I do not own Harry Potter, the Wizarding World, or any canon characters.
Side Dishes
37th Course – Speaking With Words 13: The Seventh Year Part 1
As per tradition, takes place all over the timeline with the first instance starting at the 132nd course of Taste, the beginning of the summer before Harry's seventh year.
"Welcome home Master Harry," Kreacher said happily, taking Harry's things.
"Great to be home, thanks Kreacher," Harry smiled back, going so far to hug the old house elf who bore it with ill-disguised pleasure. "Hi Winky!"
"Welcome home!" Winky said, hugging him more openly. She and Kreacher took Harry's trunk and Hedwig's empty cage away while Harry sat down on the couch with his owl ensconced in his lap while Andromeda and Sirius sat in facing chairs.
"It's so good to be home," Harry sighed.
"It really is," Hedwig agreed. "Home is the nest where your butt sits."
"Did you have a good end of the year?" Andromeda asked.
"I did, thank you. I did well on my exams and still top ten in my year."
"Remus said you're in top five actually," Sirius grinned. "Good job!"
"That's my smart chick!"
"Thanks! Oh, you said you wanted to talk about the summer?" Harry asked.
"Yeah. First, are you sure you don't want to join the Hogwarts group and going to the Showcase this year?" Sirius asked.
"I'm sure. It sounds fun but I think I'll have a lot to do to prepare for the competition," Harry said.
"That's fine and makes sense. Speaking of, we were thinking of ways to help you prepare for the competition," Sirius said. "I figured you'd be back to working at Gringotts and Hog's Head because you want to and it'll be good practice for it too. Perenelle is working on some dates for you to be tutored by the chef she knows and she wants you to visit them in France anyways."
"That all sounds good to me," Harry nodded eagerly.
"Ariana said she is going to get copies of the magazines and books produced by the World's Kitchen company from her friend that enjoys them. That should help us a lot too," Andromeda said. "And Rita will be coming to us when she gets information for us about the competition and competitors."
"Wow, I really appreciate everyone doing so much for me," Harry said, touched.
"We're family, and more importantly, we're family that likes each other," Sirius smiled. "We'll do all we can to help each other. We want you to be prepared and for you to have as good of an advantage as you can."
"I'll need all the help I can get," Harry nodded. "But I'll do my best."
"That is what we can ask of you," Andromeda said warmly. She gave Sirius a look and Sirius sighed and nodded. She turned to look at Harry and folded her hands in front of her and that made him sit up straight and even Hedwig stiffened slightly. "Now, all that said, you will not be overworking yourself. You will be expected to socialize with your friends, enjoy your time off, and you will not be running yourself ragged over this."
Harry blinked at her. "Are you…telling me I have to have fun and relax?"
"Listen to the smart lady, Chick. She knows what she's talking about."
"Precisely," she said, pleased.
"That's…doesn't it usually go the other way?" he asked, joking feebly.
"Usually," Sirius snorted. "I don't disagree though. You tend to work a lot and yes, we know you like cooking and working at Gringotts and the Head and it's awesome that you're so dedicated and you have a great work ethic. It is! But you're still young and we're going to make sure you don't go overboard. By force if we need to."
"I'll try not to, overdo it I mean," Harry said. He turned sheepish at Sirius and Andromeda giving him a knowing look. Even Hedwig was looking at him with the same knowing expression, tilting her head up to look up at him from his lap.
"You don't try to do that at all," Hedwig huffed.
"And the others agree with us," Andromeda said. "Yes, you decided to take on this responsibility by accepting the invitation, and while we cannot absolve you of everything that will come of it, we will also will try to not you assume responsibility for all of it either."
She lowered her head slightly and looked at him sternly. "I want you to promise to not overdo things and to take your health and happiness in consideration."
"Yes Ma'am!" Harry said loudly and Hedwig cheeped loudly too.
"Yes Ma'am!"
"Good! I will trust you to keep your word," Andromeda said, relaxing and smiling.
"How does Dora not listen to you?" Harry asked seriously while Sirius laughed loudly.
"Seriously! You have power a predator would be wary of. Though to be fair, the fact that you do have Pinky under control more often than not is even more impressive. She's got a stubborn streak taller than the stone nest."
Andromeda sighed even more loudly. "A question I ask myself often." She winked at him. "Still, it does provide some amusement and things are never boring, but I will deny that emphatically if you tell her I said that."
"We will be relying on you as well to keep him from overdoing things," she said and smiled when Hedwig saluted her with an upraised wing, bent with the end feathers touching her brow. "Thank you, love."
"You got it! I'll keep an eye on Chick and while I don't need anyone else's permission, having it makes it that much better."
"You're so funny," Harry said, shaking his head when she nipped his finger hard before nibbling on it lovingly. ("I'm very funny! Snowy owls are renowned for our senses of humor.) "I guess the Minister and the Ministry are pretty happy I accepted."
"More than a little," Sirius smiled. "Been the talk of the Ministry. He also vowed to provide some help however we need it so I'm going to charge them for some expenses. Might as well and we'll put it in your vault."
"Is that legal to do?" Harry asked, concerned.
"They're profiting off of you and your hard work, we can profit from them for you and your hard work," Sirius said. "Mutual profitution."
"Do not say it like that!" Andromeda cried and smacked him in the leg. "That sounds terrible in so many ways!"
"How would you phrase it then?!" Sirius said, shying away from her.
"A mutually profitable relationship!"
"How is that different from what I said?!"
Harry smiled and leaned back into the couch, watching his godfather and god-aunt argue while Hedwig resumed nibbling and gnawing on his fingers.
"Nibble nibble nibble. Nibbling on Chick to show love and affection."
-0-
"You want me to go underground? Hmm. I mean, you do say it's open down there but I rely a lot on the winds and air currents. Still. Don't think many owls get to go underground so this might be fun too."
It was time for the next trip to Thalga and Harry had asked his friends and others who wanted to come. Lavender, Parvati, Padma, Pansy, Hermione, and Luna all had eagerly wanted to go and the others would not be able to this time due to other plans. Final arrangements were made and Harry was packing things and had asked Hedwig if she wanted to go.
"It's basically like being above ground, only dark. Plenty of room to fly and everything," Harry said.
"The dark doesn't bother me any. Okay, sure! Why not? Sounds fun!"
-0-
The walk to the Tri-Point and the Spire was as pleasant as last time. The newcomers looked about with interest and awe, seeing this completely different world. They asked questions that Dee, Harry, and Flitwick answered and Hermione took many pictures. Flitwick, after hearing that she was bringing one, gave her some specialty lenses that would allow the camera to take good pictures deep underground and Harry had provided all of his friends with darklights too.
Hedwig had flapped around some, flying about but staying close to the others, and was now sitting on Harry's shoulder. She looked around with interest, head turning all around as she too took in the sights.
"You were right Chick! It's basically above ground, only much darker and with more mushroomy smells and décor. These darklights are a little less harsh on the eyes too. There's a slight breeze the higher you go, especially close to the Undersea. How marvelous! What an interesting place."
"You'll want to stay close to us, dear," Dee said to her seriously. "Your feathers are beautiful but you stick out down here and there are plenty of critters that might come and bother you and we wouldn't want that."
"Let them come! I'm Hedwig the Mighty! I can handle any 'critter' that dares bother me!"
"Dee's looking out for you," Harry chided gently when Hedwig fluffed up and glared down at Dee. "I know you can handle yourself up there but this is your first time down here and you need to be careful, okay?" Hedwig rolled her eyes but hooted in understanding, nodding at Dee before tugging on Harry's hair and nibbling on it.
"Well, it isn't wise to ignore the people who actually live in the environment so I will listen to you. Plus you care a lot about Chick so you can be trusted. I can totally take on any animals down there though."
-0-
"I can sleep in the sitting room or kip on the floor," Harry said awkwardly.
Lavender shook her head. "No, I'm not kicking you out of your room. We can do this. It's not weird, right?"
"No, but you two are very weird," Hedwig muttered sleepily.
"I don't think so," he replied honestly. "It's a bit awkward though and I vaguely feel like I'm forcing you to do this."
Lavender huffed at him and gave him a look that made him laugh. "No, if anything, I'm forcing it because I want to. Just, kinda weird timing."
It was time for bed. The SunDrop emitted a colder and cooler light, much like the moon, and was diminished in intensity. The sound of the Undersea's waves against the cliff and shore was soothing and pleasant, a low constant sound of motion as old as time and the world. It was a bit chilly, as was most places underground, and the fire in the hearth crackled comfortably, lending warmth and a faint light through the screen.
Harry and Lavender laid beside each other in his bed and while it was a large bed, it suddenly felt incredibly small to him. When he and Lavender brushed arms, they both started and immediately apologized at the same time, looking at each other. A snort from Hedwig, accompanied by a very emphatic eye roll from her, finally made them laugh and laugh, the awkwardness and tension bleeding away.
"Bless my feathers! Stop being so shy around each other! You love each other, obviously. Just be happy! You're making my feathers curl from embarrassment!"
"We snuggle and nap together all the time before," she giggled helplessly. "We're idiots, aren't we?"
"Maybe a bit," Harry chuckled. He sighed at another snort from Hedwig. "Okay, maybe more than a bit."
"Maybe more like a lot! But you're my idiots and I love you for it."
Lavender pulled him to her and she nestled her head on his chest, snuggling close. She breathed out slowly, a heartfelt sigh that made her relax all the more. "This is nice," she murmured sleepily.
"It is," he agreed, and soon they fell asleep like that, lulled away by the sounds of the waves and the fire.
"Finally," Hedwig hooted before she too fell asleep.
-0-
"Do owls normally sit on people's heads?" Minla asked, smiling at the sight of Emmie walking around with Hedwig perched on her head.
"Not really," Diglin said, smiling at the adorable sight too. "I never saw it myself before I saw Hedwig do that with Harry."
"Only the best of people can be my butt warmers," Hedwig barked. "And Emmie counts. She's loud but sweet."
"It's so cute," Rubi gushed.
"Are you hungry, Hedwig?" Emmie asked.
"Always!"
"Let's make bacon butties with Uncle Harry!"
"Good idea! Such a smart little gobling. I knew I liked you for a reason. To the Chick and the bacon!"
-0-
"Those are giant crakes," Padma gasped.
"I think those are bigger than the one we saw in fourth year," Parvati said with awe. "Remember that mutant one we saw in the cave they made?"
"I think you're right," Pansy blanched.
"No wonder they're using a harpoon cannon thing," Lavender said. "Well, Dee isn't. She can't possibly just harpoon it by-oh my goodness she can. And she's dragging it by herself!"
"I better take more pictures because no one is going to believe us," Hermione said while doing just that.
They had gone to the beach closest to the Spire, a private one belonging to the StoneHeart Clan. The sand was soft and warm and the water right around the shore was pleasantly warm as well. Diglin had pointed out the undersea vent that heated the vicinity. A little ways away was a popular hunting and fishing spot and a claw of crakes had ambled about, fighting for food and each other for sport. The girls watched as Dee took a small crew with her for a spot of fishing and hunting and they saw her attack a ginormous crake that was the size of a large minecart.
"And there goes Hedwig," Parvati said. They watched as the owl joined the fray, barking and keening a hunting cry.
"Ah ha! Prey worthy of hunting! I am Hedwig the Huntress and you are my prey and my dinner! Have at you!" She dove under flailing claws, parrying with the hunting knife she held in her talons. A quick beat of her wings sent her over a swinging claw and she stabbed deep with the knife, the metal sinking through the carapace with surprising little effort.
"I thought she couldn't take her sword out of Grimmauld," Parvati said.
"That's Harry's hunting knife," Pansy said, looking through a set of omnioculars. "She looks like she is having a lot of fun. Harry and Luna are too."
"Clack and snap your claws all you want! You can't get me! Take that! You will taste delicious in my belly!"
Eventually they came back over, towing several of the very large crakes as well as some other things they hunted and gathered and fished. The crakes they caught were indeed larger than the giant one they saw in fourth year and they had to be towed by the boats.
"You know, I believe that Hedwig can catch her own giant caddok," Pansy said solemnly. Hedwig barked loudly, flapping her wings as she sat on a very large specimen. Harry's knife was embedded right behind the eyestalks and she roosted on it proprietarily.
"As the Huntress that claimed this kill, I get first bites! Then you all can share it with me because I am as generous as I am beautiful. Marvel at my skills and praise me with great praise! I take and I provide!"
"How are you even going to cook these?" Lavender asked, hugging Harry and kissing him on the cheek.
"Normally you'd take them apart and cook the pieces," Harry said, hugging and kissing her back. "But I read about a thing they do in the States. It's called a clambake or a lobster bake. You take shellfish and cook it in the sand with vegetables by building a fire and then covering the food with seaweed so it all steams together."
"Sounds like fun so we're going to try it here," Diglin said. He and the others brought corn on the cob, potatoes, baskets of clams, and other things down from the Spire. Minla, Jaspyr, and Granite started digging several holes and lining them with rocks and starting fires in them while Diglin, Harry, and Cuttlyr began preparing the ingredients and breaking down the crakes with others using specialty tools that looked like elongated and exaggerated saws and axes.
"We're only doing one with the crakes," Harry said to his friends. "There're goblins who are also allergic to crakes actually and even those that aren't don't love them either. This one is going to have lobster instead as well as regular crabs for you Hermione, and the ones that don't like them like you Lavender." He smiled when Hermione hugged him gratefully with Lavender doing the same.
When the stones were hot, they piled shellfish and vegetables in layers with piles of wet seaweed that grew in the Undersea. They then covered the mounds with tarp that had been soaked in water and they relaxed and chatted with one another. Eventually the air was filled with tempting savory smells and when they pulled off the tarps and seaweed, all the shellfish had been cooked perfectly as well as the vegetables. They pulled the food out and laid it on long tables they set up and all started eating hungrily, passing around large containers of melted butter and bowls of spice mixes.
"Oh hey, these taste different than the crake close to Hogwarts," Parvati said as she ate the steaming hot crake meat. "Like noticeably. It's less tough somehow and the taste is definitely more sea-like."
"Crakes definitely depend on the quality of where they are and live," Diglin nodded. "These are extra good today and I really like this presentation and way of cooking them."
"Mmm the corn is so sweet and delicious," Lavender said. "Perfect against the seafood."
"Are the clams and lobster from underground as well?" Pansy asked.
"Yes, these are underground varieties," Rubi nodded. "The corn is above ground but grown by goblins on the surface or in special areas close to the surface. Mushrooms are our kinds of course. Potatoes grow anywhere underground and these are goblin ones too."
Harry cracked open a very large claw segment and took out the dense and flavorful crake meat and put it on a plate for Hedwig to chomp on happily. She tore off pieces of the meat and dunked it into butter before noisily enjoying them. "Eat some veg too, not just meat," he said and Hedwig nodded, barking through a very full beak.
"I will! My goodness this crake is scrumptious! Meaty, tasty, with a hint of that briny wonderfulness that comes from the sea. A clean taste too! Not muddy at all and it pairs beautifully with the butter. Mmm and the herbs add a perfect touch. My Chick is the best cook! Yum yum yum. Crake make for good bake!"
They ate slowly and leisurely, enjoying the atmosphere and company. As the SunDrop faded in brilliance, they threw the shells back into the Undersea to be taken away and used by the other denizens of the deep, while saving the nicer looking pieces and parts for their own use.
Pansy laid back on the still warm sand. "Thank you, for letting us come," she said happily. "This is more wonderful than I thought it would be."
"I'm glad you're all here with me," Harry smiled as Hedwig snored in his lap, having eaten herself into a food coma. "It's so nice traveling with friends and going to new places together." He fully enjoyed the moment, on an underground beach by the Undersea, with his friends and those he cared very much about. Despite the slightly alien surroundings, the feeling in his heart was completely familiar and welcome.
Contentment.
-0-
"Thanks again for having us," Lavender said, trying and failing to out-hug Dee.
"All of you are always welcome," Dee said brightly as she crushed Lavender in her arms. "I'm so glad you all came and you were wonderful guests and like I said, as close as family now." She and the other StoneHeart members were there and they shared fond sentiments and farewells with them. Emmie was slightly upset at Harry leaving, but was soon cheered with the knowledge that she would be moving to Thalga soon and would see Harry on a regular basis. Finally the train back to the surface left and they sat back and settled in for the trip, pleasantly tired from all they did.
"I'll definitely send you all copies of the pictures as soon as I get them developed," Hermione said.
"Awesome, I can't wait to see them," Parvati said. "This was such a cool holiday."
"I definitely want to visit again in the future," Pansy said. "There is so much to see and experience. The world is even bigger than I imagined before."
Padma smiled as Hedwig walked across their laps. "I can't believe you made her a crake hat."
"I can! It's so adorable and a good way for me to preserve trophies from my hunt. Lavender is so good at making things. Such a clever and talented girl that is good for Chick. Plus the red is so nice against my white feathers. And the claws shake when I bob my head!" Hedwig shook her head from side to side and the little claws rattled pleasantly.
"She wanted it and it looks so cute," Lavender laughed. She had taken the brilliantly red shells from the crakes and after being taught by Minla how to treat and preserve them, made a hat for Hedwig out of the shell of her catch. It was a small flat brimmed hat that was sloped back and had two tiny claws sticking out of the top.
"I can believe that you're wearing one though," Padma giggled.
Luna adjusted the larger version of the hat on her head. "It's wonderful," Luna smiled. "I can feel it absorbing my crabby energy already."
"It's really growing on me and I kinda want one," Parvati mused.
"You're crabby enough," Padma said.
Harry smiled and leaned back in his seat, chuckling with Flitwick, and petted Hedwig who was fluffed in his lap, feeling warm.
"I'm a trendsetter, what can I say?" Hedwig hooted smugly. "All desire to emulate me and why shouldn't they? I'm the best owl."
-0-
After looking through the wardrobe some more, Andromeda found a tie that was smaller than the others. "Oh, looks like this might be something you need to get redone."
Harry grinned. "No, I think it should be like that." He whistled and Hedwig came flapping in. She landed on a drawer and Harry tied the tie around her neck. "See? Perfect!" He laughed at how happy Hedwig looked and how sharp the black tie looked against her white speckled feathers.
"I am gorgeous! Look at me! There is no article of clothing I cannot make better just by wearing it! Marvel at me!"
"If my aunt could see this now," Ted laughed. "An owl wearing Prada. That would upset her so much."
"Oh she's the mean one right?" Dora asked. "The super bitter one?"
"Yes, that one," Andromeda said through a sharp smile.
"Can we take a picture and send it to her?" Dora asked with an equally sharp smile.
"Don't tempt me," Ted said, chuckling richly.
"Do it! All should see me and praise my beauty."
-0-
Harry smiled when Hedwig squirmed under his covers, scootching around underneath and making a Hedwig bump slide up and down the bed. He playfully poked and pushed at it, making her wriggle around. "Someone's playful tonight," he smiled.
She popped out the top and nuzzled him. "I just wanted to show my boy extra love and affection. It's been six wonderful years and I'm so glad I decided to listen to Big Heart and went with him. I love you so much Chick!"
"I love you," Harry said and hugged her to him, feeling warm within and without.
-0-
"Even Hedwig dressed for the occasion," Lavender smiled.
Hedwig cheeped and puffed her chest out. The new tie was around her neck and Harry's top hat nestled delicately yet firmly on her head. "I always look the best but wanted to look extra my best for Chick's birthday!
"You make everything look so good," she praised and smiled when Hedwig nodded with agreement. She wrapped her arms around Harry's waist from behind and rested her chin on his shoulder. "Penny for your thoughts? Or a Knut?"
"I'm just feeling happy and thankful," Harry smiled, leaning back into her slightly. "Everyone being here is amazing and they want to be here. I never thought I'd ever have a day like today. I thought my birthday before fourth year would be the best it would ever be, but somehow it gets better every year."
"You deserve it," she said stoutly, kissing him on the neck. "You're loved, Harry, and you deserve it and more."
He turned his head to kiss her and he twisted in her arms so he could hold her too. "Thank you," he said softly against her lips.
"You're welcome," she smiled back, kissing him again.
"Guess what I made for later," he said with a mischievous smile.
"Ooh! Uhm, another cake that's a crab?" She laughed when he nodded.
"I made two actually and I think they might duel each other," Harry said. "I could feel them inching the pans closer together while baking."
"I can take them! But they can fight first and I'll fight the winner. Then eat them as per my right."
"Let's make sure Parvati is closest to the table when you reveal them," Lavender said with a big smile. She and Harry burst out laughing and it mingled pleasantly with the general chatter and the laughter from the others, making the rooftop garden even warmer and brighter.
-0-0-0-
DOOOOOM Lord of Waffles - I thought it would be a legitimate problem for Harry in this setting. And his way of combating it.
Wentley - Yup, shows his resilience.
Hands Off MY Wolfie - Hedwig is the best ice breaker. And breaker of other things. Sometimes it takes time to build trust in a community, but it was a good way to show his full character to an insular community. Thanks for reading.
odonnellzoo99 - It really does, that's a funny point. Thank you.
alix33 - It was a good way to show how much Harry has grown.
Lucy Elizabeth Dawson - Different clientele and workers in different places. Really makes different enviornments.
TheSphynx - That's his character for sure.
HoneyBear84 - The ending was showing that Harry had sharpened up his plating and was no longer letting his weariness holding himself back.
poka - I thought it would be interesting to show how much he has gotten used to having a lot of friends and loved ones as a big difference from how we found him in the beginning of the fic. Shows how much he's changed too.