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

Side Dishes

40th Course – Speaking With Words 14: The Seventh Year Part 2

As per tradition, takes place all over the timeline with the first instance starting at the 137th course of Taste, coming to the end of the summer before Harry's last year at Hogwarts.

"Hello Harry dear," Rita smiled.

"Hi Rita," Harry said warmly. He blinked when she put a very solid looking metallic briefcase on the countertop. It was dull red and closed with metal clasps. "Wow, what's that?"

"I use this to carry around work for Gourmancy usually," she said. "It looked like a lunchbox I had when I was very little." Her features softened a little when she said that. "Obviously mine wasn't so big or solid, but it was a nice little red lunchbox."

"I think that's really nice," Harry said sincerely.

She smiled at him, becoming the usual energetic Rita once more. "Sweet of you to agree," she said. She popped it open and pulled out a large manilla folder and handed it to him. "So I have done a bit of looking about and talked to a few colleagues in different places and here is some information about your potential competition."

"Thanks!" Harry opened the folder and started going through all the pages. "Goodness, you got a lot of info!"

"Of course I did," she said smugly, sitting down on a stool and leaning onto the counter. "Sadly, most of it is already somewhat public knowledge. I collected past reviews of their restaurants and pictures and things and put them together. A few of my colleagues have dined at some of their places and some were kind enough to share some thoughts. I even managed to find some legal and criminal records."

Harry blinked at that. "Really?"

"Oh yes. Some have done some rather…inappropriate things," she said lightly. "I was also able to secure a bit of an interview with one of the organizers of the upcoming competition."

"How did you manage that?" Harry asked, delightedly.

"I promised a rather large article in the upcoming edition of Gourmancy and they liked the idea of it and even more exposure, especially to Britain." She winked at him. "I also said I was your media consultant and advisor and that I would see it as a personal kindness if I could obtain some information to help you since you were the youngest and newest."

"And they were okay with that?" Harry asked. "Isn't that cheating a little?"

Rita shrugged. "I suppose one could see it that way and I had to promise to not tell you anything directly. Therefore, I won't be telling you directly." She turned to Hedwig who sat on a roost beside Harry. "Now Hedwig dear, I don't suppose you would be interested in hearing what they had to say?"

Hedwig nodded eagerly, rubbing her wingtips together. "You suppose correctly. Tell me all! This will be for Chick's benefit and I genuinely want to know. I like to hear many things but I'm not as much as a gossip as Parvati or the Headmaster."

Rita's smile was from ear to ear. "Good! I figured as much. So the upcoming competition is being called The Rising Stars because all the competitors will be relatively young and are chefs who are on the rise in their careers. It will be an extended competition like they alluded to where there will be a series of challenges with eight contestants being eliminated after each one, culminating into a finale with two or three chefs competing for the title: Star Ascendent, earning them international acclaim and a monetary reward. The challenges will have an audience of select individuals from the culinary world, people of influence in the industry as well, ICW people, and guests here and there, not to mention judges. There will be about five challenge events with two happening before the holidays, and the other three after the new year with the final slated for May."

Hedwig tilted her head and one eye narrowed while the other widened. "That sounds really drawn out, almost unnecessarily so. Why is that?"

"My same question," Rita said without missing a beat. "Apparently the organizers did not want the chefs to be away for too long and imperil their businesses so they are spreading it out so that they have time to work and all that. Which works out for Harry since he is still in school. Personally I think they are dragging it out for more drama and media coverage, which will be fine honestly."

"I suppose. Chick will be at a disadvantage because he's still at school, so I suppose it will work out for him for the better. How are things going to end? What about the finale?" Hedwig flapped her wings, barking a question.

"The finale is in Paris and I think the majority of the challenges will be in large gathering areas in France as well. The World's Kitchen parent company is based out of Paris and there are readily available areas for people to gather and watch," Rita said. "Some might be open to moving elsewhere, but I think they will be mostly in France. Which again, suits us just fine. Oh and I'll be the main media person from Britain, representing the magazine and the Prophet."

Hedwig sat down and fluffed up some, tilting her head once more. "That's good. Chick needs proper people in his corner. Speaking of, is he allowed to bring people? He needs the support."

"The contestants will be allowed to have a few guests with them for each event," Rita said. "I will always be there of course as media presence but I am also of course firmly in Harry's corner." She looked at Harry as Hedwig nodded at that. "She's a wonderful listener and conversationalist by the way."

"She really is," Harry smiled. "We chat all the time while cooking and some of my best memories from my first few years after learning that magic was real and there was a Wizarding World, was visiting her in the owlery and chatting with her. She made the summers bearable for me the first few years."

"You make life bearable and tasty! I'm glad I went to the owl place and followed Big Heart. You're the bestest and sweetest boy and I loooovvvve yooooouuuu!"

Rita gave him a complicated look as Hedwig fluttered to him and landed on his shoulder, cooing gently and nuzzling him sweetly. "That does sound nice," she said at last and meaning what she said.

Harry looked through the papers and parchment Rita put in the file. "Oh I recognize a couple of the names of the restaurants from the few magazines I got before they became more popular lately. I need to ask Chef Robuchon and Chef Rocko about some of the names. They said they saw the names of contestants and there were a few they wanted to see lose."

"Spite is a wonderful motivator," Rita said with a sharp smile.

"It very much is," Hedwig hooted.

"They agreed with that," Harry smiled. He frowned after a few moments and Rita smiled a little to herself. "You said there were going to be eight contestants to start, but there's more than ten names here."

"Very good," she said approvingly. She looked at Hedwig who had flapped back to the roost. "The organizer didn't say it in so many words, but there might be a surprise event before competition start to weed out others and to finalize the eight competing. Increasing drama and setting the tone."

Hedwig snorted and rolled her eyes. "If I've learned one thing about magicals and humans in general is that you all love drama. Always want more of it even when you pretend you don't. Drama drama drama. None of you appreciate the simple pleasure of sitting down, fluffing up, and not having to struggle to survive for just one moment. It does make things very entertaining though at least."

Rita blinked back and turned to Harry. "She rolled her eyes."

"I do that a lot."

"She does that a lot," Harry nodded.

"Owls shouldn't be able to do that," Rita said. "Owls have different eyes that don't move like other animals and people. That's why their heads can move so much. I did some research on owls once and learned that."

"Oh, well, Hedwig is really talented," Harry said. "It honestly doesn't surprise me."

Rita watched Hedwig roll her eyes around and around and giggle as she did it. ("Marvel at my many talents that include eye rolling! How else can I communicate my disdain for the idiocy of others? A well timed and perfectly executed eye roll speaks louder than thunder and is more piercing than lightning!") "Well who am I to judge? It is delightful," Rita said with a smile. Her smile widened when Harry put a plate in front of her. "And what is this delicious looking plate?"

"Chefs wanted me to practice doing the same thing in different ways and presenting them like that with something connecting them," Harry explained. "So this is flounder both steamed and cooked meuniere style. I used scallion as the unifying ingredient besides the fish and incorporated it finely chopped in butter for the meuniere and then as the garnish for the sauce and steaming part."

Rita took a dainty bite from each piece and chewed thoughtfully. "Mmm, that's nice. The meuniere fish is not tough and still flaky. The butter is nice and rich. The steamed fish is so delicate and flavorful without being heavy." She smiled as Hedwig also took dainty bites of her own plate. "I still think you have a good shot at this."

"Mmmm fish! Tasty buttery flaky fishy fish! Chick has more than a good shot. A great shot! An excellent shot!"

"Thanks!" Harry took a deep breath. "I'm going to have to practice a little harder now since there might be a surprise challenge first."

"Remember what I told you," she said gently.

"I win, I win. I lose, I win more," Harry nodded. "And I should just do my best, enjoy the experience, and learn."

"Exactly." She winked at him. "I'm there no matter what happens."

"That makes me feel better," Harry smiled. "Want some affogato for after?"

"Is the Minister of Magic bad at his job?"

"You know, that's the second time someone said that and it's starting to make me think things," Harry said seriously.

"Oh the stories I could tell you Harry," Rita said knowingly. "I won't however, to spare you."

"Appreciated," Harry grinned.

"The answer is yes by the way."

"To the affogato or about the Minister's ability to do his job?"

Rita grinned. "Yes," she repeated and joined Harry in laughing.

"I want affogato too! Or at least the gelato if you're going to be unreasonable about me getting some espresso."

-0-

Parvati sighed but it was one of relieving burden instead of enduring one. "Thanks bro," she said softly, hugging him tightly. "You're the best."

"No you are," he said, hugging her back with equal fervor. "Also, just warning you now, Hedwig might try to steal your badge."

"Heck, I'll give it to her to wear," Parvati smiled.

"Everything okay?" Padma asked when Parvati and Harry rejoined the group.

"I was being nervous about the competition and Parvati hyped me up," Harry said easily.

Padma and Parvati exchanged a look and Padma smiled and hugged Harry. "She's good at that," she said.

"She sure is," Harry agreed.

"How are you feeling about the competition?" Pansy asked.

"I feel pretty good," Harry said. "Trained a lot this summer and learned a lot. I'll do the best I can do and accept what happens after."

"That's the spirit!" Lavender said, hugging and kissing him. "And here, we can't be with you in person at the start, but we'll be there in spirit and with this."

Harry opened the wrapped bundle and smiled. "Oh wow, this looks amazing!" He opened the new apron and held it up for all to see. The body of it was colored soft black and had the usual pockets in the front to hold something and a holster for his wand. The hem was red, green, blue, and yellow repeated, going around the entire length of the apron. Over his heart was the Hogwarts' crest done in gold and his initials in silver with a white gold Hedwig alongside them. He put it on and tied the strings around the waist. "Thank you so much!"

Lavender beamed as she waved her wand, making minute adjustments to fit him better. "We'll be with you as much as we can and cheer for you here. And at school of course for the other ones."

"If I make it past the first challenge," Harry said.

"When," a bunch of them corrected.

"Thanks everyone," Harry said with a full heart. "I know I'll do my best with you all helping me like this."

"Psst, hey Hedwig, come here."

"Yes twin that likes to be teased?" Hedwig flapped to Parvati. "Ooh, shiny Prefect badge. While I'm perfectly happy with Chick not being one, he would be so overworked, it would be nice to wear it sometimes." She gasped happily. "Wait, you're letting me wear it! Brilliant! Thank you!" She nuzzled a smiling Parvati and admired the badge in the mirror, the gold and crimson showing beautifully against her speckled white feathers.

"You make everything look good," Parvati smiled.

"I do, it's a talent," Hedwig hooted happily.

They continued to chat and laugh while eating and Daphne smiled when she offered Hedwig a bite of her baozi. "What are you wearing now?" she asked, looking at the owl. "A new accessory?"

"No, I've seen it around for a while but this is my first time wearing it," Hedwig said as she munched on baozi.

"I haven't made a new one recently," Lavender said. "Oh is that Harry's morale badge?"

"No it's different," Tracey said. "Is that the Gryffindor Prefect's badge?" She looked at Hermione. "I thought you gave it back for the Head Girl one."

"I did," Hermione said. "Oh, did you accept?" she asked Parvati.

"No, Hedwig accepted it on my behalf," Parvati said airily. "She's the new Gryffindor Girl Prefect."

"As the bearer and the wearer of the Prefect badge, I accept the position, the authority, and the power," Hedwig barked.

"Oh no," Blaise groaned. "I don't know if you're kidding or not."

"I'm not!"

"Speaking of, did you accept the position for the boys?" Neville asked.

Ron nodded. "Thanks for the recommendation, I did."

"Hey congrats," Harry said with others echoing.

Ron smiled. "Thanks! I never thought I'd be one and well, I'm kinda happy to be one if I'm being honest. Plus it'll be sort of like training to be a Hunter in a way. You know, being observant and all that."

"I hope you all are okay with me being Head Girl," Hermione said shyly.

"You are welcome to the position," Pansy smiled. "And the headaches that will come with it."

"Same, I've got enough on my plate," Padma grinned.

"I don't and I still didn't want it," Susan laughed. "You'd be the best for it."

"So you are the new prefect for Gryffindor?" Daphne shook her head with mock wariness. "I will wait for you to abuse your power."

"I'm still contemplating on how I'm going to do it," Parvati mused. "And you lot can't abuse me anymore because I can retaliate now!"

"I think you'll be a better prefect than me," Lavender said, hugging her best friend. "Plus with how my little sisters are, they wouldn't listen to me if I tried to punish them and didn't want to be in a position to do so."

"I won't have any qualms doing that to Ivaan or Divya," Parvati grinned, hugging her back. "Or the other little sibs. Older sib is exempt though," she said, winking at Harry.

"You mean sibs," Padma said with an arched brow. She snorted when Parvati waggled her hand.

"What do the Heads get besides headaches?" Blaise asked to much amusement.

"New badges that are slightly bigger and shiner," Neville said and the others laughed. "There's also an option for private rooms. I didn't take it, I kinda like our dorm, even with all of us in it."

"Same, I think I would miss spending time with Lavender and Parvati," Hermione said. She blushed happily when the other two girls hugged her at the same time. "Even with us hanging out in the Uncommon Room and the common room and class and all."

"Tough luck friend," Parvati said, patting Tracey on the shoulder.

"Wait, what?" Tracey asked, flummoxed.

"Imagine all the practice you'd get with your photography if only you had a private room to take advantage of," Parvati said with a very wide smile that was laced with innuendo.

"Hey! Wait, actually, you raise a good point," Tracey gasped while the others howled with laughter.

"Maybe we can put you in a private room!" Hermione growled, face brilliantly red.

"You didn't miss your chance this time," Harry laughed.

"No I didn't!" Parvati grinned.

-0-

"I'll try," Harry said, hugging her again. He smiled and waved as she and Sirius left and he settled his trunk in the rack. He gave Hedwig a look as she sat placidly in her cage. At her cheep, he opened the door and she stepped out daintily, stretching her wings. She gently closed the door to the cage with her beak and looked at the entire thing for a moment, before turning and kicking it, sending the whole cage flying across the car.

"Thank you, Chick. Big stretch! Ah, that feels better. Okay then. Time for one last kick of the cage. Hai yah!"

"There we go," Harry laughed as Hedwig looked very proud over her prowess. She flapped over and picked up the cage in her talons and carried it easily to the luggage rack, putting it down and flapping back to Harry. She fluffed up in his lap, giving him a look of smug satisfaction as he petted her chest and belly. "Very impressive," Harry agreed.

"I am very impressive," she agreed, nibbling on his fingers.

-0-

"Huh, I guess Parv really has been giving you her badge when she's not using it," Padma smiled, seeing Hedwig wear it.

"She's being very good about sharing it and I appreciate it," Hedwig barked happily.

Padma turned thoughtful and unpinned her own prefect badge and put it on Hedwig who fluffed up with happiness. "Yup, thought so. You look good in bronze and blue too."

"I do! Thank you, Padma! Such a lovely girl too!" She nuzzled a smiling Padma and admired the Ravenclaw badge on her chest feathers. "I like badges. They're good accessories."

"I guess I can let you wear it when I don't need it too," Padma said, laughing when Hedwig head bonked her lovingly.

-0-

"Thank you for answering those questions, Professor," Padma said.

"Anytime Padma, you always bring me lovely questions to consider. Not to mention that I do so like listening to your takes on semantics," Flitwick said, smiling broadly.

"I'm glad someone does," Padma smiled. "I better get going. I'm due for patrol and…drat. I left my badge in the Uncommon Room." She sighed. "And here I am on the other side of the castle." She and Flitwick looked up when they heard spritely hooting and flapping wings. "Hedwig!"

"Hiiiiiii. I saw you were about to be on patrol on the schedule in the room and saw you left your badge there too. So I brought it to you. I needed a flap around anyways." Hedwig landed daintily on Padma's head and removed the badge from her chest with her beak, dropping it delicately into Padma's hands.

"Thanks, Hedwig! You're the best!" Padma smiled.

"Very much so! A few treats for a hardworking owl." Flitwick levitated a few owl treats into the air and Hedwig leaned out slightly and nabbed them delicately before gobbling them down.

"Thank you! I like you. You always recognize all my hard work," Hedwig cheeped as she munched.

"Do you normally carry owl treats around?" Padma asked.

"I got used to it for Hedwig," Flitwick smiled.

-0-

"Speaking of, where's your badge?" Lavender smiled.

"Hedwig probably," Parvati said. "Probably as in definitely because I gave it to her after I finished my duties earlier." She poked Padma when her sister rolled her eyes at her. "Hey, you can't give me guff. I noticed you don't have your badge right now."

"She does look super cute when she's wearing it" Padma admitted. "She looks good in bronze and blue."

"She's been wearing your badge too?" Harry asked. "Wait, why do I sound surprised?"

"Like I said, super cute," Padma smiled.

"This won't do," Pansy sniffed. "Hedwig!" She unpinned the badge from her robes and pinned it to Hedwig when the snowy owl fluttered over. "Oh you do look very regal in silver and green," Pansy smiled and kissed Hedwig back when the owl nuzzled her happily and puffed her chest out.

"I look so regal in silver and green! Thank you, Pansy! Such a lovely girl. Yes, now I have three of the shiny badges at my disposal! Well four, counting Chick's morale badge of course. But I already had that. Now I have Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and now Slytherin! I only need the Hufflepuff one. I'll have to think about how to get it. Chick! Look at my regality!"

"Yeah you do," Harry smiled as Hedwig cheeped smugly. "Are we sure you guys won't get in trouble? Or her?"

"I don't think so. The other day, Professor Flitwick saw her wearing mine. She was bringing it to me before I started patrol," Padma said. "He didn't say anything. No wait, he did. He gave her a few treats for her hard work."

"I checked the rulebook, there are no rules saying she can't wear them," Pansy said. "Conversely, there are no rules saying she can either but that just means we aren't wrong unless proven wrong. I honestly think the situation never arose before, hence no rules relating to the it."

"That's good," Harry said with relief.

"Now you just need a Hufflepuff one to complete the set," Lavender said to Hedwig.

"That's what I was saying!"

"I knew she was wearing your badge," Sue said when she walked in and saw Hedwig. "I knew she was wearing Parv's but I thought the one the other day wasn't red. 'Course now she's wearing Pansy's I'm assuming."

"She sure likes shiny things," Harry smiled. "She still wears the morale one all the time."

"I love shiny things! Not as much as I love bacon. And you of course Chick. I looooovvve yoooouuu the most!"

-0-

"Oh hey Susan, is something wrong?" Harry asked.

Susan had walked into the Uncommon Room with a distracted expression, looking all over. "Hey Harry. I'm looking for something and I'm hoping it's here because I've searched through my room and the Hufflepuff common room and I don't know where else it would be."

"I'll help, what are you looking for?" Harry asked.

"My prefect badge," Susan said. "I don't know why it would be here because I don't remember dropping it here." She looked at him. "Are you okay? Why did you wince?"

"I think I know where it could be," Harry sighed. He whistled. "Hedwig?"

"Yeeeeees?"

"There it is!" Susan gasped when Hedwig flapped over, seeing a badge of yellow and black pinned to her chest. "Did you find it?"

"You can probably say that," Harry said. Hedwig gave him a reproachful look and nipped his hand before bobbing her head emphatically at Susan. Harry rubbed at the nip and gave his owl a look. "She's been wearing the different prefect badges when she can."

"Chick is mistaken. I did find it! I mean I found it when you had it pinned to your bag and I wanted to borrow it and see how I look in yellow and black and I must say, it is a pleasing color palette for me. Also why wouldn't I wear the badges? A girl needs to accessorize and the others give them to me to wear. It'd be rude NOT to wear them!"

"Oh well, I don't mind as long as I don't need to wear it at the time," Susan said. "She does look super cute with it on." She smiled when Hedwig nuzzled her thankfully. She started to giggle when she looked at Hedwig's nest. "Do the others put their badges there when they come in and don't need them?"

"You can probably assume that," Harry said wryly before moving his hand away from Hedwig before she could nip it again.

"Chick! Don't ruin my reputation! I'm perfectly capable of modifying it as I see fit."

"Such an influential owl," Pansy smiled, "able to wear the senior prefect badge from every House."

"Does Hermione know?" Millicent asked with a smile.

"She sighs a bit when she sees her wear my badge," Parvati grinned. "But she knew that would happen. I don't know if she's seen Hedwig wear the others."

"Honestly it's only a matter of time before Hedwig wears the Head Girl Badge," Lavender said, giggling mightily.

"Maybe we should make a Head Owl badge," Daphne smiled.

"She doesn't need a badge for people to know that," Harry laughed with Hedwig nodding in agreement.

"All should know that I am in fact, the Head Owl," Hedwig hooted with much satisfaction. "That said, the Head Girl badge is very shiny and I should complete the set. Hmmm."

-0-

"Uhm, Babe?"

"Yes?" Hermione continued to work on her essay.

"Did you know that Hedwig's wearing the Head Girl badge?" Tracey asked, looking at Hedwig who was sitting on the table beside them wearing a very shiny badge.

Hermione looked up, looked at Hedwig who looked back with satisfied half-lidded eyes, looked down at the front of her robes, then back at Hedwig, and then at the badge in question. "No, I didn't," Hermione said, blinking. "When did you get the badge and how did I not notice?" She thought for a moment.

"Oh. Wait. When you brought us the sausage rolls and draped a napkin over my lap, right?" She smiled wryly when Hedwig giggled and nodded and Tracey laughed. "That's sneaky of you! Being nice and nicking the badge!"

"I was being nice! And fulfilling my own wants at the same time. I can want to be nice and to get something shiny at the same time. And it was too good of an opportunity to ignore," Hedwig giggled.

"You do look awfully cute in it," Hermione said at last. "Well, I don't mind while we're in here." She smiled when Hedwig tugged on her bushy hair playfully. "You're lucky you're so cute."

"I'm very lucky for many reasons," Hedwig hooted warmly.

-0-0-0-

Arnie1701 - No one is prepared for the Hedwig.

poka - Hedwig is well used to them by now and can outfox any trickster fox.

Hands Off MY Wolfie - Yep, weak excuse but at that point, he was grasping at straws. I think he did care about his fox, he was just so thoroughly outplayed, he was too surprised not to be genuine in his emotion if not his word. Thanks for reading.

DOOOOOOM Lord of Waffles - Thank you.

alix33 - They make a good team together.

Lucy Elizabeth Dawson - Akari is a master, Harry the best at learning and growing, and Hedwig just being the best at everything else.

MarcusTrax - I'm glad to help. Thank you.

HoneyBear84 - Thank you.

TheSphynx - Pretty much. You're already losing when you go against those factors.