I do not own Harry Potter, the Wizarding World, or any canon characters.
A Taste of Magic
146th Course – Feeling the Heat
"How are you feeling?" Lavender asked softly.
Harry's smile was small but it was there. "I'm feeling okay, thank you." He finished filling the containers with the food he prepared. It was Halloween once more and he was going to visit his parents again. He had made the stew and the tiramisu again and was carefully sealing the containers to prevent any spilling.
"I can still come if you want me to," she said.
"I appreciate the offer but it's okay, really. You have a lot to do for your projects and I won't be there too long this time," he said kindly. "It'll be Sirius and Remus and I for a short while and then Remus and I will be back."
"Okay," Lavender said. She hugged him tightly. "I'm sorry. If I was more on top of things, I'd be free to come."
"Don't be sorry," he said back, soothing her. "It's really fine." He finished packing everything and took the small piece of embroidery that Lavender had made for him to take. With another hug and a kiss, he left the Uncommon Room with Hedwig sitting on his shoulder. He met Remus and Sirius at Remus' office and the three men and the owl left together, arriving at Godric's Hollow.
They did not say much during the trip and the visit, all of them wrestling with their own thoughts and feelings. They tidied up the site around the stones and after a few words from the older men, they left Harry and Hedwig to have a few moments alone. Harry set the containers down in front of the headstone with the piece of embroidery and sat down, marshalling his thoughts.
"Hi," he said at last. "A lot's happened since the last time I came. I'm competing in a cooking competition, can you believe it? I still can't sometimes and I've been in it for a while now. I can still remember when people thought liking cooking was weird but now it's really popular."
A small smile appeared on his lips. "I mean, it's kinda cool that it is. Really cool if I'm being honest. It's amazing what can change in only a few years."
He sighed and looked at the names of his parents, etched into the stone. His gaze fell on the containers, at the food that sat within. "I hope it isn't weird that I'm doing this," he said. "I've learned in Japan, they make food offerings to their ancestors, like how Sue said they did in other parts of Asia. I know I did this last year and well, I don't know what happened and I don't know if it will happen again."
I don't know if I even want it to happen again.
He stared at the food for long moments, waiting and thinking and wanting. He sighed softly and closed his eyes, feeling a pressure behind the closed eyelids. As he wiped at them, he felt Hedwig rustle against his face and when he opened his eyes, he blinked several times. The containers were empty, and completely and utterly clean.
Just like last year.
He looked around, seeing no one near, not even Sirius and Remus. The men were facing away and talking softly to one another at the edge of the cemetery. Harry looked all around before he picked up the containers. The one that held the stew was still warm, the one that held the tiramisu was still ice cold. The interiors were completely clean and dry, not a speck of food remaining.
He turned his head to look at Hedwig who looked unbothered in the slightest. "They had food in them, right?"
Hedwig nodded.
"I'm not going mad, am I?"
She shook her head.
He looked back at the gravestone and after a moment, smiled. He felt a little better and carefully closed the containers and climbed to his feet. "I'm glad you like it," he said. "Maybe I'll bring something different next time." He pressed his head against the cold stone that warmed rapidly against his skin. "I love you," he whispered. "I'll try my best at the competition."
As he walked away, he sighed but smiled when Hedwig flopped over his head, draping herself over him. He felt the barest whisper of something grazing his skin, across his shoulders and the back of his neck. He did not feel the need to shiver, thinking it was Hedwig's feathers tickling him. Feeling inexplicably better, he greeted Sirius and Remus who turned and smiled sadly at him.
"Ready to go?" Sirius asked.
"Yeah," Harry said. "After school, I can come whenever I want, right?"
"Of course," Remus said softly. "Whenever and as often as you like."
"I'm sure they'd love your visits," Sirius said warmly. "But I don't think they'd want you to feel like you have to. You can honor them wherever you are. They're with you wherever you are." He touched Harry's chest. "Right here."
Harry took a deep breath and nodded. "That's good. Thanks."
"Of course," Sirius and Remus said together. They started walking away together.
"Do you feel like they're with you too?" Harry asked.
"Sure do, all the time," Sirius said. He started to chuckle. "Just, not in my heart per se."
"Oh I know what you're about to say," Remus said, also starting to chuckle.
"Please tell me," Harry said eagerly.
"Well, when your parents were still during their 'I hate you' phase," Sirius said, starting to snicker, "one time your mum got your dad right in the arse with a hex. Right in the middle of the left cheek. He then said he always knew she was a pain in the arse."
"Really?" Harry gasped, feeling delighted and appalled all in one.
"Really! He kept whinging about it and I said it couldn't be as bad as he was going on about," Sirius chortled. "Then this one went and blabbed about what I said to her." He shoved Remus with one arm, sending him stumbling.
"Unlike Sirius and James, Lily and I were good friends from near the beginning," Remus said, shoving Sirius back and sending him careening into a tree. "And I asked Lily what the hex was because I was curious and I happened to mention Sirius' words."
"So she decided to demonstrate by hexing me right in the arse too," Sirius said, brushing bark and leaves off of him. He smiled as Remus and Harry and Hedwig laughed out loud. "Same damn spot even. She then crossed her arms and looked all superiorly at me and asked what I thought."
"And?" Harry asked, laughing.
"I said I had bigger pains in my arse than her and James was a whiny little prat," Sirius said proudly.
"Which she reacted by hexing him again in the other arse cheek," Remus said, his smile from ear to ear.
"Oh no, really?!" Harry asked, laughing so hard he had to be steadied by Remus and he caught a cackling Hedwig that lost her grip from laughing, hugging her to him.
"Yeah! The nerve, right?" Sirius said, shaking his head. "I couldn't sit properly for a few days. It was really annoying."
"Couldn't Madam Pomfrey fix it?" Harry asked.
"She could have," Sirius grumbled. "But she said something about us deserving it and it wasn't life threatening and it was really funny and something that sounded like comeuppance and all that nonsense." He grinned as Harry and Remus howled with laughter. "You look so much like both of them when you laugh like that," he said, tousling Harry's hair. "It does me good to see it," he added fondly.
"Me too," Remus said, wiping tears of merriment away.
"Sometimes when I get some pain back there or sit on something I shouldn't, it reminds me of it," Sirius continued. He snorted softly. "Almost makes me miss it."
They walked in silence for a few moments.
"Did you ever learn what the hex was?" Harry asked Remus. He smiled a little. "If you did, you could teach me and I could hex Sirius for old times' sake."
Sirius shook his head and grinned at Harry as Remus lost himself to mirth, laughing hysterically. "You know, when you say things like that, you really do remind me of Lily. And that's not necessarily a good thing."
"So that's a no?" Harry laughed when Sirius put him in a head-lock which then led to Sirius yelping when Hedwig pecked him in retaliation and she flapped after him, chasing and chiding him while Harry tried to pull a still laughing Remus to his feet, feeling much better.
-0-
"How are you feeling?" Pansy asked.
"I feel fine," Harry said, returning her hug. "Thank you for asking."
Large fires and floating candles and dancing jack o'lanterns kept the darkness and chill at bay. Much like the last two years, the Halloween Feast was held outdoors on the grounds. More planning and care went into it and Sprout and Hagrid had a lot of fun creating large pumpkin patches with the vines creating awnings to sit under or against. Fairies and pixies flew around, giggling and laughing as they ate the good food and danced about. Hagrid found some wisps and brought them to the grounds to the delight of all, watching the ghostly delicately magical lights fly and shimmer.
Flitwick and Babbling created more floating decorations and the ghosts enjoyed floating about too, adding to the atmosphere. McGonagall and Dumbledore plied their transfigurations skills with the pumpkins grown by Sprout and Hagrid, making all sorts of seats and tables and structures.
More people from Hogsmeade were invited and they brought treats with them, adding to the good food that the elves and Harry had made. In fact, the cooking club had also worked together to contribute to the food and they were proud of their contributions.
"That's good," Pansy said with relief.
"I don't think I can ever think of Halloween without thinking of them, but I've learned it's not a bad thing," Harry said softly. He smiled as people constantly poured themselves helpings of beef stew from an immense cauldron that bubbled and burbled beside the main cook fire.
"It is a way to honor their life and memory," Daphne said sincerely.
"Yeah it is," Harry said gratefully, hugging her too.
"I'm really glad you came up with this," Padma said. "This is so much better than the first few feasts we had."
"So much better," Millicent agreed. "It's just more fun!"
"I love the floating pumpkins bringing you treats," Parvati said. She smiled as one floated up to her and she reached out to open the top. Suddenly the top popped up without her touching it and two giant amber eyes came out with a sharp beak and a very loud screech. Parvati shrieked from the shock and fell over while the others howled with laughter. "Dammit Hedwig!"
"Hedwig's the best!" Clover and Marigold said as Hedwig fluffed up and giggled, immensely proud of herself.
"You're a menace!" Parvati said, rubbing her chest. She sighed when Hedwig deposited a bag of candy in her hand. "I guess that makes up for it," she said begrudgingly. Suddenly she grinned. "Hey, help me scare someone else and we're even."
Hedwig nodded eagerly and settled back into the pumpkin and Parvati put the top back on. She ran off with it with Clover and Marigold trailing after.
"So much better," Padma grinned as the others continued to laugh.
-0-
"I must admit, I greatly enjoy the new Halloween feast," McGonagall said.
"It is a lot more fun," Flitwick nodded.
Dumbledore smiled, his expression growing more warm as he looked over at Harry and his friends. "It is," he agreed. He looked over. "How was he today?"
"Good," Remus said, proudly and sadly in one. "Somber of course but I don't think it hung over his head as much as last year did."
"He is growing up," McGonagall said, also sad and proud.
"He is, and well," Dumbledore sighed. "I still worry about him. I wish he could just enjoy his last year of school."
"I think he is," Remus said. "In his way. He did accept the responsibility in competing."
"He doesn't deserve what the paper did to him," Sprout sniffed.
"No he doesn't, but he is not alone in dealing with it." Flitwick started laughing. "I still laugh when I think of what Rita wrote."
"And the Ministry is still dealing with the fallout," Dumbledore said smugly. "Gringotts has been especially bloodthirsty during the negotiations."
"But this Banters still has his job?" McGonagall shook her head. "His 'apology' was even more half-hearted than most essays I have seen in my career, and less incomplete."
"Unfortunately the opinion articles are rather protected," Dumbledore said. "Which is how Rita got away with what she had for a long time." He smiled. "That said, she also knows how to skewer them using the same protections and she is taking full advantage of it. And the Prophet is eating up all the attention they are gathering, not to mention the gold, so they cannot hope to ban either."
"Just as well I suppose," Sprout sighed. "Oh thank you Aberforth. Mmm, this is nice, what is it?"
"A pumpkin ale," Aberforth said, pouring out more glasses for everyone.
"You have really gotten into brewing and experimenting more," Dumbledore smiled.
"Yeah well, it's fun," Aberforth said, shrugging.
A very loud shriek filled the air, making them look over. The majority of them gaped as they saw Ariana chasing after a cackling Hedwig who flapped away from her with Parvati, Clover, and Marigold also fleeing the irate witch.
"Better her than us," Aberforth and Dumbledore said together, laughing out loud and the others joined in.
-0-
"You're not overworking yourself, right?" Lavender asked worriedly.
"I'm not," Harry smiled. "Don't worry. I don't mind helping them with things, I like to."
"Right but you have so much going on," Lavender said. "Just didn't want you to overdo it."
"It's okay, I'm still managing and am happy," Harry said, soothing her. "I just didn't want to neglect them."
"They better not be saying something like that," Millicent said, frowning at the younger group.
"They're not," Harry said.
"Good." Pansy said, also frowning at them.
The window rattled and opened, allowing Hedwig to swoop in. She landed in front of Harry, hooting hello and waited for him to take the envelopes out of her harness. She stretched a little, fluffing her feathers when he removed the harness too and she cheeped lovingly at him.
"Thank you," he smiled at her, rubbing her head. He looked at the envelopes. "Oh, one's from the World's Kitchen. Must be the clue to the next challenge. The other's from Tsumugi." He opened the fancy envelope with the World's Kitchen crest emblazoned on the front and read the message within.
"What does it say?" Aster asked eagerly, the others having walked over when they saw Hedwig arrive.
"'Like many things, cooking is built upon a foundation established by the ones who laid it down'," Harry read. "'One must never forget the origins of where we are born as we go to where we will, and that all have a root in the classics'."
"That sounds really vague," Hermione frowned.
"Maddeningly so," Daphne agreed. "That could mean anything."
"Looks like you might have an idea though," Padma said, looking at Harry.
"I think so. I'll have to send a message to Chef Gabriel and Grandmother and Grandfather to be sure, but I think I know what it's referring to," Harry said thoughtfully.
"What?" Clover and Marigold asked together.
"If I'm right, I think they're going to want us to cook something with a mother sauce," Harry said.
"Whose mother's sauce?" Parvati asked. "Because I bet that's a very broad generalization."
Harry grinned. "In French classical cooking, there are five sauces called mother sauces because they form the base for a bunch of different kinds of sauces. Bechamel, hollandaise, velouté, espagnole, and tomate. You can then create any sauce you want by using one of the five as the base."
"Oh, root in the classics, where you are born, and foundation," Pansy said. "That's well-reasoned."
"Plus the World's Kitchen is based out of France," Harry said.
"What if you weren't trained in French cooking?" Millicent asked. "Not very fair that."
"No, but I bet most professional chefs know a little about them," Harry said. "I have those cookbooks that Grandmother and Grandfather gave me a long time ago and some of them were written by the ones that basically created classical cooking. I've made a few here and there and can practice that."
"Are you going to be able to train with the others before the event?" Sue asked.
"Not with Chef Gabriel, but he said he will answer any questions I have. I might try to see if Chef has some time. Goblin cooking has their own analogues to the mother sauces," Harry said.
"That'll be good," Pansy nodded.
Harry opened the second envelope and pulled out a small object wrapped in a piece of paper. He looked at it quizzically for a few moments before snorting, smiling broadly.
"What is that?" Hermione asked, looking at it. "Is that a tiny robot head?"
"Why did Tsumugi send you a tiny head?!" Parvati gasped. "It's a threat!"
"I think it's a Gunpla head," Harry grinned. "It's a head to a model that you build of robot warriors. When Kaito went back to Japan after the placement challenge, he learned that Sota and I were friends, as well as with Tsumugi and Chiyo. Apparently they weren't too happy with how he treated me during the placement and Azuki and Ebi took offense to it."
"What did they do?" Astoria asked eagerly.
"They hid his things while displaying others and scattered everything all over. They also might have spread ground chili peppers all over his things. But they also took all the heads off of his Gunpla models and I guess Azuki sent me one." He showed them the paper that was wrapped around the piece of the model and there was a tiny paw print stamped onto the paper.
"That's amazing," Padma laughed.
"I guess I should mail this back to Kaito," Harry grinned. He paused. "Hmm. Maybe I'll wait until after I hear from Chef Gabriel and my grandparents first."
"One typically does not help someone they are competing against," Daphne said lightly.
"I know, but Kaito's been the nicest to me," Harry said. "Like he apologized to me for the first time and was genuine about it. And like we said, if you weren't exactly trained this way, it's not exactly fair."
"And if he ends up beating you in the competition?" she asked.
"Then he outcooked me that day and he beat me," Harry shrugged.
"I suppose it would not be you if you, if you did not act so," Daphne smiled fondly.
"Besides, if it was Mael or one of the other arseholes, you wouldn't help them, right?" Parvati grinned.
"Probably not," Harry grinned back.
"Then that's all that matters," Parvati said. "And a simple reminder to always try to be pleasant to others."
"Why aren't you like that to us then?" Ivaan asked indignantly with Divya nodding.
"I said 'try'," Parvati sniffed. "And you two started the whole not being nice thing."
"Did they?" Lavender asked Padma.
"Who knows?" Padma said, shrugging eloquently and joining in on the ensuing laughter.
-0-
"French cooking sure is fussy," Diglin remarked, flipping through one of Harry's books. "Well, classical haute cuisine is at least."
"Didn't you tell me that if I messed up the order of preparing snapdragon mushrooms, I'd get hurt by either the mushrooms or the goblins who see me do it?" Harry asked mildly.
Diglin snorted and smiled. "First of all, I was kidding and that was still when I was trying to put the fear of goblin in you. Second of all, some people really do take that seriously. Third of all, if you don't harvest snapdragons right, they bite you and you can get a nasty infection from them."
"But they were already harvested," Harry protested, laughing.
"Right, hence my first point," Diglin said. He shrugged weakly at some flat looks from Rubi and Dee. "What? This was like the first week when Harry started working here. I hadn't gotten to know him yet and like him."
"And that was still pretty fast for us," Amythyst said. "Over the course of a summer. I've worked with others for years and still don't really know more than their name and don't care to know more."
"Remember that one that thought he was better than us, even after only a few months?" Flynt grinned.
"Oh yeah, we kept getting his name wrong and that made him quit," Salta snickered.
Harry was in Main One at Gringotts. After getting confirmation from Gabriel and the Flamels, he asked if Diglin had some time to help him practice. He went over one Saturday morning and was delighted to not only see Diglin, but members of the Crew as well as Dee, Rubi, and Emmie.
Emmie had proudly showed off her new boots saying she was ready to be Harry's 'shoe chef'. Something everyone had enjoyed.
"I can believe that," Harry smiled as he continued to stir the sauce on the stove. "For the longest time, I thought you guys were just saying Potter differently for some reason."
"That was Flynt," Amythyst said immediately. "His idea."
"Hey! No one didn't not want to do it!" Flynt squawked.
"What did they call you?" Dee asked, narrowing her eyes.
"Poittor," Diglin said, patting her arm.
Dee's glare made the Crew squirm some before she finally rolled her eyes and snorted. "At least it's not a terrible nickname."
"And you've gotten taller," Flynt said, looking up at Harry. "Tell me you've stopped growing. You're going to give me a crick in my neck."
"I'm pretty sure I have," Harry smiled as the others snickered. "At least I can reach the top shelf in here."
Diglin snorted again and took the offered spoon from Harry. "Good coverage," he said, looking at the back of the spoon. He licked it delicately, turning thoughtful. "Good mouthfeel, nicely seasoned. Yup, that's a good one."
"Finally," Harry sighed, passing the pot around for the others to taste. "I think I have a handle on them all now."
"Just have to figure out what to do with it," Diglin agreed. "See what's available and make sure the sauce has a reason to be on the plate and not just because you need a sauce."
Harry nodded. "Everything on the plate needs a purpose, from base to garnish."
"Exactly," Diglin said proudly.
"Oh Harry, you'll enjoy this." Rubi leaned over the counter. "So the goblins associated at Gringotts France threw into the whole debate about goblin cooking. More than a few are actually quite pleased that you made it and it's throwing a lot of debate into things."
"Is that a good thing?" Harry asked nervously.
"It is," practically everyone there save for Emmie said.
"Other magical communities are taking the goblins more seriously now," Dee said happily. "Not just for metal working and banking and the usual associated things."
"Those three judges are big names in their professions," Diglin said. "So others are taking what they said seriously. Making them consider different things and seeing what else is out there. And there is talk about Gringotts sponsoring a restaurant that makes goblin cooking for people outside the bank, like as in a place on Diagon Alley."
"Oh wow, seriously?" Hacker gasped.
"Seriously," Diglin said, nodding and looking pleased. "I know there's been a few property holders and owners that have reached out to Gringotts about it, same with the Ministry. Everyone wants a piece of this first deal."
"Is it such a good deal?" Flynt asked slowly. "Anyone that's going to work out there on Diagon is going to be catching a whole lotta attitude one way or another."
"Yeah that's a big part of the debate too," Diglin said. "Whoever is going to be out there will have to accept it, but since it will be a part of the Bank, there will be some protections. You're not wrong though, it'll be something different and will have its own kind of stress and complications. But personally, I think it's a step in a good way."
"And this would lead to different opportunities," Rubi said. "More things outside of what goblins are usually known for."
"This very well could be the break we've always wanted," Dee said seriously. "One that we were reluctant to try and make happen with a society that wasn't too enthused either."
The goblins looked at each other thoughtfully.
"I still think the real reason is that we can't let Harry be responsible for goblin cooking," Amythyst said, winking at him.
"Yeah, knowing him, he'd take all the credit and soon everyone will say he's the one that invented goblin cuisine," Hacker grinned.
"Such an egomaniac," Flynt sniffed. "Ow! Hey!" He tried to fend off a vengeful Emmie that thwapped him with a wooden spoon. "Do you even know what an egomaniac is?!"
"No!" Emmie said and thwapped him again while the others roared with laughter.
"Don't hit Flynt," Harry laughed and scooped her up. "You'll break your spoon."
"Here, use this one," Salta said, offering a long metal ladle.
"Let's not teach her to hit people with kitchen utensils," Rubi laughed.
"Speaking of, you got something to say to us Chef?" Flynt asked with a superior expression.
"Sure, lots of things, most of it impolite," Diglin replied, giving him a look. "And all of it true."
"More specifically, about the mallet," Flynt continued.
"Oh don't give me that bullshi-I mean dung," Diglin countered, smiling at Dee's look and her nodding at Emmie. "There's no way you can claim you'd know there would be ironnuts!"
"You're the one that says we should be prepared and good thing we prepared Harry," Salta crowed.
"I don't think the pans at the Cuisine Capitale would be robust enough to break open an ironnut," Harry grinned.
"You're the one that doesn't like single use kitchen tools," Amythyst said. "I thought you'd be happy with a mallet that can break open many different things."
"I'll admit that I'm happy he had it and that you lot had the foresight to give him one, but I still disagree with the notion that you lot didn't give him one with the intent of him using it on kneecaps," Diglin said sternly.
"Speaking of," Dee gave Hacker a look. "Where did you find that piece of scrap wrist-knife?"
"It was a decent one!" Hacker said loudly. "Admittedly for goblings but I knew he'd balk at being given a proper one!"
"I still like it!" Harry insisted. "I have it wrapped around my school bag strap as a back-up."
"If that passes for decent, we need to start selling more proper ones," Dee grumbled. "Shoddy work on the market these days."
"That'll make Auntie Bastilla happy," Rubi said.
"Uncle Harry, can we make more bacon butties?" Emmie asked, resting her head on Harry's shoulder.
"We absolutely can," Harry smiled.
-0-0-0-
Arnie1701 - Yeah, the website is a bit of a mess sometimes. There was a period of time last year where it wasn't counting any numbers and it was kinda annoying to see.
Remzal Von Enili - He's going to suffer and it'll be essentially self inflicted, poor sod.
61394 - Funny how the smallest thing can cause such large consequences. I also thought it was a nice way to show how the society has slowly changed. Rita's still Rita when she needs to be and she was especially Rita-esque there. Thank you.
DOOOOOOM Lord of Waffles - He sure got the business alright. Completely his own fault too. I thought the Malfoy bit would be a good way to show come change and other kinds of consequences too.
Hands Off MY Wolfie - He's going to have a lot of trouble all over before it's over. Parvati knows she should, she won't because it's funny and she commits' to the bit. Thanks for reading.
TheSphynx - There will be more bantering and Bantering to come.
DustieDaven - I hope things become kinder for you soon. I never imagined any of my writing to be read worthy or share worthy, thank you for that. I'm glad you all can enjoy it so.
poka - I always like it when characters have an element of their personality while having believable change based on the setting. Plus Rita is a hard character in some ways so I'm happy you enjoyed her article and it felt and sounded like her. I thought it would be very funny to have her comment on journalistic integrity because of what she's done. I'm also glad to see the change in Gringotts. We see them one way for a while and I had hoped their growth and change felt good too. Same with Hogsmeade.
choquain - Thank you. I always try my best to do that. I can't say I have, or will, always succeed, but it is very satisfying when I hit that note with them.
alix33 - Breakfast foods are some of my favorite foods ever.
guest - I had a lot of fun writing it, glad you liked it.
Guest - Thank you, glad that you are.
odonnellzoo99 - I love dumb moments so the spit take was a lot of fun and the article was a lot of fun writing. I think I maanged to get Rita's essence there and make it kinder in ways but still blistering.
TheReader81 - Thank you.
DarkRavie - Thank you.
zlancer1 - Thank you for your time and kind words.
Guest - Thank you so much. I do plan on continuing it past them leaving Hogwarts for a few chapters.