I do not own Harry Potter, the Wizarding World, or any canon characters.
Side Dishes
61st Course – Behind the Scenes: Petling Fury
The first instance takes place shortly after the 139th course of Taste, after the placement competition for the Rising Stars. It was alluded to in the following course after the fact.
"Master Harry, post."
"Thank you, Kreacher." Harry took the letter from Kreacher and opened it, looking at the letter within.
"You do not allow other owls to deliver into the home?" Perenelle asked.
"More like Hedwig doesn't typically allow other owls to intrude on her territory and well, fair," Sirius said seriously and the others there laughed. "Unless it's for something super serious or official, the owls leave things on the roof and one of us or the elves will check and get it. Certain owls are allowed to fly into Grimmauld but most don't."
"We do have a specific place for mail that is not from close friends and family," Perenelle said, nodding. "That makes sense." She turned to Harry and noticed his expression. "Is something the matter, cheri?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.
"I think so?" Harry said weakly, looking at the letter. "Chef Gabriel is a bit miffed with me."
"And for what?" she asked, her voice sharp.
"About what happened after the placement challenge," Harry sighed. "When I said Mr. Abe and Chef Diglin were my mentors to the others and one of them had heard that I had been taught and trained by Chef Gabriel some. She then accused me of hiding the fact that he was my mentor and I said I didn't know if I could call him that, which is why I didn't mention it."
"That's fair reasoning," Remus said. "So why is he upset with you?"
"Apparently she, I think her name is Celine, talked to her mentor who then contacted Chef Gabriel and things were said." He blinked when Perenelle took the letter from him to read. "And now he says I must be ashamed of him or something. I didn't even mention Chef Rocko either because we've only worked together a few times and he was fine with it! I didn't want to assume!"
Perenelle folded the letter. "Cheri, may I borrow this? Thank you, I will be back momentarily." She got up to leave.
"Oh, don't be too mad at him, I'm sure this was just a misunderstanding or something," Harry said, recognizing her look and temperament.
"I am not mad at him," she assured him. "But because you are so concerned for his well-being, I will show some restraint. Be back soon!" She threw some Floo powder into the hearth and stepped through the flames, whisked away by the magic.
"Anyone else notice how she said the word 'I'?" Remus remarked.
"Everyone and the wall," Sirius snorted. "Think she's going to get Nicky to help?"
"Chef Gabriel is more aligned with her, not the both of them," Harry said with some unease.
"Guess we'll hear about it soon and it'll be hilarious," Sirius grinned. "For us anyways."
-0-
Perenelle stepped out of the Floo and into her home at the Flamel Estate. "Blinky!" she called as she snapped her fingers, vanishing the soot from her instantly. She walked to her room and began to change, putting on more formal robes.
Blinky slithered into her room. She was in her medium size state which was about the size of a large anaconda. That size made roaming the buildings more easily for her. "Yes?" she hissed, looking at Perenelle inquisitively.
While not a Parselmouth, after years of interactions, Perenelle had gotten better at communicating with Blinky to the point where they almost did not have to communicate strictly verbally. Of course Blinky understood when others spoke English or French and could communicate easily with Harry and a few of the friends and apprentices of the Flamels who also spoke Parseltongue. Blinky had also gotten very good with communicating through body language and facial expression.
"I am going to chastise Gabriel and wanted to see if you wish to join me," Perenelle said, tying her hair into an elegant bun.
Blinky tilted her head. "I could, I suppose. Then again, I was about to nap. I guess it depends on the reason."
"He was a bit rude to Harry for no reason other than to assuage his own considerable ego when Harry was being polite."
"I want to come. How dare he!" The basilisk shuddered a little and started to shrink. She eventually reached the size of a cobra and she slithered up Perenelle's hand and arm when the woman knelt down, sliding into Perenelle's pocket.
"That's what I thought," Perenelle said smugly as she left her room.
-0-
"Chef, Madam Flamel wishes to speak with you."
Gabriel looked up from the board with a slight frown. He put his knife down carefully and wiped his hands with a towel that hung from his apron pocket. "Very well. Make sure refreshments are served." He gave his sous some instructions before he walked back to his office. "Madame," he greeted as he walked in. "To what do I owe this… your displeasure."
"What makes you think I am displeased with you?" she replied pertly, stirring a small cup of coffee and smiling pleasantly at him.
He snorted and sat at his desk across from her, giving her a wry and wary look. "Please, I have known you for a long time. I have an idea of your temperaments."
"You do," she nodded. "And unlike most, you are brave enough to risk them here and there."
"So what have I done this time?" he asked honestly. He sighed as she sipped her coffee silently, smiling at him. The chair creaked slightly as he leaned back and looked up, lost in thought. "Oh, is this due to Harry?"
"That did not take long," she said.
He rolled his eyes. "I had to learn of it from another! I see Boloud as a rival and to hear of this from him? Another thing for him to hold over my head!"
"And you know Harry would never slight anyone, knowingly anyways," she sniffed. "Have you two discussed it?"
"Not in so many words, but it should have been obvious," Gabriel sulked.
"Harry is a delight and is also quite oblivious when it comes to social niceties," Perenelle said, giving Gabriel a cool look.
"Apparently. And yet, he went running to you after getting the letter, I thought better of him."
"Actually, I was there when he received it and I am acting how I want without his input. In fact, he asked me for restraint."
"Then what are…you…doing…" Gabriel's voice faded as he realized Perenelle's necklace blinked at him. He blanched when it moved, realizing that the necklace was in fact a snake. The snake slithered down off her neck, across her shoulder, down her arm, and then onto his desk, never breaking eye contact with him. He paled when he saw that the snake was growing in size and soon she towered over him, her body having coiled around the desk several times as she continued to grow.
"You must be Mademoiselle Blinky," he said, realizing belatedly that they had been staring at each other. "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."
"At least you're a brave one," Blinky hissed, her tongue flicking out. She narrowed her eyes at Gabriel who gulped visibly and audibly. "You better be nice to Harry! He's very kind and only deserves to be treated nicely!"
"You said her gaze does not kill should she wish it, yes?" Gabriel asked, still unable to look away.
"That is correct," Perenelle smiled, enjoying the sight.
Gabriel coughed. "My words were spoken out of familiarity and as a token of affection and professional irony. I will apologize via letter and the next time we meet and will make sure we officially put things to rest."
"You better!"
Blinky shrank in size but not in attitude, her body returning to the smaller form. Still not breaking eye contact, she dexterously fixed the things on his desk that she messed up while growing, putting them back into place. She then slithered back up Perenelle's arm and coiled around her neck once more, her eyes still locked onto Gabriel.
"You did not need a basilisk to enhance your already considerable presence," Gabriel said.
"No, but it is wonderful," Perenelle grinned. She finished her coffee and stood. "Mind your words next time, Gabriel."
"Or else!"
"Yes Mistress," Gabriel said with the slightest pawky tone. He did release a large sigh of relief once Perenelle and Blinky left however. "Dammit Harry," he snorted to himself, shaking his head.
-0-
"I have returned," Perenelle said, stepping back into Grimmauld.
"Is everything okay?" Harry asked.
"Very much so. He has seen the error of his ways and claims it is 'professional irony'." Perenelle snorted. "Whatever that means."
"Sounds like something Grandfather would say," Harry smiled.
"You are not wrong," Perenelle smiled. "Oh and I brought a Blinky." She reached into her pocket and took out the basilisk.
"Hi Blinky!" Harry said, holding his hands out.
"Harry!" Blinky coiled around his hands and squeezed before slithering up his arm and wrapping gently around his neck, nuzzling his cheek. "I chastised the Frenchman for you. He better not do it again or I'll go back and nip him! Without venom of course because I know you wouldn't like that."
"Thank you," Harry hissed back.
"I had to transform a lot and I'm very hungry. Will you cook for me please?"
"Of course! What would you like?"
"Anything! Everything you make is tasty."
"You know, the first time I heard him do that, I nearly wet myself," Sirius said, smiling at Harry and Blinky, watching Harry walk about the kitchen. "But she really is cute and you get used to it."
"You really do," Perenelle nodded, also smiling.
-0-
At the same time on the other side of the world.
"Congratulations on placing!" Sota said, beaming.
"Thank you!" Kaito replied, looking very pleased with himself. "I had little doubt that I would place, but there are no guarantees of course."
"A strong showing," Yamato said proudly. "You will represent the family and the restaurant well. I have also heard of some of these other contestants, or their restaurants." The man looked down at the newspaper article with satisfaction. "You will do well and I have high hopes in you. And believe in you too, of course."
"Thank you, Uncle," Kaito said, bowing.
"The other contestants are chefs of note?" Ichiro asked.
"Yes, or work for chefs of recognizable name," Yamato said. "All save one. Never heard of him before."
"Oh that one? He also placed somehow," Kaito frowned. "I also have never heard of him and he has never worked professionally before, not really. I find his inclusion suspicious."
"Who is it?" Chiyo asked.
"Harry Potter," Yamato said slowly, sounding the name out.
"Harry?!" Tsumugi, Chiyo, and Sota shouted together, shocking the others. Tsumugi pulled the newspaper from Yamato who blinked at them with surprise. She read the article swiftly, ignoring her mother's frown at her rudeness. "That is Harry!" she exclaimed, seeing the picture and seeing him there.
"You know him?" Akane asked, surprised.
"Yes, he was at the Showcase and we met more with him and his friends when we visited Hogwarts a few months ago," Tsumugi said. "He's really nice and a good cook!"
"Oh! That's who you send messages to and exchange recipes," Akane said and Sota nodded.
"That's amazing that he's in the competition too," Chiyo said.
"Hey, were you not nice to him?" Sota asked accusingly, glaring at Kaito.
"Why would I have been?" Kaito replied, looking confused before he blinked at the sudden displeasure from three younger people. "I don't know him!"
"He's a good person!" Chiyo exclaimed. "And he's obviously out of his element and could use a friend there!"
"Then he shouldn't have joined a high-profile tournament! And what is he even doing there! He's a student still? He shouldn't count then! He hasn't worked enough!"
"He's worked for their Gringotts and at a local eatery!" Sota said angrily. "And he won a place with his skills, right? Isn't that the point of the placement?"
"Skills? Or something more," Kaito said dismissively. "To increase the drama of the competition."
"How dare you insinuate that!" Tsumugi said loudly, kicking him in the shin and making him yelp.
Yamato, Ichiro, Akane, and Himari watched their squabbling children and nephew with wide eyes. "They must really think highly of this Potter person," Yamato said with clear surprise.
"From what Tsumugi has told me, he does seem like a good person," Himari said.
"We have enjoyed the recipes that Sota has made from what Harry has sent and shared with him," Akane said and Ichiro nodded with agreement. The adults were so wrapped up in the spectacle, with the younger generation obviously distracted too, that they all missed a small but even more consequential pair of observers.
"Did you hear what he said?!" Ebi gasped, fur rigid from shock and anger.
"Oh I heard it!" Azuki growled. Her ears were slicked back and she lashed the air with her tail. "How dare he! Insults to Harry won't stand! He got to spend time with Harry but wasn't nice?!"
"We're doing something, right?"
"You bet your brush we are!" Azuki looked at her sister. "Kami-nari!"
"Kami-nari!" Ebi yipped. The two trickster foxes scampered out of the sitting room and dashed out of the Aikawa home. In a very short time, they were at the Sakai home, slipping through a small special door in the wall surrounding the grounds. The door was designed for foxes to enter and leave and the two were regular guests and messengers to the Sakai home as it were. They were not above using such means, obviously, and went into the home with purpose.
"Kami-nari!" the two foxes barked as they pushed the door to Kaito's room open and got to work.
-0-
"Kuro! Kuro, wake up!"
A very large trickster fox with fur that was jet black, opened his eyes and he yawned, turning his head to look at a very nervous looking red-furred fox. "What?" he asked sleepily. "I was napping."
"I know but, uh, well…" Aka looked chagrined at Kuro's flat stare. "Azuki and Ebi are doing…things."
"Those two always do things," Kuro said, waking up more. "What are they doing?"
"You should come and see."
Intrigued, Kuro followed the smaller fox and he looked into Katio's room and his eyes opened wide, sleep completely leaving him. The room was normally quite clean and orderly and had been magnificently disrupted. Everything was open, things were strewn about. Books were unorganized and some of them were prominently displayed that really should not have been. Kuro blinked as he took it all in and when he looked over at where normally stood models of gundams, he snorted and winced in equal measure, seeing piles of parts instead.
"Excuse us." Azuki and Ebi slid past the other two foxes and continued to move things about with seemingly no care at being watched by the other two foxes.
"And what are you two doing, exactly?" Kuro asked mildly, making no attempt to stop them.
"Kami-nari," they said together.
Aka tilted her head. "Divine wrath?"
Kuro snorted again. "What did Kaito do to you two? He normally doesn't do anything that would invite this."
"He was rude to Harry!" the fox sisters said indignantly.
"Who's Harry?" Aka asked.
"He's Tsumugi and Chiyo and Sota's friend from Britain," Azuki explained. "He smells nice and is super nice and sweet. And an amazing cook! He's in the competition that Kaito's in but Kaito was rude to him! Insinuated things!"
"So we're bringing the wrath of Kami-Sama down upon him!" Ebi declared.
Kuro and Aka watched as the foxes dragged some things out of the room and went deeper into the house with them.
"Should we stop them?" Aka asked, looking up at Kuro.
"You may, if you want to have them torture you too," Kuro snorted. "In all my years, those two are the most annoying and the most devilish foxes I have ever met. I'm not inviting that on my head. Besides, Kaito could use the humility." He yawned. "I'm going back to nap."
"You know what, that sounds good to me too," Aka said and followed Kuro away.
-0-
"There you are," Tsumugi said, seeing Azuki and Ebi walk into the bento shop with dainty nonchalance. The fight with Kaito had been broken up by the amused adults and Yamato and Kaito had left with Himari doing the same. The girls and Sota joined Akane in the shop while Ichiro left on errands too. Used to their foxes going about at will, Tsumugi and Chiyo had not been too worried when they could not find them. "Where were you two?"
"Enacting Kami-nari," the foxes yipped together, settling down on a fox bed that the Aikawas kept for them.
"You two look way too pleased with yourselves," Chiyo frowned. "What did you two do?" She sighed as the foxes giggled then turned into pictures of insincere innocence. "Oh boy."
Just then the fire in a small communications Floo burst into life. Yamato's head appeared in the flames and it was clear that the older man was fighting a very large smile and was actively failing at it. Loud shouting could be heard from his end of the Floo and he was snorting deeply. "Sota-kun," he said, coughing, "are Chiyo-chan and Tsumugi-chan still there?"
"Yes Uncle," the girls said together, coming to the Floo.
"Are your foxes there?" he asked, eyes dancing with delight, smiling all the more as the girls groaned and looked behind them at the two foxes who were pretending to nap.
"What did they do?" Tsumugi asked, wincing.
"It appears that they took what Kaito said personally," Yamato said.
"Oh, uh yeah, they love Harry," Chiyo said.
"They completely destroyed Katio's room," Yamato said, making everyone laugh, himself included. "Scattered everything about the house, including dragging out some manga that he really should keep concealed.
"They were!" Kaito shouted, his voice full of embarrassed anger.
"And they dismantled his gunpla," Yamato said, grinning. "Took them apart cleanly! It is an incredible display of revenge."
"In the interest of fairness, how do you know it was them?" Sota asked, grinning. "Not saying it isn't deserved of course."
"Fuck you!" Kaito shouted.
"Fuck you!" Sota, Chiyo, and Tsumugi shouted back.
Yamato laughed loudly. "Kuro and Aka and the other house foxes basically confirmed it but they also did not stop them and they would stop any other fox, so there is that."
"That's what you get for not showing decorum!" Tsumugi shouted into the Floo, pitching her voice past Yamato.
"How was I supposed to know?!" Yamato shouted back.
"He sounds annoyed. Good." Ebi looked especially pleased with herself.
"And until he shows contrition and atones, we will continue," Azuki sniffed.
"Did you keep the heads?"
"Yup, especially the shiny ones. They looked the most expensive."
"Oooh idea! We can mail them to Harry!"
"I love it! Yes, let's do that. That'll teach Kaito to be nice."
-0-
The next part takes place way back in chapter 36 of Taste, but I missed it for the Speaking chapters and it fit the theme of this one, so I wanted to include it.
Hedwig flapped over and plumped down on Harry's head, looking down at the table with interest. "This looks new," she hooted. "What are you making?"
"I'm making something new," Harry said. His charm alerted him that the things in the oven were done baking and he pulled out a tray. The tray had a lot of little cylindrical shapes on it that were golden brown and smelled slightly nutty and sweet. He pulled one of the objects off the tray and cooled it with a wave with his wand. "Try this."
"For me?! Thank you!" Hedwig hopped off his head and glided onto the table, taking an experimental nibble daintily. Her eyes widened with delight and she chomped on it with greedy voracity. "This is wonderful! It's nutty and sweet and delicious! What is this?!"
Harry smiled, watching her enjoy it. "They're owl treats! Well my version of them anyways."
"You made me owl treats from scratch?!"
"I didn't like how the regular treats taste and how no one really knew what was in them, so I wanted to make better and healthier ones for you. I looked up pet treats and decided to do this."
"I love my boy! He's the best!"
Harry smiled as Hedwig flapped back to his shoulder and nuzzled him energetically. "I'm going to make ones with bacon next."
"I love my boy so much!"
-0-
"Quiet you," Parvati said hastily. "You don't believe in it so you don't get to comment on it." She looked back at Harry's hand. "Whoa what's this? You have a different line here!"
Lavender leaned over to look. "You do! What does that mean?!"
"Uh, I think it means I should wash my hands more," Harry said weakly. "That's dried honey I think."
"Oh you're right," Parvati said, licking her lips.
"Parvati, you did not just lick Harry's hand!" Padma shouted.
"What?! It's just honey!"
"Don't go around licking random people's hands!"
"I lick chick all the time," Hedwig hooted. "But that's my right to do."
Parvati rolled her eyes. "I don't go around licking random people's hands, thank you! I licked Harry's hand because it was just honey and we're pals and it's fine! Right Harry?!"
Harry felt his face burn and he gaped at his friend. "Uh…sure?"
"See?" Parvati glared back at a very disapproving Padma while the others hooted with laughter though Lavender and Pansy looked as incensed as Padma did, maybe even more so.
"Anyways, you made these with honey?" Parvati popped a small round baked thing into her mouth and chomped on it. "Hey, this is great! What are they?"
"Hey! Those are my treats!"
"Owl treats," Harry grinned.
"Wait, really?" Parvati asked, mouth stopped in mid-bite.
"Yup! Regular owl treats taste awful so I made new ones. They are made mostly from chickpeas because they have a lot of protein, something I read out of a nutrition book. I mix in some honey and other things for flavor."
"Are they safe for people to eat?" Hermione asked.
"Not if I see you do it!"
"Mmhmm. You can eat the regular owl treats but like I said, they taste terrible. I swore I'd make a good alternative so here they are. I made the mix and formed them and baked them."
"They taste pretty good," Parvati said, finishing her mouthful of owl treat. As she reached out for another she paused. "Wait. You're making owl treats. Are they for Hedwig?"
"WHAT DO YOU THINK?!"
"Yep!" Harry smiled.
An angry hoot made Parvati turn and she smiled weakly at a very fluffed up and upset Hedwig. "They're really good? Ahhh! I'm sorry! Harry, help!" She ran around the room, chased by a vengeful Hedwig who hooted and barked shrilly, beating at Parvati with her wings and pecking her irritably.
"Of course they're good! Chick made them! For me! And you snack on them without permission?! How dare you! Snack stealer! Treat trickster!"
"Now's probably a good time to try them without drawing attention," Padma remarked, watching her sister fleeing from the irate owl with satisfaction. She nibbled on a piece. "Mmm, these are nice!"
"I never thought I would willingly eat an owl treat," Pansy said as she chewed, "but they are very pleasant. Crunchy but not hard, slightly sweet, quite nice."
"I'm making bacon ones too of course," Harry said. "But I need to keep her from eating too much. At her last checkup, Hagrid said she needed to cut down on some. She didn't like that but it's for her own good."
When Parvati ran by next, Harry reached up and deftly caught Hedwig in midflight. He hugged her to him, keeping her from flapping her wings, and popped a treat into her beak. "Don't worry, I'm making plenty for you. You can share, right?"
Hedwig narrowed her eyes but did not stop chomping on her treat, her hooting muffled. "I can in the sense I'm physically capable, but I don't want to!"
"Don't talk with your beak full," Harry chided gently. He smiled when she looked up at him with reproach. "The bacon ones are almost done."
Hedwig grumbled but stayed still in his arm, chewing rebelliously. "There is a distinct lack of respect from all of you others if you think you can purloin my treats with impunity."
"Can you make cat treats?" Millicent asked. "I'll pay of course."
"Oh I wouldn't mind some for Crookshanks too," Hermione said.
"Sure, I'd be happy to figure something out," Harry smiled.
"You know, my tea leaves did say I was going to have some trouble today," Parvati panted as she sat down.
"They also said it would be self-inflicted," Lavender said with a sharp smile.
"Anyone that knows Parvati would know that half of the trouble is self-inflicted," Padma snorted.
"I'll be happy to share the trouble," Parvati retorted. "Hedwig! She's eating some too!"
"That's it!"
Harry sighed when Hedwig struggled free and chased the Patil sisters about the clubroom. "At least she's getting some exercise," he said while the others laughed.
"Come back here! I'll teach you to respect my treats!"
-0-0-0-
Arnie1701 - Pretty much.
mike3308 - They certainly earned that good dinner.
odonnellzoo99 - Nope, Chloe is not above going full Veela and meting out justice. I thought it would be fun to see why people generally fear goblins and Darkwell especially. Bennets knows what's important.
poka - I don't really have plans for those men but hold that thought for a future chapter with a bit of related fun to it.
alix33 - They represented another magical of ill-repute and questionable livelihood.
iamchaos98 - You're not too far off the mark honestly.
Hands Off MY Wolfie - Lots of scary threats. That's what makes Harry the best. He earned his fortune through hard work and character and people flock to him. Thanks for reading.
Commando678 - Glad you enjoyed.
TheSphynx - Thank you so much. I actually did a lot of goblin chapters coming up and am rather pleased with them. Hope you enjoy them.
HoneBear84 - Thank you. No one of consequence, as in I didn't even flesh them out because they were that immaterial lol.
Clark959 - Thank you.
61394 - I think part of the fun is not everyone knows how well connected Harry is, and plenty wouldn't believe being told because it does sound too much and too good to be true, until they're on the receiving end of it. I wanted people to see what makes goblins and Darkwell so dangerous and Daelus is a lot of fun to write for. Pleasant crime bosses is a trope I enjoy.