the remainder of the espresso into a bottle and took it over to the door and held it out. "Here, you can have it. I'll admit it's not the best. I don't make coffee a lot."
After a moment of hesitation, Fleur took it. "Thank you," she said as she did, giving Harry a curious look. Then she remembered what Sophie said before and her eyes flickered slightly as she smiled pleasantly. "I have been wanting a proper cup of coffee for some time."
Harry shook his head, disoriented slightly. A wave of something seemed to wash over him and he felt a bit odd but it soon receded. "You're welcome," he said, rubbing his eyes.
"Are you alright?" Pansy asked, turning worried.
"Yeah, I'm okay I think. Probably just tired. Felt funny for a second there." He missed the look that passed between the four French girls.
"We will leave you then," Fleur said. "Thank you again and I apologize as well." She looked at her friends.
"I am sorry for any misunderstandings," Aimee said.
"I apologize for what we said to her," Colette said, nodding at Luna. She gave Pansy that sharp smile and it was returned twice-fold. The Beauxbatons witches then left.
"You are right," Fleur murmured after they left the clubroom behind. "He does seem resilient. That is very interesting. Very rare." She sipped from the bottle and stopped, looking at it curiously.
"Is something wrong with it?" Aimee asked.
"No, the opposite. Obviously it would taste nicer in a cup and all but, it's very nice." Fleur handed the bottle to Aimee and the girls sipped it in turn.
"That is really good," Colette said, licking her lips. "I thought he said he wasn't good at making it."
"He said he doesn't make it a lot," Sophie said as she looked at the bottle. "So either he is lying-"
"-or there is something about what he makes," Aimee finished.
"Very interesting," Fleur repeated softly.
-0-
"Are you sure you're okay?" Pansy asked again as she and Harry rejoined their friends.
"I think so," Harry said.
"You had a weird head thing a few days ago too, right?" Lavender asked, also concerned. "Are you getting sick?"
"I hope not, and I don't think I am," Harry said. He blinked when Lavender touched his forehead and felt the sides of his neck.
"It's what Mum does when we say we don't feel well," Lavender explained. "You don't feel feverish and your neck isn't swollen, I don't think."
"That's good," Harry said with some relief.
"I hope something isn't going around," Neville said, also shaking his head a little. "I felt woozy and weird too. Did anyone else?"
"I felt something change but didn't feel too off," Hermione said.
"I felt some kind of magic maybe but I've always been a bit sensitive," Sue said. "Then again, I've had the sniffles the other day so maybe I'm legitimately getting sick a little." She stuck her tongue out at Padma who took an exaggerated step away.
Pansy frowned, deep in thought. She looked back at the door for a moment and shook her head. "Hmm, perhaps it is nothing." She sighed and poked Harry.
"What?" Harry asked.
"You are too kind for your own good," Pansy chided. "We were well in our right to tell them to hop off and you just had to be your usual kind self."
Harry grinned weakly. "I don't know about that really." At their looks he shrugged. "I didn't offer them any cake."
After a beat of silence everyone started laughing.
"Oh no, you're learning to be selfish like the Slytherins!" Parvati said, winking at Pansy and Millicent.
"About time," Millicent smiled. "We've been trying to teach you that for years now."
"Nah, I just care about my friends," Harry said, feeling warm.
-0-
"Huh, they really go all out in decorating the Great Hall," Harry said, looking about.
The Halloween Feast was underway and like the previous years, it was well decorated. The floating jack-o'lanterns were back, full of song and gliding about leaving streams of colored smoke and light behind them. Instruments of a string quartet floated in the corner, playing themselves via charm. Enchanted fog and mist floated low to the ground and a general air of mystery and supernaturality surrounded them.
The Goblet of Fire added to the ambiance. It was placed on a plinth at the front of the Hall. The large ancient looking wooden vessel was filled with crackling fire that looked like it was on the verge of spilling forth but never quite did. The air around it felt heavy, tinged with fate.
"They do, a lot less candy this time around though," Parvati said.
"Probably to impress the guests," Lavender said.
The food was the solid Hogwarts fare with a few extra decorations and some dishes from other countries like they added since the visitors arrived. Harry had smiled when a tiny cake appeared beside his plate when dinner was first served. It was shaped like a pumpkin and a cheery smile was frosted onto it and he felt better when he ate it, making sure to whisper a heartfelt thanks to the kitchens.
The torches began to lower in intensity, the candles dimming. People stopped talking and a hush swept over them. All eyes went to the Goblet as the fire slowly turned a vibrant blue. Shades of cobalt, aquamarine, sapphire, and navy roiled and twisted and coiled as the fire rose to new heights. Suddenly it roared and from the flames shot a piece of parchment that fluttered on the way down.
Dumbledore caught it neatly. "The Beauxbatons Champion is…Fleur Delacour!"
Sophie, Colette, and Aimee shouted and cheered, clapping wildly as Fleur rose. A few others from their school joined the applause but others did not and few from other schools joined them. Fleur did not look bothered however, smiling in victory with her friends as she made her way down the Hall towards the Goblet.
"Of course she's their Champion," Lavender muttered. She looked over. "Really Harry?"
Harry had been clapping politely. "Just being polite," he said sheepishly.
She rolled her eyes and closed her hand over his to keep him from clapping, giving him a look.
"I was just following your example in being cheerful and kind to people even if you don't have any reason to," he said cheekily with a winning smile.
She blushed and poked him. "Don't use my words against me," she chided, a smile growing on her lips.
The Goblet roared again and Dumbledore caught the second piece of parchment. "The Durmstrang Champion is…Viktor Krum!"
The applause was much louder and the whole of Durmstrang roared their approval, and it was joined by students from the other two schools. Viktor rose from his seat and he wore the smile he always did at sporting events, a carefully crafted one that showed confidence with a hint of something else. He made his way down the Hall and left it as Fleur did, directed to a side room.
The fire within the Goblet rose to new heights and spat out the third piece of parchment and the silence in the Hall was total as Dumbledore eagerly caught it. "The Hogwarts Champion is…Cedric Diggory!"
Cheers and screams and wild applause filled the Hall as the Hufflepuff table exploded in joy. While a few people from the other Houses looked glum and upset, the majority of the school cheered for their Champion. Cedric got up, arms up in victory, and he waved at his friends and those wishing him well. He too left the Hall after receiving a firm handshake from Dumbledore.
"We have our Champions!" Dumbledore cried. "Now, as I said before, not only will they represent their schools, everyone else will get…a…chance-" He stopped and turned when the Goblet continued to crackle and burn. His eyebrows rose when the fire rose once more and a fourth parchment was shot into the air.
"What on earth?" He caught the parchment and unfolded it while everyone stared, unsure of what was happening. "Representing the Sanguis Verus Academy…is Draco Malfoy?"
Gasps and cries of shock filled the Hall and all eyes turned to the Slytherin table. Draco rose to his feet, wearing an expression of sheer contempt and smugness without a trace of surprise at all. Members of his House looked on with evident shock and surprise and more than a few did not look surprised at all. All eyes followed him as he walked down the Hall, his stance oozing with self-satisfaction, and he passed a completely flabbergasted Dumbledore without a single word.
-0-0-0-
61394 - Yeah. Pressure from the family can be incredibly difficult to deal with, depending on the family. And looks like he met them here as well as something interesting happening. Thank you for reading.
DOOOOOOM Lord of Waffles - Probably varies from goblin to goblin with them accidentally discovering the spice here. This chapter should answer a few of your past questions while creating new ones.
odonnellzoo99 - To be fair, Hedwig is always cute. I love all kinds of tofu dishes, even when it's the sole protein. It just depends on how you make it. One of my favorites is salt and pepper tofu. Small cubes of tofu are dredged and fried and then stir fried with a lot of salt and pepper and chili peppers and it's so good. My favorite childhood dish is extra firm tofu cubed and stir fried with soybeans. You can definitely have meat with it but I love it without too.
Kaya - Thank you so much.
Hands Off MY Wolfie - Yup, it was a fun little chapter without a whole lot of earth shaking going on. Thank you for reading.
poka - You might like budae jigae, army stew. It's a wonderfully tasty Korean dish. Basically make a soup with kimchi in it, diced or whole, and then add sliced pressed sausages or ham or spam or all three, tofu, mushrooms, sliced processed cheese at the end, noodles, rice cakes, and other bits and bobs. Lovely on rice.
FoggyMindOfMine - Thank you, glad you are enjoying it.
alix33 - Hedwig in a bandanna must be very cute.
DarkRavie - Thank you.
starg53 - Oh that's cool. I grew up on mapo tofu and adore it to this day.