A Taste of Magic

Chapter 48: 48th Course - Cultural Exchanges

"Abe! You're overworking him!"

Aberforth grunted when Ariana poked him hard in the side. "I am not," he said, pushing her back. "We've been slower and I said he could take the night off if he wanted."

Harry shook his head. "I'm fine, really. Only a little tired, still getting used to my day position."

"Oh you started it? Tell me about it," Ariana said brightly as she poked a kettle and the water within started to puff and steam. She waved her wand, summoning a teapot, two cups, and a container of tea over.

"I'm working in the Gringotts main kitchen," Harry said proudly. He continued to talk as he peeled hard-boiled eggs. "I go in mid-morning to help with prep and work with them during lunch service before leaving right after. Rest in my room for a bit before coming over."

"Really? With the goblins?" Ariana asked. "That's no easy thing to get or do." When the kettle started whistling, she rinsed a tea pot with the hot water before pouring in a measure of leaves and setting them to steep with the hot water. "How did you get that position?"

"Professor Flitwick. I told him a while ago I was interested in learning about goblin cooking and culture and he arranged it."

"Good for you!" Ariana patted his arm. "More people should be like you, interested in other cultures and the like." She looked at him closely. "But that is a lot of work for someone your age. Are you sure you're not being overworked?"

"I can handle it," Harry said confidently. "I just underestimated how busy they get but I'll get used to it. I used to do long days of meal prep and cooking on my own while also cooking for three meals. This is actually easier, here and at Gringotts, because I get to cook with people and that's fun."

"If you're sure," she said worriedly. She filled the two cups with tea and gave one to Harry. She rolled her eyes when her brother made a noise. "You can get your own cup."

"Thanks," Aberforth grunted and summoned his own cup and filled it with tea. "They treating you okay? Gringotts can be a little rough to outsiders."

"I think so," Harry said as he finished peeling the eggs. He emptied the pot and set it aside and started filling a large mixing bowl with mayonnaise, mustard, powdered garlic, onion powder, celery salt, a pinch of sugar, and lots of cracked black pepper. He mixed it all together slowly. "As far as I know anyways. I haven't really learned any Gobbledegook yet, only a few words. The one I hear most sounds something like pother? Poiter? It sounds a lot like Potter, but not quite."

"Poittor," Ariana said. "It's a catchall term for a tall skinny thing to hang something off of like a lantern or to use as a beanpole. Some used to use them to measure tunnel dimensions or things like that. Where did you hear that?"

Aberforth chuckled. "They probably use it as a nickname."

"Ohhh you know, that makes a lot of sense," Harry said with dawning realization. "A lot of the crew say that to get my attention and I thought they were just saying Potter differently."

Ariana frowned at that, glaring at a guffawing Aberforth.

"Just a nickname," Aberforth said, moving out of poking range. "They treating you right otherwise?"

"I think so," Harry said as he started chopping the hard-boiled eggs and putting them in the mixing bowl with the sauce. "Chef Diglin is tough but he works with us too. Has high standards. He's been telling me things and teaching me things here and there so that's really cool. The crew haven't been super friendly but they aren't being mean either."