I do not own Harry Potter, the Wizarding World, or any canon characters.
A Taste of Magic
87th Course – Uncertain Times
"Oh my," Andromeda said softly.
"The Express is looking a bit small," Sirius said, looking sad.
Like last time, Sirius and Andromeda took Harry to the platform to board the Hogwarts Express to start the new school year. They arrived at the platform and had stopped when they saw the train. The Engine was the same as it was, gleaming and impressive. And while the cars behind it were still shiny and bright, there were less cars than before.
"I suppose they don't have as many cars with less students," Sirius continued sadly. "Ted's on the Governor Board now and he mentioned that a good amount of students left for Sanguis and that the incoming firstie class is a bit small."
Harry was also surprised and a little sad seeing the train like that. He took a deep breath and shook his head, steeling himself. "It's still Hogwarts though, right? It's not just the school, but the students and teachers there too."
"Well said," Andromeda said with approval and pride. "And you are absolutely correct."
"Then we'll keep up the name and everyone will see that Hogwarts is still Hogwarts and it's a great school," Harry said firmly.
"Thattaboy," Sirius said, patting Harry on the back. "You keep up the good work, keep being awesome, and us adults out here will keep battling for you lot. We'll keep Hogwarts going. All of us." He and Andromeda helped Harry put his things in one of the larger compartment cars and hugged him goodbye.
"Let us know if you need anything," Andromeda said. "And I will come to aid in tutoring for Charms and Transfiguration as well for O.W.L.s and whatever other preparations you all will need."
"I'll pop by for Defense and whatever else I can do," Sirius said.
"Thanks, we'll appreciate it. Thanks for everything," Harry said.
"Of course," Sirius said. "Keep in touch, don't do what I would do unless it's funny, and be great. You know, the usual."
Harry nodded and after another hug for each of them, Sirius and Andromeda left the platform. Harry got situated by the window and smiled when Hedwig easily kicked the door to her cage open and climbed out of it. She settled on his stomach and cheeped at him, cooing happily when he scratched her chest and stomach.
Knocking on the window made his head turn and he smiled and got up, Hedwig fluttering to sit on his head. He heaved it open and leaned out a little. "Hi!"
"Hi Harry!" Parvati and Padma replied.
"Yes! Thank you!" Parvati exclaimed after looking at Harry's upper body. "I'm not the only one!"
Harry saw the badge on Padma's shirt, a shield of bronze and blue with a large P on it. "Congrats Padma!"
Padma smiled gratefully. "Thanks Harry." She glowered at her sister. "She's been giving me the business when the letter came in."
"I've been calling her Padfect," Parvati said proudly.
Harry snorted. "Well, at least you know she's not teasing you because she's jealous. If you weren't prefect, she'd do it another way."
"See? He gets me," Parvati smiled.
"I'll get you later," Padma said, shaking her head. "With points off and detention."
"Abuse of power!" Parvati squawked.
Durga sighed as the Patil sisters squabbled. "They have been doing this for days. They have done it before, sure, but even more so now." She rolled her eyes and looked up at Harry. "Now get out here and fulfill your grandson duty."
Harry left the train and hugged her warmly. She smiled and patted his cheek. "You will keep looking after them, yes?" She gave the smaller train a complicated look.
"Of course I will," Harry said stoutly. "We're sibs."
"Indeed." She hugged him again and watched as they put their trunks onto the train. "You two watch out for each other and him, you hear me?"
"Yes Grandmum," they said and hugged her. They waved as she left, leaving in her usual way.
"It feels a little weird," Parvati said as they got back into the compartment. "It's quieter and not as crowded."
"Yeah, it's a little unsettling," Padma agreed.
Harry nodded. "It is but it'll be okay, we'll make it okay." They nodded together, shared confidence being a comfort. "Is Terry the male prefect?"
"Anthony actually," Padma said. "Terry's not too hurt about it though. He's more upset that Michael went to Sanguis."
"I bet," Harry said sympathetically.
"I wonder who else in our year went, besides the Slytherin ones," Parvati mused. "The only person in our House and year that would go might be Seamus, but he hates Draco and them so much."
"I doubt he would either," Harry said. Murmurs from outside the train made the three look out. They saw Pansy, Millicent, Daphne, Tracey, Blaise, and Astoria together with Primrose and Valentina with them. More than a few of the students were staring at them and there were a lot of mutters and short conversations accompanied by slightly unpleasant looks.
"Hey guys!" Harry called, leaning out the window and waving energetically, a smile on his face. Parvati and Padma followed suit a moment behind and the smiles on the Slytherin students' faces could be seen from far away. The watchers looked on with astonishment and the mutters and grumbles and dark looks faded away, replaced by whispers and looks of astonishment.
"Hi Harry," Pansy said happily and hugged him through the window.
"Let me come out and help you lot." Harry did just that while the Patils took smaller bags from them through the window. Harry and Blaise easily brought the trunks on board and secured them.
"Thank you, Harry," Primrose said fondly.
"It's not a big deal helping with the luggage," Harry said simply.
"Perhaps not," Primrose said and patted him on the shoulder. "Still, I am grateful." She hugged all the others in turn with Pansy last. "Be careful," she said softly. "And I am so very proud of you."
"Thank you, Mother," Pansy said and hugged her hard. "Love you."
"I love you too," Primrose said. After Valentina made her goodbyes, the witches left together.
"Hey, congrats Pansy!" Harry saw the silver and emerald badge on her robes. "That's great!"
"Thank you," Pansy said, smiling brightly. "I was very much surprised."
"I was as well," Blaise said. "Despite being the only male left in our year in Slytherin." The others laughed at that.
"How does it feel to be the literal last and only choice?" Daphne asked with a smile.
"I feel perfectly whelmed," Blaise deadpanned. He still looked proud when he adjusted his badge. "That said, it is nice."
"I'm surprised you're not one," Millicent remarked, looking at Harry.
Harry scratched Sunny's chin, the kneazle having jumped on Harry the first chance she got. "I was asked if I wanted to be one and I said I didn't really want to be."
"Why not?" Astoria asked. "You don't want power and all that?"
"Not really," Harry shrugged.
"Huh, weird," Astoria said and flinched at Daphne's poke.
"There's something else too, I'll tell everyone when we're together," Harry said.
The door to the compartment rattled and Neville appeared, along with Luna, Sue, Ron, and Ginny. More greetings were shared and they arranged the trunks and things as people got comfortable. "Hey, congrats!" Millicent said and kissed Neville on the cheek.
He blushed but smiled, proud of the gold and ruby badge. "Thanks! I was really surprised. Grandmother was really proud though."
"Looks good on you," Ron said easily. "You won't take points from us though, will you?"
"Not if you don't give me a reason to," Neville laughed.
"Hi Harry!"
Harry smiled at Clover and Marigold running up to the window. "Hey!" He left the train once more and hugged them and Lavender came up with Leena. He returned Lavender's enthusiastic hug and even had one with Leena. Hedwig came down to nuzzle and cheep at the Brown sisters.
"Do you want to come through the window again?" Parvati asked, grinning down at Lavender.
"Sure, give me your hands," Lavender said, reaching up.
Parvati reached down but stopped. "Wait a sec-" She screeched when Lavender grabbed on and started to pull. "No! Someone help me!"
"I'm so tempted to push right now," Padma sighed from inside the compartment, making the others howl with laughter.
"That's enough, love," Leena chuckled, making Lavender let go. She smiled as Lavender and Parvati snarked at each other but her humor faded some as she looked at the train. "A bit small. I don't remember ever seeing it this small before."
"It'll be okay," Harry said, after putting Lavender's trunk on the train. "We'll make it okay."
"I know you will," Leena smiled. "Take care of each other." She handed him some coins and winked. "It's tradition at this point," she laughed, over his protests. After more hugs, she left with Marigold and Clover.
Hermione came up with her parents and Crookshanks and after more well-wishes and kind words and hugs, David and Jean left and they boarded the train. "We have to start the trip in the prefects car," Hermione said. "For instruction and things."
"Wow, a whole car just for the prefects," Parvati said, making her voice high and haughty. "Their own personal car. Such luxury."
Padma looked around the extra-large compartment that took up the majority of the car and at the occupants inside before giving her sister a look.
"What's your point?" Parvati asked indignantly while the others snorted and laughed.
"That you don't have one," Padma said and shoved her when she walked past.
"Stop abusing your power!" Parvati yelled after her.
The beginning of the trip was pleasant. Everyone chatted and relaxed, sharing what they did over the summer and other things. After a few hours, Hermione, Neville, Pansy, Blaise, Padma returned with Susan in tow.
"That took a while," Millicent said.
"New prefects get the first train patrol," Pansy explained. "After they went over our duties and procedures, we immediately started our patrols."
"What do your duties look like?" Sue asked.
"Patrols on the train and we have patrol shifts at school after class and curfew hours," Hermione said. "We patrol in pairs typically. We also help enforce the rules and are tasked to aid at events and the like as well, oh and on Hogsmeade trips too sometimes."
"We get to use a fancy bathroom though, so that makes up for the extra responsibility," Blaise said, making them laugh. "That and the shiny accessory of course."
"We had a good look at the students on the train," Neville said, his normal merry countenance a little subdued. "Not a lot of students this year, including firsties."
"We also saw who didn't come back," Padma said quietly. "Michael from Ravenclaw and Smith from Hufflepuff."
"Good riddance," Susan snorted.
"We know who isn't here from Slytherin," Tracey said quietly.
"Surprisingly, everyone from Gryffindor is still here," Hermione said. "Well, not that surprising really. I figured Dean would not go."
"Seamus said his mother asked him but he refused," Neville said.
"Looks like the Gryffindors are in position to inherit the school," Daphne said in a light tone.
"Gosh I hope not," Harry said. "The upkeep payments must be terrible for a castle that big." He looked around at his friends who stared at him silently. "Bad joke?" That made them laugh and he sheepishly joined them.
"You mentioned that there was something else you wanted to tell us?" Pansy said.
"Right. So at the end of the school year, there'll be something called the International Scholastic Showcase," Harry said. "And Hogwarts was invited this year for the first time in a really long time."
"Why not?" Hermione asked, interested. She glanced at Parvati. "What?"
"You don't know something?" Parvati gasped.
"I don't know everything!" Hermione said crossly.
Tracey stomped on Daphne's foot, making her yelp and glare at her.
"From what the Headmaster told me, apparently schools are invited to do stuff and one year Hogwarts missed out. The Minister and the headmaster at the time took offense and refused to participate in future ones," Harry explained.
"Sounds about right," Ron snorted. "Bill says British Magicals typically are the rudest that way."
"And then with everything else going on after," Harry said lightly, "it wasn't a priority. But the Headmaster has been trying hard to get Hogwarts recognized by the international community again and this year we were invited. He said what we did last year at the Triwizard was a big part of it."
He smiled while everyone preened and beamed at that. "He's going to make an announcement at school, but basically there will be a team of students to be chosen and will go to the Showcase and show that Hogwarts is still a good school."
"That's incredible," Lavender said. "This sounds silly, but how many big magical schools are there?"
"There are eight major ones," Daphne said. "Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang as you know. I believe there is one in Russia. There is Ilvermorny in the States."
"There's one in Africa," Susan said.
"And one in South American and one in Japan," Luna said.
"Not to mention countless smaller ones but those are the major ones," Daphne concluded.
"Being invited to demonstrate and showcase your abilities at such an international scale would be amazing for the opportunity," Pansy said. "Not to mention somewhat terrifying and intimidating. But imagine seeing all that magic and all the possibilities."
"The Headmaster believes in us and thinks we'd do great," Harry said. His words made the other look at each other with surprise and wonder, sitting up a little straighter. "I'm going to work hard and try. Oh and he said our O.W.L.s work is basically the same as the ICW standards, or they're going to be as close as they can, and so preparing for O.W.L.s will prepare us for that."
"Oh just like when we reviewed for the academic part of the tournament last year and how it helped us for finals and stuff. Just like you said it would," Parvati said.
"I hate you sometimes," Padma growled and Hermione glared.
"I think it's a good idea," Harry said. "It can only help us with school work and O.W.L.s and like Pansy said, the opportunity would be amazing. And it'll help Hogwarts look good and stay as a really good school."
"I'll give it a shot," Sue said.
"Me too, even if I'm not the strongest academically," Lavender said.
"I think the Headmaster insinuated that it's not just academic stuff," Harry said comfortingly. "It's all sorts of things. Just showing how we approach and use magic on top of the knowledge. And we all are good at that in different ways."
"Sounds like a plan to me," Millicent said.
"I have a question," Astoria said.
"Well go on then," Daphne said.
Astoria looked at Harry. "Do you routinely have these backroom conversations with the Headmaster and know things that others don't before they should?"
"Uh…I guess it kinda looks that way," Harry said after some thought. "I don't think it's as sneaky as you're making it sound like though. We just talk and spend time together. Professor Dumbledore is an amazing wizard and he's given me a lot of good advice and has helped me in lots of ways."
"But you know about the Showcase before anyone else does, you were encouraged to do stuff last year by him directly, and you have your own clubroom thing that only you and your friends get to use and that there's a key for and only some people have a key," Astoria persisted.
"You're…not wrong," Harry said weakly. "That all is true."
"You know, I never thought about it like that but when she lays it all out like that, she has a point," Sue smiled.
Astoria looked at her sister. "And you said he doesn't know how to play the Game!"
"That was before I got to know him!" Daphne cried.
"What's the Game?" Ginny asked.
"The Game of Power and Politics," Neville said, shaking his head. "I never realized it either but Harry really does know how to play it."
"More like Harry accidentally plays it rather well," Pansy snorted. She flushed. "I don't mean it as an insult," she added hurriedly.
"No, that's pretty accurate," Harry laughed.
"Well, it sounds like fun so why not," Parvati said airily.
"You, doing more work voluntarily?" Padma gasped.
"I can work," Parvati sniffed. "That and I'm doing it with friends so it'll be fun and Harry will keep us fed. Right?"
"Of course," Harry grinned.
"Then we all win," Parvati said in a matter-of-fact tone. "Even if we don't make the team, we'll still do well on O.W.L.s and have a foundation of what we want to do in the future and it'll be good."
"Color me impressed," Padma muttered.
"Oh I'll color you alright," Parvati hissed, waving her wand.
"You know, if you really want to be a true cunning mastermind, you need a cat to pet to show sinister overtones," Blaise smiled. "It's traditional."
Harry looked down at both Crookshanks and Sunny begrudgingly sharing his lap and turned his head to look at Hedwig fluffed on his shoulder. "What does two cats and an owl mean overtone wise?"
"Well Crookshanks is rather lazy," Hermione giggled. "So he and Sunny cancel each other out."
"And Hedwig is just the cutest," Lavender praised.
"As well as being a menace," Blaise snorted. He blanched when Hedwig clacked her beak at him in a decidedly threatening way. "As I have said."
The rest of the trip passed pleasantly. They shared the snacks Harry had made the night before, small meat pies, and then bought sweets off the trolley when it came by. Ron started an Exploding Snap game, cards that would suddenly explode at random times, and it ended with Millicent winning over all by hastily throwing a card that was about to explode at Blaise. Blaise, singed and smoking, threw the cards back that exploded everywhere and then ran the length of the compartment yelping, fleeing from a very irate Sunny.
As the Express arrived at the Hogsmeade station, the prefects left to help with the general duties of the students getting off the train. Harry took Crookshanks' basket with him Hedwig sat on his head. He shared a wave and a hug with Hagrid who took the first years with him as tradition.
"Bit small this year," Hagrid said quietly as the first years lined up before him, staring up at him with awe and a little trepidation.
"I was probably shorter than them," Harry joked, making Hagrid guffaw and the first years relaxed a little. "Professor Hagrid only looks big and scary," Harry said to them. "He's actually big and nice. You're in good hands." With a slightly stinging shoulder from the enthusiastic shoulder pat, Harry watched Hagrid lead the first years off.
"At least we won't have to fight over carriages as much," Millicent said in a light tone.
"That's true," Lavender nodded.
"I just realized that was one of the most pleasant train rides," Daphne said. "No harassment from a certain someone."
"That was nice," Tracey nodded.
"Guess not all change is bad," Harry mused as he and his friends went to the waiting carriages.
-0-
Dumbledore rose to his feet, his usual warm and welcoming smile a touch subdued. "It is so good to see everyone," he said sincerely, looking out over the students. He ignored the fact that the House tables were barely half-filled and students he knew should be there were not. "Another year lies before us and I have something special to announce."
He smiled at the whispering Weasley twins. "No, not another Triwizard Tournament. But something slightly similar. It is my sincere pleasure to announce that Hogwarts has been invited to the International Scholastic Showcase that will be held at the end of the school year. It is a grand event where representatives from the major magical schools from around the world will get to show off their skills and participate in competitions as well as see how the other schools teach magic. It is a wonderful opportunity to make international friends and to see magic from all around the world."
He waited for the chattering to die down a little. "We, as in the instructors, will be evaluating students throughout the year and if you are interested in being part of the team of representatives, please let your Head of House know. At year's end, we will pick the team and we will go to the Showcase and demonstrate the abilities of our students as well as the ideals that Hogwarts believes in."
Dumbledore clapped his hands and food appeared on the tables. "Now, enjoy yourselves unstinting and I look forward to another wonderful year at Hogwarts. Thank you." He sat down as the conversations from the students filled the air.
"Do you think we will have many volunteers?" McGonagall asked, leaning over to him.
"I believe we will have enough for a strong team," Dumbledore said. "One with varied abilities and strengths."
"I hope so," Sprout sighed. "It would be nice to make a strong showing and prove that we still have what it takes."
"We will," Flitwick said. "I have faith."
Dumbledore looked over at the Gryffindor table. "As do I," he said softly.
-0-0-0-
odonnellzoo99 - That was one of my favorite lines too, simple and funny. Nicolas is chaos walking and it's so fun to see if you're not in the middle of it.
Kaya - thank you so much. I really like it when people find my writing funny, when it should be funny anyways.
Hands Off MY Wolfie - So the names that Flitwick saw were names of students coming to Hogwarts. Sanguis went out to recruit the Purebloods and maybe some Halfbloods. Sorry, maybe I wasn't so clear. Though to be fair, they aren't outright saying they are Pureblood bigots, just heavily implying it lol. Thanks for reading.
poka - The website has been broken for weeks. I don't get email alerts anymore even though I have done what they want in my settings, and they haven't recorded hits and reads for weeks now too. I've gotten a lot of reviews and messages complaining about missing chapters when things look right on my side. It's really unfortunate. I hope things get fixed soon. I have a lot of plans for the Showcase and I hope people like it when it arrives. It'll be different but in a good way I hope.
TheSphynx - I really like a strong relationship between the Tonkses and Harry, it's one of my favorites too. I felt so bad for them in canon so I'm always happy to have those tight family style bonds between them. I don't think I'll ever get tired of it.
DOOOOOOM Lord of Waffles - Having this Harry be prefect didn't make much sense to me, so I tried to make it feel right why he would refuse. Glad you agree.
- Thank you so much.