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

A Taste of Magic

64th Course – Declarations

"Ah, Alastor, thank you for coming," Dumbledore said warmly.

"Albus," Alastor Moody greeted. The man looked dangerous, there was no other way to describe him. One leg was a prosthetic of wood and metal. He had one overlarge eye that spun independently and colored in an unnatural blue. His face was a mess of scars. He was never truly still and even in Dumbledore's office, his eyes moved and he felt like he was on his guard.

"Thanks," he grunted when Dumbledore handed him a glass of firewhiskey. "So, what can an old man do for you?"

"You are younger than me," Dumbledore smiled.

"Doesn't mean I'm not an old man," Moody snorted, drinking deeply.

"I suppose not. I would like to hire you for your services."

"Which ones?" Moody asked, looking at Dumbledore with his natural eye.

"Investigation, observation, and protection if necessary."

"You sure you want me around with the Aurors around the castle for the Tournament?" Moody asked, his smile bitter. "They're not enough? For that matter, you slipping and can't handle it all yourself?"

Dumbledore chuckled as he refilled Moody's cup. "We both know that I am not infallible. Also, while I appreciate the Auror presence, there are a lot more people here at the castle, people I am somewhat wary of to be honest."

"Well with Karkaroff running around, I don't blame you," Moody said irritably. "I'm still bitter he got away."

"His information was well received," Dumbledore said mildly. "But I am not so worried about him."

"Oh? Tell me more." Moody leaned forward and listened intently when Dumbledore told him of the fourth Champion, of Quirrell's reemergence. Of the appearance of the Sanguis Verus Academy and of the changes he learned of when it came to the new school. "Huhn," Moody grunted. "Now I'm more suspicious than most normally and after hearing all that, that's really suspicious."

"I agree," Dumbledore said. "And while I have faith in Amelia and her Aurors, you can never have too many eyes open."

"So you want me to keep an eye on things, try to figure out what's going on beneath the waters, and be my general belligerent self?" Moody asked.

"Yes," Dumbledore said, nodding.

"Well, got nothing better to do and I'll admit, my interest is piqued." Moody drained his glass. "Now, tell me the real reason why I'm here."

Dumbledore smiled wryly. "Nothing gets by you, does it?"

"Not twice, you live longer that way," Moody chuckled darkly.

"I have suspicions about Quirinus," Dumbledore said quietly. "He has changed drastically since he was an instructor here. His new mannerisms actually feel oddly familiar to me, and not in a very good way. I think he might have good intentions on starting his Academy, but it seems all very odd to me."

"It sounds like a terrible idea to me. The ones going to the new place? That place sounds like a Pureblooded cesspit," Moody said baldly. "The bad kind of cesspit."

Dumbledore chuckled dryly. "Not to mention he seemed privy to information he should not be."

"Yeah, my bullshite alarm is ringing a bit," Moody muttered. "Right, I'll see what I see and learn what I learn."

"Thank you, my friend," Dumbledore said with a sigh of relief.

-0-

Harry was feeling really good about the festival plans. The team had met everyday to trade ideas and the like and both groups were getting more along as they got used to one another. The dragon and beef stew were coming along well and the soda bread would be easy to make and maintain with it. They already figured out how to keep a supply of groceries ready in case.

Luna would be heading up decorating the stall and everyone was pitching in to help with that. Lavender and Parvati came up with clothing designs with Millicent's help and the group decided they would wear a mix of Scottish, Irish, and English clothing to represent Hogwarts and the food. Lavender measured everyone and spoke with everyone to see what they wanted to wear and she sewed industriously with help from the others.

"Okay, well, I think the princess is right," Parvati said as she entered the room. She conveniently missed Daphne's grumble at the nickname. "I heard some people talk about their stalls and ideas and things and they're really leaning into the magic stuff."

"Oh?" Hermione asked, looking up from carefully cutting out a pattern from the fabric with her wand.

Parvati nodded. "Yeah. They're going to do big decorations to draw people in with charms and stuff, depending on what they're selling and making. Ginny told me what the Weasley's are doing for their stall and it sounds like a bomb waiting to go off but it'll be pretty. So we're going to have to bump up a bit I think."

"How did you hear about all this? Aren't people keeping their plans under wraps?" Tracey asked.

"I'm good at eavesdropping," Parvati smiled. "And you'd be surprised at what people are willing to tell you once they know that you know something they want to know. Don't worry though, our plans are absolutely safe. I had plenty of stuff on the others to spread it around a bit."

Daphne and Tracey looked at each other and then looked at Parvati carefully who beamed brightly back at them. "Well, thank you for agreeing with me," Daphne said at last. "We have an idea of how to draw some more attention. Tracey and Blaise are dancers and they know some of the Scottish folk ones. They are willing to do some to draw the eye."

"Oh wow, thank you," Harry said. "That's really cool and nice of you."

"I like dancing," Tracey said with a shy smile.

"I'm terribly vain and enjoy being looked at," Blaise said simply, looking at himself in a mirror.

"I will play the music on my violin," Daphne said. "I normally play more classical things but have found some sheet music on Scottish music and will practice that. We will also need a barker."

"We can ask Hagrid to borrow Fang," Padma said. "Ooh maybe Cokie can come."

"Oh yeah!" Lavender said enthusiastically.

Daphne smiled. "No, not a literally dog. It is a role, like an announcer. Someone to encourage people to come to the stall to try your food and to garner attention beyond the music, the dancing, and the other things."

"I'll do that," Pansy said. "I'll be the best at it."

"You will?" Sue asked.

Pansy smiled. "It is essentially what my father does. He makes deals for people and arranges meetings and that sort of thing. I've learned a lot from him."

"He's really good at it," Millicent nodded. "Our families work together for everything and he's our go-between."

"Father would hire your father more if he did not charge so much," Daphne said with a small giggle.

"Father overcharges yours because yours can afford it," Pansy snickered.

"I knew it!" Daphne laughed.

"Is there anything else we can do maybe?" Sue asked. They all sat and thought.

"Why are you smoking?" Padma asked, drawing their attention.

Parvati coughed and wisps of grey smoke leaked out from between her lips. "Pepper Imps," she said, holding up a packet of the fiery red candies.

"They make you smoke at the mouth?" Hermione asked, looking at the candies warily.

"Yeah, it's fun!" Parvati said. She tossed another into her mouth and chewed on it. Bits of sparks left her lips with tiny flashes of fire and more smoke wafted out. "And they're spicy."

"Weird!" Lavender laughed. "What makes them smoke I wonder."

"Firepepper pods," Neville said. "How much depends on the state of them and how you prepare them. We grow them at home and Grandmum likes them for one of her drinks. It lights on fire and smolders for a bit in one preparation."

Pansy tilted her head, her mind ticking. "Say, do they only smoke or can you breathe more fire with them?"

"Oh totally can have fire," Neville said. "Grandmum scatters them on top of this drink and the top burns a little. Not long and it doesn't feel super hot like you can't really burn yourself with them, thank goodness."

"Ooooh I think I know what you're getting at," Parvati said excitedly. "How do they taste by themselves?"

"Like pepper," Neville said. "And you need a lot of it to really taste it."

"Hey Harry, let's try it," Parvati said, looking at Harry.

"What, putting firepepper pods into the stew? I don't know about that," Harry said hesitantly.

"But it'll be a real dragon stew then," Parvati said. "People would love to try and eat a stew that lets them breathe fire."

"Will it be safe?" Hermione asked.

"Should be," Neville said. "Grandmum and her friends have been drinking it for years."

"I'm sure Grandmum has then, I'll write a letter and ask her," Parvati said.

"That's not exactly a good measure," Padma grumbled. "You know Grandmum is tough."

"Wait," Daphne said looking up. "There is something that many magicals like: gambling."

"How is that related to any of this?" Hermione asked.

"No, I see," Pansy said, perking up. "We mix in only a little of the pods so not everyone gets some. The people that get enough to eat it can breathe fire and they get rewarded with a piece of dessert or something. Even just like a biscuit. That will entice others to come and try their luck and buy more."

"I'll want to test it," Harry said. "I don't want to make it taste bad for this."

"No, of course not," Pansy said soothingly. "We will not compromise on taste. But if it's successful, it would gather a lot of attention."

"I think it sounds fun," Luna said. "I've always wanted to breathe fire."

"They're grown in one of the greenhouses," Neville said. "I've seen them. And we have a big supply at home that I can ask Grandmum to send."

"Okay." Harry nodded. "Let's go and see if we can get some from Professor Sprout and I want to go ask Madam Pomfrey to make sure eating it directly won't hurt you. Maybe see if there's any negative reactions with dragon meat or something." He and Neville returned after some time with Neville holding a very large bag.

"So, what's the word?" Parvati asked.

"Pretty good actually," Harry said. "Professor McGonagall was with Madam Pomfrey and she said that there's actually a traditional dragon dish that has firepepper pods. And there's no danger in mixing dragon meat and the pepper pods and if you eat a lot of the pods, it won't hurt you. And Madam Pomfrey suggested having some mint around in case the fire breath gets out of control."

"To heal any burns?" Hermione asked.

"No, you actually can't burn yourself from firepepper pod fire. She suggested mint for bad breath," Harry said and the others snickered and laughed. "Well, let's see how it tastes I guess." He ladled out a bowl of stew and added a pinch of the small bright red peppercorns. He stirred it and took a few bites of the stew. "Hm, I don't know if I taste anything actually. Not sure if I get it at all."

"Do we need to grind it first?" Sue asked.

"No, apparently it loses the fire properties if you grind it up." Harry took another bite and felt something crunch between his teeth. "Oh there it-!" He coughed and exclaimed when a gout of fire burst out of his mouth with a waft of smoke, shocking everyone.

"Are you okay?!" Lavender asked while the others roared with laughter from his expression and the suddenness of the flame.

"I'm…okay," Harry said, looking surprised. He touched his tongue and poked around the insides of his mouth with it, finishing with licking his lips. "It doesn't feel like I burned anything and it has a really strong peppery aftertaste but it goes away fast. That was really weird and actually kinda fun!" He took a few more bites. "And the stew's taste hasn't changed!"

"May I?" Pansy dipped up a spoon of stew and added a single peppercorn to the spoon before eating it. She felt it crunch between her teeth too and felt a sudden pressure inside her mouth, as if she was stifling a cough, and when she breathed out, she too breathed a tiny gout of bright orange-red fire. "That wasn't unpleasant at all!"

Everyone took turns and they all laughed as they experienced breathing the fire out, agreeing that there was no discomfort or unpleasant tastes.

"I want to try this in mapo tofu next time," Sue smiled. "Oh I'm going to do this at home and watch the fireworks!"

"So we add this to the pot, stir it up, and see who breathes fire," Pansy said enthusiastically. "People that do in front of us can get a biscuit for free as a reward!"

"We can call it DragonFyre Stew!" Lavender said excitedly.

Daphne smiled directly, the widest the others have seen yet. "Now, we have a strong chance at success."

-0-

"Brrr, it's so cold," Lavender shivered. She and the others came into Hogwarts, fleeing from the freezing cold wind. The stalls were being set up in Hogsmeade and the groups were allowed to go and take a look at them and plan things out. DragonFyre Stew's stall was located on the outer ring of stalls and in one of the corners of the square. It was a good location. It was also next to the side street leading towards the Hog's Head, something Harry saw as a good sign.

"I have to admit, these hand warmer things are really handy," Blaise said.

"Lavender's idea," Parvati said. "Super useful. But I'm leaning more towards the potato warmer idea because a hot potato would really hit the spot."

"I can take a hint," Harry grinned. "Let's go make something to eat."

"Well if you insist," Parvati said in a faux-reluctant tone and then shrieked when Padma stuck her cold hands onto her neck, making the others laugh.

"You are in rather good spirits," a voice said, colder than the wind outdoors. "I would not be if I were you." They turned and looked at Draco who leaned against the wall inside the foyer, accompanied by his usual cadre of fellows.

"Yeah? Good to know," Harry said, barely looking at him and barely slowing down with his friends doing the same.

"Quite. You know they will betray you," Draco said, looking at the five Slytherins around Harry. "They did the same to me and they will easily do the same to you."

"As far as I know, they never said they would help you," Harry said mildly, stopping and looking at Draco with his arms crossed.

"As far as you know," Draco repeated snidely. "As far as you know, they could be worming their way in, ready to sabotage you at the drop of the wand. And it does not matter that they never said they would help me. They should have done so immediately, to support me as their Housemate."

"Aren't you leaving Hogwarts?" Lavender asked, looking down her nose at Draco in a credible imitation of his usual expression. "Not much of a Housemate then?"

Draco sneered at her before focusing on Harry once more. "How does it feel, Potter? To take my cast offs and my leavings? To take my scraps?"

Harry snorted, feeling Pansy, Millicent, Tracey, Daphne, and Blaise bristle beside him. "They never helped you first so…it feels like nothing because they aren't your scraps." He smiled blandly at Draco's look. "You know, I learned something really important this summer. I learned it while working and now that I see you and think about things, you wouldn't know what it's like at all."

"Of course not, I have no need to work," Draco said in a superior way. "I have a family that loves me and takes care of me. But I realize not all of us are so lucky in that way."

Harry held out his arm, blocking Pansy from stepping forward, her mouth opening and eyes blazing. "It took me a while to find mine, true. Not all of us are lucky to have it from the start."

"No wonder you are so pleased with scraps," Draco laughed coldly. "You are used to nothing at all."

"You're right, I am," Harry said without heat. "But that's not the point. Me working for what I have isn't even the point either. You know the real difference between us?"

"Money, power, and blood kin?" Draco asked with a cruel smile before blanching at the expressions of sheer fury radiating off Harry's friends.

"Well that," Harry said, keeping his calm, "but the main thing is that my friends want to work with me. They want me to work with them, to be with them. I've seen real leaders, Draco. People who work hard and inspire others to do their best, be their best. My friends inspire me to be better than who I am. I was lucky to be accepted by those leaders, to learn from them. And I'll treat my friends the same way: wanting to work with them and wanting them to do better and for me to be better because of them, not due to them."

Harry shook his head slowly at Draco's confusion. "You don't get it and I honestly feel bad for you because of it." He gave a mock sigh. "But you raise a point. Not a good one, but a point." He turned to his friends who were enjoying Draco's flummoxed impotent anger. "Anyone thinking about betraying me?"

"Is encouraging you to make food for me to snack on betraying?" Parvati asked.

"I don't think so," Harry smiled.

"Then no, not me," Parvati said cheekily.

"Is taking food off your plate while you watch betraying?" Luna smiled brightly. "Then no, not me either."

"Not once," Lavender said stoutly.

Hermione, Neville, Padma, and Sue all made similar affirmations.

"Never," Pansy said firmly, ignoring Draco completely.

Millicent rolled her eyes at him and made a rude hand gesture at Draco.

"No," Daphne said softly with Tracey and Blaise echoing the words and expression.

"Then I'm not worried," Harry said, looking back at Draco.

"You feel like you can trust them?" Draco spat.

"I trust Pansy and Millicent," Harry said without a shred of doubt. "And they said I can trust Daphne, Tracey, and Blaise, so I will, until they give me a reason that I don't." Harry smirked. "You know, it's funny. I met you first and when you got Sorted into Slytherin, I thought all Slytherins were like you. You claimed you were the epitome of your House and I took that for granted.

"But then I got to know Pansy and Millicent and now Daphne, Tracey, and Blaise and well, they're not like you at all. So you can't be the example of Slytherin." Harry smiled at Draco's fury. "Or maybe, you're the example of the bad parts of Slytherin."

"How dare you!" Draco shouted. "How dare you impugn my honor!"

"Hey, if you want, we can solve it over an Honor Duel," Harry said. "You know, like we did last year. You remembered how that turned out, right?"

Pansy's mocking laughter rang out and was swiftly joined by everyone else, including the others who were watching with baited breath. Students from all the Houses as well as Durmstrang and Beauxbatons students had stopped to watch the growing drama.

"Word of warning though," Harry said once the laughter faded. "I've gotten a little better since last year. Right?"

"The difference is like night and day," Pansy said savagely, smiling at Draco with all teeth.

"Well?" Harry asked, the picture of patience.

"You are beneath me," Draco sputtered. "I am a Champion! You are nobody! I have nothing to prove to you."

"Have it your way then," Harry said. He turned and walked away, followed by his friends.

"Watch it."

Draco froze, his hand on his wand but no longer rising. He gaped at the grizzled and scarred man leaning against the wall opposite and staring at him with mismatched eyes. The man smiled unpleasantly, both eyes fixed on Draco.

"You thinking about Cursing him in the back, eh? Might want to think again," Moody said, his voice low and gravely.

"Who are you?!" Draco asked, nervous.

"Don't know who I am? Might want to go ask your daddy," Moody chuckled grimly. "Go on. Git boy." Moody continued to chuckle as Draco fled with his friends around him. Once he was gone, Moody looked down the other hall where Harry and the others went, a look of surprise and amusement on his face.

-0-

"That was awesome," Parvati said, all smiles. "Mmm, that moment was so delicious."

"So you don't want to snack on something then?" Harry asked, also smiling.

"Nah, I can eat more," Parvati said. "Just wanted to say how awesome that moment was."

"You really feel that way about us?" Lavender asked, also smiling hugely, from ear to ear.

"I do," Harry said firmly. "You guys accepted me for who I am and I want to be better because of you. It took me a while to realize that, but it made sense to me after working this summer. I wanted to work more and harder because I liked the way Mr. Abe and Chef Diglin made me feel. They valued me and saw something in me and that's how I feel with you all so that's what I want to do." He smiled when Lavender threaded her arm through his, squeezing his arm happily.

"And you truly trust us?" Daphne asked softly. "Even barely knowing us at all?"

"Well, you did vote for me during the Honor Duel last year," Harry admitted, making them all laugh. "But like I said, you haven't given me a reason to not trust you. And Pansy and Millie are my friends and I trust them so I trust you." Pansy and Millicent beamed at him and the other three looked at him with wonder.

"Besides, it's clear you're not really fond of Draco-"

"Understatement," Blaise snorted.

"-so even if him being upset is a reason you're helping me, well, I'm not going to disagree," Harry said and shrugged a little.

"Spite is an incredible motivator," Millicent said.

"I agree," Parvati and Padma said.

"So let's keep working hard together, and do our best at the Festival and maybe become better friends over it," Harry finished.

"That sounds really nice," Tracey said brightly.

"Was that your motivator to standing up to him as well? Spite?" Daphne asked.

"Maybe a little." He snorted. "Maybe more than a little. But no, I'm not letting him get away with being rude to my friends. Not if I can help it."

Daphne looked thoughtful at that and as they walked on she whispered softly to Pansy. "It seems you were right."

Pansy just managed to resist the urge to say 'I told you so' but her smile and her expression said it loudly for her.

-0-

Later that day, Pansy and Millicent and Harry were walking together when a voice called out. "I couldn't help but overhear your lovely little speech earlier. May I ask you a few questions?"

They turned and looked at a woman leaning against the wall. She had very blonde hair done up with large bright pink glasses that twinkled as the lantern light caught the gems embedded into the frame. She was dressed in neat and showy robes and she twirled a quill between her fingers.

Pansy and Millicent instantly went on their guard and Pansy grabbed Harry's wrist. "Be very careful at what you say," she hissed to him, catching him off guard.

"What? Why?" he asked, looking at her with alarm.

"Oh dear, my reputation must have preceded me," the woman said, her smile broad but somewhat chilly. "My name is Rita Skeeter, journalist extraordinaire. And you must be the Harry Potter." She offered her hand and Harry shook it warily. "And you must be…Parkinson, right? And Bulstrode? I vaguely recall you two."

"That is correct," Pansy said smoothly. "You wrote that my father was an overpaid ringmaster at a cheap circus when he politely refused to comment on a fabrication that you wanted to print."

"I did do that," Rita chuckled. "And as it turns out, the fabrication was actually real so there you go." She looked at Millicent. "Have I maligned your parents in any way?"

"No and I'd rather keep it that way," Millicent said coolly, not backing down.

"Hmm, we'll see then." Rita turned to Harry. "So, Harry, may I call you Harry? Harry dear, such a lovely little speech you made earlier. So full of vim and vigor. May I have the chance to have a more in-depth interview with you? Maybe have the honor of hearing your inner thoughts and share them with eager readers?"

"I'm not sure I have any thoughts worth reading over," Harry said, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh don't be so modest! You're the Boy-Who-Lived!" Rita recoiled slightly at the glares from Pansy and Millicent and how sad and weary Harry looked.

"Do not call him that," Pansy said angrily.

"Well well well," Rita said slowly. "Very well. Forgive me. But you see, that's a part of the problem. No one knows anything about you, Harry, and don't you want people to? Share your thoughts and feelings! Make the unknown, known. Trust me, with your thoughts in my hands, we can show the world the real Harry Potter and make you a media darling."

"Don't trust her," Millicent said. "She writes all sorts of things and twists your words around. She only writes what she wants and what she can sell."

"I write what people want to read," Rita corrected. "For example, about how the Triwizard is now a Quadwizard, how two of the most venerable schools in Europe are mad about the deck being stacked, and how there is a new school on the rise. That sort of thing almost sells itself. With me writing it, it will outsell itself."

Her eyes gleamed and almost turned gold in the lantern light. "And let's add in some even more intrigue. The Sanguis Champion abandoned by those he called friend. Them rallying around the Boy, I mean, the Harry Potter who calls them his friends. What delicious seasoning!"

Rita's last words made Pansy think and after a moment, she smiled slyly. "What if we could offer you something else to write about?"

"Oh? Pray tell," Rita said, leaning in eagerly.

"How about something like…the upcoming Festival? About what's being offered and how things will be compared and who will win with honest hard work and actual delight?"

Rita looked pityingly at the young girl. "I did say I write about what people want to read, right? No one is going to care about a little festival and about little things that kids make to sell."

"Oh, you mean it'd be too hard for you to write and make interesting?" Millicent asked almost innocently, catching onto what Pansy was thinking.

Rita's false smile became bitter. "I can write anything and make it interesting," she said. "And don't think I can't see what you two are doing. People a lot older and a lot smarter than you have tried manipulating me, and most of them failed."

"But it'll be similar to what you wanted," Pansy wheedled. "A fight between the Sanguis Champion and Harry Potter, us working with the one who calls us friend, bringing down the so-called rising star, makes for good reading I would think. Only focus on the important parts and not just the intrigue."

"You think you can win against him?" Rita asked, deeply amused.

"In this? Oh yeah," Millicent said firmly. "Harry's beaten him before too."

"Have you? Oh my, the plot thickens," Rita said. "And at what?"

"Cooking," Harry said.

The answer shocked Rita into laughing. "Wait, you're serious? Draco Malfoy, son of Lucius Malfoy, got into a cooking fight and lost to you? Cooking, of all things?"

"There was an honor duel last year and Harry won, unanimously," Pansy said.

Rita snorted. "People in the UK care less about cooking than they do about kids playing at a Festival."

"But you're the best journalist and writer we thought," Millicent said, acting surprised. "Isn't it harder and more rewarding to write something that people aren't all that interested in and making them interested?"

"You two are proper twisty," Rita said with a grudging smile. "Playing on my ego like that. Well done." She looked at Harry. "I can almost believe they really are your friends."

"That's because they really are my friends," Harry said quietly, emphatically.

Rita blinked at that. "Hmmm," she hummed. "I don't know."

"I will make you a wager," Pansy said. She reached into her bag and took out a small sealed container and cracked open the lid and the smell of rich stew filled the air. "You come to the Festival, see what happens, and when we win, you write a pleasant article that is the truth."

"And if you lose?" Rita asked, intrigued.

"You write whatever you want," Pansy said.

"Looks like I win either way," Rita said. She frowned. "What's the catch?"

"No catch. Just wondering if you'll jump at the opportunity." Pansy wafted the stew's savory scent about. "And well, if you agree to the wager, you get to try some of Harry's cooking before the Festival."

Rita's stomach grumbled slightly as she smelled the delicious aroma. "Alright, you got a deal." She and Pansy and Millicent shook on it and she took the small container. "It smells good. You really made this?"

Harry nodded. "After days of testing."

"Okay. Well, guess I'll see you later." She walked away, leaving the trio behind, and took a deeper whiff of the stew. "Smells okay," she muttered and sipped. She stopped, licking her lips and looking down at the container in her hand with surprise. She took another sip, and another. And she was shocked when moments later that the container was empty and she resisted the urge to lick it clean.

"What on earth was that?" she breathed, looking at the container. She turned her head to look back at where she left the trio. "Huh. Well well well," she said out loud once more, a genuine smile growing. "Now this is going to be very interesting."

-0-

"You made a DEAL with RITA SKEETER?!" Daphne shouted.

The friendly five, what Tracey called their little group, were meeting in Pansy's room that night and she had told the other three what happened earlier.

"Yes, I did," Pansy sighed, rolling her eyes.

"It's true, she did," Millicent confirmed when the other three looked at her with horror. "Or maybe we all did? We didn't stop her."

"You don't make deals with Skeeter!" Blaise said. "She pretends to make a deal, maybe she holds her end, and hopes you come out of it looking okay and without having to throw money at her!"

"You made a deal with RITA BLOODY SKEETER?!" Daphne shouted again.

"What were you thinking?!" Tracey gasped.

"Look, just give me a second to explain," Pansy sighed. "I know on the surface it looks like a poor idea-"

"-because it is!" the other three cried.

"-but I have my reasons! First, it got her off our case for the moment. Second, she was already intrigued by Harry, she will get involved however she can. Why not try to direct the attention somewhat? Me throwing out the honor duel will have her focus on that for some time and there's a chance she will write something scathing about Draco. That will aid us and amuse us to no end."

"You're not wrong there," Blaise conceded. "But what if we lose and it all blows up?"

"We actually don't lose anything if we lose," Millicent said. "She's going to do what she wants and when we win, maybe she'll be in a good enough mood to do what we want her to."

"You really think we'll win?" Tracey asked.

"We won't lose to Draco at the bare minimum," Pansy said with utter surety.

"And what if she does what she wants and drags us all into a gigantic mess?" Daphne asked.

Pansy colored a little. "Hope for the best and run to our parents."

"Who will tell us it is our fault for making a deal with the devil and her quill," Daphne replied scathingly.

"They might do that too," Pansy admitted.

"You guys are forgetting something else here," Millicent said.

"What?" Tracey asked.

"Harry's godfather and his adopted grandparents," Millicent said. "If Harry asked them, they'd come down on her like a crumbling castle."

"That is an excellent point!" Pansy said, nodding and pointing at Millicent. "See? We have a failsafe!"

"For your sake, I hope so," Daphne sighed. "I have no qualms about throwing you under the Knight Bus."

"With how the Knight Bus drives, there's a really good chance she would not be run over," Tracey giggled.

"Look, all we have to do is win," Pansy said after they all stopped laughing. "And everything will go our way. I truly believe it."

"Right, just win," Blaise snorted. "As if it were only that easy."

"It could be worse," Millicent said. "We could be working for Draco."

"Ugh, no, I do not even want to entertain that thought exercise," Daphne shuddered. "Fine. Then let us simply 'win'."

"We got this," Pansy said confidently. "Well, I think," she added and everyone groaned and threw the bed pillows at her.

-0-0-0-

odonnellzoo99 - And the 'let's surprise Daphne and give her fits' train continues in this chapter and will probably continue to do so. It's kinda fun to see things Harry has done from a fresh perspective. Thank you. I wanted to keep the stew as the dish here to give Harry a chance to make it his own, to turn it back into a positive thing, and to grow with it. Glad you liked it.

TheReader81 - Thank you.

Kaya - Glad you enjoyed it.

poka - It would have been too easy to have them get along perfectly from the moment they met. I wanted to let their characters shine, let them clash a little with literal opposite sides of the ideological spectrum. Of course Hedwig gets the final word though, as is tradition and how the way things go. I wanted the theme of fourth year, starting from the summer, to be growth. I wanted Harry to confront his inadequacies and grow from them. See him change from who he was into who he is and see the signs of who he will be. I thought making the stew a real turning point for him to be good. It was something dear, ruined by the lie, but then what helps him confront the past and change for the better.

alix33 - I've read about ham and chicken pie a lot but never had it. I should try it one day.

Guest - Hope you had a satisfying breakfast to make up for it.

DarkRavie - Thank you.

DOOOOOOM Lord of Waffles - That would have been funny too. I just figured a Crookshanks that was unbothered to be fitting for his attitude. Diglin is a good character. I liked how he has developed and the role he plays in the setting a lot.